Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Karl Randolph" <kwrandolph AT email.com>]

Patrina:

I had always had the impression that virgins in temple service had a 
responsibility to remain virgins. If a virgin violated her trust (pregnancy 
being good proof of violation) she was automatically fired.

As for Eli’s sons, their major sin was not honoring God. Their sleeping 
around and taking meat illegally were merely symptoms of their major sin.

Karl W. Randolph.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Patrina" <patrina AT bestmail.us>

> In an ANE context, it's no surprise that a kadeshah was regarded as
> "holy", since virgins commonly did this before marrying.  And what
> better way to begin your reproductive life that giving birth to a "holy"
> child and dedicating your "firstborn" to the deity who "opened" your
> womb?  It seems to me that's how they probably would have understood it.
>  Then, after being blessed with fertility, the women were ready for
> marriage.  It was not uncommon to sleep overnight in the temple. 
> Although the writer of 1 Samuel 2:22-25 indicates that Eli's sons were
> doing the wrong thing by sleeping with the women who came to the temple,
> it is likely that they regarded it as their prerogative - if not their
> duty - during that period.  Obviously, at a later period it was not
> acceptable.  Their greater sin was probably taking the best portions of
> meat from the sacrifices unlawfully (1 Samuel 2:12-17)!
> 
> Patrina Nuske Small
> Adelaide, South Australia
> -- 
>   Patrina
>   patrina AT bestmail.us
-- 
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