Concubinage: Sin Or Social Acceptance?

is having a concubine a sin

The Bible describes a concubine as a secondary wife, who lives with a man but does not have the same status as a wife. While concubines were afforded some rights and protections under Hebrew law, they were not equal to wives. The Bible does not explicitly condemn concubinage, but it does implicitly. According to Genesis 2:21-24, God's original intention for marriage was a union between one man and one woman, and this has never changed. However, the Bible also records several instances of men with multiple wives and concubines, such as King David and King Solomon. This has led to questions about whether having a concubine is considered a sin. Some argue that God allowed concubines as a way to provide for vulnerable women in ancient times, while others suggest that it was a result of the hardness of men's hearts, similar to how he allowed divorce.

Characteristics Values
Status of a concubine A concubine was a "secondary" wife, inferior to the primary wife.
Purpose of a concubine To bear children for men whose wives were barren, to provide more children to enhance the family's workforce and wealth, and to satisfy the man's sexual desires.
Rights of a concubine A concubine was afforded some rights and protections by Hebrew law, but not to the same extent as a wife.
Concubines in modern times Polygamy and concubinage are no longer common in Jewish culture.
God's stance on concubines God did not introduce or approve of this marital model, but he also did not explicitly condemn it.

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Concubines were considered secondary wives

In the Bible, a concubine was a woman acquired by a man as a "secondary wife". She was often used as a means to bear children for men whose wives were barren. Concubines were also used to satisfy a man's sexual desires and to provide more children to enhance the family's workforce and wealth.

Although concubines were endowed with rights and protections under Hebrew law, they were not equal in status to a wife. A concubine could not marry her master because of her slave status, although the relationship was exclusive and ongoing.

A concubine was usually either:

  • A Hebrew girl sold by her father
  • A Gentile captive taken in war
  • A purchased foreign slave
  • A Canaanite woman, bonded or free

The rights of the first two were protected by the law, but the third was unrecognized and the fourth prohibited. Free Hebrew women could also become concubines, usually in situations of dire poverty, to avoid prostitution and homelessness.

The fact that legal provisions were made for concubines does not mean that God approved of this marital model. In Genesis 2:22-24, God designed marriage to be a union of one man and one woman.

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Concubines were used to bear children for men with barren wives

In the Bible, a concubine is a woman who lives with a man as if she were a wife, but without having the same status as a wife. Concubines were considered "secondary" wives and were often slaves. While concubines were initially used to bear children for men with barren wives, they were later kept for sexual pleasure.

In ancient times, women who did not have family members to depend on were left with few options for survival. Most women were uneducated and unskilled, making providing for themselves very difficult. They were vulnerable to those who would prey upon them. For many women in dire situations, becoming a concubine was a much more suitable option than prostitution, homelessness, or death.

In the Bible, a concubine was a woman acquired by a man as a secondary wife. Her purpose was to provide a male heir in the case of a barren wife, to provide more children in general to enhance the family's workforce and wealth, and to satisfy the man's sexual desires.

A concubine was often a Hebrew girl sold by her father, a Gentile captive taken in war, a purchased foreign slave, or a Canaanite woman, bonded or free. While a concubine was endowed with rights and protections by Hebrew law, she was not equal in status to a wife. Concubines were entitled to proper food and clothing, but they could not get a bill of divorce like a wife could. A concubine's children were legitimate but were considered secondary to the children born from a wife.

In the Old Testament, several concubines are mentioned, including Hagar, Keturah, Rizpah, and the Concubine of Gibeah. These women experienced oppression and abuse, highlighting the sinful nature of the practice of concubinage.

While the Bible does not explicitly condemn concubinage, it implicitly condemns it from the beginning. Genesis 2:21-24 states that God's original intent for marriage was between one man and one woman, and this has never changed. The practice of concubinage deviates from God's dream for human flourishing and purity in marriage.

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Concubines were kept for sexual pleasure

In ancient societies, concubines were often slaves, and their experience could vary greatly depending on their master's whim. In some cases, concubines were used to bear children for men whose wives were barren. However, later on, concubines were kept simply for sexual pleasure. In some societies, such as ancient Rome, concubinage was an alternative to marriage, usually due to the woman's lower social status. In other cases, such as in pre-modern Muslim societies, concubines were taken as prisoners of war or purchased as slaves.

The practice of keeping concubines for sexual pleasure was not limited to biblical times or ancient societies. Even in more recent history, such as during the Meiji period in Japan, men turned to concubines for entertainment, emotional fulfillment, and sexual pleasure. Similarly, in 19th-century Punjab, wealthy Muslim nobles kept female slaves as concubines.

