61 Bible Verses about Marriage, Customs Concerning

Judah found a wife for his oldest son Er. Her name was Tamar.

So Abraham instructed his servant, who was the oldest member of his household and in charge of everything he owned, "Make this solemn oath to me as a promise to the LORD, the God of heaven and earth, that you won't acquire a wife for my son from the Canaanite women among whom I'm living. Instead, you are to go to my country and to my family and acquire a wife for my son Isaac."

Later he settled in the desert area of Paran, and his mother chose a wife for him from the land of Egypt.

But they said, "We'll call the young lady and see what she has to say about this." So they called Rebekah and asked her, "Do you want to go with this man?" "I will go," she replied.

Then Shechem told his father Hamor, "Get this young woman for me to be my wife."

Then he returned and told his father and mother, "In Timnah I saw a woman of Philistine origin." He ordered them, "Get her for me as a wife. Now!"

Saul's daughter Michal loved David. Saul was informed of this and he liked the idea.

So Jacob completed another seven years' work, and then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife.

Moses agreed to stay with the man, and he gave his daughter Zipporah to Moses in marriage.

Saul told himself, "I'll give her to him and she can be a snare to him and the Philistines will harm him." So Saul told David, "For a second time you can be my son-in-law today."

Jacob loved Rachel, so he made this offer to Laban: "I'll serve you for seven years for Rachel, your younger daughter."

No matter how big or how extensive your demands are for a dowry and wedding presents from me, I'll provide whatever you ask. Only give me the young lady to be my wife."

Jacob also married Rachel, since he loved her. He served Laban another full seven years' work for Rachel.

"When a man seduces a virgin who is not engaged to be married and has sexual relations with her, he must pay her bride price, and she is to become his wife. If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, he is to pay an amount equal to the bride price for virgins.

"However, if a man meets a girl who isn't engaged to be married, and he seizes her, rapes her, and is later found out, then the man who raped her must give 50 shekels of silver to the girl's father. Furthermore, he must marry her. Because he had violated her, he is to not divorce her as long as he lives.

Saul told David, "Here is my older daughter Merab. I'll give her to you as a wife. Just be an excellent soldier for me and fight the LORD's battles." Now Saul told himself, "I won't harm him myself. Instead, I'll let the Philistines harm him."

Caleb announced, "I'll give my daughter Achsah in marriage to whomever leads the attack against Kiriath-sepher and captures it." Othniel, Caleb's nephew through his younger brother Kenaz, captured the city, so Caleb awarded him his daughter Achsah in marriage.

Then Caleb announced, "I will give my daughter Achsah in marriage to the one who attacks Kiriath-sepher and captures it." Othniel, the son of Caleb's brother Kenaz, captured it, so Caleb gave him his daughter Achsah as his wife.

Saul said, "This is what you are to tell David, "The king desires no bride price except 100 Philistine foreskins to take vengeance on the king's enemies.'" Now Saul thought he would cause David to die at the hand of the Philistines.

Then the servant brought out some silver and gold items, along with some clothing, and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave gifts to her brother and to her mother.

So they sent off their sister Rebekah, along with her personal assistant, Abraham's servant, and his men.

Laban also gave his servant woman Zilpah to Leah to be her maidservant.

Later on, after she had arrived, she urged Othniel to ask her father for a field. As she got off her donkey, Caleb asked her, "What do you want for yourself?" "I want this blessing from you," she replied. "Since you've given me land in the Negev, give me water springs, too." So Caleb gave her both the upper and lower springs.

Sometime later, she came to Othniel and persuaded him to ask her father for a field. As she dismounted from her donkey, Caleb asked her, "What do you want?" She replied, "Give me a blessing. Since you have given me the land of the Negev, give me also some springs of water." So he gave her the upper and lower springs.

Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, had attacked and captured Gezer, burned it down, killed the Canaanites who lived in the city, and then gave it as a dowry for his daughter, Solomon's wife.

Then David sent a delegation to Saul's son Ish-bosheth to say, "Give me my wife Michal, to whom I was engaged with a dowry of 100 Philistine foreskins."

"It's better that I give her to you than to another man," Laban replied, "so stay with me." Jacob served seven years for Rachel, but it seemed like only a few days because of his love for her.

Lot then went out and told his sons-in-law (they had married his daughters), "Get out of here! The LORD is going to destroy this city!" But his sons-in-law thought he was joking.

"If a man meets a young virgin lady in the city who is engaged to be married and has sexual relations with her, then the two must be brought to the city gate and there they must be stoned to death the girl because she was in a city but did not cry out for help, and the man who abused a woman who was engaged to another man. By doing this you are to remove this evil from among you.

Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah happened in this way. When his mother Mary was engaged to Joseph, before they lived together she was discovered to be pregnant by the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to disgrace her, decided to divorce her secretly. After he had thought about it, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. "Joseph, son of David," he said, "don't be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because what has been conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.

