Abraham's decisions

Johan

Hi - I have a question regarding Abraham.

He was called out out of a Pagan country, into Canaan a Pagan country.

Why do you think he insisted that only woman from he's own land would be acceptable for he's sons.

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MJ. Smith

I would suggest that a broader question's results might be useful e.g. "In patriarchal times who were the potential spouses of a son i.e. what were the kinship constraints?" In an all smart search this yields:

In patriarchal times, kinship constraints for potential spouses were complex and culturally specific. The preferred marriage partner was typically a patrilateral cross-cousin, specifically a father’s brother’s daughter. Marriages were endogamous, meaning they occurred as close to the conjugal family as incest laws permitted, with cross-cousin marriages on the paternal side being considered ideal[1][2].
Marriages were fundamentally about fusing two extended families, with the honor of each family playing a key role. Marriage contracts were negotiated to ensure balanced reciprocity, and a bride-price was required to compensate for the loss of a family member. Interestingly, the strongest unit of loyalty was the descent group of siblings, rather than the marital relationship[2].
Anthropologists have noted that cross-cousin marriage was a common norm in many societies. The preference for such marriages was rooted in cultural kinship systems, where cross-cousins were considered ideal mates because they were outside one’s immediate lineage or clan, despite being closely related[3]. These kinship patterns were distinct to each cultural group and fundamentally different from modern Western family views, making an understanding of these social and cultural patterns crucial to interpreting biblical references to family[4].
[1] John J. Pilch, A Cultural Handbook to the Bible (William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company: Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K., 2012), 124.
[2] Bruce J. Malina and Richard L. Rohrbaugh, Social-Science Commentary on the Gospel of John (Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 1998), 167.
[3] Robert A. Oden, “Jacob as Father, Husband, and Nephew: Kinship Studies and the Patriarchal Narratives,” Journal of Biblical Literature 102 (1983): 197–198.
[4] William Raccah, “Sociology and the Old Testament,” in The Lexham Bible Dictionary, ed. John D. Barry et al. (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016).

Note that the relevant issue is kinship not geography - the geography is simply the result of some of the extended family moving and some not.

All comments

Graham Criddle

Welcome @Johan

I assume you are basing your question on passages such as Genesis 24:1-5.

To explore this in Logos, I would run a Passage Guide on this passage and see what commentaries in your library have to say about it

I'm not answering your question directly as these forums are for discussing how to use Logos software and not really to explore different interpretations of scripture.

Graham

Rick Mansfield (Logos)

Also makes for a great Smart Search.

DMB

@Rick Mansfield (Logos) what an interesting screen copy. Of course, no offense (as always) but:

One has to check each suggestion for validity (most are guesses, some invalid). Current AI parrots=learns.
The 3rd source is curious! From ?? https://www.logos.com/product/49645/library-of-early-english-history or ??

I wonder if the smart search would have 'from his land' (the op). I'd have to subscribe!

MJ. Smith

In patriarchal times, kinship constraints for potential spouses were complex and culturally specific. The preferred marriage partner was typically a patrilateral cross-cousin, specifically a father’s brother’s daughter. Marriages were endogamous, meaning they occurred as close to the conjugal family as incest laws permitted, with cross-cousin marriages on the paternal side being considered ideal[1][2].
Marriages were fundamentally about fusing two extended families, with the honor of each family playing a key role. Marriage contracts were negotiated to ensure balanced reciprocity, and a bride-price was required to compensate for the loss of a family member. Interestingly, the strongest unit of loyalty was the descent group of siblings, rather than the marital relationship[2].
Anthropologists have noted that cross-cousin marriage was a common norm in many societies. The preference for such marriages was rooted in cultural kinship systems, where cross-cousins were considered ideal mates because they were outside one’s immediate lineage or clan, despite being closely related[3]. These kinship patterns were distinct to each cultural group and fundamentally different from modern Western family views, making an understanding of these social and cultural patterns crucial to interpreting biblical references to family[4].
[1] John J. Pilch, A Cultural Handbook to the Bible (William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company: Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K., 2012), 124.
[2] Bruce J. Malina and Richard L. Rohrbaugh, Social-Science Commentary on the Gospel of John (Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 1998), 167.
[3] Robert A. Oden, “Jacob as Father, Husband, and Nephew: Kinship Studies and the Patriarchal Narratives,” Journal of Biblical Literature 102 (1983): 197–198.
[4] William Raccah, “Sociology and the Old Testament,” in The Lexham Bible Dictionary, ed. John D. Barry et al. (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016).

Note that the relevant issue is kinship not geography - the geography is simply the result of some of the extended family moving and some not.

Johan

@Graham Criddle - thank you so much and my apologies. I am new to the Logos community thing, but very grateful for everyone here who assisted in the question.