Concubinage in the biblical context refers to a marital arrangement where a woman, known as a concubine, is in a recognized relationship with a man but holds a status inferior to that of a wife. This practice is evident throughout the Old Testament and reflects the social and cultural norms of ancient Near Eastern societies.

Old Testament Context

Concubinage is first mentioned in the patriarchal narratives. Abraham, the father of the Israelite nation, took Hagar, an Egyptian maidservant, as a concubine at the behest of his wife Sarah (Genesis 16:1-4). This arrangement was intended to produce offspring due to Sarah's barrenness. Hagar bore Ishmael, who became the ancestor of several nations.

Jacob, another patriarch, had two concubines, Bilhah and Zilpah, who were maidservants of his wives Rachel and Leah, respectively. These concubines bore him sons who became part of the twelve tribes of Israel (Genesis 30:3-13).

The practice of concubinage continued into the period of the Judges and the monarchy. Judges 19 recounts the tragic account of a Levite and his concubine, highlighting the social instability and moral decline during that era. King Saul had a concubine named Rizpah (2 Samuel 3:7), and King David had several concubines, as recorded in 2 Samuel 5:13 . His son Solomon expanded this practice significantly, having 700 wives and 300 concubines (1 Kings 11:3).

Legal and Social Status

Concubines in Israelite society had certain rights and protections, though they were not on par with those of wives. The Mosaic Law provided some regulations concerning concubines, ensuring their basic welfare and the legitimacy of their children. For instance, Exodus 21:7-11 outlines the rights of a female servant who might become a concubine, emphasizing her right to food, clothing, and marital rights.

The children of concubines were considered legitimate and could inherit from their father, though they often held a lower status compared to the children of wives. This is evident in the account of Gideon's son Abimelech, who was the son of a concubine and sought to establish his rule over Israel (Judges 8:31; 9:1-6).

Moral and Theological Considerations

While concubinage was a common practice, it often led to familial strife and conflict. The account of Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar illustrates the tension and jealousy that could arise from such arrangements (Genesis 16:4-6). Similarly, the rivalry between the sons of David, born to different mothers, contributed to significant turmoil within his household (2 Samuel 13-18).

Theologically, the practice of concubinage is not explicitly endorsed by God in the Scriptures. Instead, the biblical narrative often highlights the negative consequences of deviating from the monogamous ideal established in Genesis 2:24 , where a man is to be united with his wife, and they become one flesh. The New Testament reaffirms this ideal, emphasizing the sanctity and exclusivity of the marital relationship (Matthew 19:4-6; Ephesians 5:31-33).

Conclusion

Concubinage in the Bible reflects the historical and cultural context of ancient Israel. While it was a recognized institution, the biblical narrative often underscores the complications and moral challenges associated with it, pointing towards a higher divine standard for marriage.1. (n.) The cohabiting of a man and a woman who are not legally married; the state of being a concubine.

2. (n.) A plea, in which it is alleged that the woman suing for dower was not lawfully married to the man in whose lands she seeks to be endowed, but that she was his concubine.

CONCUBINAGE

kon-ku'-bi-naj.

See FAMILY.

In the Marriage of Mary and Joseph There were all the Blessings of ...
... Book I. Chapter 13."In the Marriage of Mary and Joseph There Were All the Blessings
of the Wedded State; All that is Born of Concubinage is Sinful Flesh. ...
/.../augustine/anti-pelagian writings/chapter 13 in the marriage of.htm

The Beginnings of Church Reform
... Thus the two evils of traffic in ecclesiastical offices, shortly stigmatised as
simony and concubinage"for the laws of the Church forbade any more decent ...
/.../medley/the church and the empire/chapter i the beginnings of.htm

Therefore if Haply, which Whether it Can Take Place...
... Thus neither do concubines taken for a time, if they be such in order to sons, make
their concubinage lawful; nor do married women, if they live wantonly with ...
/.../augustine/on the good of marriage/section 16 therefore if haply.htm

