The 18th-century BC Code of Hammurabi is a collection of 282 laws written in Old Akkadian. This collection was carved into a stele of basalt, standing about 7½ feet tall (2.25 meters). Composed around 1750 BC, the laws contained in the Stele of Hammurabi are a treasure trove of information about that era, since it covers contracts, social customs, punishments, and economics.
Since the code is from the approximate time of Jacob and Joseph, it presents us with an incredible opportunity to compare its information to the Biblical narrative. What we find is that the laws in the Code of Hummurabi reflect many of the teachings and customs found in Genesis during the time of Jacob and Joseph. Examples abound.
Primacy of Inheritance
Laws 170 and 171 of the Code of Hammurabi clearly set forth that the inheritance portion is to be given to the son of the first wife, not the son of the female slave, regardless of birth order. This is reflected in Genesis when Isaac was made Abraham’s heir. Isaac was born of Sarah, Abraham’s wife, while Ishmael, chronologically the firstborn son, was passed over because he was born to Hagar the slave.
Loss of Birthright due to Family Disgrace
Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn, lost his birthright because he “defiled his father’s bed” by sleeping with Bilhah, his father’s concubine. This was a serious offense against the family, and was considered incestuous, disrespectful, and disgraceful. Likewise, in the Code of Hammurabi, laws 158, 168, and 169 contain rules and customs about loss of the birthright due to this same serious offense against the family.
Joseph and the Price of Slaves
The price of slaves changed over time. (Inflation is nothing new!) The price of a slave recorded in the law code of Ur Nammu (in about 2050 BC) was 10 shekels. The price of a slave recorded in the Laws of Eshnunna (about 1930 BC) was 15 shekels. When Joseph was sold into slavery to Ishmaelite traders only decades after the reign of Hammurabi, his purchase price was 20 shekels, exactly coinciding with laws 116, 214, and 252 in the Code of Hammurabi, which list the price of slaves as 20 shekels.
After the time of Hammurabi we find examples of 30 shekels at Ugarit in the 14th century BC and 50 shekels in Assyria during the 8th century BC.
Summary
The laws, customs, and prices found in the Code of Hammurabi (18th century BC in the Middle Bronze Age) dovetails extremely well with the patriarchal narratives from the time of Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph in Genesis. This strongly suggests that the events occurred in the same period, and that the Genesis narrative accurately reflects conditions of that specific time.