While the practice of keeping concubines has declined in many parts of the world, it still exists today, particularly among the wealthy class in some Asian countries.

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Concubines had rights and protections under Hebrew law

Concubines: Rights and Protections Under Hebrew Law

In ancient Hebrew society, concubines, though not accorded the same status as wives, did possess a measure of rights and protections under the law. The institution of concubinage was recognized and regulated by a set of rules that ensured a degree of security and respect for these women. While the exact nature and extent of these rights may be subject to interpretation, a careful examination of biblical texts and historical context provides insight into the legal and social position of concubines in Hebrew culture.

One of the key protections afforded to concubines was their recognition as legitimate members of the household. While they may not have enjoyed the same marital rights as wives, concubines were considered part of the family unit and were provided for within the household. This recognition carried with it a degree of social standing and security that set them apart from mere slaves or servants. The Bible provides examples where concubines were treated as valuable members of the family, with their own possessions and a degree of autonomy.

Hebrew law also provided specific protections for concubines in terms of their physical well-being. For instance, Exodus 21:7–11 outlines regulations regarding the sale of a daughter as a servant, stipulating that if the master designates her for his son, she shall be treated as a daughter and not be sold into slavery if the son decides not to marry her. These laws ensured that concubines were not exploited or mistreated, and they provided a legal framework to safeguard their rights and well-being within the family structure.

Furthermore, concubines had property rights and inheritance claims, albeit more limited than those of wives. In some instances, concubines were granted land, servants, and other possessions as gifts or through inheritance. These rights were recognized and protected by Hebrew law, providing concubines with a degree of financial security and independence. An example of this can be found in the story of Hagar, Abraham's concubine, who was given gifts and sent away honorably by Sarah, Abraham's wife.

The laws also addressed issues of sexual exclusivity and fidelity with regards to concubines. While polygamy was accepted in Hebrew society, concubines were still afforded protections against sexual exploitation and infidelity. The Ten Commandments, for instance, prohibited coveting a neighbor's wife or any of his possessions, which could include a concubine. This suggests that concubines were viewed as more than just property and that their sexual fidelity was considered important.

Finally, the Hebrew legal system provided avenues for concubines to seek justice and redress in cases of mistreatment or abuse. While the specifics of these legal processes may not be outlined in detail, the existence of such mechanisms indicates a level of societal concern for the welfare of concubines. Their inclusion in the legal framework underscores the recognition of concubines as individuals with rights and protections under the law.

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Concubines were treated as slaves

Concubines were often treated as slaves. In the Bible, a concubine is a woman who lives with a man as if she were a wife, but without having the same status as a wife. They were considered "secondary" wives and held an inferior rank. A concubine could not marry her master because of her slave status, although the relationship was exclusive and ongoing.

In ancient Rome, the practice of concubinatus was a monogamous relationship that was an alternative to marriage, usually because of the woman's lesser social status. In slave-owning societies, most concubines were slaves, also called "slave-concubines". This institutionalization of concubinage with female slaves dates back to Babylonian times and has been practiced in patriarchal cultures throughout history.

In the context of Islamic law, a concubine is a man's slave-woman with whom he has a sexual relationship. In pre-Islamic Arabia, concubinage of female slaves was an accepted practice. The child of a concubine remained a slave unless liberated by the father. The Quran allowed this custom by requiring a man not to have sexual relations with anyone except for his wife or concubine.

In some contexts, the institution of concubinage diverged from a free quasi-marital cohabitation to the extent that it was forbidden for a free woman to be involved in a concubinage, and the institution was reserved only for slaves. In Islamic societies, the concubine of a king could achieve power, especially if her son also became a monarch. In China, successful men often had concubines until the practice was outlawed when the Chinese Communist Party came to power in 1949.

In the Judeo-Christian-Islamic world, the term concubine has almost exclusively been applied to women, although a cohabiting male may also be called a concubine.

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Frequently asked questions

Although the Bible does not explicitly condemn concubinage, it is implicitly criticised from the beginning. According to Genesis 2:21-24, God intended for marriage to be between one man and one woman.

God allowed men to have concubines to provide for women in need. In ancient times, unmarried women were completely dependent on their family members. Without a husband or family, a woman would have few options for survival. Becoming a concubine was often preferable to prostitution, homelessness, or death.

God did not approve of concubines, but he tolerated them. The Bible does not record God rebuking every sin committed by men, but this does not mean he accepted or endorsed their behaviour.

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