Among the ancient Jews, the rule that circumcision should take place on the eighth day after birth was rigidly followed (Luke i, 69 ; «, 21 ; PhU. iU, 5), save in such very exceptional cases as those mentioned Exod. iv, 25 ; Josh, v, 5. Even their reverence for the Sabbath did not prevent the Jews fh>m observing it on that day (John vii, 22, 28); according to the Rabbins 'cbrcumdsion **pellit Sabbatum" (Lightfbot, Ear, Heb, m Joan vii, 22). The operation might be performed by any Israelite, but usually it was per- formed by tiie fiither of the child; in special cases women might perform it (Exod. iv, 25). The instru- ment used in the earlier times was a sharp stone or a knife of flint (Exod. iv, 25 ; Josh, v, 2, 8 ; comp. the \L9oQ AldiowixdQ, used by the Egyptians in preparing bodies for embalming, Herod, ii, 86). See Knifb. The operation was a painful one, at least to grown persons (Gen. xxxiv, 25; Josh, v, 8), and requires about three days for the inflammation to subside (Ax- vieux, iii, 146). It was usual to connect the naming of the child with the circumcision (Gren. xxi, 8, 4 ; Luke i, 59 ; ii, 21), a practice which probably had re- spect to the fact that it was in connection with the in- stitution of the rite that God gave to the ancestor of the race his name of Abraham (Gren. xvii, 5). See Name.
2. ObKteraHon hy apottaie Jew*, — Some of the Jews in the time of Antiocbus Epiphanes, wishing to assim- ilate themselves to the heathen around them, built a gymnasium (yvfivdmov) at Jerusalem, and, that they might not be known to be Jews when they appeared naked in the games, "made themselves uncircum- dsed" (1 Mace, i, 15, iiroifjtrav iavToiQ SucpofSvariag y Yulg./ecenmtsibipneputia; Joseph. AtU. xii, 5, 1, n)v Twv aiSoiiov iriptTOfii'lv hrucaXifTmiv), Sometimes this was done by a surgical operation, such as Celsus describes (i>e Medic, vii, 25 ; comp. Galen, Metk. Med. xiv, 16 ; Paul iEgin. vi, 58 ; Epiphanius, De pond, et meru. p. 588, ed. Basil. 1544), sometimes by other means (Dioscor. iv, 157). The term for this was iirt<T7ra<T9ai (Talm. '^^'^^ 'n^'?)' ^* ®' ^^^^ ^^^'^ agcdny sc. the prepuce (4 Mace, vii ; see Bartholin. Moi^. bibL xxvi). Against having recourse to this practice from an ex- cessive anti-Judaistic tendency, the apostle Paul cau- tions the Corintliians in the words, '^ Was any one called being circumcised, let him not become uncir- cumcised*' (jitj i7n<rjra<r9(a, 1 Cor. vii, 18). See the Essay of Groddeck, De Judeeit prcBpttUum attrahenti- but (Lips. 1699) ; also in Schdttgen's Her. Hebr. ii ; and in Hasaei et Ikenii Nov. Thes, ii, 798 sq. ; and in Ugo- lini TTieaaur. xxli ; Engel, Zh JudcBorwn praep, aUrah. (Lips. 1699); Lossius, De epitpasmo Judadco (Jen. 1665) ; also in Schlngeri Dits. rar. (Helmst. 1743, ii, 89 sq.) ; Wedell, ExerdU. med. pkilol. I, v, 1 sq. ; Lu- dolf, Comm. m Hist, jEOi. p. 270 ; Labkert in the Stud. u, Krit. 1885, Ui, 657; comp. Fabridi Bibliogr, Anfiq, p. 546 sq. See Foreskin.
8. FigttraHve Use of the Term. — ^The moral meaning
of the word ** uncircumcised" was a natural result of
having been made legally essential to Hebrew
faith. *^ Uneircumcised in heart and ears" aphor to which a prophet would be carried, ma i sarily aa a Christian teacher to such phrases as '^ss- baptized in soul," or *' washed by regeneration." It was a well known and readily understood sg^miboi wf pi*»%.— Kitto, s. V. ; Smith, 8. V.
4. Modem Usages. — The ceremony of drciimchMmf as practiced by the Jews in our own times, is thus: If the eighth day happens to be on the Sabbath, the cere- mony must be performed on that day, notwitfastuidiBg its sanctity. When a male child is bom, the godfa- ther is chosen from amongst his relations or near friends ; and if the party is not in drcumstsnees to bear tlie expenses, which are considerable (jkx sfler the ceremony is performed a break£ut Is ffforidi^ even amongst the poor, in a luxurious manner), it is usual for the poor to get one amongst &e richer, vho accepts the office, and becomes a godikther. There are also societies formed amongst them for the parpoee of defraying the expenses, and every Jew receives the benefit if his child is bom in wedlock. The cerentooy is performed in the following manner, in general.
The circumdsOT being provided with a very sharp instrament, called the circumcising knife (see Qnandt, De cuUris drcumcisoriis Judaeorwmy Begiom. 1718), plasters, cummin-seed to dress the wound, proper bandages, etc., the child is brought to the door of the synagogue by the godmother, when the godfather re- ceives it from her and carries it into the STnagogne, where a large chair with two seats is placed ; the one is for the godfisither to sit upon, the other is called the seat of Elijah the prophet, who is called the angel or messenger of the covenant As soon as the godfioher enters with the child, the congregation say, *' Blessed is he that oometh to be drcumciseid, and enter into the covenant on the eighth day." The godfiither being seated, and the child placed on a cushion in his lap, the circumcisor performs the operation, and, KolHmg the child in his arms, takes a glass of wine into his right hand,' and says as foUows: "Blessed be those, 0 Lord our God, King of the Universe, Creator of the fruit of the vine. Blessed art thou, O Lord our God! who hath sanctified his beloved from the womb, and ordained an ordinance for his kindred, and sealed hb descendants with the mark of his holy covenant; therefore for the merits of this, O living God I oar rock and inheritance, command the deUverance of the beloved of our kindred from the pit, for the sake of tiie covenant which he hath put in our flesh. Blessed ait thou, O Lord, the Maker of the Covenant ! Oar God, and the God of our fathers ! preserve this child to his father and mother, and his name shall be called in Israel, A, the son of B. Let the father rejoice in those that go forth from his loins, and let his mother be ^ad in the fruit of her womb ; as it is written, * Thy &tfaer and mother shall rejoice, and they that b^al thee shaUbeghid.'"