Israelite Kings Should Not Multiply Wives To Themselves
Deuteronomy 17:14-20 reads,
17:14
When you are come to the land which Yahweh your God gives you, and shall possess it, and shall dwell therein, and shall say, I will set a king over me, like all the nations that are round about me; 17:15you shall surely set him king over you, whom Yahweh your God shall choose: one from among your brothers shall you set king over you; you may not put a foreigner over you, who is not your brother. 17:16Only he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he may multiply horses; because Yahweh has said to you, You shall henceforth return no more that way. 17:17Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart not turn away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold. 17:18It shall be, when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book, out of that which is before the priests the Levites: 17:19and it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life; that he may learn to fear Yahweh his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them; 17:20that his heart not be lifted up above his brothers, and that he not turn aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he and his children, in the midst of Israel.
Why Yahweh Forbids Israelite Kings From Multiplying Wives To Themselves
Isn't it clear that Yahweh forbids the kings of the children of Israel from multiplying wives to themselves, lest their hearts turn away from serving him? Doesn't this imply that there is great potential for a person's heart turning away from serving Yahweh when he has multiplied wives to himself? Doesn't this imply that marriage relationships indeed have great potential for causing a person to depart from serving Yahweh to serving other gods? Doesn't this also imply that a servant of Yahweh ought to be very careful not to marry a person who does not serve Yahweh, lest the servant is lured away from serving Yahweh?
Israelite Kings Forbidden From Multiplying Unto Themselves Other Possessions
Isn't it clear that Yahweh also forbade Israelite kings from multiplying unto themselves horses and silver and gold? Doesn't this imply that Yahweh did not forbid them from having horses, wives, silver and gold, but forbade them from having an excessive amount of silver and gold, and an excessive number of horses and wives?
What Is An Excessive Number Of Wives For An Israelite King To Have?
What is an excessive amount of silver and gold for an Israelite king to have? What is an excessive number of horses and wives for an Israelite king to have?
A Betrothed Man Should Not Undertake Risky Ventures Prior To His Marriage
Deuteronomy 20:1-7 reads,
20:1
When you go forth to battle against your enemies, and see horses, and chariots, and a people more than you, you shall not be afraid of them; for Yahweh your God is with you, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. 20:2It shall be, when you draw near to the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak to the people, 20:3and shall tell them, Hear, Israel, you draw near this day to battle against your enemies: don’t let your heart faint; don’t be afraid, nor tremble, neither be scared of them; 20:4for Yahweh your God is he who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you. 20:5The officers shall speak to the people, saying, What man is there who has built a new house, and has not dedicated it? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man dedicate it. 20:6What man is there who has planted a vineyard, and has not used the fruit of it? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man use the fruit of it. 20:7What man is there who has pledged to be married a wife, and has not taken her? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man take her.Isn't it clear from Yahweh's word that those who are betrothed should not be given risky assignments, lest they perish in those risky assignments prior to their marriages? Doesn't this mean that the marriages of those who are betrothed should be facilitated by those capable of so facilitating them?
Isn't it also clear that if a betrothed man perishes prior to marrying his bride she can indeed be married by another man, even as when the husband of a married wife perishes his widow can indeed be married by another man?
Deuteronomy 21:10-14 reads,
21:10
When you go forth to battle against your enemies, and Yahweh your God delivers them into your hands, and you carry them away captive, 21:11and see among the captives a beautiful woman, and you have a desire to her, and would take her to you as wife; 21:12then you shall bring her home to your house; and she shall shave her head, and pare her nails; 21:13and she shall put the clothing of her captivity from off her, and shall remain in your house, and bewail her father and her mother a full month: and after that you shall go in to her, and be her husband, and she shall be your wife. 21:14It shall be, if you have no delight in her, then you shall let her go where she will; but you shall not sell her at all for money, you shall not deal with her as a slave, because you have humbled her.Doesn't Yahweh show that a woman can become a man's slave not only by being sold as a slave to him, but also by being captured as a slave by him in battle? Doesn't Yahweh also show that a man can indeed marry to himself a slave woman under his authority?
