Child: This word has considerable latitude of meaning in Scripture. Thus
Joseph is called a child at the time when he was probably about
sixteen years of age
(Genesis 37:3) and Benjamin is so called when he was
above thirty years
(Genesis 44:20) Solomon called himself a little child
when he came to the kingdom
(1 Kings 3:7) The descendants of a man,
however remote, are called his children; as, "the children of Edom,"
"the children of Moab," "the children of Israel." In the earliest
times mothers did not wean their children till they were from thirty
months to three years old; and the day on which they were weaned was
kept as a festival day
(Genesis 21:8; Exodus 2:7,9; 1 Samuel 1:22-24; Matthew 21:16) At the
age of five, children began to learn the arts and duties of life
under the care of their fathers
(Deuteronomy 6:20-25; 11:19) To have a numerous
family was regarded as a mark of divine favour
(Genesis 11:30; 30:1; 1 Samuel 2:5)
(2 Samuel 6:23; Psalms 127:3; 128:3) Figuratively the name is used for those who
are ignorant or narrow-minded
(Matthew 11:16; Luke 7:32; 1 Corinthians 13:11) "When I was
a child, I spake as a child." "Brethren, be not children in
understanding"
(1 Corinthians 14:20) "That we henceforth be no more children,
tossed to and fro"
(Ephesians 4:14) Children are also spoken of as
representing simplicity and humility
(Matthew 19:13-15; Mark 10:13-16)
(Luke 18:15-17) Believers are "children of light"
(Luke 16:8; 1 Thessalonians 5:5) and
"children of obedience"
(1 Peter 1:14)
