Why does Genesis 34:12 mention a bride price and gift for marriage? Terminology: Mohar and Mattan • Mohar (מֹהַר) – the legally binding “bride price” paid by the groom or his family to the bride’s father (cf. Exodus 22:16-17; 1 Samuel 18:25). • Mattan (מַתָּן) – an additional gift, often jewelry or valuables, presented directly to the bride (cf. Genesis 24:53). The two together expressed covenantal commitment, economic security for the bride, and public affirmation of the marriage contract. Cultural-Historical Background Patriarchal-era marriage customs throughout the Ancient Near East matched the Genesis account: • Nuzi Tablets (15th cent. BC, Iraq) reference a “tirhu” payment of 40-50 shekels to the bride’s family plus separate gifts to the bride. • Mari Letters (18th cent. BC) detail similar dual payments. • Code of Hammurabi §§128-140 (18th cent. BC) regulates mohar amounts and forfeiture if a man defaults. Such documents confirm that the Genesis narrative reflects authentic 2nd-millennium practice, consistent with a Ussher-style patriarchal chronology (c. 1900 BC). Archaeological Corroboration • A cuneiform contract from Alalakh (Level VII, c. 17th cent. BC) records a 30-shekel mohar, mirroring the biblical range (cf. Deuteronomy 22:29: 50 shekels). • Elephantine Papyri (5th cent. BC Jewish colony) show continuity: grooms paid 50-100 silver shekels plus garments to brides. These finds demonstrate the longevity and geographic spread of the practice Scripture describes. Legal Functions Before Sinai 1. Legitimization – publicly sealed the union as lawful. 2. Compensation – remunerated the father for the economic loss of a daughter’s labor. 3. Security – served as insurance; if the husband died or divorced, the mohar (held in trust) reverted to the wife (cf. later ketubah traditions). 4. Deterrence – high cost discouraged casual sexual relations (Exodus 22:16-17). Shechem’s willingness to raise the price “ever so high” tacitly confesses his wrongdoing and seeks remedial legitimacy. Moral and Covenantal Purposes Dinah’s brothers reject the offer (Genesis 34:13-17) because: • The mohar cannot erase sin; rape has occurred. • Circumcision, not money, is the covenantal sign for joining Jacob’s family (34:15). • Yahweh’s holiness cannot be bartered. Thus the narrative contrasts human transactional attempts with God’s covenant stipulations. Foreshadowing of Redemption The bride-price motif prefigures the gospel: • Isaiah 62:5 “as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride” anticipates divine redemption. • 1 Corinthians 6:20; 7:23 “you were bought at a price” applies mohar language to Christ’s atonement. • Ephesians 5:25-27 portrays Jesus giving Himself—the ultimate, infinite mohar—to secure and sanctify His bride, the Church. The inadequacy of Shechem’s silver highlights the surpassing sufficiency of Christ’s blood. Comparative Mosaic Regulation After Sinai, Mosaic law codifies bride prices: • Exodus 22:16-17 – seduction obligates 50 shekels if the father consents, or loss of the bride plus payment if he refuses. • Deuteronomy 22:28-29 – identical sum for sexual violation, with lifelong obligations. Genesis 34 anticipates these statutes, illustrating God’s consistent moral standard across eras. Consistent Manuscript Witness All extant Hebrew manuscripts—from the Leningrad Codex (1008 AD) to the Dead Sea Scroll fragment 4QGen (1st cent. BC)—agree on the wording of Genesis 34:12, corroborating textual stability. Early Greek (LXX), Samaritan, and Syriac attest the same dual-payment concept, reinforcing reliability. Practical Applications for Believers Today • Honor: Marriage remains a covenant requiring sacrificial commitment, not consumer exchange (Hebrews 13:4). • Protection: Families and churches should safeguard the vulnerable, refusing to “settle” sin with money or status. • Worship: Recognizing the price Christ paid fuels gratitude and purity (1 Peter 1:18-19). Summary Genesis 34:12 records the mohar and mattan to reflect authentic ancient custom, provide legal-social context, expose the insufficiency of human reparations, and foreshadow the ultimate bride price—Christ’s redemptive sacrifice. |
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