Doesn't Yahweh also show that once a man has married to himself his slave woman, she becomes his wife and must subsequently be treated by him as his wife?
Inheritance In Polygynous Households
Deuteronomy 21:15-17 reads,
21:15
If a man have two wives, the one beloved, and the other hated, and they have borne him children, both the beloved and the hated; and if the firstborn son be hers who was hated; 21:16then it shall be, in the day that he causes his sons to inherit that which he has, that he may not make the son of the beloved the firstborn before the son of the hated, who is the firstborn: 21:17but he shall acknowledge the firstborn, the son of the hated, by giving him a double portion of all that he has; for he is the beginning of his strength; the right of the firstborn is his.Doesn't Yahweh regulate family order in polygynous households, where a man has more than one wife? Doesn't Yahweh's regulation of family order in polygynous households clearly show that polygyny is indeed within the parameters of his word?
When A Man Lays Shameful Charges Against His Wife
Deuteronomy 22:13-21 reads,
22:13
If any man take a wife, and go in to her, and hate her, 22:14and lay shameful things to her charge, and bring up an evil name on her, and say, I took this woman, and when I came near to her, I didn’t find in her the tokens of virginity; 22:15then shall the father of the young lady, and her mother, take and bring forth the tokens of the young lady’s virginity to the elders of the city in the gate; 22:16and the young lady’s father shall tell the elders, I gave my daughter to this man to wife, and he hates her; 22:17and, behold, he has laid shameful things to her charge, saying, I didn’t find in your daughter the tokens of virginity; and yet these are the tokens of my daughter’s virginity. They shall spread the garment before the elders of the city. 22:18The elders of that city shall take the man and chastise him; 22:19and they shall fine him one hundred shekels of silver, and give them to the father of the young lady, because he has brought up an evil name on a virgin of Israel: and she shall be his wife; he may not put her away all his days. 22:20But if this thing be true, that the tokens of virginity were not found in the young lady; 22:21then they shall bring out the young lady to the door of her father’s house, and the men of her city shall stone her to death with stones, because she has done folly in Israel, to play the prostitute in her father’s house: so shall you put away the evil from the midst of you.
Prostitution Is Folly, Evil And Shameful
Isn't it clear that it is prostitution for a woman to have sex with a man not her husband? Isn't it clear that prostitution is folly and evil and shameful? Isn't it clear that prostitution is punishable by death?
Do Not Falsely Accuse Your Wife Of Having Committed Prostitution Prior To Your Marriage
Isn't it also clear that a man should not falsely accuse his wife of having played the prostitute prior to their marriage? Isn't the penalty the man pays for his false accusation double the dowry of that of virgins, in addition to losing the right to put away his wife all his days?
Shouldn't Yahweh's people avoid prostitution - having sex with anyone one is not husband or wife to? Shouldn't Yahweh's people avoid this deed of folly, evil and shame?
Deuteronomy 22:22 reads,
22:22
If a man be found lying with a woman married to a husband, then they shall both of them die, the man who lay with the woman, and the woman: so shall you put away the evil from Israel.Isn't it evil for a man to sexually lie with a woman married to another man? Isn't this adultery - great wickedness before Yahweh? Is not the penalty for adultery and prostitution death?
Deuteronomy 22:23-29 reads,
22:23
If there be a young lady who is a virgin pledged to be married to a husband, and a man find her in the city, and lie with her; 22:24then you shall bring them both out to the gate of that city, and you shall stone them to death with stones; the lady, because she didn’t cry, being in the city; and the man, because he has humbled his neighbor’s wife: so you shall put away the evil from the midst of you.22:25
But if the man find the lady who is pledged to be married in the field, and the man force her, and lie with her; then the man only who lay with her shall die: 22:26but to the lady you shall do nothing; there is in the lady no sin worthy of death: for as when a man rises against his neighbor, and kills him, even so is this matter; 22:27for he found her in the field, the pledged to be married lady cried, and there was none to save her.22:28
If a man find a lady who is a virgin, who is not pledged to be married, and lay hold on her, and lie with her, and they be found; 22:29then the man who lay with her shall give to the lady’s father fifty shekels of silver, and she shall be his wife, because he has humbled her; he may not put her away all his days.
