Topical Encyclopedia In the biblical narrative, the concept of obtaining a wife through violence is depicted as a deviation from God's intended design for marriage. The Scriptures present marriage as a covenantal union established by God, characterized by love, mutual respect, and voluntary commitment. However, there are instances in the Bible where wives are obtained through acts of violence, reflecting the fallen nature of humanity and the consequences of sin.One of the most notable examples of obtaining a wife through violence is found in the account of the Benjamites in Judges 21. After a civil war between the tribe of Benjamin and the other Israelite tribes, the Benjamites were left with few women to marry. To resolve this, the Israelites devised a plan for the Benjamites to abduct wives during a festival at Shiloh. Judges 21:23 states, "So that is what the Benjamites did. While the young women were dancing, each man caught one and carried her off to be his wife. Then they returned to their inheritance, rebuilt their cities, and settled in them." This act of violence and abduction was a direct result of the moral and spiritual decline during the period of the Judges, where "everyone did what was right in his own eyes" (Judges 21:25). Another example is found in the account of King David and Bathsheba. Although not a case of physical abduction, David's actions in taking Bathsheba as his wife involved a series of violent acts, including the orchestrated death of her husband, Uriah the Hittite. 2 Samuel 11:14-15 records David's instructions to Joab: "In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it with Uriah. In the letter he wrote: 'Put Uriah at the front of the fiercest battle, then withdraw from him so that he will be struck down and killed.'" David's sin with Bathsheba and the subsequent murder of Uriah highlight the destructive consequences of obtaining a wife through coercion and violence, leading to personal and national turmoil. The account of Dinah in Genesis 34 also illustrates the theme of obtaining a wife through violence. Shechem, the son of Hamor the Hivite, seized Dinah and lay with her by force. Genesis 34:2 states, "When Shechem son of Hamor the Hivite, the prince of the land, saw her, he took her and lay with her by force." This act of violence led to a cycle of retribution and bloodshed, as Dinah's brothers, Simeon and Levi, avenged their sister by killing Shechem and the men of his city. These narratives serve as cautionary tales within the biblical text, illustrating the severe consequences of deviating from God's design for marriage. They underscore the importance of adhering to the principles of love, respect, and mutual consent in marital relationships, as originally intended by God in the creation of man and woman (Genesis 2:24). Nave's Topical Index Judges 21:1Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpeh, saying, There shall not any of us give his daughter to Benjamin to wife. Nave's Topical Index Library Moses, Allowing Divorce, and Christ Prohibiting It, Explained John ... Thou Shalt not Covet Thy Neighbor's House. Thou Shalt not Covet ... Concerning Florus the Procurator, who Necessitated the Jews to ... The Doctrine of Paul Concerning virginity Explained. Letter cxcix. Canonica Secunda. After what Manner Upon the Death of Claudius, Nero Succeeded in ... Letter Lv. To Amandus. Letter xii. Leo, Bishop of the City of Rome, to all the Bishops of ... Gregory vii and Lay Investiture How, after the Death of Joshua their Commander, the Israelites ... Resources What does it mean to “remember Lot's wife” in Luke 17:32? | GotQuestions.orgIs it biblical to call the wife of a pastor, elder, or bishop the First Lady of the church? | GotQuestions.org What are the roles of the husband and wife in a family? | GotQuestions.org Wife: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus |
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