Eventually, Jacob told Laban, "Bring me my wife, now that my time of service has been completed, so I can go be with her."

"Grieve like a virgin, who, dressed in her mourner's clothes, cries out in memory of the man she was going to marry.

to a virgin engaged to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary.

He did not have marital relations with her until she had given birth to a son; and he named him Jesus.

If a man thinks he is not behaving properly toward his virgin, and if his passion is so strong that he feels he ought to marry her, let him do what he wants; he isn't sinning. Let them get married. However, if a man stands firm in his resolve, feels no necessity, and has made up his mind to keep her a virgin, he will be acting appropriately. So then the man who marries the virgin acts appropriately, but the man who refrains from marriage does even better.

And is there a man here who is engaged to a woman and has not yet married her? Let him go back home. Otherwise, he may die in battle and another man marry her.'

"When a man is newly married, he must not be sent out to war or have a related duty placed on him. Let him stay home for one year and be happy with his wife whom he has married.

I bathed you with water, rinsed your own blood from you, and anointed you with oil. Then I covered you with embroidered clothing, clothed your feet with leather sandals, wrapped you with fine linen, and dressed you in silk. I adorned you with jewels, placing bracelets on your hand and necklaces on your neck. read more.
I put a ring in your nose, earrings in your ears, and a crown encrusted with jewels on your head. You were adorned with gold, silver, clothing of fine linen, silk, and embroidery. You ate food made from the finest flour, honey, and olive oil. You were exceedingly beautiful, attaining royal status.

In her chamber, the king's daughter is glorious; her clothing is embroidered with gold thread.

"I will heartily rejoice in the LORD, my soul will delight in my God; for he has wrapped me in garments of salvation; he has arrayed me in a robe of righteousness, just like a bridegroom, like a priest with a garland, and like a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

Will a young woman forget her wedding ornaments, or a bride her attire? But my people have forgotten me days without number.

I also saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband.

In embroidered garments she is presented to the king. Her virgin companions who follow her train will be presented to you.

It is the bridegroom who gets the bride, yet the bridegroom's friend, who merely stands by and listens for him, is overjoyed to hear the bridegroom's voice. That's why this joy of mine is now complete.

When they saw him, they brought 30 companions to accompany him.

Jesus asked them, "The wedding guests can't mourn as long as the groom is with them, can they? But the time will come when the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast."

Jesus replied, "The wedding guests can't fast while the groom is with them, can they? As long as they have the groom with them, they can't fast.

But Jesus told them, "You can't force the wedding guests to fast while the groom is still with them, can you?

"At that time, the kingdom from heaven will be comparable to ten bridesmaids who took their oil lamps and went out to meet the groom. Now five of them were foolish, and five were wise, because when the foolish ones took their lamps, they didn't take any oil with them. read more.
But the wise ones took flasks of oil with their lamps. Since the groom was late, all of them became sleepy and lay down. But at midnight there came a shout: "The groom is here! Come out to meet him!' Then all the bridesmaids woke up and got their lamps ready. "But the foolish ones told the wise, "Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out!' "But the wise ones replied, "No! There will never be enough for us and for you. You'd better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.' "While they were away buying it, the groom arrived. Those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet, and the door was closed.

So Laban gathered all the men who lived in that place and held a wedding festival.

Later on, when his father went down to visit the woman, Samson threw a party there, since young men customarily did this.

"The kingdom from heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son.

Then the angel told me, "Write this: "How blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the lamb!'" He also told me, "These are the true words of God."

The young men were consumed by fire, and the virgins had no marriage celebrations.

"For just as a young man marries a maiden, so your sons will marry you; and just as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so your God will rejoice over you.

In the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem I'll bring an end to the sound of gladness and rejoicing, to the sounds of the bridegroom and bride, for the land will become a wasteland."

the sounds of rejoicing and gladness, the sounds of the bridegroom and the bride, and the sounds of those saying, "Give thanks to the LORD of the Heavenly Armies, for the LORD is good, and his gracious love lasts forever," as they bring thanksgiving offerings to the LORD's Temple. For I'll restore the fortunes of the land as they were at first,' declares the LORD.

He sent his servants to call those who had been invited to the wedding, but they refused to come. So he sent other servants after saying, "Tell those who have been invited, "Look! I've prepared my dinner. My oxen and fattened calves have been slaughtered. Everything is ready. Come to the wedding!"'

But they paid no attention to this and went away, one to his farm, another to his business. The rest grabbed the king's servants, treated them brutally, and then killed them. Then the king became outraged. He sent his troops, and they destroyed those murderers and burned their city.

Every single one of them began asking to be excused. The first told him, "I bought a field, and I need to go out and inspect it. Please excuse me.' Another said, "I bought five pairs of oxen, and I'm on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.' Still another said, "I recently got married, so I can't come.'read more.
"So the servant went back and reported all this to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and told his servant, "Go quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring back the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.'

"When the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. He asked him, "Friend, how did you get in here without wedding clothes?' But the man was speechless.