It Is Adultery To Sexually Lie With A Virgin Betrothed To Another Man
Isn't it adultery for a man to sexually lie with another man's wife, irrespective of whether or not that woman has been married? Isn't the penalty for adultery the same irrespective of whether or not the woman has been married?
A Woman Should Not Facilitate Her Committing Adultery
Doesn't 22:24 show that there is an obligation upon a wife to act to prevent adultery involving her, even if the man involved is one she had not previously planned to commit adultery with, even a stranger?
A Raped Woman Is Innocent Of Sin
Doesn't 22:25 show that a wife who is raped is innocent of sin in the matter, seeing that she acted to prevent the sex but was overpowered by the rapist?
Raping A Woman Who Is Not A Wife Does Not Incur The Death Penalty
Doesn't 22:28-29 show that a rapist of a virgin who is not another man's wife is spared the death penalty, seeing that the woman is not another man's wife and therefore he did not commit adultery? Nevertheless, mustn't he still pay a penalty for his rape? Doesn't he pay dowry to the woman's father equivalent to that for virgins for removing her virginity? And doesn't he lose the right to put her away all his days after her father gives her to him as his wife, seeing the woman's consent was not given in their first sexual union?
A Man Who Sexually Offends Against His Wife Loses The Right To Put Her Away
Isn't it clear that when a man sexually offends against a woman, and that woman is or becomes his wife, he loses the right to put her away all his days? Isn't this the penalty the man pays for his sexual offence against the woman?
A Wife Sexually Offended By Her Husband Should Still Behave Righteously
Doesn't this give the woman an opportunity of being unfaithful against the man, committing adultery, seeing that he cannot put her away all his days? Nevertheless, doesn't Yahweh have capacity to punish her for her own sin of adultery? Can't Yahweh bring a curse upon her to cause her body to waste away and make her barren? Can't Yahweh facilitate her being caught in the act of adultery resulting in her being killed for her adultery? Doesn't this show that a woman sexually offended against by her husband should still not partake of sexual sin, but should behave in a holy and clean manner?
Do Not Sexually Lie With Your Father's Wife
Deuteronomy 22:30 reads,
22:30
A man shall not take his father’s wife, and shall not uncover his father’s skirt.
Yahweh Does Not Receive Into His Assembly The Children Of Prostitution
Deuteronomy 23:2 reads,
23:2
A bastard shall not enter into the assembly of Yahweh; even to the tenth generation shall none of his enter into the assembly of Yahweh.Doesn't Yahweh show that he does not receive into his assembly the fruit or children of prostitution?
The Wages Of Sin Should Not Be Brought Before Yahweh's Presence
Deuteronomy 23:17-18 reads,
23:17
There shall be no prostitute of the daughters of Israel, neither shall there be a sodomite of the sons of Israel. 23:18You shall not bring the hire of a prostitute, or the wages of a dog, into the house of Yahweh your God for any vow: for even both these are an abomination to Yahweh your God.Doesn't Yahweh metaphorically refer to a sodomite or homosexual as a dog?
Doesn't Yahweh show that the wages of sin should not be brought into his presence, seeing that Yahweh is holy and he separates himself from what is defiled and profane?
Deuteronomy 24:1-4 reads,
24:1
When a man takes a wife, and marries her, then it shall be, if she find no favor in his eyes, because he has found some unseemly thing in her, that he shall write her a bill of divorce, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house. 24:2When she is departed out of his house, she may go and be another man’s wife. 24:3If the latter husband hate her, and write her a bill of divorce, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house; or if the latter husband die, who took her to be his wife; 24:4her former husband, who sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife, after that she is defiled; for that is abomination before Yahweh: and you shall not cause the land to sin, which Yahweh your God gives you for an inheritance.
The Condition Facilitating Divorce
Doesn't Yahweh allow a man to divorce his wife upon finding some unseemly thing in her?
