39 Bible Verses about Marriage

Most Relevant Verses

1 Corinthians 7:2-14

But because of the desires of the flesh, let every man have his wife, and every woman her husband. Let the husband give to the wife what is right; and let the wife do the same to the husband. The wife has not power over her body, but the husband; and in the same way the husband has not power over his body, but the wife.read more.
Do not keep back from one another what is right, but only for a short time, and by agreement, so that you may give yourselves to prayer, and come together again; so that Satan may not get the better of you through your loss of self-control. But this I say as my opinion, and not as an order of the Lord. It is my desire that all men might be even as I am. But every man has the power of his special way of life given him by God, one in this way and one in that. But I say to the unmarried and to the widows, It is good for them to be even as I am. But if they have not self-control let them get married; for married life is better than the burning of desire. But to the married I give orders, though not I but the Lord, that the wife may not go away from her husband (Or if she goes away from him, let her keep unmarried, or be united to her husband again); and that the husband may not go away from his wife. But to the rest I say, and not the Lord; If a brother has a wife who is not a Christian, and it is her desire to go on living with him, let him not go away from her. And if a woman has a husband who is not a Christian, and it is his desire to go on living with her, let her not go away from her husband. For the husband who has not faith is made holy through his Christian wife, and the wife who is not a Christian is made holy through the brother: if not, your children would be unholy, but now are they holy.

Ephesians 5:22-28

Wives, be under the authority of your husbands, as of the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ is the head of the church, being himself the saviour of the body. And as the church is under Christ's authority, so let wives be under the rule of their husbands in all things.read more.
Husbands, have love for your wives, even as Christ had love for the church, and gave himself for it; So that he might make it holy, having made it clean with the washing of water by the word, And might take it for himself, a church full of glory, not having one mark or fold or any such thing; but that it might be holy and complete. Even so it is right for husbands to have love for their wives as for their bodies. He who has love for his wife has love for himself:

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1 Corinthians 7:10-11

But to the married I give orders, though not I but the Lord, that the wife may not go away from her husband (Or if she goes away from him, let her keep unmarried, or be united to her husband again); and that the husband may not go away from his wife.

More verses: Romans 7:2

Home » Marriage » Commended

Jeremiah 29:6

Take wives and have sons and daughters, and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, so that they may have sons and daughters; and be increased in number there and do not become less.

1 Timothy 5:14

So it is my desire that the younger widows may be married and have children, controlling their families, and giving the Evil One no chance to say anything against them,

Marriage » The duties of a husband

Proverbs 5:15-20

Let water from your store and not that of others be your drink, and running water from your fountain. Let not your springs be flowing in the streets, or your streams of water in the open places. Let them be for yourself only, not for other men with you. read more.
Let blessing be on your fountain; have joy in the wife of your early years. As a loving hind and a gentle doe, let her breasts ever give you rapture; let your passion at all times be moved by her love. Why let yourself, my son, go out of the way with a strange woman, and take another woman in your arms?

More verses: 1 Corinthians 7:1-3

Marriage » Figurative of God's union with the church

Jeremiah 3:14

Come back, O children who are turned away, says the Lord; for I am a husband to you, and I will take you, one from a town and two from a family, and will make you come to Zion;

Isaiah 62:5

For as a young man takes a virgin for his wife, so will your maker be married to you: and as a husband has joy in his bride, so will the Lord your God be glad over you.

Matthew 25:10

And while they went to get oil, the master came; and those who were ready went in with him to the feast: and the door was shut.

More verses: Matthew 22:2 Hosea 2:19

Marriage » Wives among the israelites must be israelites

Ezra 9:12

So now do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons or do anything for their peace or well-being for ever; so that you may be strong, living on the good of the land, and handing it on to your children for a heritage for ever.

Ezra 9:1-2

Now after these things were done, the captains came to me and said, The people of Israel and the priests and Levites have not kept themselves separate from the people of the lands, but have taken part in the disgusting ways of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites. For they have taken their daughters for themselves and for their sons, so that the holy seed has been mixed with the peoples of the lands; and in fact the captains and rulers have been the first to do this evil.

Exodus 34:16

Or take their daughters for your sons; for when their daughters give worship before their gods, they will make your sons take part with them.

Deuteronomy 7:3-4

Do not take wives or husbands from among them; do not give your daughters to their sons, or take their daughters for your sons. For through them your sons will be turned from me to the worship of other gods: and the Lord will be moved to wrath against you and send destruction on you quickly.

1 Chronicles 23:22

And at his death Eleazar had no sons, but only daughters, and their relations, the sons of Kish, took them as wives.

Marriage » Who not to marry

Nehemiah 13:23-27

And in those days I saw the Jews who were married to women of Ashdod and Ammon and Moab: And their children were talking half in the language of Ashdod; they had no knowledge of the Jews' language, but made use of the language of the two peoples. And I took up the cause against them, cursing them and giving blows to some of them and pulling out their hair; and I made them take an oath by God, saying, You are not to give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons or for yourselves. read more.
Was it not in these things that Solomon, king of Israel, did wrong? among a number of nations there was no king like him, and he was dear to his God, and God made him king over all Israel: but even he was made to do evil by strange women. Are we then without protest to let you do all this great evil, sinning against our God by taking strange women for your wives?

Ezra 9:1-2

Now after these things were done, the captains came to me and said, The people of Israel and the priests and Levites have not kept themselves separate from the people of the lands, but have taken part in the disgusting ways of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites. For they have taken their daughters for themselves and for their sons, so that the holy seed has been mixed with the peoples of the lands; and in fact the captains and rulers have been the first to do this evil.

