Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Harold Holmyard <hholmyard3 AT earthlink.net>]

Dear Kevin,
> I've been thinking about this assumption that because the Levitical laws
> state that a girl should be a virgin at marriage, therefore that is what all
> Israelite girls were.  Are we not assuming too much - given the data from
> the rest of Scripture - when we assume that all - or even most - Israelites
> actually lived in obedience to the laws?  Does it not call into question the
> many condemnations of Israel in the historical and prophetic books for
> following pagan customs?  Do we have any evidence for the culture actually
> enforcing the ban on extra-marital sex, apart form the law codes?
>   

Did you see Michael Abernathy's post earlier today about the age that 
girls married back then, with age twelve being mentioned. With a death 
penalty for doing otherwise, it would not be that hard to wait when a 
girl was just breaking into adolescence. I seems reasonable to think it 
was the norm.

Yours,
Harold
>