The Bible and the Treatment of Women

[Jagella]

I remember seeing a fascinating documentary on the History Channel about Mary, the perhaps legendary mother of Jesus. According to this documentary, Mary, like most Jewish girls of her day, was considered marriageable at a very young age. The Jewish priests checked these young girls when they were naked to see if they had breasts and pubic hair. If so, they were then considered fair game to be married off. These girls had no say in whom they married, and they were simply sent to the homes of their new husbands to begin the marriage.

My question therefore is how accurate is this portrayal of the treatment of women by the Jews? How young were Hebrew girls when they married? Was it a common practice for men to have several wives like many of the Old Testament patriarchs did? What exactly were these men’s “concubines�? Did women have any say over when or even if they had sex with their husbands?

Thanks!

Jagella

[Gavriel]

I remember seeing a fascinating documentary on the History Channel about Mary, the perhaps legendary mother of Jesus. According to this documentary, Mary, like most Jewish girls of her day, was considered marriageable at a very young age. The Jewish priests checked these young girls when they were naked to see if they had breasts and pubic hair. If so, they were then considered fair game to be married off. These girls had no say in whom they married, and they were simply sent to the homes of their new husbands to begin the marriage.

My question therefore is how accurate is this portrayal of the treatment of women by the Jews? How young were Hebrew girls when they married? Was it a common practice for men to have several wives like many of the Old Testament patriarchs did? What exactly were these men’s “concubines�? Did women have any say over when or even if they had sex with their husbands?

Thanks!

Jagella

It wasn't super common to have multiple wives but it was w/in the law. You did need to be able to provide for all of them. Further more you had to with all your wives:

If he takes another [wife] for himself, he shall not diminish her sustenance, her clothing, or her marital relations. Shemot 21:10

[Toto]

I remember seeing a fascinating documentary on the History Channel about Mary, the perhaps legendary mother of Jesus. According to this documentary, Mary, like most Jewish girls of her day, was considered marriageable at a very young age. The Jewish priests checked these young girls when they were naked to see if they had breasts and pubic hair. If so, they were then considered fair game to be married off. These girls had no say in whom they married, and they were simply sent to the homes of their new husbands to begin the marriage.

My question therefore is how accurate is this portrayal of the treatment of women by the Jews?

What is described here is pretty much how marriages were made in most pre-modern societies. A girl's family decided who she would marry, often based on the need for a political or commercial alliance between the fathers of the young couple.

How young were Hebrew girls when they married?

In the ancient world and most of the pre-20th century world, girls were married shortly after puberty.

Was it a common practice for men to have several wives like many of the Old Testament patriarchs did? What exactly were these men’s "concubines"? Did women have any say over when or even if they had sex with their husbands?

Thanks!

Jagella

Here's a helpful list of all the mentions of concubines in the Bible: Daily Bible Study (http://www.keyway.ca/htm2001/20010114.htm)

[jonesg]

I remember seeing a fascinating documentary on the History Channel about Mary, the perhaps legendary mother of Jesus. According to this documentary, Mary, like most Jewish girls of her day, was considered marriageable at a very young age. The Jewish priests checked these young girls when they were naked to see if they had breasts and pubic hair. If so, they were then considered fair game to be married off. These girls had no say in whom they married, and they were simply sent to the homes of their new husbands to begin the marriage.

My question therefore is how accurate is this portrayal of the treatment of women by the Jews? How young were Hebrew girls when they married? Was it a common practice for men to have several wives like many of the Old Testament patriarchs did? What exactly were these men’s “concubines�? Did women have any say over when or even if they had sex with their husbands?

Thanks!

Jagella

Do you not read newspapers, do you not know what happens in the USA, Jerry Lee Lewis married a girl how young ? His cousin?

Roll that back a coupla thousand yrs.