There are some exceptions to this rule, and most of those have to do with religious observances. For this reason the manners and customs of Bible-land Arabs are very much the same as the Jews of Bible times. Through the centuries the Arabs have for the most part considered it to be morally wrong to change their ancient customs. On the other hand, the Peasant Arab has changed his customs very little, and the Nomad Arab practically none at all. The Belladin Arab has come in contact with western civilization more than the other classes, and therefore his manner of life has undergone a certain amount of change. Third, there is the City or Belladin Arab, who as a rule engages in business in the larger cities. Second, there is the Peasant or Fellahin Arab, who is a farmer and usually lives in a village one-room house. First, there is the Nomad or Bedouin Arab, who is a shepherd and lives in tents. There are three classes of Arabs in these lands. Since they have lived in these lands ever since, they have largely become the conservators of the manners and customs of Bible times.ĭuring the centuries, Arab customs largely unchanged. They brought with them the habits of life inherited from countless generations before them. In the seventh century, an army of Arabs broke away from Arabia and invaded the Near East. For many years the Arabs were the custodians of Palestine.
On the other hand, to ignore this subject is to deprive one's self of a thorough mastery of the Bible, both Old and New Testaments.Ī study of the manners and customs of Arabs of Bible lands invaluable. Many passages of Scripture that are hard for the Westerner to understand, are readily explained by a knowledge of the customs and manners of Bible lands. Knowing Oriental manners and customs necessary to understand the Bible. But many are quite apt to read into the Scriptures Western manners and customs, instead of interpreting them from the Eastern point of view. Since this is so, in a very real sense the Bible may be said to be an Oriental Book. It is easy for Occidentals to overlook the fact that the Scriptures had their origin in the East, and that each one of the writers was actually an Oriental.
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