Rosangela,

God's command did not address the type of marriage you speak of here. It addressed NEW / ADDITIONAL marriages, i.e. plural marriages yet future.

"If he take him another wife; her food, her raiment, and her duty of marriage, shall he not diminish."

Blessings,

Green Cochoa.

GC and Rosangela, there was more than the inheritance of money or estate in question. The biggest inheritance was the spiritual birthright. The son that was given that responsibility had a spiritual obligation to represent God, guide according to God's charge, and protect the rights of the family. Then that birthright was passed on to one of his descedance, but not necessarily his own son, but could be to one of his grand-son or great grand son depending when the one carrying the birthright is about to die and who God inspires to select.

This was the issue at hand and that's why the brother had to impregnant the deceased birthright holder's widow.

After the birthright had passed to him, obviously nobody could take it from him. His deceased brother's descendants would have lost the birthright.

No, you've committed adultery. And the person who comitted adultery cannot keep both "wives." Or do you think he can?


GC, find me even one text that declares that slavery is a sin, or that smoking is a sin.

Rosangela,

I challenge you to supply even one instance from the Bible that would support your interpretation. It is my understanding that any child, regardless of how soon born to her, of that widow would have received the inheritance of the surrogate father's deceased brother. There is nothing that I have read that would indicate there was any kind of time limit on those births after which this would not be the case.

Blessings,

Green Cochoa.

Yes, God did not abolish these customs at that time. He waited for the people to mature spiritually so that they could realize that those customs were not according to His will. And this eventually happened.

To my understanding, he get's nothing. All would go to the child who would carry his brother's name. Like GC said, if he wants his own children, he can have all the children he wants with another wife.

GC, Reuben lost his birthright and, obviously, so did his descendants. His birthright passed to another.

Elle,
You and GC are trying to apply modern thinking to an ancient culture.

I can name examples of harlots who became wives and were kept. I think you could too, if you tried.


Slavery was not a sin. God commanded it in certain cases and set down very careful rules to govern the practice. So much for a text that would declare it to be sin. Even Paul encouraged the runaway slave to return to his master (see Philemon).

As for the smoking, there is one text that puts it in a bad light. Not quite a "thou shalt not," but certainly lumping the practice with other evils.

"Then he said unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? Is it a light thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which they commit here? for they have filled the land with violence, and have returned to provoke me to anger: and, lo, they put the branch to their nose. Therefore will I also deal in fury: mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: and though they cry in mine ears with a loud voice, [yet] will I not hear them." (Ezekiel 8:17-18)

Blessings,

Green Cochoa.