How does Genesis 24:22 reflect the customs of marriage in biblical times? Chronological Setting • Patriarchal era, c. 2080–1880 BC (Usshur’s chronology). • Abraham’s clan is semi-nomadic, operating between Canaan and northern Mesopotamia. Betrothal Gifts in the Patriarchal World 1. Nose Ring (ḥašem) and Bracelets (ṣāmîdîm) • Archaeological parallels: gold nose rings from Ur (Royal Cemetery, PG 800) and Mari (18th-cent. BC). • Typical weight of a beka ≈ 6 grams; ten shekels ≈ 115 grams total—extravagant, underscoring Abraham’s wealth. 2. Function • Served as a tangible earnest of the mohar (bride-price), signalling honorable intentions (cf. Exodus 22:16–17). • Placed directly on Rebekah before family negotiations, announcing her selection while honoring her agency. Bride-Price (Mohar) and Dowry (Šerîqṭý) • Nuzi tablets (1500–1400 BC) require groom’s family to pay valuables to bride’s household; gifts could later become the bride’s personal security. • Code of Hammurabi §§ 138–140 shows return of mohar if engagement broken by groom—underscoring the legal seriousness visible in Genesis 24. • Genesis 24:53 records further costly items given to Rebekah’s brother and mother, matching Near-Eastern custom where initial jewelry (’erābôn, pledge) precedes full settlement. Role of the Trusted Emissary • Employing a senior servant to negotiate matches is attested at Alalakh (Tablet AT 456) and in Mari letters. • The servant carries Abraham’s oath authority (Genesis 24:2–9), illustrating patriarchal headship while honoring God’s providence. Hospitality and Negotiation Sequence 1. Identification at the well (public, neutral location). 2. Offer of gifts to prospective bride. 3. Invitation to family home for formal negotiation (Genesis 24:28–33). 4. Official consent by father (Bethuel) and brother (Laban) after hearing servant’s testimony (Genesis 24:50). Theological Symbolism • Gifts anticipate covenant blessings: Isaac as covenant-bearer bestows wealth, prefiguring Christ who “gives gifts to men” (Ephesians 4:8). • Rebekah’s acceptance mirrors the Church’s reception of grace; the beka nose ring—half-shekel terminology—foreshadows redemption price (Exodus 30:12–16). Consistency within Scripture • Similar practice: Jacob purchases Rachel and Leah by fourteen years of labor (Genesis 29). • Saul promises his daughter to David for a bride-price of Philistine foreskins (1 Samuel 18:25). • Hosea buys back Gomer with silver and barley (Hosea 3:2), demonstrating restoration. Archaeological & Textual Corroboration • Marriage tablets from Nuzi (e.g., HSS 19, 24) mention transfer of jewelry as pledge. • “Gold of Ophir” bracelets (Psalm 45:9) confirm high-value bridal ornaments. • Elephantine papyri (5th-cent. BC) preserve Jewish contracts retaining bride-price language identical in concept to Genesis. Cultural Continuity in Modern Bedouin Society • Engagement still sealed by giving gold coins or jewelry, worn on the bride’s person as her financial safety net—a living echo of Genesis 24:22. Practical Implications for Contemporary Readers • Marriage is covenantal, public, and costly; commitments are to be made with integrity before God and community. • Parental oversight and communal accountability safeguard purity and intent. • Generosity toward one’s future spouse reflects God’s lavish grace. Conclusion Genesis 24:22 encapsulates a concrete, archaeologically attested practice of presenting valuable adornments as an earnest of marriage. The act honors the woman, secures the agreement, involves the wider family, and anticipates the covenantal theology woven through Scripture—all cohering with the reliability of the biblical record and the Creator’s design for lifelong, God-glorifying union. |
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