GAMES (gams).
If by the word are intended mere secular amuse ments. which are the natural expression of vigor ous health and joyous feeling, fitted, if not de signed, to piotnote health, hilaritY, aqd friendly feeling, as well as to aid in the development of the corporeal frame, we must look to other quar ters of the globe, rather than to Palestine, for their origin and encouragement.
I. Among the Hebretes. The Hebrew tem perament was too deep, too earnest, too full. of religious emotion, to give rise to games having a national and permanent character. Whatever of amusement, or rather of recreation, the descendants of Abraham possessed, partook of that religious complexion which was natural to them; or rather the predominant religiousness of their souls gave its own hue, as to all their engage ments, so to their recreations.
(1) Amusements of Children. Zechariah (viii :5) alludes to the sportiveness of children in the streets as a sign and consequence of that peace and prosperity which are so free from alarm that the young take their usual games, and are allowed entire liberty by their parents :—'and the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof' (comp. Jer.
xxx :r9). An interesting passage illustrative of these street-amusements is found in Matt. xi:16: —‘This generation is like unto children sitting in the markets and calling unto their fellows, We have piped unto you and ye have not danced, we have mourned unto you and ye have not lamented.' That the amusement of playing with tamed and trained birds was not unusual may be learned from Job xli :5 :—'Wilt thou play with him (leviathan) as with a Commenting on Zech. xii :3, Jerome mentiu... -ement of the young, which we have seen practiced in more than one part of the north of England. 'It is customary,' he says, 'in the cities of Palestine, acid has been so from ancient times, to place up and doi,vn large stones to serve for exercise for the young, who, according in each case to their degree of strength, lift these stones, some as high as their knees, others to their middle, others above their heads, the hands being kept horizontal and joined under the stone.'
(2) Amusements of Young People. Music, song, and dancing were recreations reserved most ly for the young or for festive occasions. From (Lam. v:16), 'the crown is fallen from our head' (see the entire passage on the subject of Games), it might be inferred that, as among the Greeks and Latins, chaplets of flowers were sometimes worn during festivity. To the amusements just mentioned frequent allusions are found in holy writ, among which may be given Ps. xxx :It ; Jer.
xxxi :13 ; Luke xv :25. In Is. xxx :29, a passage is found which serves to show how much of festivity and mirth was mingled with religious observances ; the journey on festival occasions up to Jerusalem was enlivened by music, if not by dancing: 'Ye shall have a song as in the night when a holy solemnity is kept ; and gladness of heart, as when one goeth with a pipe to come into the mountain of the Lord, to the Mighty One of Israel.' A passage occurs in 2 Sam. ii: 14..which may indicate the practice among the ancient Israelites of games somewhat similar to the jousts and tournaments of the middle ages. On the subject of dancing see Michaelis, (Mos. Reda, art. 197). No trace is found in Hebrew antiquity of any of the ordinary games of skill or hazard which are so numerous in the western world.
2 Grecian Games. The Grecian influence which made itself felt after the Exile led to a great change in the manners and customs of the Hebrew nation. They were soon an almost dif ferent people from what we find them in the days of their national independence and primitive sim plicity.
(1) Gymnasium. In Mace. i :14, we find evi dence that the Grecian games were introduced; and that a gymnasium was built under Antiochus Epiphanes—'They built a place of exercise at Jerusalem, according to the custom of the heathen.' Compare 2 Macc. iv :I2, 13, r4, where special men tion is made of the prevalenceof 'Greek fashions,' and`the game of Discus ;' though, as appears clear ly from the last passage (v :17), these practices were considered contrary to the Mosaic institu tions, and were hateful to pious Israelites.