Genesis 11:29

Genesis 11:29

And Abram and Nahor took them wives: the name of Abram’s wife was Sarai; and the name of Nahor’s wife, Milcah, the daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah, and the father of Iscah.

a. Verse 29 shows that Haran had three children, Lot, Milcah, and Iscah. It also shows that Nahor married his niece, the daughter of his brother, Haran.

b. Although Abram married his half sister, this fact it is not mentioned until Genesis 20:12.

c. It must be noted that at this time in Biblical history man still practiced incest. The time frame for this is approximately 425 years after the flood. Abram, according to Genesis 11:32 and Genesis 12:4, was approximately 75 old when his father Terah died in Haran at 205. This means Abram was born about 352 years after the flood [See Genesis 11:10-26]. Man was still in the replenishing/repopulating mode. It wasn’t until the giving of the Law approximately 440 years later that these practices were forbidden to God’s people by God at Sinai.

1). Marrying a half sister was forbidden after the giving of the law.

a). Leviticus 18:6, 9 None of you shall approach to any that is near of kin to him, to uncover their nakedness: I am the LORD.

The nakedness of thy sister, the daughter of thy father, or daughter of thy mother, whether she be born at home, or born abroad, even their nakedness thou shalt not uncover.

2). Moses’ father married his aunt, his father’s sister, and this was forbidden after the giving of the Law.

a). Exodus 6:20 And Amram took him Jochebed his father's sister to wife; and she bare him Aaron and Moses: and the years of the life of Amram were an hundred and thirty and seven years.

b). Leviticus 18:6, 12  None of you shall approach to any that is near of kin to him, to uncover their nakedness: I am the LORD.

 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father's sister: she is thy father's near kinswoman.