Playful methods of enjoying leisure moments. The ancient Hebrews practised target-shooting with arrows (1 Samuel 20:20; Job 16:12; Lamentations 3:12; comp. also Bacher in "R. E. J." 26:63), or with slings and stones (Judges 20:16; 1 Samuel 17:40; Zechariah 9:15). Mention is also made of lifting heavy stones (Zechariah 12:3; Jerome, ad loc.), foot-racing (Psalms 19:6 [A. V. 5]), and jumping (Psalms 18:30 [A. V. 29]). As these games were intended to strengthen the body and make the participants fit for war, so guessing-games (Judges 14:14; 1 Kings 10:1-3; Josephus, "Ant." 8:5, § 3; 6, § 5; comp. Wünsche, "Die Räthsel-weisheit bei den Hebräern," Leipsic, 1883) were intended to sharpen the intellect. See Riddles. In the Hellenic period Greek games were introduced into Judea (II Macc. 4:9 et seq.; I Macc. 1:14), and were cultivated especially by the Herodians (Josephus, c. 15:8, § 1; 9, § 6; 16:5, § 1; 19:7, § 5; 8, § 2; idem, "B. J." 1:21); but they were offensive to the pious (Levy, "Neuhebr. Wörterb." s.
The Mishnah, the Talmud, and the Midrash mention dice (
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