Recommendation...

[Paul Finkelman]

Didn't Jacob have two wive and also childern with two "handmaidens" as
they were called?  I am not at the office or home, so have no Bible to
check.

Paul Finkelman


Paul Finkelman
President William McKinley Distinguished Professor of Law
     and Public Policy
Albany Law School
80 New Scotland Avenue
Albany, New York   12208-3494

518-445-3386 
pfink at albanylaw.edu
>>> stcynic at crystalauto.com 09/01/06 3:13 PM >>>
Marc Stern wrote:

>Jacob had four wives. And see Exodus 21:10; Deut 21:15 all of which
>assume polygamy.
>  
>
In the context of an old testament that provides regulations for 
virtually everything, down to what kind of fabrics to wear and what to 
eat, it's hardly unreasonable to conclude that the lack of condemnation 
of polygamy is evidence of God's approval. This is especially true when 
he offered revelation both through and about men who engaged in 
polygamy, and he allegedly gave them many blessings. What's the 
alternative explanation, that it slipped his mind? That he saw fit to 
tell us how to conduct ourselves in the most banal and irrelevant items 
like how long to keep our hair, but couldn't be bothered to say "only 
marry one person"? Or for that matter, "don't own other human beings"? 
It just doesn't add up.

Ed Brayton
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