i.e., the "house-band," connecting and keeping together the whole family. A man when betrothed was esteemed from that time a husband (Mt 1:16,20; Lu 2:5). A recently married man was exempt from going to war for "one year" (De 20:7; 24:5).

The words more commonly translated 'husband' are ish and ????, both signifying 'man.' 'The man of a woman' signified her husband. Very little is said of the legal form of marriage, but the marriage tie has been held sacred from the beginning and by mankind everywhere. Eve gave the forbidden fruit to her husband. Ge 3:6,16. Mary had been espoused to Joseph, and he is called her husband. Matt. 1: 19. The husband is the head of the wife, and as such stands in the place of responsibility and authority; he is exhorted to love his wife. It is involved in headship that he love her as his own body, and cherish her, as the Lord does the assembly. Eph 5:23-29; Col 3:18-19.

Paul wrote to the Corinthians, "I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ." 2Co 11:2. In Rev. 21 the new Jerusalem is seen coming down from heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband: that husband must be the Lord Jesus, for she is the bride, the Lamb's wife.

There will also be a union in a future day between Jehovah and Israel. There has been the putting away: Jehovah has said, "She is not my wife, neither am I her husband;" but there is a day coming when she will say, "I will go and return to my first husband." Jehovah responds, "Thou shalt call me Ishi," that is 'husband;' "and shalt call me no more Baali," 'master.' "I will betroth thee unto me for ever." Ho 2:2-20. Happy unions when the Lord Jesus will be owned and loved by Israel, as their Messiah and King, and the Church be owned and manifested as the bride of Christ!

Husband.

[MARRIAGE]

See Marriage