# At home / under authority, until married?



## Lauren Mary (Oct 4, 2006)

I am looking for Biblical precedents / examples of women living at home and/or under the authority of a parent, particularly father, or older relative/guardian until they are married or called into service away from home. Below is what I have so far from the OT, and one from the NT. I would much appreciate any additions to this partial list. 
Thank you.
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The daughters of Laban, Rachael and Leah still at home and under their father's authority at the arrival and 14 year courtships of Jacob. (See Genesis 29:9-27.)

Jeptha's daughter willingly, obedient to her father's authority goes to death or to consigned banishment as if dead, to accommodate her father's vow to God if God would give him victory in battle. (See Judges 11:35-40.)

Ruth a young widow staying with her only remaining authority figure, the older widow, her mother-in-law Naomi, and placing herself under the absolute authority of Naomi and Naomi's God. (See book of Ruth.)

Ester who obeyed and abided by the authority of her designated family authority, her cousin Mordecai. She was a dutiful daughter to her adopted father, Mordecai, docile and obedient to his counsels, (See book of Ester.)

The four prophetess daughters of Phillip (See Acts 21:8-9)
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## Lauren Mary (Oct 7, 2006)

While there does not appear to be any direct command or specific Biblical instruction that unmarried daughters are to remain living at home until married or called away to some service, there does appear to be significant support that within the body of God's people, unmarried women are to abide under the authority of their parents/guardians, especially male parents/guardians. 

More on this from the Book of Numbers:

Numbers 30:1-16
1 And Moses spake unto the heads of the tribes concerning the children of Israel, saying, This is the thing which the Lord hath commanded.
2 If a man vow a vow unto the Lord, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth.
3 If a woman also vow a vow unto the Lord, and bind herself by a bond, being in her father's house in her youth;
4 And her father hear her vow, and her bond wherewith she hath bound her soul, and her father shall hold his peace at her; then all her vows shall stand, and every bond wherewith she hath bound her soul shall stand.
5 But if her father disallow her in the day that he heareth, not any of her vows, or of her bonds wherewith she had bound her soul, shall stand; and the Lord shall forgive her, because her father disallowed her.
6 And if she had at all a husband, when she vowed, or uttered aught out of her lips, wherewith she bound her soul;
7 And her husband heard it, and held his peace at her in the day that he heard it; then her vows shall stand, and her bonds wherewith she bound her soul shall stand.
8 But if her husband disallowed her on the day that he heard it, then he shall make her vow which she vowed, and that which she uttered with her lips, wherewith she bound her soul, of none effect; and the Lord shall forgive her.
9 But every vow of a widow, and of her that is divorced, wherewith they have bound their souls, shall stand against her.
13 Every vow, and every binding oath to afflict the soul, her husband may establish it, or her husband may make it void.
14 But if her husband altogether hold his peace at her from day to day; then he establisheth all her vows, or all her bonds, which are upon her he confirmeth them, because he held his peace at her in the day that he heard them.
15 But if he shall any ways make them void after that he hath heard them; then he shall bear her iniquity.
16 These are the statutes, which the Lord commanded Moses, between a man and his wife, between the father and his daughter, being yet in her youth in her father's house.


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