Abraham a Billionaire?

[Maddog]

The other day I heard PeteR refer (in his video) to one of the patriarchs (I think it was Abraham) as a billionaire because he had much possessions and a fighting force of 300 men. I think it might be very possible as I hadn't given thought to quantifying what he might have had. How did he get there? What was the beginning of his accumulation of wealth? Was it the woman (women) existent in his life that started the process? Is it possible that polygyny is the genesis of wealth? I see it as definitely the multiplying of the fruit of our hands with many helpers. As a contrast to that when my ex left me, I definitely LOST a lot of money. -M

 

[OttoM]

The other day I heard PeteR refer (in his video) to one of the patriarchs (I think it was Abraham) as a billionaire because he had much possessions and a fighting force of 300 men. I think it might be very possible as I hadn't given thought to quantifying what he might have had. How did he get there? What was the beginning of his accumulation of wealth? Was it the woman (women) existent in his life that started the process? Is it possible that polygyny is the genesis of wealth? I see it as definitely the multiplying of the fruit of our hands with many helpers. As a contrast to that when my ex left me, I definitely LOST a lot of money. -M

Abraham was a very wealthy patriarch. It says so as well:

Genesis 13:2
Abram had become very wealthy in livestock and in silver and gold.

One thing about Abram, however, the wealth didn’t influence him negatively. Some people become too obsessed with the wealth.

Wealthy patriarchs used wealth to take care of others, and multiply wives. Which if they follow YAHUAH’s instructions - leads to expanding his kingdom on Earth.

Deut 6:6-7 NLT
6 And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. 7 Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up.

YAHUAH - the Creator - giving righteous men multiple wives makes perfect sense. His Kingdom grows. Or should those young virgins go to pagans that have no regard for YAH or his righteousness? Therefore, the end result becomes lawlessness in the land - where children don’t know if they are male or female.

Isaiah 42:21
YAHUAH is well pleased for His righteousness’ sake; He will exalt the law (torah) and make it honorable.


“Make torah great again.” There’s a political slogan for you that would make the republican and democrat parties hold hands together in unison - for both of them would be against it.

 

[Mark C]

Not too long ago, Abraham could've been described as a "millionaire" and it wouldn't have raised eyebrows. Today, even a billion fiat bucks "ain't what it used to be."

BTW: Anybody remember the "Beverly Hillbillies"? They were described in the show as fabulously wealthy, and today couldn't even buy some of the houses where that show was filmed. Their Then-Fortune?

About $25 million.

At least Ellie May had some critters, too.

 

[MemeFan]

The other day I heard PeteR refer (in his video) to one of the patriarchs (I think it was Abraham) as a billionaire because he had much possessions and a fighting force of 300 men.

Financial number is irrelevant.

You would have to convert his wealth into today's numbers. Can you do it? Well, there is approximation. And we are talking about thousand of years before and we don't have statistics for then.

In practical sense, forget it.

I think it might be very possible as I hadn't given thought to quantifying what he might have had. How did he get there? What was the beginning of his accumulation of wealth?

Capital accumulation always.

Was it the woman (women) existent in his life that started the process? Is it possible that polygyny is the genesis of wealth?

Capital accumulation again. Number of wives irrevelant. Their contribution is more likely to make him poorer than opposite.*

I see it as definitely the multiplying of the fruit of our hands with many helpers. As a contrast to that when my ex left me, I definitely LOST a lot of money. -M

Many hands with low productivity is many people barely surviving.

Capital accumulation is rising collection of everything which increases production. Remember, capital is everything used in production.

I think his wealth has come from number of animals. Every year eat/lose/sell less sheep/cattle than you buy/is born for years. Eventually you will need bunch of people to keep herd. There are also probably some cheese production and maybe agricultural production.

Manufacturing and service probably not existent. Manufacturing is too low in scale (except mining) for technology then and services will be mostly loans (unlikely if he is mobile).

I doubt trade has contributed. He would have to send employees on trading expeditions. Both buying and selling would be on spec. And employees could always disappear. And he couldn't control them.

He needs cousins for expedition so that employees don't run away with booty. Remember, employees would be alone for months. And he doesn't have cousins.

There is some possibility he stayed in contact with cousins in Mesopotamia. Maybe trading with them?

Anyway, animals would be main show.

*Status show off. Put jewellry on wife instead of buying more sheep/cattle. And being rich while treating wife as you are poor isn't exactly way to stay married.

 

[FollowingHim2]

God blessed him. That's what it boils down to. He gave him land, animals, wives, children, etc. It wasn't the amount of wives that helped (although that did help with the children lol). The wives are a symptom of God's blessing, as is the wealth.

 

[steve]

Done right, there is a synergy in a large family.
ESPECIALLY in an agrarian society.

Being blessed by Yah definitely helps!

 

[Maia]

If you live for centuries compound interest is your ally.