Precedents Set for Marriage & Family

There is no precedent set in the Old Testament for a virgin to become supernaturally pregnant by the Spirit of God as the Virgin Birth doctrine purports, let alone a virgin who is betrothed to a man.

However, there are multiple examples of:

• Women being betrothed to men before uniting with them,
• Men & women being told that the women of the united couple will conceive and bring forth a son before the conception takes place, and
• Women conceiving without the mention of their men “knowing” them, yet the men are naturally understood to be the physical progenitors of their offspring.

There is also no precedent set for a seed of Abraham or a son of David to be only begotten by a woman without the physical contribution of a man.

However, there are a plethora of examples of genealogical records and censuses taken being reckoned through men and never through women. (Women may be identified as mothers, but the multi-generations are always listed through the fathers.)

Notable Unions of Men and Women

• Abram and Sarai (a.k.a. Abraham and Sarah)
  Genesis 12 reveals Abram is already united with Sarai, his wife, at the time God calls him out of his country, his kindred, and his father’s house to the land of Canaan, when he was 75 years old.
  
• Isaac and Rebekah
  Genesis 24 tells the story of Isaac acquiring Rebekah as his wife. Verse 16a says of her: “And the damsel was very fair to look upon, a virgin, neither had any man known her…”.
  
• Jacob and Leah & Rachel
  Genesis 29 tells the story of Jacob having pledged to work to acquire the woman he loved — essentially making a betrothal arrangement, but then he was tricked into uniting with her sister. He then pledged to work even longer to acquire the woman he loved in addition to her.
  
• Judah and Tamar
  Genesis 38 tells the story of Judah being tricked into uniting with the widow of his two sons in order to raise up seed for her first husband since Judah had denied her the right to marry his third son.
  
• Boaz and Ruth
  The book of Ruth tells the story of Boaz, a descendant of Judah, acting as a kinsman-redeemer by uniting with the widowed daughter-in-law of Naomi. Ruth 4:10 states, “Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of his place…”.
  
• David and Bathsheba
  2 Samuel 11 tells the story of David, a descendant of Boaz, uniting with another man’s wife. He then attempted to cover up his sin and ultimately had the other man, Uriah, killed before taking Bathsheba as his wife.

Notable Birth-to-be Announcements and Births

The following are examples of life being born from a barren womb:

• Isaac
  Genesis 17–18 tells the story of Abraham at the age of 99 being told of the conception- & birth-to-come of his son, Isaac, through his wife, Sarah, who was 90 years old and barren. Then Genesis 21:1-7 tells of Isaac’s conception & birth (and circumcision eight days later).
  • Notably, the text never says, “Abraham knew Sarah”, but we can naturally assume that Abraham was the sower of seed which led to the conception and birth of his son through Sarah.
    
• Jacob & Esau
  Genesis 25 tells the story of Isaac, having been 40 years old when he married Rebekah his wife, praying to the LORD for his wife, because she was barren: and the LORD was intreated of him. By the time Isaac was 60 years of age, Rebekah conceivedand brought forth twins: Jacob & Esau.
  • In the previous chapter, Rebekah was described as being a virgin when she came to be united with Isaac.
  • Again, the text never says, “Isaac knew Rebekah”. It is naturally understood that Isaac was the sower of seed which led to the conception and birth of those sons.
  • During Rebekah’s pregnancy, the children struggled together within her, so she enquired of the LORD, and He told her what would come of the children. This is an example of the LORD speaking to the mother regarding her offspring.
    
• Samson
  Judges 13 tells the story of Manoah’s wife, who was barren and bare not, being told that she would conceive and bring forth a son, with special instructions to not drink wine or strong drink or to eat anything unclean. By the end of the chapter, we read that she bares a son, who is called Samson.
  • Manoah is a descendant of Dan. The text never reveals the wife’s name, and it never says that Manoah knew her, but again, it is naturally understood that Manoah was the progenitor of that child.
  • This is another example of the LORD speaking to the mother-to-be concerning her offspring — this time prior to her conception of the child.
    
• Samuel
  1 Samuel 1 tells the story of Hannah, the beloved wife of Elkanah, being childless, praying for a son to be born of her. Her womb was described as being shut up by the LORD.
  When Hannah prays, she promises the LORD in response to Him giving her a son, she would give the child to Him for all the days of his life.
  Then, in verses 19-20, we’re told “…Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and the LORD remembered her. ²⁰ Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of the LORD.”
  • While Elkanah is identified as being the progenitor of Samuel, the LORD is also identified as being instrumental in the conception and birth of the boy.

Notable Genealogies, Censuses & Lists of Sons

• Genesis 5 provides a genealogy of Noah and his three sons (Ham, Shem & Japheth) back to Adam.
• Genesis 10 provides a table of nations following the Great Flood in Noah’s day.
• Genesis 46 provides lists of the names of Jacob’s sons and their sons that went up to Egypt.
• Numbers 1:2-3 declares a census to be taken of all the congregation of the children of Israel, after their families, by the house of their fathers, with the number of their names, every male by their polls; ³ From twenty years old and upward, all that are able to go forth to war in Israel: thou and Aaron shall number them by their armies. And it is done so.
• Numbers 26:1-2 declares a second census is be taken after a plague. Again, it is commanded to be taken of all the congregation of the children of Israel, from twenty years old and upward, throughout their fathers’ house, all that are able to go to war in Israel. And it is done so. This counting is used to divide up the possessions of the promised land between the twelve tribes of Israel. (Manassah & Ephraim are counted in lieu of Joseph, and Levi is omitted as heirs to a particular portion of land.)
• 1 Chronicles 1-9 provides several lists and genealogies. Again, while mothers are mentioned, the lists are specifically provided to demonstrate the sons of fathers.
• Nehemiah 7 provides a genealogical record of those who had been first to return to the land following the Babylonian captivity.