Scholarly Analysis of Marriage Practices in the Hebrew Bible
An article examines marriage customs in the Hebrew Bible, noting that while the text reflects a patriarchal society, women often played significant roles in narratives. The Bible does not systematically define marriage but assumes ancient cultural norms, differing from modern expectations regarding romance and monogamy. Biblical law includes regulations on marriage eligibility, divorce, and adultery, though enforcement is unclear. Marriages depicted in stories, such as those of Abraham and Sarah or Ruth and Boaz, show complex relationships that are not necessarily exemplary. The article also discusses concubinage and the relative importance of marital loyalty compared to other social bonds.
Key facts
- The Hebrew Bible assumes ancient marriage norms that differ from contemporary views, such as polygamy being common.
- Biblical law regulates marriage eligibility, forbidding unions with close relatives and certain foreign groups.
- Adultery was punishable by death under biblical law, though narratives rarely show this penalty enforced.
- Divorce was permitted for men but not women, with some protections for divorced women's welfare.
- Marriages in biblical narratives, like Abraham and Sarah's, are depicted with mutual decision-making despite patriarchal structures.
Entities
Artists
- Veronese
- Matthias Stom
- Benjamin West
- Peter Paul Rubens
- Herri met de Bles
- James Jacques Joseph Tissot
- Louis Hersent
- Gustave Moreau
- Charles-Joseph Natoire
- Philip Galle
- Claude Lorrain
Institutions
- The National Gallery of Art
- Yale Center for British Art
- Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
- The Jewish Museum
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art
- Allen Memorial Art Museum