Jacob, accordingly, had not only the daughters of Laban, two sisters,
simultaneously for wives, they also helped him to their maids, all of
which, according to the usage of the times, was wholly free from taint
of impropriety. The two principal wives he had bought, as is well known,
by serving Laban seven years for each. The purchase of a wife was at the
time common among the Jews, but, along with the purchase of wives, whom
they were compelled to take from among their own people, they practiced
on an extensive scale the rape of women from among the peoples that they
conquered. The Benjaminites raped the daughters of Silos.[8] In such
wars, it was originally customary that all the men who fell into the
hands of the vanquisher were killed. The captured woman became a slave,
a concubine. Nevertheless, she could be raised to the dignity of a
legitimate wife so soon as she had fulfilled certain conditions of the
Jews: she had to cut her hair and nails; to lay off the dress she was
captured in, and exchange it for another that was given her; thereupon
she had to mourn a whole month for her father and mother: she was, in a
manner to be dead to her own people, become estranged from them: then
could she climb into the conjugal bed. The largest number of wives had
King Solomon, as is known. According to Kings 1, 11, not less than 700
wives and 300 concubines are ascribed to him.
With the rule of the father-right and descent in the male line in the
Jewish gentile organization, the daughters were excluded from
inheritance. Later this was, however, changed, at least when a father
left no sons. This appears from IV Book of Moses 27, 2-8, where it is
reported that, as Zelaphehad died without sons, and his daughter
complained bitterly that she was to be excluded from her father's
inheritance, which was to fall back to the tribe of Joseph, Moses
decided that, in that case, the daughters should inherit. But seeing
that she contemplated marrying, according to custom, in another tribe,
the tribe of Joseph complained that thereby the inheritance would be
lost to it. Thereupon Moses decided further (4, 36) that heiresses,
though free in the choice of a husband, were bound to marry in the tribe
of their own father. For the sake of property, the old ordinance was
overthrown. Similarly, in Athens, did Solon decree that an heiress had
to marry her nearest male agnate, even though both belonged to the same
gens, and, according to former law, such a marriage was forbidden. Solon
ordered also that a property-holder was not compelled as thitherto, to
leave his property to his own gens in case he died childless; but that
he could by testament constitute any one else his heir. From all this it
is obvious:--man does not rule property, property rules him, and becomes
his master.
With the rule of private property, the subjection of woman to man, her
bondage was sealed. Then came the time of disregard, even of contempt
for woman.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account