On the Government of God
... Coloni 148n, 150, 151n. Commands of God disobeyed by Christians 82 f. Concubinage,
107 f., 194 f.; laws concerning, 107n. Constans, Emperor, 144n, 170n. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/salvian/on the government of god/index 2.htm

Other Charges Repelled by the Same Method the Story of the Noble ...
... If there is a single nation which knows nothing of concubinage through the necessity
of age and sex"to say nothing of lust and licentiousness"that nation ...
/.../tertullian/ad nationes/chapter xvi name charges repelled.htm

His Perfect Holiness.
... known that the wisest men of Greece and Rome sanctioned slavery, oppression, revenge,
infanticide or exposure of infants, polygamy or concubinage, and worse ...
//christianbookshelf.org/schaff/the person of christ/his perfect holiness.htm

All the Characteristics of Our Bodies --Sex, Various Limbs, Etc. ...
... and all the other organs of generation, in the two sexes, and the laboratories of
embryos, and the fountains of the breast, when concubinage, and pregnancy ...
/.../on the resurrection of the flesh/chapter lx all the characteristics of.htm

The Details of Our Bodily Sex, and of the Functions of Our Various ...
... There will be no more meat, because no more hunger; no more drink, because no more
thirst; no more concubinage, because no more child-bearing; no more eating ...
/.../tertullian/on the resurrection of the flesh/chapter lxi the details of our.htm

Wickedness Attributed to the Gods by Heathen Writers.
... They who elaborated such a philosophy regarding either the non-existence of God,
or promiscuous intercourse and beastly concubinage, are themselves condemned ...
/.../theophilus to autolycus/chapter viii wickedness attributed to the.htm

The Power of Christianity.
... The wisest men of Greece and Rome sanctioned slavery, polygamy, concubinage, oppression,
revenge, infanticide; or they belied their purer maxims by their ...
/.../schaff/history of the christian church volume i/section 44 the power of.htm

Concubinage (1 Occurrence)
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. CONCUBINAGE. kon-ku'-bi-naj. See FAMILY.
Multi-Version Concordance Concubinage (1 Occurrence). ...
/c/concubinage.htm - 7k

Concubine (21 Occurrences)
... The immediate cause of concubinage might be gathered from the conjugal histories
of Abraham and Jacob (Genesis 16;30). But in process ...
/c/concubine.htm - 15k

Polygamy
... great majority of the men were massacred; the women and children, driven to the
abode of the conquerors, disappearing there mainly in concubinage and slavery. ...
/p/polygamy.htm - 19k

Concourse (4 Occurrences)

/c/concourse.htm - 8k

Marriage (74 Occurrences)
... law was violated in after times, when corrupt usages began to be introduced (Genesis
4:19; 6:2). We meet with the prevalence of polygamy and concubinage in the ...
/m/marriage.htm - 62k

Slavery (31 Occurrences)
... 31:7-35). Males were usually slain and females kept for slavery and
concubinage (Deuteronomy 21:10, 11, 14). Captive slaves and ...
/s/slavery.htm - 36k

Slave (148 Occurrences)
... 31:7-35). Males were usually slain and females kept for slavery and
concubinage (Deuteronomy 21:10, 11, 14). Captive slaves and ...
/s/slave.htm - 54k

Woman (4043 Occurrences)
... Kings were forbidden to "multiply wives" (Deuteronomy 17:17). Concubinage
in Israel was an importation from heathenism. Divorce ...
/w/woman.htm - 45k

Relationships (1 Occurrence)
... It is difficult to estimate the extent to which polygamy and concubinage were practiced
in ancient Palestine, but it is clear that the former practice was ...
/r/relationships.htm - 38k

Divorce (18 Occurrences)
... divorce. Besides, the word adultery had a peculiar significance in Jewish law,
which recognized polygamy and concubinage as legitimate. ...
/d/divorce.htm - 41k

What is a concubine? Why did God allow men to have concubines in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

How many wives did Abraham have? | GotQuestions.org

Concubinage: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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