Marriage As a Covenant: A Study of Biblical Law and Ethics Governing Marriage Developed from the Perpsective of Malachi

437 Pages·1994·49.87 MB·English

by  Gordon Paul Hugenberger

Gordon Paul Hugenberger
Marriage as a Covenant
A Study of
Biblical Law & Ethics Governing Marriage,
Developed from the Perspective of Malachi
MARRIAGE AS A COVENANT
SUPPLEMENTS
TO
VETUS TESTAMENTUM
EDITED BY
THE BOARD OF THE QUARTERLY
J.A. EMERTON - PHYLLIS A. BIRD - W.L. HOLLADAY
A. VAN DER KOOIj - A. LEMAIRE - R.E. MURPHY - B. OTZEN
R. SMEND -J.A. SOGGIN -J.C. V ANDERKAM - M. WEINFELD
H.G. M. WILLIAMSON
VOLUME LII
MARRIAGE AS A COVENANT
A STUDY OF BIBLICAL LAW AND ETHICS
GOVERNING MARRIAGE
DEVELOPED FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF MALACHI
BY
GORDON PAUL HUGENBERGER
EJ. BRILL
LEIDEN . NEW YORK' KOLN
1994
The paper in this book meets the guidelines for permanence and durability of the
Committee on Production Guidelines for Book Longevity of the Council on libraI)'
Resources.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Hugenberger, Gordon.
Marriage as a covenant : a study of biblical law and ethics
governing marriage, developed from the perspective of Malachi / by
Gordon Hugenberger.
p. cm. - (Supplements to Vetus testamentum, ISSN 0083-5889 ;
v.52)
Includes bibliographical references and indexes.
ISBN 9004099778
I. Bible. G.T. Malachi---Criticism, interpretation, etc.
2. Marriage-Biblical teaching. 3. Covenants-Biblical teaching.
I. Title. II. Series.
BS1875.6.M3H84 1994
224'.9906-dc20 93-40730
CIP
Die Deutsche Bibliothek - CIP-Einheitsaufnahme
Hugenberger, Gordon:
Marriage as a covenant : a study of biblical law and ethics
governing marriage developed from the perspective of Malachi
/ by Gordon Hugenberger. -Leiden ; New York; Kaln : Brill,
1994
(Supplements to Vetus testamentum; Vol. 52)
ISBN 90-04-09977-8
NE: Vetus testamentum / Supplements
ISSN 0083-5889
ISBN 90 04 09977 8
© Copyright 1994 by EJ. Brill, Leiden, The Netherlands
All rights reserved. No part qf this publication mqy be reproduced, translated, stored in
a retrieval .rystem, or transmitted in a'!)l form or by a'!)l means, electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written
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Authorization to photocopy items for internal or personal
use is granted by EJ. Brill provided that
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Clearance Center, 27 Congress Street, Salem A1A
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PRINTED IN THE NETHERLANDS
FOR JANIE,
'n'i:J 'ni:Jn
ntD~i

CONTENTS
Acknowledgements ......................................................................................... ix
Abbreviations .................................................................................................. xi
Introduction ...................................................................................................... 1
I . The Interpretative Context of Malachi 2: 10-16 ................................... 13
II. "Covenant [i1'1::J]" in Malachi 2:14: Does it refer to marriage? ........... 27
III. Malachi 2: 16 and Divorce .................................................................... 48
IV. Malachi 2: 10-16 and the Toleration of Polygyny Elsewhere in
the Old Testament ........................................................................... 84
V. Malachi 2:15: Malachi's appeal to Adam and Eve for his
understanding of marriage as a "covenant [i1'1:l]" ....................... 124
VI. "Covenant [n'1:l]" and "Oath" Defined ............................................. 168
VII. Verba Solemnia and Sexual Union: The requisite covenant-
ratifying oath and oath-sign for marriage ..................................... 216
VIII. Marriage as a Covenant Elsewhere in the Old Testament ................. 280
Summary and Conclusions ............................................ : ............................. 339
Bibliography ................................................................................................ 344
Index of Sources .......................................................................................... 381
Index of Terms ............................................................................................. 398
Index of Authors .......................................................................................... 400
Index of Subjects ......................................................................................... 411

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
It is a very pleasant duty to express here my sincere thanks to my
thesis supervisor, Dr. GJ. Wenham, for his patience, careful guidance, and
many helpful suggestions over the course of the production of the dissertation
which was the precursor of the present work. Beyond this specific help, he
has provided a model of meticulous, productive, and relevant scholarship,
which I can only hope to emulate.
I am grateful also to the Rev. Canon ACJ. Phillips for his help as my
outside supervisor, offering many valuable comments and encouragement
when needed.
Numerous improvements in the present revision owe their existence to
the perspicacity of Dr. A Lemaire, who very generously provided detailed
suggestions and constructive criticism in his capacity as a series editor for
Supplements to Vetus Testamentum.
Thanks are also due to Brian A Smith, my Teaching Fellow, for his
help in the tedious work of indexing the footnotes of chapters six through
eight.
While my indebtedness to the community of scholarship is cheerfully
acknowledged throughout this work, at almost every tum I am aware of a
more personal debt to the scholarly example, academic interests, and
encouragement of my colleagues in the Biblical Studies Division at Gordon
Conwell Theological Seminary and especially of two former teachers, Prof.
M.G. Kline also of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and Prof. W.G.
Lambert of Birmingham University.
It would be impossible to register adequately my sense of gratitude to
each of my brothers and sisters at the Orthodox Congregational Church of
Lanesville. Without the original prompting of Edwin B. Cobb I would never
have dared to undertake this work. Without the subsequent willingness of the
church to grant me the necessary time to do this research, as well as their on
going prayer, constant encouragements (especially from Richard N. Gray,
who also preached in my stead one year), and financial support, the work
would never have been completed.
As for my family, and especially Janie, who also provided
indispensable editorial assistance, I know that I can never repay them for their
love and support.
Naturally, in spite of the substantial help I have received, I bear full
responsibility for the views expressed and the remaining defects of this work.