Must a Christian pay “lobola” (brides price)?

According to the Bible it was not necessary for Adam to pay “lobola” for his wife Eve (Genesis 2:22-24). We can argue by saying: Yes but there were no families to agree on any lobola, and no responsibilities as regards the children, that made such a contract imperative. That is true. But in the first marriage on earth God brought two people together and gave the wife as a present and a helpmeet to the man. Love was to be the bond.

We read in the Bible that lobola was paid on different occasions. But the conditions applicable to modern “lobola”, that is articles of agreement, were totally absent. For example: There were no stipulations declaring that the children are children of the man’s family, or that if the woman proved to be barren the loss of lobola by the husband’s family must be paid back in another way like the “seantlo” custom, where the wife’s sister must bear children for her.

Another occasion worth mentioning is Genesis 34:12, where Shechem offered to pay lobola for Dinah the daughter of Jacob, whom he had raped. He paid for his sin by death. Another is where Saul demanded a dowry from David for his daughter Michal (1 Sam 18:25). But it must be stressed that none of those marriages proved to be really happy.

We can therefore say: it is not necessary for a Christian who marries a Christian, to pay lobola. Two Christians who want to marry because they love each other, should not be hindered by asking “lobola”. “Lobola” can cause people who cannot afford it, to live together in sin – this is against the will of God.