Women's rights

Under ancient covenant law, women had more rights than they have today. They could claim the following rights from their nearest relative or kinsman in their family covenant:

• the right to provision: it was her lord and master's duty to provide for her every need. If she was unmarried, her nearest kinsman had a duty to provide her with a husband if she so wished. If she was married, in which case her husband was her covenanted lord, she had a right to marital relations and a right to have children with him.

• the right to protection: her lord had a duty to keep her safe and protected.

• the right to justice: her lord was her legal representative in court. He was her advocate if she was accused. He was her avenger (the kinsman who brings a case to court to seek justice for his family member) if she had been the victim of wrongdoing, and he was her executioner to collect the fine or execute the sentence for the crime committed against her.

• the right to rescue: her lord had a duty to rescue her from any situation that was harmful to her. This included financial rescue from her debtors. If she had been captured, he would pay the ransom price for her liberty.

A woman's duties under covenant law were:

• to keep her lord well informed
• to appreciate and support him
• to respect his authority
• to be loyal to him and to safeguard his good name and standing in the community
• to know and understand his objectives and goals for the future of the family
• to use her talents, skills and resources for building and strengthening the family

Women were given their own capital

Upon marriage, the new bride was given her own capital to use as she saw fit. This dowry was provided for her by her father and/or her new husband. She was expected to use her talents and skills to increase this capital for her own benefit as well as for others.

Men and women were equal before the law

Under covenant law, men were servants as well as lords. Being a servant of a higher lord gave them the same rights as women: the right to provision, protection, justice and rescue. Their duties towards their lord were the same as for women: to inform, appreciate and support, to show loyalty and to cooperate with his lord's plans for the future.

Balance between duties and rights

The covenant system of organising society into stable units of families, clans, tribes and nations was a system of equality for all with a wholesome and natural balance of duties and rights. The whole package deal of a covenant gave every human being the right to a secure future with the intention of producing a lifetime of happiness and fulfilment. These were our original human rights under family covenant law as the Lord God of Abraham intended them to be for all mankind.