Thesis (DTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2007. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: As the title suggests, this research is a study of primogeniture in the Old Testament towards a
theological-ethical understanding of patriarchy in ancient Israel. Using the Ancient Near East as a
wider context of the Old Testament, the research first analysed the Ancient Near East texts relating
to primogeniture, i.e., texts relating to inheritance and succession. In so doing the research reveals
that primogeniture was a generally practiced custom of most of the Ancient Near East societies,
serving as a cornerstone for their patriarchal culture. The research also demonstrates that there were
exceptions to the rule. For example, the Elamites practiced matrilineal and matrilocal customs.
Within the general practice of primogeniture among most of the Ancient Near East societies,
firstborns were often displaced in favour of younger sons. In some cases, daughters and wives could
also inherit and own properties, although succession to the throne by daughters was rare.
The central focus of the research is a socio-rhetorical criticism of the primogeniture text of
Deuteronomy 21:15-17. Like in the Ancient Near East, this study also discovers that primogeniture
was a generally practiced custom as well as a cornerstone of ancient Israel’s patriarchy. However,
exceptions to this rule in ancient Israel seemed to be even more notorious than in those of other
ancient Near East societies. The custom was often not followed. Daughters could also inherit.
Firstborns were displaced by their younger brothers for prime heirship of the family as well as
succession to the throne. This violation of primogeniture custom was theologically and ethically
qualified and politically and ideologically appropriated. The research thus concludes that these
theological-ethical qualifications as well as political-ideological appropriation of the violation of
primogeniture based on socio-economic and religious-political changes of society indicate that
patriarchy according to the Old Testament is not a static divine blueprint for all societies of all
generations. Rather, patriarchy in ancient Israel was a dynamic socio-historical and theologicalethical
process which was subjected to change, modification, reinterpretation, and re-appropriation
according to socio-economic and religious-political developments of a given society.
In the name of patriarchy, women had been denied their rights, robbed of their dignity and worth,
and regarded as a second class image of God in many societies, then and now. Committed to
correcting these wrongs, this research – arguing that patriarchy in the Old Testament is not so much
a privilege as it is to a responsibility – challenges the contemporary hierarchical patriarchal
ideologies, and contends for gender equality in all walks of life, remembering that we are all created
equally in the image of God. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Soos die titel aandui, dek hierdie studie eersgeborenheid in die Ou Testament om 'n teologies-etiese begrip
van die patriargie in antieke Israel te bewerkstellig. Teen die Antieke Nabye Ooste (ANO) as wyer konteks
van die Ou Testament, analiseer die navorsing ten eerste die ONO-tekste wat betrekking het op
eersgeborenheid, met ander woorde tekste wat verwys na vererwing en opvolging. In die proses het die
navorsing aan die lig gebring dat eersgeborenheid 'n wydverspreide praktyk in die meeste ANOgemeenskappe
was en as hoeksteen vir hul voortbestaan en patriargale stelsels gedien het. Die navorsing het
ook aangetoon dat uitsonderings op hierdie reël voorgekom het. So het die Elamiete byvoorbeeld matriliniêre
gebruike gehad, asook waar die man by die vrou se familie gaan woon het. In die algemene gebruik van
eersgeborenheid onder meeste van die ANO-gemeenskappe, is eersgeborenes dikwels vervang ten gunste van
jonger seuns. In sommige gevalle kon dogters en eggenotes ook erflatings ontvang en vaste eiendomme besit,
alhoewel troonopvolging deur dogters baie selde voorgekom het.
Die sentrale fokus van die navorsing is 'n sosioretoriese kritiek op die eersgeborenheidsteks in
Deuteronomium 21:15-17. Soos ten opsigte van die ANO, het die studie ook vasgestel dat eersgeborenheid 'n
algemeen aanvaarde praktyk en ook hoeksteen van antieke Israel se patriargie gevorm het. Maar die
uitsonderings op hierdie reël in antieke Israel was skynbaar selfs meer opspraakwekkend as in ander ANOgemeenskappe.
Die gebruik is dikwels nie nagevolg nie. Dogters kon ook vererf. Eersgeborenes is deur hul
jonger broers vir die belangrikste erfporsie van die familie vervang, asook vir troonopvolging. Hierdie
verbreking van die eersgeborenheidsgebruik is teologies en eties gekwalifiseer en polities en ideologies
toegepas. Die navorsing kom dus tot die gevolgtrekking dat hierdie teologies-etiese kwalifikasies, asook die
polities-ideologiese toepassing van die verbreking van eersgeborenheid, gebaseer op sosio-ekonomiese en
religieus-politieke veranderinge in die gemeenskap, aandui dat patriargie volgens die Ou testament nie 'n
statiese, godgegewe bloudruk vir alle gemeenskappe van alle generasies daarstel nie. Patriargie in antieke
Israel was eerder 'n dinamiese sosiohistoriese en telogies-etiese proses, wat onderworpe was aan verandering,
aanpassing, herinterpretasie en hertoepassing ingevolge soio-ekonomiese en religieus-politieke
ontwikkelinge van 'n gegewe gemeenskap.
In die naam van patriargie is vroue in baie gemeenskappe, destyds en vandag nog, ontneem van hul regte,
van hul waardigheid en van hul waarde gestroop en beskou as 'n tweede klas beeld van God. Hierdie
navorsing is toegewy aan die regstel van hierdie onregte en is van mening dat patriargie in die Ou testament
nie sodanig 'n voorreg was nie as 'n verantwoordelikheid en daag daarmee die hedendaagse hiërargiese
patriargale ideologieë uit. Dit spreek hom uit ten gunste van geslagsgelykheid in alle gebiede van die lewe,
met in ag neming dat ons almal gelyk geskape is in die beeld van God.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/17750 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Fachhai, Laiu |
| Contributors | Bosman, H. L., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Theology. Dept. of Old & New Testament. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | xiii, 355 leaves |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
Page generated in 0.0023 seconds