EDUCATION. As this subject is intimately connected with the question of schools and mode of instruction, which cannot be well dealt with sepa rately, we propose to discuss historically these three topics in the present article.
1. Education from the Exodus of Egypt to the Return from Babylon.—Being under a theocracy, and engaged almost exclusively in pastoral and agri cultural pursuits, it was most important that the He brews, in the early stages of their existence, should educate their youth in a pre-eminently religious, practical, and simple manner. The parents upon whom the education of the children at first devolved, were therefore strictly enjoined to instruct their off spring in the precepts of the Law, in the fear of God (Dent. iv. 9, to ; xxxi. 13 ; xxxii. 46), and in the symbols which represented the dealings of Pro vidence with their nation in past days, and which were evidently designed to excite the curiosity of the children, and to elicit inquiry; thus furnishing the parents with pictorial illustrations to facilitate the education of those committed to their care (Exod. xii. 26, 27 ; xiii. 8, 14, 15; Dent. vi. 8, 9, zo, etc.) This work of education was not to be put off for certain occasions, but was to be prose cuted at all times ; no opportunity was to be lost, the father was enjoined in sitting down with his family at the table, at home, abroad, before re tiring in the evening, and after getting up in the morning, to train his children in the nurture and ad monition of the Lord (Deut. vi. 7). The law of God powerfully supported the authority of parents in this task by the injunction of filial obedience contained in the Decalogue, as well as by the heavy punishment inflicted upon refractory children (Exod. xx. 12 ; xxi. 15 ; Lev. xx. 9 ; Deut. xxi. 18-20. Still the rigour of parental authority was not to be the sole operative power in the education of children. Parents are reminded that their ex ample may lead their children to happiness or misery (Exod. xx. 5, 6 ; Deut. iv. to ; v. 9 ; xxx. I 9 ; xxxii. 46, 47). The force of example in the education of children is most beautifully described in the praise of a royal mother who, with the law of love upon her tongue,' instilled noble sentiments into the heart of her children (Prov. xxxi. 1-9,
25) ; and such loving words are represented as producing an indelible impression in the picture of a son who, with pious gratitude, dwells upon the wholesome lessons which his father imparted to him in early youth (ibid. iv. 3, etc.) Parents are, moreover, advised not to adopt the same indiscri minate process of teaching with all children, but to adapt their instruction to every youth (Ini according to his age and inclination, so that he may abide thereby (ibid. xxii. 6).
That reading and writing must have formed part of education from the very settlement in Palestine is evident from the fact that the Israelites were com manded to write the precepts of the law upon the door-posts and gates of their respective houses [MEzuzA], in order to be continually reminded of their obligations to then Creator (Dent. vi. 9 ; xx. 2o); they were, moreover, enjoined to write the injunctions upon great stones (ZIn 1NZ) ` very plainly,' immediately upon their crossing the Jor dan (Deut. xxvii. 2-8) so that they might easily be read by every Israelite. Now these admonitions unquestionably presuppose that the people at large could read plain writing ; that the deciphering of these memorials was a religious duty, and that it must therefore have formed an essential part in the strictly religious education of children. Besides, the manner in which some parts of the sacred oracles were written clearly indicates that the inspired writers reckoned upon the ability of the people to read. Thus, the frequent play upon words, as for instance, in Gen. vi. 8, where 'Noah found fa vour,' is obtained by a transposition of the letters in the name ro into In ; Gen. xxxviii. 7, where `Er . . . was wicked,' is obtained by a trans position of the letters in the name 111 into In; the alphabetical portions of the O. T. (Ps. ix., x., xxv., xxxiv., xxxviii., cxi., cxii., cxix., cxlv.; Prov.