Children in Ancient Israel: Value and Burial Practices

Children in ancient Israel were highly valued, as evidenced by the investment of time, energy, and resources in their care. The biblical text emphasizes the importance of children and the command to be fruitful and multiply. Despite high infant and child mortality rates, children were given significant attention in their burial practices. In the Canaanite period, infants were often buried under houses in special jars, while in the Israelite period, children were interred in family tombs. The inclusion of children in these tombs served as a mark of Judean identity and a way of keeping families together even in death.