The early =Hebrews= or =Israelites=, being of the same Semitic stock as
the Babylonians, but preferring a pastoral life, observed similar habits
in their relations to women. Matrimony to them was not a necessity based
on mutual love and respect, but a divine order, binding especially the
man. While it was his obligation to maintain the human race, especially
the Jewish stock, woman was merely the medium to reach this end by her
beauty and charm and by giving birth to children.
For the conclusion of a marriage the mutual consent of the two
contrahents was necessary. But generally the marriage was arranged by
the fathers or some other relations, who likewise settled the question
as to how much would be the dowry of the son as well as of the daughter.
That sometimes even a faithful servant was charged with the negotiation
of these delicate questions, is told in Genesis XXIV, where it is said
that Abraham, in order to secure for his son Isaac a wife of his
kindred, commissioned his eldest servant to make a journey to his former
home in Mesopotamia. While resting at a well, he met Rebekah, the
beautiful daughter of Bethuel, a son of Nahor, Abraham’s brother. When
Rebekah consented to become Isaac’s wife, Abraham’s servant brought
forth many jewels of silver and gold and raiment, and gave them to
Rebekah. Having given also to her brother and to her mother many
precious things, he started for the return journey, taking Rebekah and
her maid servants with him.
The story of Jacob and Rachel, as told in Genesis XXIX, proves, that
among the early Hebrews the barter for women was customary, but that the
wooer might obtain the girl of his longing likewise by serving her
father for a certain length of time. As the early Hebrew had an aversion
to mingling with the inhabitants of Canaan, Isaac, Jacob’s father, sent
him to Mesopotamia, the former habitat of the Hebrews, to select a wife
among the daughters of Laban, his mother’s brother.
Meeting Rachel, Laban’s youngest daughter, he became so deeply impressed
by her charm, and so eager to gain her, that he offered Laban to serve
him for Rachel for seven years. Having fulfilled his contract, Jacob
was, however, beguiled by Laban, who at the wedding-night substituted
his eldest daughter Leah for Rachel. When in the morning Jacob became
aware of the deception, Laban claimed that it was not customary, in his
country, to give away a younger daughter before the firstborn. And so he
succeeded in persuading Jacob to serve him for Rachel another term of
seven years.
While monogamy was the rule among the Hebrews, polygamy was permitted,
especially if the first wife was barren. As this was the case with
Sarah, the wife of Abraham, she gave her husband Hagar, an Egyptian
maid-servant, with whom Abraham begat a son, Ishmael. Of Leah and
Rachel, the two wives of Jacob, we may read in Genesis XXX, that they,
not having born children to Jacob, likewise introduced to him their
maids Bilhah and Zilpah, each of which bore Jacob two sons.—It is
certain that some of the patriarchs had a great number of wives, and
that not all of these held the same rank, some being inferior to the
principal wife. The right of concubinage was practically unlimited.
Abraham kept a number of concubines, as appears in Genesis XXV, 6, where
it is said that he, when dividing his property, gave gifts to the sons
of his concubines. Of Solomon the first book of Kings XI, 3, states,
that he had 700 wives and 300 concubines.
In the Mosaic law concubinage and divorce was a privilege of the husband
only. A wife accused of adultery was compelled to undergo the horrible
ordeal of the bitter water, as described in Numbers V. If found guilty,
she might be stoned to death.
To continue the male issue of the family was the paramount mission of
the wife. That the birth of a male baby was regarded as an event of far
greater importance than that of a female, appears from Leviticus XII,
where it is said, that a woman, giving birth to a son, was regarded
unclean for only seven days and must not touch hallowed things nor come
into the sanctuary for a period of thirty-three days. But if
unfortunately she became the mother of a girl, she was considered
unclean for fourteen days and had to abstain from religious service for
sixty-six days. Only after she had made atonement for the sin of
motherhood by offering a lamb or a pair of pigeons, was she forgiven.
The prejudice against woman is also confirmed by the fact, that,
according to Exodus XXIII, 17, all male Jews were required to appear
before the Lord three times in the year, and that they had to repair to
Jerusalem once a year, with all their belongings. But the women were not
privileged to accompany their husbands.
[Illustration]
[Illustration:
HINDOO WOMEN FROM CASHMERE.
]