Marriage and the Bible -- Part 11 -- Joseph's Wife

Joseph's Wife was an Egyptian given to him by the Pharaoh. Two issues that merit a look:
1. The mixed marriage issue seems suspended at this point. God is not upset and the two half tribes do come from this woman
2. The idea of a person giving another man a wife and the woman not having much choice about it (or even the man in some cases) -- we will see this more in the future especially next post. You know you almost think women before they were married in this culture were like assets or trading cards. Not exactly the high view of person hood that many believe in today.

Next: The Giving of Wives

Marriage and the Bible -- Part 10 -- Judah and Tamar

The story of Judah and Tamar actually illustrates several points.
First, it introduces the custom of a younger brother raising up seed for his older brother. A custom that will later become part of the Law. Basically if the oldest brother died the next older brother would take his wife as his own wife in an attempt to raise up children for the inheritance. Marriage for other legal purposes is what is represented here. Not a lot of romance there but God actually sides with the idea because the guy who does not cooperate with the custom is killed by God.

Secondly, it introduces a possibility. If the second brother already has a wife this was not considered an exception to the rule. The second oldest brother would still have to take her as wife number two. Polygamy enforced by God and the Law.

In the story Tamar eventually has to take matters into her own hand and gets Judah to conceive a child with her by playing the prostitute. In the end, Judah becomes her husband although he never touches her again. Marriage here is about fulfilling the desires of culture to produce heirs as well as God's purpose in making sure this is done.

For me, this is starting to show a difference between people becoming one flesh -- husband and wife and marriage for other purposes. Judah and Tamar were married but were they united in the end as husband and wife? One Flesh? Probably not.

Next: Joseph's Foreign Wife

Marriage and the Bible -- Part 9 -- The Intermarrying Issue Again!

Of all the people in the Bible that most interpreters of Scripture get it wrong about, I think Simeon and Levi when they kill Hamor and Schechim and their men get the worst look of all. The real idiot of the story is Jacob -- a) He does not seem to care one whit for his daughter getting RAPED and b) when he comes back from Laban he does not camp where he promised God he would (Bethel); had he done so, none of this would have happened. Lesson: keep your promises to God and you don't open yourself up for this nonsense. It also points out one of the flaws the family had -- favoratism. Dinah was after all the daughter of Leah.

The reason I say this is that when Jacob curses both at the end of his life neither curse seems ot work and when you look at the Law of Moses later they actually fulfill it on two count's 1) The punishment for rape in the Law is death which is what Schechem recieved along with all those who would have protected him and 2) The Law will later specifically forbid intermarrying of the children of Israel with outsiders who are not Israelites with only one acception -- girls who were virgins from foreign lands who they conquered. Jacob would allowed the violation of both principles. Simeon and Levi will not allow it and through cleverness (they are outnumbered) they exact the proper punishment.

In the end, history vindicates both Simeon and Levi. Levi's tribe becomes the preisthood for Israel and Simeon does indeed get an inheritence in the land in the end. In short Jacob's curses don't work.

The quesiton of intermarriage is not a race one; it is about faith and worship. The issue is the draw of pagan spouses on their husbands or wives that would cause others to leave their faith in God.

Next: Judah and Tamar

Marriage and the Bible -- Part 8 -- Lest We Forget Esau

Esau is ultimately removed from God's plan. Because he was a polygamist? No. Although he did marry several women including some daughters of Ishmael as well as a few local girls. Esau's major grief to his parents when it came to his marriages was not how many, but who. In short, Esau married women he did not consult his parents about and women who were idoloters.

What I think this illustrates is marriage can be bad by simply one thing -- having no consideration of the spiritual leanings and strength of your future spouse. This draws the issue of marrying beleivers vs. non-beleivers into the discussion as well as parental involvment in a marriage.

Next: The Intermarrying Issue Again Already!

Marriage and the Bible -- Part 7 -- Jacob, Necessary Polygamist?

Changed the title because as I thought about it Jacob's polygamy, though he was tricked into it, becomes used by God to build the nation of Israel. It is in fact the how of there are twelve tribes is due to Jacob's many children, possible becasue of his four wives.

There are also several issues in this like Leah's basically being handed off to a man who didn't want her. Still married but were they husband and wife? Was their really a 'one flesh' relationship beyond the sexual between them? Based on what happens -- probably not. So what was their 'marriage'?

One thing that does need to be considered is what would have happend had Jacob only had one wife and produced all his children through her. Genetically, there would have been problems if this had been the case. With four wives genetics spreads out and allows for more latitude.

The one thing that the story of Jacob's family does illustrate is the problems of a polygamist household. Leah and Rachel basically have a baby making contest and when they can't do it anymore they involve the handmaidens. But is this really a problem of polygamy itself or simply the way these marriages came about? More likely the later.

Next: Lest We Forget Esau

Marriage and the Bible -- Part 6 -- Isaac's Arranged Marriage

Arranged Marriage. To many Westerners such a concept is repugnant but in the ancient Near East and in much of the world today it is actually the most common way a couple gets married. When you get down to it though this would cut through a lot of the garbage associated with 'finding the one".

Isaac's Father Abraham is the one with the idea and in the end the story is one of God's guidance although it will cause problems for one of Isaac and Rebecca's children later with a relative Laban. Overall, Isaac and Rebecca's' Marriage seems to be a happy one other than them each taking sides over their children.

Perhaps bringing in one's parents to help decided who you should marry isn't such a bad idea.

To recap so far, we haven't really passed the middle of Genesis and so far we have the following issues.
1. Marriage vs. Husband and Wife
2. Polygamy
3. Arranged Marriage
4. Marrying Relatives

Getting to be an interesting ride.

Next: Jacob, Super Polygamist?

Marriage and the Bible -- Part 5 -- Abraham the Polygamist

Now one thing that is often overlooked is that Abraham too was a polygamist but through a new concept at this point in the Bible -- concubinage. In the first case Hagar is offered to Abraham by Sarah (I always like to point out to people this was Sarah's idea). In Abraham's day this was common practice if the wife could not produce an heir, always nice to have a backup womb. Now we might argue that this was them not acting in faith. Maybe so but for the rest of Hagar's life she is considered to be Abraham's concubine/wife. In addition this is not the only concubine Abraham will take. After Sarah's death in Genesis 25, while Issac is being comforted by his new wife, Abraham takes a second concubine -- Keturah. She bears Abraham six children. Hagar is still alive. Two concubines for Abraham and the second one is by his own choice.

What this introduces to our discussion is the issue of concubinage -- the second class wife if you will. Basically, such wives are wives of convenience or necessity. They are their to bear the husband children but they and their children do not receive any inheritance after the husband's death should the first wife bear an heir. In Abraham's case both his concubines received stuff while he was alive but after he was dead only Isaac received the rest of his Father's inheritance. This is clearly a case of contractual obligation in a marriage and maybe defines the difference between a husband wife relationship by choice and a marriage agreement for practical purposes.

Next: Isaac's Arranged Marriage.