HANDICRAFT (handl-kraft).
In the early periods to which thc Scriptural history refers we do not meet with those artificial feelings and unreasonable prejudices against hand labor which prevail and are so banefully influential in modern society. The entire circle of achieve ment which man had effected in the natural world, was, in ancient times, too immediately and too obviously connected with the labor of the hands, which is, in truth, the great pri:nary source. of wealth. for any feeling regarding it to prevail but one of high estimation. Accordingly, even the creation of the world is spoken of as the work of God's hands, and the firmament is said to show his handiwork (Ps. viii :3 ; xix ; Gen. ii :2; Job xxxiv :19). (See HAND, Figurative.) The primitive history, too, which the Bible pre sents is the history of hand-laborers. Adam dressed the garden in which God had placed him (Gen. ii:I5), Abel was a keeper of sheep, Cain a tiller of the ground (Gen. iv :2), Tubai-Cain a smith (Gen. iv:22).
The life which the patriarchs previously led in tbeir own pasture-grounds, was not favorable to the cultivation of the practical arts of life, much less those by which it is embellished. Egypt, in consequence, must have presented to Joseph and his father a land of wonders, of rich and attractive knowledge.
The maritime and commercial Phcenicians were to the Hebrews another source of knowledge of 'nandicrafts. Commerce and navigation imply great skill in art and science; and the pursuits to which they lead largely increase the skill whence they emanate. It is not, therefore, surprising that the origin of so many arts has been referred to the northeastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea ; nor is there any difficulty in understanding how arts and letters should be propagated from the coast to the interior. as well before as after the settlement of the Hebrew tribes in the land of promise.
The skill of the Hebrews during their wander ings in the desert does not appear to have been inconsiderable; but the pursuits of war and the entire absorption of the energies of the nation in the one great work of gaining the land which had been given to them, may have led to their falling off in the arts of peace ; and from a passage in I Sam. X111:20 it would appear that not long after they had taken possession of the country they were in a low condition as to the instru ments of handicraft. A comparatively settled state of society, however, soon led to the revival of skill by the encouragement of industry. A more minute division of labor ensued. Trades, strictly so called, arose, carried on by persons ex clusively devoted to one pursuit. Thus in Judg. xvii :4 and Jer. x :14, 'the founder' is mentipned, a trade which implies a practical knowledge of metallurgy; the smelting and working of metals were well known to the Hebrews (Job. xxxvii: 18) ; brass was in use before iron ; arms and in struments of husbandry were made of iron. In Exodus, xxxv :3o-35, a passage occurs which may serve to specify many arts that were practiced among the Israelites, though it seems also to inti mate that at the time to which it refers artificers of the description referred to were not numerous.
'See, the Lord haat called by name Bezaleel, and hath filled him with the spirit of God, in knowledge and all manner of workmanship, and to devise curious works, to work in gold, and it, silver, and in brass and in the cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving of wood, to make any manner of cunning work; and he hath put in his heart that he may teach; both he and Aholiab; them hath he filled with wisdom of heart to work all manner of work of the engraver; and of the cunning workman, and of the embroiderer in blue and in purple, in scarlet and in fine linen, and of the weaver.' From the ensuing chapter (Exod. xxxiv :34) it appears that gilding was known before the set tlement in Canaan. 'lite ark (Exod. xxxvii:2) was overlaid with pure gold within and without. The cherubim were wrought, 'beaten' (Exod. xxxvii :7) in gold. The candlestick was of beaten gold (verses 17, 22). \Vire-drawing was probably understood (Exod. xxxviii :4 ; xxxlx :3). Cover ing with brass (Exod. xxxviii :2) and with silver (Prov. xxvi :23) was practiced. Architecture and the kindred arts do not appear to have made much progress till the days of Solomon, who employed an incredible number of persons to procure tim ber (I Kings v :13, sq.); but the men of skill for building his temple he obtained from Hiram, king of Tyre (I Kings v :3, sq.; Chron. xiv :1; 2 Chron. ii :7). (Scholz, Handb. der Bib. ilrehool. p. 39o, sq.; De Wette, Lehrb. der Arelmol, p.115, sq.; Winer, Realwart, art. 'Handwerke').
The intercourse which the Babylonish captivity gave the Jews seems to have greatly improved their knowledge and skill in both the practical and the fine arts, and to have led them to hold them in very high estimation. The arts were even carried on liy persons of learning, who took a title of honor from their trade (Rosenmuller, Morgenl. vi, 42). It was held a sign of a bad education if a lather did not teach his son some handicraft. (Light foot, p. 616; Misb. Tr. Pirke /Thoth, 2; \Vagen seil's Sota, p. 597; Othon. Lex. Rabb. 491).
In the Apocrypha and New Testament there are mentioned tanners (Acts ix :43), tent-makers (Acts xviii :3) ; in Josephus (De Bell. Jud. v: 4. 1), cheese-makers; domestics (Kovpeis, barbers Antiq. xvi:11, 5); in the Talmud, with others we find tailors, shoemakers, blood letters. glaziers. goldsmiths, plasterers. Certain handicraftsmen could never rise to the rank of high-priest (Mish. Tr. Kiddush, 82, I), such as weavers, barbers, fullers, perfumers, cuppers, tanners ; which pur suits, especially the last, were held in disesteem (Mishna, Tr. Megillah, :2; Othon. Lex. Rabb. 155: Wetstein, N. T. ii: 516). In large cities particular localities were set apart for particular trades, as is the case in the East to the present day. Thus in Jeremiah xxxvii :21 we read of 'the bakers' street.' So in the Talmud (Mishna, v. 169. 225) mention is made of a flesh market; in Josephus (De Bell. Incl. v. 4. 1) of a cheese market ; and in the New Testament (John v :2) we read of a sheep market. (See Iken, Antiq. Heb. iii-ix. p. 578, sq.; Bellermann Handb. i, 22, sq.) J. R. B.