Hebrew wives whose husbands served the high kings enjoyed privileges that average Hebrew women did not have. They socialized with women of the royal courts, and they were familiar with court protocols and listened to court rumors.
Doubtless, they conveyed much of what they heard to their husbands. The story of Esther provides a glimpse of the court intrigues to which they were privy. Though the story of Esther comes from a late source (after 500 B.C.), it presents a good picture of ancient royal courts, political intrigues, and the resistance of righteous women to cruelty and injustice.
The marriages of high-status Hebrew women to Hebrew ruler-priests helped to form political alliances between the Hebrew clans. Often those clans were geographically distant. This is illustrated by Nimrod’s marriage to a Mesopotamian princess. Nimrod was a Kushite (Gen. 10) whose homeland was in the Ancient Nile Valley (ANV). He established himself in Mesopotamia where he married the royal daughter of Asshur, a Hebrew ruler (shown in the diagram above). This is further evidence of the close connection between the Hebrew of the Nile Valley and the Hebrew of Mesopotamia.
The Hebrew wife was her husband’s helper (Gen 2:18,22). Adam’s wife is described as his ezer, a Hebrew word for one who aids, supports, or helps. This is the same word used to describe God in Psalm 33:20, Psalm 70:5, and Psalm 121:1-2.
Before Israel existed, the wives of the Hebrew rulers listed in Genesis 4, 5, 11, 25, and 36 ruled over large households, arranged royal weddings, owned property, and assisted in the building of kingdoms.
The wives of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob influenced their husbands’ actions and decisions. They steered events that served their interests and those of their husbands. Sarah’s concession to use Hagar as a surrogate as was allowed by Horite/Hurrian family law. She took advantage of that law. Rachel’s theft of the teraphim meant that she could claim some inheritance for her husband Jacob. According to Hurrian/Horite legal records, possession of these ancestor figurines validated inheritance claims.
Sometimes the actions of Hebrew wives worked against the wishes of their husbands. Rebekah’s attempt to disguise Jacob as Esau is an example. According to the marriage and ascendancy pattern of the early Hebrew, Esau was Isaac's proper heir. Isaac clearly intended that Esau should receive the birthright and the blessing due to the proper heir (Gen. 25). It is likely that Esau was the firstborn son of Isaac’s unnamed first wife, a half-sister. As the firstborn son of Isaac’s half-sister wife, Esau was Isaac’s proper heir. This is consistent with the two-wife pattern of Isaac’s forefathers, including Lamech the Elder, Terah, Nahor the Elder, and Abraham. As the firstborn son of Rebekah, Isaac’s cousin wife, Jacob was sent to serve the household of his maternal grandfather. This hierarchy of Hebrew sons was a long-standing custom.
Doubtless, they conveyed much of what they heard to their husbands. The story of Esther provides a glimpse of the court intrigues to which they were privy. Though the story of Esther comes from a late source (after 500 B.C.), it presents a good picture of ancient royal courts, political intrigues, and the resistance of righteous women to cruelty and injustice.
The marriages of high-status Hebrew women to Hebrew ruler-priests helped to form political alliances between the Hebrew clans. Often those clans were geographically distant. This is illustrated by Nimrod’s marriage to a Mesopotamian princess. Nimrod was a Kushite (Gen. 10) whose homeland was in the Ancient Nile Valley (ANV). He established himself in Mesopotamia where he married the royal daughter of Asshur, a Hebrew ruler (shown in the diagram above). This is further evidence of the close connection between the Hebrew of the Nile Valley and the Hebrew of Mesopotamia.
The Hebrew wife was her husband’s helper (Gen 2:18,22). Adam’s wife is described as his ezer, a Hebrew word for one who aids, supports, or helps. This is the same word used to describe God in Psalm 33:20, Psalm 70:5, and Psalm 121:1-2.
Before Israel existed, the wives of the Hebrew rulers listed in Genesis 4, 5, 11, 25, and 36 ruled over large households, arranged royal weddings, owned property, and assisted in the building of kingdoms.
The wives of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob influenced their husbands’ actions and decisions. They steered events that served their interests and those of their husbands. Sarah’s concession to use Hagar as a surrogate as was allowed by Horite/Hurrian family law. She took advantage of that law. Rachel’s theft of the teraphim meant that she could claim some inheritance for her husband Jacob. According to Hurrian/Horite legal records, possession of these ancestor figurines validated inheritance claims.
Sometimes the actions of Hebrew wives worked against the wishes of their husbands. Rebekah’s attempt to disguise Jacob as Esau is an example. According to the marriage and ascendancy pattern of the early Hebrew, Esau was Isaac's proper heir. Isaac clearly intended that Esau should receive the birthright and the blessing due to the proper heir (Gen. 25). It is likely that Esau was the firstborn son of Isaac’s unnamed first wife, a half-sister. As the firstborn son of Isaac’s half-sister wife, Esau was Isaac’s proper heir. This is consistent with the two-wife pattern of Isaac’s forefathers, including Lamech the Elder, Terah, Nahor the Elder, and Abraham. As the firstborn son of Rebekah, Isaac’s cousin wife, Jacob was sent to serve the household of his maternal grandfather. This hierarchy of Hebrew sons was a long-standing custom.
Related reading: Hebrew Cousin Wives; The Hebrew Hierarchy of Sons, Lamech Segment Analysis; Hebrew Rulers with Two Wives
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