What is the unseemly thing in her that Yahweh is referring to?
Isn't the unseemly thing in her the defilement and uncleanness as seen in Numbers 5, when she goes astray, is unfaithful to him, and sexually lies with another man? Isn't the unseemly thing in her adultery? Doesn't Yahweh therefore allow a man to divorce his wife upon finding that she has been adulterous?
A Divorced Woman Can Become Wife To Another Man
Doesn't 24:2 show that a duly divorced woman may indeed become wife to another man? Doesn't this imply that when her first husband duly divorces her their marriage ceases completely and she is no longer his wife?
A Man Is Forbidden From Marrying Again A Woman Sexually Defiled After He Divorced Her
Doesn't Yahweh show in 24:3-4 that a man is prohibited from taking again as his wife a former wife of his who has had sex with another man after she ceased being his wife? Doesn't Yahweh explain that the practice of taking again a woman as one's wife after she has had sex with another man after she ceased to be one's wife is an abomination before him? Doesn't Yahweh therefore command his people to avoid committing abomination before him?
Spend At Least A Year With Your New Wife Cheering Her
Deuteronomy 24:5 reads,
24:5
When a man takes a new wife, he shall not go out in the host, neither shall he be charged with any business: he shall be free at home one year, and shall cheer his wife whom he has taken.Isn't it the case that just as a man who is betrothed to a wife is not to be placed in a risky venture so also is a man who has just married or taken a wife? Doesn't Yahweh's law give those to be married and those who have just married ample time to spend together and be happy?
Duty Of A Man To His Dead Childless Brother
Deuteronomy 25:5-10 reads,
25:5
If brothers dwell together, and one of them die, and have no son, the wife of the dead shall not be married outside to a stranger: her husband’s brother shall go in to her, and take her to him as wife, and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her. 25:6It shall be, that the firstborn whom she bears shall succeed in the name of his brother who is dead, that his name not be blotted out of Israel. 25:7If the man doesn’t want to take his brother’s wife, then his brother’s wife shall go up to the gate to the elders, and say, My husband’s brother refuses to raise up to his brother a name in Israel; he will not perform the duty of a husband’s brother to me. 25:8Then the elders of his city shall call him, and speak to him: and if he stand, and say, I don’t want to take her; 25:9then his brother’s wife shall come to him in the presence of the elders, and loose his shoe from off his foot, and spit in his face; and she shall answer and say, So shall it be done to the man who does not build up his brother’s house. 25:10His name shall be called in Israel, The house of him who has his shoe loosed.
Yahweh Does Not Force A Man To Marry His Childless Brother's Widow
Isn't it clear that Yahweh imposes a duty upon a surviving brother to raise up seed to succeed to the name of the dead brother if the dead brother does not have a child to inherit his name? Nevertheless, isn't it also clear that Yahweh does not force the surviving brother to take his brother's widow as his wife? In other words, isn't it the case that even though he imposes upon the surviving brother a duty, he does not force the surviving brother to perform that duty?
Penalty Upon A Man Who Does Not Perform His Duty To His Dead Childless Brother
Isn't the penalty upon a surviving brother who refuses to perform the duty of a husband's brother the infliction of shame upon him?
It Is Evil To Have Sex But Impede Conception
Going back to the case of Judah's sons in Genesis 38, isn't it seen that Yahweh did not force Onan to marry his brother's widow? Isn't it therefore seen that Onan did not need to take her as wife and have sex with her? Isn't it therefore seen that the reason Yahweh killed him was for having sex with her but preventing her conception? Isn't it clear that having sex but preventing conception is evil in Yahweh's sight, even as it was in Onan's case? Shouldn't Yahweh's people refrain from having sex but preventing conception? Shouldn't Yahweh's people avoid impeding conception whenever they have sex?
Deuteronomy 27:20-23 reads,
27:20
Cursed be he who lies with his father’s wife, because he has uncovered his father’s skirt. All the people shall say, Amen. 27:21Cursed be he who lies with any manner of animal. All the people shall say, Amen. 27:22Cursed be he who lies with his sister, the daughter of his father, or the daughter of his mother. All the people shall say, Amen. 27:23Cursed be he who lies with his mother-in-law. All the people shall say, Amen.
