030. Thou Wast Not Swaddled at All

Thou Wast Not Swaddled at All

(Ezekiel 16:4) "Thou wast not salted at all, nor swaddled at all."

Only an outcast and neglected baby would be treated like that. Back in Bible days the new babies were well rubbed with coarse salt, to "make them strong"; then their arms and legs were bound tightly to their bodies to "make them straight." They were kept bound or swaddled up to forty days.

"And Mary brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger" (Luke 2:7). A great many of the native babies are swaddled today as in Old Testament times, and as the Christ child was swaddled.

"Thou wast not salted at all, nor swaddled at all."