(8) Table Customs. The Hebrews, like the Greeks and Romans in their earlier history, ate sitting (Gen. xxvii :19; Judg. xix :6; I Sam. xx: 25). A carpet was spread, on which the meal was partaken. At a later period, however, particu larly when Palestine came under the influence of Roman manners, the Jews reclined on cushions or couches (Esth. :6; Amos vi :4 ; Luke vii :37; dyeaten, recthzerl, not 'sat,' as in the common translation). The custom of giving preference in point of seat or position to guests of high con sideration appears from Sam. 1X :22, to have been of ancient date (Amos. iii :12). In the time of Christ (Luke xiv :8) the Pharisees, always eager for distinction, coveted the place of honor at meals and feasts. Women were not admitted to eat with the men, but had their meals sup plied in their own private apartment (Esth. i :6-9). In Babylon and Persia, however, females min gled with males on festive occasions (Dan. v :2). In general the manner of eating was similar to what it is in the East at the present day. Special care was taken of favored persons (Gen. xliii :34; t Sam. i ; IX:22; John xiii :26). Knives, forks md spoons were not employed for eating. The food was conveyed from the dish to the mouth by the right hand. The parties sat with their legs bent under them round a dish placed in the center, and either took the flesh meat with their fingers from the dish, or dipped bits of their bread into the savory mess, and conveyed them to their mouths. In Ruth ii:r4, Boaz says to Ruth, 'Dip thy morsel in the vinegar,' which ex plains the language of our Lord ( John xiii :26), 'He it is to whom I shall give a sop when I have dipped it.' This presenting of food to person is still' customary, and was designed originally as a mark of distinction, the choice morsels being se lected by the head of the family for the purpose. Drink was handed to each one of the guests in cups or goblets, and at a very ancient period, in a separate cup to each person. Hence the word cup is used as equivalent to what we term a man's lot or destiny (Ps. xi :6; lxxv :8; Is. i ; Matt. xxvi :39). J. R. B.
FOOL (f701), (Heb. evil, fool).
The fool of Scripture is not an idiot, but an ab surd person ; not one who does not reason at all, but one who reasons wrong ; also any one whose conduct is not regulated by the dictates of reason and religion. Foolishness, therefore, is not a privative condition, but a condition of wrong ac tion in the intellectual or sentient being, or in both (2 Sam. Xiii :I2, 13 ; PS. XXXViii :5). In the Proverbs, however, 'foolishness' appears to be sometimes used for lack of understanding, al though more generally for perverseness of will.
(See FOLLY.) FOOT (fo-6t), (Heb. kane, a stand, with ref erence to the laver (which see); Heb. t, reh'gel; Gr. roOs, fiooce, the human foot).
Of the various senses in which the word 'foot' is used in Scripture, the -following are the most remarkable. Such phrases as the 'slipping' of the foot, the 'stumbling' of the foot, 'from head to foot' (to express the entire body), and 'foot-steps' (to express tendencies, as when we say of one that he walks in another's footsteps), require no ex planation, being common to most lang-uages. The extreme modesty of the Hebrew language, which has perhaps seldom been sufficiently appreciated, dictated the use of the word 'feet,' to express the parts and the acts which it is not allowed to name. Hence such phrases as the 'hair of the feet,' the 'water of the feet,"between the feet,' 'to open the feet,' 'to cover the feet,' all of which are sufficiently intelligible, except perhaps the last, which certainly does not mean 'going to sleep,' as some interpreters suggest, but to 'dismiss the refuse of nature.' Figurative. 1. 'To be under any one's feet' denotes the subjection of a subject to his sovereign, or of a servant to his master (Ps. viii :6; comp. Heb. :8; Cor. xv :25), and was doubtless de rived from the symbolical action of conquerors, who set their feet upon the neck or body of tlyz chiefs whom they had vanquished, in token of their triumph. This custom is expressly men tioned in Scripture (Josh. x :24), and is figured on the monuments of Egypt, Persia and Rome.
2. In like manner, 'to be at any one's feet,' is used for being at the service of any one, following him, or willingly receiving his instructions (Judg. iv rto). The passage, in which Paul is described as being brought up 'at the feet of Gama liel,' will appear still clearer, if we understand that, as the Jewish writers allege, pupils actually did sit on the floor before, and therefore at the feet of the doctors of the law, who themselveo were raised on an elevated seat.
(3) 'Lameness uf feet' generally.denotes aftlic tion or calamity, as in .Matt. xviii:8; xxxviii:r7; Ter. xx:lo; Micah iv:6, 7; Zeph.
(4) 'To set one's foot' in a place signifies to take possession of it, as in Deut. i :36 ; xi:25, and elsewhere.
5. 'To water with the feet' (Deut. xi :to) im plies that the soil was watered with as much ease as a garden, in which the small channels for irri gation may be turned, etc., with the foot. (See