Fruitfulness Of Body A Blessing For Faithfully Serving Yahweh
Deuteronomy 28:1-4 reads,
28:1
It shall happen, if you shall listen diligently to the voice of Yahweh your God, to observe to do all his commandments which I command you this day, who Yahweh your God will set you on high above all the nations of the earth: 28:2and all these blessings shall come on you, and overtake you, if you shall listen to the voice of Yahweh your God. 28:3Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the field. 28:4Blessed shall be the fruit of your body, and the fruit of your ground, and the fruit of your animals, the increase of your cattle, and the young of your flock.Deuteronomy 28:11 reads,
28:11
Yahweh will make you plenteous for good, in the fruit of your body, and in the fruit of your cattle, and in the fruit of your ground, in the land which Yahweh swore to your fathers to give you.Doesn't Yahweh bless with children those who listen diligently to his voice?
Yahweh Curses The Fruit Of The Body Of Those Who Do Not Listen To His Voice
Deuteronomy 28:15-19 reads,
28:15
But it shall come to pass, if you will not listen to the voice of Yahweh your God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command you this day, that all these curses shall come on you, and overtake you. 28:16Cursed shall you be in the city, and cursed shall you be in the field. 28:17Cursed shall be your basket and your kneading-trough. 28:18Cursed shall be the fruit of your body, and the fruit of your ground, the increase of your cattle, and the young of your flock. 28:19Cursed shall you be when you come in, and cursed shall you be when you go out.
Yahweh Wrecks The Marriages Of Those Who Do Not Listen To His Voice
Deuteronomy 28:30 reads,
28:30
You shall betroth a wife, and another man shall lie with her: you shall build a house, and you shall not dwell therein: you shall plant a vineyard, and shall not use the fruit of it.
Curses Befall The Children Of Those Who Do Not Listen To Yahweh's Voice
Deuteronomy 28:32 reads,
28:32
Your sons and your daughters shall be given to another people; and your eyes shall look, and fail with longing for them all the day: and there shall be nothing in the power of your hand.Aren't barrenness and the befalling of curses upon children allowed by Yahweh upon those who do not listen to his voice? Isn't failure to consummate a planned marriage such a curse?
Deuteronomy 28:53-62 reads,
28:53
You shall eat the fruit of your own body, the flesh of your sons and of your daughters, whom Yahweh your God has given you, in the siege and in the distress with which your enemies shall distress you. 28:54The man who is tender among you, and very delicate, his eye shall be evil toward his brother, and toward the wife of his bosom, and toward the remnant of his children whom he has remaining; 28:55so that he will not give to any of them of the flesh of his children whom he shall eat, because he has nothing left him, in the siege and in the distress with which your enemy shall distress you in all your gates. 28:56The tender and delicate woman among you, who would not adventure to set the sole of her foot on the ground for delicateness and tenderness, her eye shall be evil toward the husband of her bosom, and toward her son, and toward her daughter, 28:57and toward her young one who comes out from between her feet, and toward her children whom she shall bear; for she shall eat them for want of all things secretly, in the siege and in the distress with which your enemy shall distress you in your gates. 28:58If you will not observe to do all the words of this law that are written in this book, that you may fear this glorious and fearful name, YAHWEH YOUR GOD; 28:59then Yahweh will make your plagues wonderful, and the plagues of your seed, even great plagues, and of long continuance, and sore sicknesses, and of long continuance. 28:60He will bring on you again all the diseases of Egypt, which you were afraid of; and they shall cleave to you. 28:61Also every sickness, and every plague, which is not written in the book of this law, them will Yahweh bring on you, until you are destroyed. 28:62You shall be left few in number, whereas you were as the stars of the sky for multitude; because you didn’t listen to the voice of Yahweh your God.Isn't it clear that sons and daughters are Yahweh's gifts to human beings?
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