NOTE: All texts are from the online Hebrew - English Bible /
Mechon-Mamre . Any
RED lettering is my highlighting.
Young Abraham and his entire family were Mesopotamians, originally from
the ancient city of Ur (Gen. 11: 26 – 31).
As such, Abraham was steeped in Mesopotamian culture and law.
So it is not surprising that he, his brother Nahor and even his son Isaac
and Jacob thereafter, followed Mesopotamian law re: marriage.
Mesopotamian Law
As recorded in the Code of Hammurabi[i],
Mesopotamian culture believed in monogamy: one man – one wife (See Code 138,
144).
However, a baren wife could be divorced (Code 138).
But, if the wife was unable to bear children, the law allowed for a
concubine wife to be added (Code 145) – preferably the wife's handmaiden (Code
144 and 146).
If the maidservant produces a child, she is to be treated as an equal
wife (Code 146)
The concubine's offspring were deemed legitimate and sons potential heirs
to the father -- if the father formally declares the concubine's son(s)
"My son" (Code 146, 170).
Even if the wife thereafter has a son or sons,
the concubine's son or sons still get an equal share as heir(s) (Code
170).
If the father does not formally declare the concubine's son(s) as
"My son", then that son(s) is disqualified from inheriting (Code
171).
But this son(s) and his mother are to be set free on the father's death
(Code 171).
Lasty, Code 147 states that only if the maidservant concubine is unable
to bear a child, her mistress can sell her off (without needing the husband's
consent).
Abraham and Mesopotamian law
Abraham came to Canaan with his wife Sarah when he was 75 years old (Gen.
12: 4) and she 65 (based on calculation
from Gen. 17: 17).
She was childless on arrival and stayed baren.
Then, after 10 years in Canaan, she -- as per Mesopotamian law – gave
Abraham her maidservant Hagar to bear a child (Gen. 16: 3).
Abraham had sex with Hagar and she became pregnant (Gen. 16: 4).
Now Hagar, once clearly pregnant, acted haughtily towards Sarah, and
Sarah confronted Abraham over this, and he 'returned' Hagar to Sarah 'to do as
you wish' (Gen. 16: 5 – 6).
Sarah then mistreated Hagar so badly that she ran off, briefly (Gen.16:
6).
Once returned, Hagar gave birth to a son.
The newborn child is named Ishmael, by his father,
Abraham, as Ishmael means "God has answered my prayers."
Skip forward some 15 years.
Sarah, at age 90, becomes pregnant and bears Abraham, age 100, a son
(Gen. 21: 5).
Abraham names him Isaac.
The Hebrew YITZCHAK literally means "to laugh". Here, as Gen. 21:6 explains, quoting Sarah, to
rejoice.
Then, at the party to celebrate Isaac's weaning at age 2[ii],
i.e., that he no longer is breast fed and is now considered entering human maturity,
Sarah suddenly sees Ishmael "laughing" and tells Abraham Ishmael must
be expelled, so he will not be an heir with Isaac (Gen. 21: 9- 10).
Reluctantly, and only after God tells him to follow Sarah's wishes, does
Abraham agrees, and sends Ishmael, now age 17, and his mother, Hagar, away.
(Gen 21: 11 – 14).
This unhappy Hagar and Ishmael story, is fairly consistent with Mesopotamian
law.
1.
Abraham has only one
wife, Sarah
2.
Sarah is barren and
gives Abraham her handmaiden, Hagar, to provide a son to her husband, Abraham.
3.
Hagar conceives, but
acts disrespectfully to Sarah – contrary to Mesopotamian cultural norms and
law. Hagar only is to be treated as Sarah's 'equal' only once the offspring is
born. And not before.
4.
Abraham returns Hagar
to Sarah's control as Hagar (before the birth of the child) is still
technically her property (in line with code 147)
Now the expulsion of 17 year old Ishmael and his mother, would be
allowed under Mesopotamian law, if, as per Code 171, Abraham had never officially
proclaimed Ishmael as "My son".
But Abraham surely did so formally as he tells God:
Gen. 17: 18
|
יח וַיֹּאמֶר אַבְרָהָם,
אֶל-הָאֱלֹהִים: לוּ יִשְׁמָעֵאל, יִחְיֶה לְפָנֶיךָ.
|
18 And Abraham said unto God: 'Oh that Ishmael might live before Thee!'
|
But God the Eternal replies
that His covenant with Abraham will be solely through the son Sarah is about to
bear him, Isaac.
Gen. 17: 19
|
יט וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים, אֲבָל שָׂרָה
אִשְׁתְּךָ יֹלֶדֶת לְךָ בֵּן, וְקָרָאתָ אֶת-שְׁמוֹ, יִצְחָק; וַהֲקִמֹתִי אֶת-בְּרִיתִי אִתּוֹ לִבְרִית עוֹלָם, לְזַרְעוֹ
אַחֲרָיו.
|
19 And God said: 'Nay, but Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son; and
thou shalt call his name Isaac; and I will establish My covenant with him for an
everlasting covenant for his seed after him.
|
So, Ishmael's expulsion is a breach of Mesopotamian law, but one
endorsed by God the Eternal.
