The physical punishment of young boys proposed with approval by Sirach and Proverbs opens a window on the culture of the traditional Mediterranean world for non-Mediterranean readers and presses the issue of how United States biblical theologians must deal with such a culturally conditioned mandate. A model constructed from empirical research by Peter S. Cook helps a non-Mediterranean reader to interpret these data and to gather and further interpret additional data in biblical texts about rearing boys and girls. This information in turn is crucial for constructing culturally appropriate scenarios that are indispensable to non-Mediterranean readers interested in respectful and culturally plausible interpretations of the Bible. The suffering of biblical heroes takes on new meaning when read in this context.
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