Wean, Weaning

WEAN, WEANING (Heb. gāmal, to complete, wean). To wean is to accustom a child to depend on other food than his mother’s milk. In the East weaning is often deferred for as long as three years (1Sam.1.22; 1Sam.2.11). The weaning of a child was celebrated by a feast (Gen.21.8) and with an offering (1Sam.1.24).