games
 博奕


 Games
    (1.) Of children (Zech. 8:5; Matt. 11:16). The Jewish youth were
    also apparently instructed in the use of the bow and the sling
    (Judg. 20:16; 1 Chr. 12:2).

      (2.) Public games, such as were common among the Greeks and
    Romans, were foreign to the Jewish institutions and customs.
    Reference, however, is made to such games in two passages (Ps.
    19:5; Eccl. 9:11).

      (3.) Among the Greeks and Romans games entered largely into
    their social life.

      (a) Reference in the New Testament is made to gladiatorial
    shows and fights with wild beasts (1 Cor. 15:32). These were
    common among the Romans, and sometimes on a large scale.

      (b) Allusion is frequently made to the Grecian gymnastic
    contests (Gal. 2:2; 5:7; Phil. 2:16; 3:14; 1 Tim. 6:12; 2 Tim.
    2:5; Heb. 12:1, 4, 12). These were very numerous. The Olympic,
    Pythian, Nemean, and Isthmian games were esteemed as of great
    national importance, and the victors at any of these games of
    wrestling, racing, etc., were esteemed as the noblest and the
    happiest of mortals.