- BIRSHA son of wickedness, a king of Gomorrah whom Abraham
succoured in the invasion of Chedorlaomer (Genesis 14:2). - BIRTH As soon as a child was born it was washed, and rubbed with salt
(Ezekiel 16:4), and then swathed with bandages (Job 38:9; Luke 2:7, 12).
A Hebrew mother remained forty days in seclusion after the birth of a son,
and after the birth of a daughter double that number of days. At the close
of that period she entered into the tabernacle or temple and offered up a
sacrifice of purification (Leviticus 12:1-8; Luke 2:22). A son was
circumcised on the eighth day after his birth, being thereby consecrated to
God (Genesis 17:10-12; comp. Romans 4:11). Seasons of misfortune are
likened to the pains of a woman in travail, and seasons of prosperity to the
joy that succeeds child-birth (Isaiah 13:8; Jeremiah 4:31; John 16:21, 22).
The natural birth is referred to as the emblem of the new birth (John 3:3-8;
Galatians 6:15; Titus 3:5, etc.). - BIRTH-DAY The observance of birth-days was common in early times
(Job 1:4, 13, 18). They were specially celebrated in the land of Egypt
(Genesis 40:20). There is no recorded instance in Scripture of the
celebration of birth-days among the Jews. On the occasion of Herod’s
birth-day John the Baptist was beheaded (Matthew 14:6). - BIRTHRIGHT (1.) This word denotes the special privileges and
advantages belonging to the first-born son among the Jews. He became the
priest of the family. Thus Reuben was the first-born of the patriarchs, and
so the priesthood of the tribes belonged to him. That honour was,
however, transferred by God from Reuben to Levi (Numbers 3:12, 13;
8:18).
(2.) The first-born son had allotted to him also a double portion of the
paternal inheritance (Deuteronomy 21:15-17). Reuben was, because of his
undutiful conduct, deprived of his birth-right (Genesis 49:4; 1 Chronicles
5:1). Esau transferred his birth-right to Jacob (Genesis 25:33).
(3.) The first-born inherited the judicial authority of his father, whatever it
might be (2 Chronicles 21:3). By divine appointment, however, David
excluded Adonijah in favour of Solomon.
(4.) The Jews attached a sacred importance to the rank of “first-born” and
“first-begotten” as applied to the Messiah (Romans 8:29; Colossians 1:18;