**** For greater detail, see the earlier blog, "Sarah, Hagar and
Ishmael".
NOTE: When Ishmael was of age to
marry, his mother, Hagar, arranged the marriage with a woman she chose
for him from her native Egypt. (Gen. 21: 21)
This single wife bore Ishmael 12 sons (Gen. 25: 12 – 15, 1 Chronicles 1:
28-31).
Nahor's wives
It is noteworthy that Abraham's brother Nahor, who remained in Ur, had a
similar situation: one wife plus one concubine (Gen. 22:20 -24).
A wife named Milcah and a concubine named Reumah.
As Bekhor Shor and Tur HaAroch point out, the wording of Gen. 11:20
indicates that Milcah was baren, Nahor took on a concubine named Reumah who
gave him a son (4 sons in total), and thereafter Milcah became pregnant and had
a son (8 in total).[iii]
Otherwise, why add the superfluous words גַם-הִוא – "she
also" in verse 20
for the first wife, Milcah.[iv]
Gen. 22:20
|
כ וַיְהִי, אַחֲרֵי
הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה, וַיֻּגַּד לְאַבְרָהָם, לֵאמֹר: הִנֵּה יָלְדָה
מִלְכָּה גַם-הִוא, בָּנִים--לְנָחוֹר אָחִיךָ.
|
20 And it came to pass
after these things, that it was told Abraham, saying: 'Behold, Milcah, she also hath borne children unto thy
brother Nahor:
|
|
כא אֶת-עוּץ
בְּכֹרוֹ, וְאֶת-בּוּז אָחִיו, וְאֶת-קְמוּאֵל, אֲבִי אֲרָם.
|
21 Uz his first-born, and
Buz his brother, and Kemuel the father of Aram;
|
|
כב וְאֶת-כֶּשֶׂד
וְאֶת-חֲזוֹ, וְאֶת-פִּלְדָּשׁ וְאֶת-יִדְלָף, וְאֵת, בְּתוּאֵל.
|
22 and Chesed, and Hazo,
and Pildash, and Jidlaph, and Bethuel.'
|
|
כג וּבְתוּאֵל,
יָלַד אֶת-רִבְקָה; שְׁמֹנָה אֵלֶּה יָלְדָה מִלְכָּה, לְנָחוֹר אֲחִי
אַבְרָהָם.
|
23 And Bethuel begot
Rebekah; these eight did Milcah bear to Nahor, Abraham's brother.
|
|
כד וּפִילַגְשׁוֹ,
וּשְׁמָהּ רְאוּמָה; וַתֵּלֶד גַּם-הִוא אֶת-טֶבַח
וְאֶת-גַּחַם, וְאֶת-תַּחַשׁ וְאֶת-מַעֲכָה. {פ}
|
24 And his concubine, whose
name was Reumah, she also bore Tebah, and Gaham, and Tahash, and Maacah. {P}
|
Isaac's marriage
The marriage between Issac and Rebecca was orchestrated by Abraham (all
of Gen. Ch. 24).
It involved 2 principals:
One, that the wife also be of Mesopotamian culture.
Two, and more importantly, as per the universal norm, marriages are
alliances to be arranged by parents. Youthful 'attraction' and even romantic
love are to be ignored. (See ensuing blogs on marriage.)
Now the marriage of Isaac and Rebecca did not produce any offspring for
20 years (Gen. 25: 20 and 26).
But no handmaid concubine wife occurs.
Maybe Rebecca and Isaac remembered the ongoing hostile situation that
resulted between Sarah and Hagar, and, ultimately, Abraham's pain when having
to expelling 17-year-old Ishmael– once his 'first' wife Sarah finally gave
birth to a son, and she insisted Ishmael and his mother be exiled – thereby
disinheriting Ishmael (Gen. 21:1-12)
Avoiding Canaanite custom, Isaac did not take on a 2nd or
even 3rd wife. (As did Esau. Gen. 26:34, 28: 8-9)
Jacob's 4 wives
Jacob ended up with 4 spouses, and all their offspring were accepted as
equal.
No signs of hostility between 'first wives' and concubines – as with
Sarah and Hagar, only jealousy between first wive sisters.
Now having 2 'first wives' is not consistent with Hammurabi's monogamy
rule, but Jacob ended up with 2 sisters due to a sneaky trick by their father
Laban, who had promised Jacob his younger daughter Rachel – only to have the
veil covered bride at the wedding, be Leah.
Whatever the validity of Laban's justification – i.e., the older
daughter must marry first (Gen. 29: 26-27), Jacob was so in love with Rachel
that he insisted on having Rachel as a second wife (Gen. 29: 18, 27).
