Family Life and Relations

The Old Testament. In Western societies individuals are often considered the societal units, brought together by some commonly felt need (commerce, industry, mutual defense, etc.). In contrast, Israel's social structure was tribal and therefore corporate (solidary) in its internal relationships, generating tightly structured communities. Whatever their size, these communities perceived themselves as totalities, bound together through internal agencies that made their presence felt in each individual member. The individual was neither overlooked, nor was he considered the unit on which the society was built. Instead, the family was the unit, and the individual found his place in society through the family and its extensions. The subtribe was really a greatly extended family; a collection of related subtribes formed a tribe; and a federation of tribes yielded a people.

Nowhere is community stronger in Hebraic society than in that most foundational of the primary groups, the bayit [tIy;B] (house) or bet ab (father's house), terms designating an extended family and variously rendered as family or household. It was not only the "life center" of the members, but also the nucleus about which was built the subtribe. The covenant between Yahweh and the people thus became his covenant with each family; should the security of any family be threatened, divine wrath was incurred (cf. Jer 2:3-4 ). The household would embrace the mother and children, even after the latter had reached maturity ( Judges 6:15 ; 9:1 ; 1 Sam 16:5 ). In its broadest definition, the household would also include its servants: Abraham had 318 who had been "born in his household" ( Gen 14:14 ).

Though every effort was expended to preserve the stability of the family, tensions existed, and the Bible makes no effort to conceal them (Abraham's quarrel with his nephew Lot, Gen 13:5-8 ; Esau's hatred of Jacob, Gen 27:41 ; and the favoritism shown Jacob by Rebekah, Gen 25:28 ; 27:15-17 ). In a polygynous environment the only bond between siblings born to disparate mothers was the often remote father. At times bitterness developed between women such as Hannah and Penninah, both wives of Elkanah. The story of Joseph's sale into Egyptian bondage ( Gen 37:12-36 ) vividly portrays how competition between wives in childbearing ( Gen 30:1-7 ) could be transmitted to the children. An even more severe example may be seen in Amnon's rape of his half-sister Tamar and his subsequent murder by Absalom ( 2 Sam 13:1-29 ). The bond of affection between Joseph and his only full brother Benjamin ( Gen 43:15-16 ) is also echoed in Absalom's concern over his sister's disgrace, contrasted to his cold hatred for his half-brother, Amnon.

In ancient Israel large families were deemed necessary to conduct the family business, to provide for the parents in their old age, and to carry on the family name. As a result, the large family was regarded as a blessing from God ( Exod 1:21 ; Psalm 128:3 ). Sons were especially valued ( Psalm 127:3-5 ) to carry on the family name, yet it is against rebellious sons, not daughters, that legislation was directed and proverbs were coined ( Prov 20:20 ; 30:11 30:17 ).