In Biblical times, the average life span of men was around 35 years. For women it was around 30 years.
This explains why different societies became extinct, since the death rate was greater than the birth rate. This would form:
A young society.
A society that fights for its very existence.
A society which decides that a woman's destiny is to give birth and provide her husband with children. That would be their only role.
In the Ancient world, due to the short average lifespan of the people at the time, the accepted age for marriage was 9-11 years old.
After the mother would give birth, the child would stay with her for 3 years, for in these 3 years the infant would be breastfed by the mother. If the child was a girl, she would either stay with her mother until she was married, or she would be promised to a future husband and sent to live with the prospective in-laws from the age of 3 and 1 day. Nevertheless, marriage could not happen before the girl reached the age of 9.
In the Book of Genesis, we are told that Rebekah was too young to be given away. When Abraham's servant headed to the city of Nahur, in Mesopotamia, in order to bring back a wife for Abraham's son Isaac, Rebecca's mother and brother tried to delay it by saying:
"...let the young woman stay with us a few days, at least ten, after that she may go" (Genesis 24:55)
This statement leads us to believe that she was very young.
In the Old Testament, when written "a day" then that means a day, but when referring to "days", then the actual meaning is years!!! For example, when speaking about the days of a certain King, then this is actually referring to the years of their reign.
Rebecca is sent off with her wet nurse (she probably was not at the age of nursing, which was until age 3), who was most likely her nanny.
The status of a woman is decided by:
Her beginning status: A lady or a maidservant
In her husband's home, her status will be determined by if she gives birth to boys and if so, how many.
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