C. 213o) as the husband of one wife (Job ii:9; xix :17). Reference is made to the adulterer, who is represented as in terror and accursed (xxiv:15-18). The wicked man is represented as leaving 'widows' behind him; whence his polygamy may be inferred (xxvii:15). Job ex presses his abhorrence of fornication (xxxi:t), and of adultery (ver. g), which appears in his time to have been punished by the judges (ver. 1). Following the same arrangement, we find Abraham and Nahor introduced as having each one wife (Gen. xi:29). From the narrative of Abraham's first equivocation concerning Sarah, It may be gathered that marriage was held sacred in Egypt. Abraham fears that the Egyptians would sooner rid themselves of him by murder than infringe by adultery the relation of wife even to an obscure stranger. The reproof of Pharaoh. 'Why didst thou say, She is my sister? so I miz,ht have taken her to me to wife: now therefore behold thy wife, take her, and go thy way' (Gen. xii :1 t-ig), affords a most honorable testimony to the views of marriage entertained by Pharaoh at thai: period, and most likely by his court and nation. It seems that Sarah was Abraham's half-sister. Such marriages were per mitted till the giving of the Law (Lev. xviii:g). Thus Amram, the father of Moses and Aaron, married his father's sister (Exod. vi:2o), a union forbidden in Lev. xviii:t2.
(4) Concubinage. The firsC mention of con cubinage, or the condition of a legal though sub ordinate wife, occurs in the case of Hagar, Sarah's Egyptian handmaid, whom Sarah, still childless, after a residence of ten years in Canaan, prevailed on Abraham, apparently against his will, to receive into that relation (Gen. xvi:t). which was however considered inviolable (Gen. xlix:4; Lev. xviii:8; 2 Sa 111:8, 16, 21, 22; Chron. v:t). The vehement desire for offspring, common to women in the East, as appears from the histories of Rebecca (Gen.xxv :20, of Rachel (xxx:t), of Leah (ver. 5), and of Hannah (i Sam. i:6, 7), seems to have been Sarah's motive for adopting a procedure practiced in such cases in that region in all ages. The miseries naturally consequent upon it are amply portrayed in the history of the Patriarchs (Gen. xvi:4-to; xxx: I, 3. 15).
Lot does not appear to have exceeded one wife (Gen. xix :15). The second equivocation of the same kind by Abraham respecting Sarah elicits equally honorable sentiments concerning mar riage, on the part of Abimelech, king of Gerar (Gen. xx :5, 6, 9, to, etc.), who, it appears, had but one proper wife (ver. 17; see also ch. xxvi: 7-11). Perhaps Abraham relied on the ancient custom, which will shortly be adverted to, of the consent of the 'brother' being requisite to the sister's marriage, and thus hoped to secure his wife's safety and his own.
(5) laaniages, How Brought About. In an cient times the parents chose wives for their chil dren (Gen. xxi:2I ; xxxviii :6; Deut. xxii :16) ; or the man who wished a particular female asked his father to obtain her from her father, as in the case of Shechem, B. C. 1732 (Gen. xxxiv: 4-6; comp. Judg. xiv :2, 3). The consent of her brothers seems to have been necessary (verses 5, 8, 11, 13, 14; comp. Gen. xxiv :5o; 2 Sattl. Xiii : 2o-29). A dowry was given by the suitor to the father and brethren of the female (verses it, 12; comp. I Sam. xviii:25; Hos. iii:2). This, in a common case, amounted to from 3o to 5o shekels, according to the law of Moses (comp. Exod. xxii:16; Deut. xxii:29). Pausanias considers it
so remarkable for a man to part with his daugh ter without receiving a marriage-portion for her, that he takes pains, in a case he mentions, to explain the reason (Lacon. iii:12, 2). In later times we meet with an exception (Tobit viii: 23). It is most likely that from some time before the last-named period the Abrahamidm restricted their marriages to circumcised persons (Gen. xxviii :8; comp. Judg iii :6; Kings xi:8, 1, 16; Joseph. Antiq. xi:8, 2; xii:4, 6; xviii :9, 5).
(6) Various Marriage Accompaniments, Etc. The marriage of Isaac develops additional particulars; for beside Abraham's unwillingness that his son should marry a Canaanitess (Gen. xxiv :3; comp. xxvi:34; xxvii :46; Exod. xxxiv: 16; Josh. xxiii :12 ; Ezra ix:2; x:3, to, it), costly jewels are given to the bride at the betrothal (ver. 22), and 'precious things to her mother and brother' (ver. 53) ; a customary period between espousals and nuptials is referred to (ver. 55) ; and the blessing of an abundant offspring invoked upon the bride by her relatives (ver. 6o)—which most likely was the only marriage ceremony then and for ages aftcrwards (comp. Ruth iv:It-13; Ps. xlv 17) ; but in Tobit vii :3, the father places his daughter's right hand in the hand of Tobias before he invokes this blessing. It is re markable that no representation has been found of a marriage ceremony among the tombs of Egypt (Wilkinson's Ancient Egypt, vol. ii., Lond. 1837). The Rabbins say that among the Jews it consisted of a kiss (Cant. i :2). It is probable that the marriage covenant was committed to writing (Prov. :17; Mal. ii :14 ; Tobit vii :13, 14) perhaps, also, confirmed with an oath (Ezek. xvi:8). It seems to have been the custom with the patriarchs and ancient Jews to bury their wives in their own graves, but not their con cubines (Gen. xlix :30. In Gen. xxv :1, Abra ham, after the deth of Sarah, marries a second wife. Esau'spolygamyismentioned in Gen. xxviii: 9; xxxvi :2-13. Jacob serves seven years to ob tain Rachel in marriage (Gen. xxix :18-2o) ; and has a marriage feast, to which the men of the place are invited (ver. 22; comp. Cant. v:t ; viii:33). Samson's marriage feast lasts a week, B. C. 1136 (Judg. xiv:to-12; comp. John ii: 1, etc.) ; in later times it lasted longer (Tobit viii :19). The persons invited to Samson's mar riage are young men (Judg. xiv :to) ; called 'sons of the bridal-chamber' (Matt. ix :I5).. Females were invited to marriages (Ps. xlv:14), and at tended the bride and bridegroom to their abode (1 Macc. ix:37) ; and in the time of Christ, if it was evening, with lamps and flambeaux (Matt. xxv:i-to). In later ages the guests were sum moned when the banquet was ready (Matt. xxii: 3), and furnished with a marriage garment (ver. 1). The father of the bride conducted her at night to her husband (Gen. xxix:23; Tobit viii: The bride and bridegroom were richly orna mented (Is. lxi :to). In Mesopotamia, and the East generally, it was the custom to marry the eldest sister first (Gen. xxix:26). By the decep tion practiced upon Jacob in that country, he marries two wives, and, apparently, without any one objecting (ver. 31). Laban obtains a promise from Jacob not to marry any more wives than Rachel and Leah (Gen. xxxi :50). The wives and concubines of Jacob, and their children, travel together (Gen. xxxii :22, 23) ; but a distinction is made between them in the hour of danger (Gen. xxxiii :1, 2; comp. Gen. xxv :6).