As for the 2 concubines, Rachel, unable to get pregnant, gives her
handmaiden Bilhah to Jacob as a wife (Gen. 30: 1, 3-4).
Billah conceived and had a son. And as Rachel continues to be barren,
Jacob again has sex with Bilhah, and she has a second son (Gen. 30: 5-7).
Now, in the true spirit of Mesopotamian law and culture, Rachel is overjoyed
for as she states:
GEN. 30: 3
|
ג וַתֹּאמֶר, הִנֵּה
אֲמָתִי בִלְהָה בֹּא אֵלֶיהָ; וְתֵלֵד, עַל-בִּרְכַּי, וְאִבָּנֶה גַם-אָנֹכִי,
מִמֶּנָּה.
|
3 And she said: 'Behold my
maid Bilhah, go in unto her; that she may bear upon my knees, and I also may be builded up
through her.'
|
Not only did Rachel see Bilhah's sons
as 'her own', but it is Rachel who choses their names: names thanking God for
giving her offspring!
So this is 100% consistent with
Hammurabi's laws and intent.
Gen. 30: 6-8
|
ו וַתֹּאמֶר רָחֵל,
דָּנַנִּי אֱלֹהִים, וְגַם שָׁמַע בְּקֹלִי, וַיִּתֶּן-לִי בֵּן; עַל-כֵּן
קָרְאָה שְׁמוֹ, דָּן.
|
6 And Rachel said: 'God
hath judged me, and hath also heard my voice, and hath given me a son.'
Therefore called she his name Dan.
|
|
ז וַתַּהַר
עוֹד--וַתֵּלֶד, בִּלְהָה שִׁפְחַת רָחֵל: בֵּן שֵׁנִי, לְיַעֲקֹב.
|
7 And Bilhah Rachel's
handmaid conceived again, and bore Jacob a second son.
|
|
ח וַתֹּאמֶר
רָחֵל, נַפְתּוּלֵי אֱלֹהִים נִפְתַּלְתִּי עִם-אֲחֹתִי--גַּם-יָכֹלְתִּי;
וַתִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ, נַפְתָּלִי.
|
8 And Rachel said: 'With
mighty wrestlings have I wrestled with my sister, and have prevailed.' And
she called his name Naphtali.
|
Leah, however, as she feels in
competition with Rachel, and as she has stopped becoming pregnant after 4 sons
(i.e., Reuben, Simon, Levi and Judah), gives Jacob her handmaiden, Zilpah, as a
spouse: to bear more children – like Bilhah.
And Leah, too, is happy Zilpah
produces 2 sons, and Leah names them herself with names meaning
I am fortune!
Gen. 30: 9 - 13
|
ט וַתֵּרֶא לֵאָה, כִּי עָמְדָה
מִלֶּדֶת; וַתִּקַּח אֶת-זִלְפָּה שִׁפְחָתָהּ, וַתִּתֵּן אֹתָהּ לְיַעֲקֹב
לְאִשָּׁה.
|
9 When Leah saw that she had left off bearing, she took Zilpah her
handmaid, and gave her to Jacob to wife.
|
|
י וַתֵּלֶד, זִלְפָּה
שִׁפְחַת לֵאָה--לְיַעֲקֹב בֵּן.
|
10 And Zilpah Leah's handmaid bore Jacob a son.
|
|
יא וַתֹּאמֶר
לֵאָה, בגד בָּא גָד; וַתִּקְרָא
אֶת-שְׁמוֹ, גָּד.
|
11 And Leah said: 'Fortune is come!' And she called his name Gad.
|
|
יב וַתֵּלֶד,
זִלְפָּה שִׁפְחַת לֵאָה, בֵּן שֵׁנִי, לְיַעֲקֹב.
|
12 And Zilpah Leah's handmaid bore Jacob a second son.
|
|
יג וַתֹּאמֶר
לֵאָה--בְּאָשְׁרִי, כִּי אִשְּׁרוּנִי בָּנוֹת; וַתִּקְרָא אֶת-שְׁמוֹ, אָשֵׁר.
|
13 And Leah said: 'Happy am I! for the daughters will call me
happy.' And she called his name Asher.
|
CONCLUSION
For 3 generations, Mesopotamian law
and custom were strictly followed in the marital relations of Abraham, his
brother Nahor and Isaac.
Jacob's 4 spouses while in
Mesopotamian Haran, being a partially, unintended twist.
As for Esau, Jacob's twin brother, who
remained and married in Canaan, Mesopotamian custom no longer applied.
His story is for a later blog.
[ii] EiKhah
Rabbah 1:27 states nursing lasted 24 months.
[iv] That the same phrase also is used for Reumah's
offspring, verse 24, probably means she had more sons after Milcah became
productive, as Nahor did not end conjugal relations with her.
Unlike Abraham who only
had Ishmael with her though they lived in the same encampment until she and
Ishmael were expelled when Ishmael was 17 years old.
