33 Bible Verses about Betrothal
Most Relevant Verses
And he lived in the wilderness of Paran. And his mother took a wife for him from the land of Egypt.
but that you will go to my land and to my family, and take a wife for my son, for Isaac."
Now Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, "My daughter, should I not seek for you security that [things] may be good for you? So then, [is] not Boaz our kinsman whose maidservants you were with? Look, he [is] winnowing the barley at the threshing floor tonight. Wash, anoint yourself, put your clothing on, and go down to the threshing floor. Do not make yourself known to the man until he finishes eating and drinking.read more.
And when he lies, take notice of the place where he lies. And you shall go and {uncover} his feet and lie [down], and he shall tell you what to do."
And Caleb said, "Whoever attacks Kiriath Sepher and captures it, I will give to him Acsah my daughter as a wife." Othniel son of Kenaz, the younger brother of Caleb, captured it, and he gave to him Acsah his daughter as a wife.
Then Saul said to David, "Here [is] my older daughter Merab. I will give her to you as [your] wife. Only be {a brave warrior} for me and fight the battles of Yahweh." For Saul thought, "My hand will not be against him, but let the hand of [the] Philistines be against him."
And Samson went down to Timnah, and he saw a woman in Timnah from the daughters of the Philistines. He went up and told his father and mother, and he said, "I saw a woman in Timnah from the daughters of [the] Philistines; so then, take her for me as a wife." But his father and mother said to him, "Is there not a wife among the daughters of your relatives, or among all our people, that you must take a wife from [the] uncircumcised Philistines?" But Samson said to his father, "Take her for me because {she pleases me}."read more.
His father and mother did not know that this [was] from Yahweh; he was seeking for an occasion against [the] Philistines. Now at that time [the] Philistines [were] ruling in Israel.
Now Dinah the daughter of Leah, whom she had borne to Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land. And Shechem, the son of Hamor the Hivite, the prince of the land, saw her. And he took her and lay with her and raped her. And his soul clung to Dinah, the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the girl and spoke {tenderly} to the girl.read more.
So Shechem said to Hamor his father, saying, "Get this girl for me as a wife."
And they said, "Let us call the girl and ask {her opinion}." And they called Rebekah and said to her, "Will you go with this man?" And she said, "I will go."
And [when] Esau was forty years old he took as wife Judith, daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Basemath, daughter of Elon the Hittite. And {they made life bitter} for Isaac and Rebekah.
And Jacob said to Laban, "Give [me] my wife, that I may go in to her, for {my time} is completed."
And who [is] the man who got engaged to a woman and [has] not married her? Let him go and let him return to his house, so that he does not die in battle and {another man} marries her.'
And Joseph, [when he] woke up from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and he took his wife
But if anyone thinks he is behaving dishonorably concerning his virgin, if she is past her prime and it ought to be thus, let him do what he wishes. He does not sin. Let them marry. But he who stands firm in his heart, not having necessity, but has authority concerning his own will, and has decided this in his own heart, to keep his own virgin, he will do well. So then, the one who marries his own virgin does well, and the one who does not marry [her] will do better.
Then Shechem said to her father and to her brothers, "Let me find favor in your eyes, and whatever you say to me I will do. {Make the bride price and gift as high as you like}; I will give what you say to me. But give me the girl as a wife."
And the servant brought out silver jewelry and gold jewelry, and garments, and he gave [them] to Rebekah. And he gave precious gifts to her brother and to her mother.
And Jacob loved Rachel and said, "I will serve you seven years for Rachel your younger daughter."
" 'If a man seduces a virgin who is not engaged and he lies with her, he surely will give her bride price {to have her as his wife}. If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, he will weigh out money according to the bride price for the virgin.
"If a man finds a young woman, a virgin [who] is not engaged, and he seizes her and {he has sex with her} and they are caught, then {the man who lay with her} shall give to the father of the young woman fifty [shekels] of silver, and she shall become {his wife} {because} he violated her, and he is not allowed to divorce her {during his lifetime}.
Then David sent messengers to Ish-Bosheth the son of Saul, saying, "Give [me] my wife Michal whom I betrothed to myself for a hundred foreskins of [the] Philistines."
Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, had gone up and captured Gezer and burnt it with fire. He had also killed the Canaanites who were living in the city and had given it as a dowry to his daughter, the wife of Solomon.
So they sent away Rebekah their sister, and her nurse, and the servant of Abraham and his men.
And Laban gave Zilpah his female servant to her, to Leah his daughter [as] a female servant.
"If it happens [that] a young woman, a virgin, [is] engaged to a man, [and] a man finds her in the town and lies with her, then you shall bring out {both of them} to the gate of that city, and you shall stone them with stones so that they shall die, the young woman because she did not cry out in the town, and the man because he violated his neighbor's wife; and so you shall purge the evil from your midst.
Then Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law [who were] taking his daughters and said, "Get up! Go out from this place, because Yahweh [is going] to destroy the city!" But {it seemed like a joke} in the eyes of his sons-in-law.
Now the birth of Jesus Christ occurred in this way. His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, [but] before they came together, she was found {to be pregnant} by the Holy Spirit. So Joseph her husband, being righteous and not wanting to disgrace her, intended to divorce her secretly. But [as] he was considering these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary [as] your wife, for what has been conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.
And I will take you as my wife forever; I will take you as a wife for myself in righteousness and in justice, in steadfast love and in mercy. {I will take you as my wife} in faithfulness, and you will know Yahweh.
For I am jealous [for] you with a godly jealousy, because I promised you [in marriage] to one husband, to present [you] [as] a pure virgin to Christ.
The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. But the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices {greatly} because of the bridegroom's voice. So this joy of mine is complete.
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for her; in order that he might sanctify her by cleansing [her] with the washing of water by the word; in order that he might present to himself the church glorious, not having a spot or wrinkle or any such [thing], but that she may be holy and blameless.
Let us rejoice and be glad and give him the glory, because the wedding celebration of the Lamb has come, and his bride has prepared herself. And it has been granted to her that she be dressed in bright, clean fine linen (for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints). And he said to me, "Write: Blessed [are] those who are invited to the banquet of the wedding celebration of the Lamb!" And he said to me, "These are the true words of God."
And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband.
From Thematic Bible
Betrothal » A quasi-marriage
Now the birth of Jesus Christ occurred in this way. His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, [but] before they came together, she was found {to be pregnant} by the Holy Spirit.
to a virgin legally promised in marriage to a man {named} Joseph of the house of David. And the name of the virgin [was] Mary.
Betrothal » Of jacob
And Jacob loved Rachel and said, "I will serve you seven years for Rachel your younger daughter." Then Laban said, "Better [that] I give her to you than I give her to another man. Stay with me." And Jacob worked for Rachel seven years, but they were as a few days in his eyes because he loved her. read more.
And Jacob said to Laban, "Give [me] my wife, that I may go in to her, for {my time} is completed." So Laban gathered all the men of the place and prepared a feast. And it happened [that] in the evening he took Leah his daughter and brought her to him, and he went in to her. And Laban gave Zilpah his female servant to her, to Leah his daughter [as] a female servant. And it happened [that] in the morning, behold, it [was] Leah! And he said to Laban, "What [is] this you have done to me? Did I not serve with you for Rachel? Now why did you deceive me?" Then Laban said, "{It is not the custom} in our country to give the younger before the firstborn. Complete the week of this one, then I will also give you the other, {on the condition that you will work for me} another seven years." And Jacob did so. So he completed the week of this [one], then he gave Rachel his daughter to him as a wife. And Laban gave Bilhah his female servant to Rachel his daughter as a female servant. Then he also went in to Rachel, and he loved Rachel more than Leah. And he served with him yet another seven years.
Betrothal » Exempts from military duty
And who [is] the man who got engaged to a woman and [has] not married her? Let him go and let him return to his house, so that he does not die in battle and {another man} marries her.'
Topics on Betrothal
Betrothal, Spiritual
2 Corinthians 11:2For I am jealous [for] you with a godly jealousy, because I promised you [in marriage] to one husband, to present [you] [as] a pure virgin to Christ.