Why did Sheshan give his daughter to an Egyptian servant in 1 Chronicles 2:35? Canonical Text and Immediate Context “Sheshan had no sons—only daughters. Now Sheshan had an Egyptian servant named Jarha. So Sheshan gave his daughter in marriage to his servant Jarha, and she bore to him Attai.” (1 Chronicles 2:34-35) Position of 1 Chronicles 2 in Redemptive History The Chronicler is tracing the royal tribe of Judah from Adam to the post-exilic community. Within Judah’s clan, Jerahmeel’s sub-line (v. 25-41) abruptly faces extinction because Sheshan has no male heir. Preserving this line is the writer’s only concern; every name after v. 34 exists to show Yahweh’s faithfulness in sustaining David’s tribe despite human obstacles. Legal and Inheritance Considerations 1. Torah precedent—Numbers 27:1-11 allows daughters to inherit if no sons exist. 2. Tribal preservation—Numbers 36 requires heiresses to marry “within the tribe of their father” so that property remains inside the clan. By giving his daughter to his own household servant, Sheshan keeps the inheritance centered on his estate and ensures his descendants stay under Judah’s oversight. 3. Adoptive elevation—Leviticus 22:11 shows that a servant purchased by a priest becomes covenantally attached to the household; circumcision (Genesis 17:12-13) seals full inclusion. Jarha, therefore, would be legally viewed as part of Judah, satisfying Numbers 36 without violating inter-tribal purity. Jarha’s Egyptian Identity and Covenantal Inclusion Egyptians were not among the seven Canaanite nations Israel was forbidden to marry (Deuteronomy 7:1-3). Deuteronomy 23:7-8 even permits Egyptians to enter “the assembly of the LORD” in the third generation. Since Israel’s departure from Egypt produced a “mixed multitude” (Exodus 12:38), Egyptian proselytes living among Judah by David’s era were neither unprecedented nor prohibited. Jarha’s acceptance mirrors earlier foreigners—Rahab the Canaanite and Ruth the Moabite—whom Scripture honors in Messiah’s lineage (Matthew 1:5). Servant-to-Heir Transitions in the Ancient Near East Outside the Bible, Nuzi tablets (15th c. BC) document childless masters adopting servants to secure inheritance, a custom entirely consonant with Sheshan’s action. The practice answers sociological needs for property continuity and ancestor veneration while avoiding land sale to outsiders, corroborating the plausibility of 1 Chronicles 2:35 within its era. Archaeological Corroboration of Egyptians in Judah Seal impressions from the City of David (8th–7th c. BC) carry Egyptian names (e.g., Shebna’s cache), demonstrating an Egyptian presence in Judean administration. Such finds reinforce Scripture’s picture of foreigners serving influential roles within Israelite households. While later than Sheshan, they establish the cultural continuity of Egyptian integration. Theological Themes Highlighted • Covenant Over Bloodline—Faith in Yahweh, not ethnicity, grants full membership (cf. Isaiah 56:3-7). • Divine Sovereignty—God preserves Judah’s lineage through unexpected means, anticipating Christ’s inclusion of the nations (Acts 15:14-18). • Redemption of Servanthood—A servant becomes a son and progenitor, foreshadowing believers’ adoption (Galatians 4:7). Answers to Common Objections Objection: “Intermarriage violated Mosaic Law.” Response: The prohibition targeted idolatrous Canaanites (Deuteronomy 7). Jarha, by accepting circumcision and the God of Israel, ceased to be a religious foreigner (Exodus 12:48-49). Objection: “A servant could not legally inherit.” Response: Torah, ANE parallels, and Numbers 27 together validate servant adoption when no sons existed, maintaining property within the household and tribe. Practical and Devotional Implications 1. God’s purposes cannot be thwarted by human limitation; He redeems socio-legal customs for His glory. 2. Believers are called to extend covenant grace beyond ethnic barriers while remaining faithful to God’s moral boundaries. 3. The episode encourages trust that God will secure a legacy of faith even when conventional means fail. Conclusion Sheshan’s decision was a lawful, covenant-faithful strategy to keep his inheritance inside Judah, elevate a believing Egyptian servant to sonship, and preserve the messianic thread. The Chronicler records it to showcase Yahweh’s providence and the wideness of His redemptive embrace—an unbroken testimony that ultimately culminates in the resurrected Christ, through whom every adopted outsider becomes an heir of eternal life. |
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