Isaiah 49:22. They shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders.
Two modes of carrying children are here alluded to, though there is no reason to suppose that either was exclusively for one sex. In Deuteronomy 33:12, Benjamin is represented as occupying the position here assigned to the daughters.
1. “In their arms” may also be rendered in their bosom, as it is in the margin. The large lap or pocket made by the folds of the outer garment (see note on Luke 6:38, #760) was a convenient and comfortable place for carrying a child. In Numbers 11:12, it is intimated that it was customary for fathers to carry their infants in this manner when going on a journey.
2. Another Oriental mode of carrying children is on the shoulders. This is sometimes done by placing them astride the neck. Thus, it is said of Benjamin, “he shall dwell between his shoulders” (Deut. 33:12). At other times the child is placed astride one shoulder, usually the left, with one leg hanging down on the back and the other on the breast. In either case the child steadies itself by putting its arms around the parent’s head, and by clinging with its feet. In Egypt women are often seen carrying a child on one shoulder and a jar of water on the other.
For still another mode of carrying children see note on Isaiah 60:4 (#529).