Out of the hundreds of concubines mentioned in the Word we only have the specific circumstances spelled out in 2 families.
1) In both families there was a felt need for offspring.
2) In both families the wives chose to handle the problem by giving their maids to their husbands as concubines.
3) In both families the maids produced offspring.
Is it fair to deduce that the reason that all concubines exist is to produce offspring?
Is it fair to deduce that all concubines are chosen and offered by the wife?
Is it fair to deduce that all concubines must be first a servant to the wife?
Is it fair to deduce that concubines are servants to the wife?
In one family the son and his mother were later sent packing, but in the other family all of the sons became heads of the 12 tribes of Israel. Yes, we do see human weakness involved when the father favored the long awaited son of his favorite wife. But on the whole we do not see the sons of the concubines treated differently than the other sons.
Did King David's wives give him their servants to wife? We can only guess. But I see no reason that he would want that.
What about King Solomon's wives? With 700 wives and 300 concubines, the math is not adding up. Were some wives more equal than others after all? Why would he marry the servants of some but not the others? 400 wives took a pass on having letting him have a go at their maids because, what? They just weren't into the whole "Notice Me!" thing? I am sure that that would be true of some of them, but well over half of them?
1) In both families there was a felt need for offspring.
2) In both families the wives chose to handle the problem by giving their maids to their husbands as concubines.
3) In both families the maids produced offspring.
Is it fair to deduce that the reason that all concubines exist is to produce offspring?
Is it fair to deduce that all concubines are chosen and offered by the wife?
Is it fair to deduce that all concubines must be first a servant to the wife?
Is it fair to deduce that concubines are servants to the wife?
In one family the son and his mother were later sent packing, but in the other family all of the sons became heads of the 12 tribes of Israel. Yes, we do see human weakness involved when the father favored the long awaited son of his favorite wife. But on the whole we do not see the sons of the concubines treated differently than the other sons.
Did King David's wives give him their servants to wife? We can only guess. But I see no reason that he would want that.
What about King Solomon's wives? With 700 wives and 300 concubines, the math is not adding up. Were some wives more equal than others after all? Why would he marry the servants of some but not the others? 400 wives took a pass on having letting him have a go at their maids because, what? They just weren't into the whole "Notice Me!" thing? I am sure that that would be true of some of them, but well over half of them?