Deuteronomy 7:1-4

When the Lord your God takes you into the land where you are going, which is to be your heritage, and has sent out the nations before you, the Hittites and the Girgashites and the Amorites and the Canaanites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and stronger than you; And when the Lord has given them up into your hands and you have overcome them, give them up to complete destruction: make no agreement with them, and have no mercy on them: Do not take wives or husbands from among them; do not give your daughters to their sons, or take their daughters for your sons. read more.
For through them your sons will be turned from me to the worship of other gods: and the Lord will be moved to wrath against you and send destruction on you quickly.

Joshua 23:1-12

Now after a long time, when the Lord had given Israel rest from wars on every side, and Joshua was old and full of years, Joshua sent for all Israel, for their responsible men and their chiefs and their judges and their overseers, and said to them, I am old, and full of years: You have seen everything the Lord your God has done to all these nations because of you; for it is the Lord your God who has been fighting for you. read more.
Now I have given to you, as the heritage of your tribes, all these nations which are still in the land, together with those cut off by me, from Jordan as far as the Great Sea on the west The Lord your God will send them away by force, driving them out before you; and you are to take their land for your heritage, as the Lord your God said to you. So be very strong to keep and do whatever is recorded in the book of the law of Moses, not turning away from it to the right or to the left; Have nothing to do with these nations who still are living among you; let not their gods be named by you or used in your oaths; do not be their servants or give them worship: But be true to the Lord your God as you have been till this day. For the Lord has sent out from before you nations great and strong: and they have all given way before you till this day. One man of you is able to put to flight a thousand; for it is the Lord your God who is fighting for you, as he has said to you. So keep watch on yourselves, and see that you have love for the Lord your God. For if you go back, joining yourselves to the rest of these nations who are still among you, getting married to them and living with them and they with you:

Ezra 10:2-3

And Shecaniah, the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answering, said to Ezra, We have done evil against our God, and have taken as our wives strange women of the peoples of the land: but still there is hope for Israel in this question. Let us now make an agreement with our God to put away all the wives and all their children, if it seems right to my lord and to those who go in fear of the words of our God; and let it be done in keeping with the law.

More verses: Nehemiah 10:29-30

Marriage » The reward for marrying idolaters

Nehemiah 13:23-27

And in those days I saw the Jews who were married to women of Ashdod and Ammon and Moab: And their children were talking half in the language of Ashdod; they had no knowledge of the Jews' language, but made use of the language of the two peoples. And I took up the cause against them, cursing them and giving blows to some of them and pulling out their hair; and I made them take an oath by God, saying, You are not to give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons or for yourselves. read more.
Was it not in these things that Solomon, king of Israel, did wrong? among a number of nations there was no king like him, and he was dear to his God, and God made him king over all Israel: but even he was made to do evil by strange women. Are we then without protest to let you do all this great evil, sinning against our God by taking strange women for your wives?

1 Kings 11:1-8

Now a number of strange women were loved by Solomon, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites: The nations of which the Lord had said to the children of Israel, You are not to take wives from them and they are not to take wives from you; or they will certainly make you go after their gods: to these Solomon was united in love. He had seven hundred wives, daughters of kings, and three hundred other wives; and through his wives his heart was turned away. read more.
For it came about that when Solomon was old, his heart was turned away to other gods by his wives; and his heart was no longer true to the Lord his God as the heart of his father David had been. For Solomon went after Ashtoreth, the goddess of the Zidonians, and Milcom, the disgusting god of the Ammonites. And Solomon did evil in the eyes of the Lord, not walking in the Lord's ways with all his heart as David his father did. Then Solomon put up a high place for Chemosh, the disgusting god of Moab, in the mountain before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the disgusting god worshipped by the children of Ammon. And so he did for all his strange wives, who made offerings with burning of perfumes to their gods.

Exodus 34:11-16

Take care to do the orders which I give you today; I will send out from before you the Amorite and the Canaanite and the Hittite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite. But take care, and do not make any agreement with the people of the land where you are going, for it will be a cause of sin to you. But their altars are to be overturned and their pillars broken and their images cut down: read more.
For you are to be worshippers of no other god: for the Lord is a God who will not give his honour to another. So see that you make no agreement with the people of the land, and do not go after their gods, or take part in their offerings, or be guests at their feasts, Or take their daughters for your sons; for when their daughters give worship before their gods, they will make your sons take part with them.

Deuteronomy 7:1-4

When the Lord your God takes you into the land where you are going, which is to be your heritage, and has sent out the nations before you, the Hittites and the Girgashites and the Amorites and the Canaanites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and stronger than you; And when the Lord has given them up into your hands and you have overcome them, give them up to complete destruction: make no agreement with them, and have no mercy on them: Do not take wives or husbands from among them; do not give your daughters to their sons, or take their daughters for your sons. read more.
For through them your sons will be turned from me to the worship of other gods: and the Lord will be moved to wrath against you and send destruction on you quickly.

Malachi 2:11-13

Judah has been acting falsely, and a disgusting thing has been done in Jerusalem; for Judah has made unclean the holy place of the Lord which is dear to him, and has taken as his wife the daughter of a strange god. The Lord will have the man who does this cut off root and branch out of the tents of Jacob, and him who makes an offering to the Lord of armies. And this again you do: covering the altar of the Lord with weeping and with grief, so that he gives no more thought to the offering, and does not take it with pleasure from your hand.

Marriage » With the heathen forbidden

Ezra 9:12

So now do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons or do anything for their peace or well-being for ever; so that you may be strong, living on the good of the land, and handing it on to your children for a heritage for ever.

Genesis 28:1

Then Isaac sent for Jacob, and blessing him, said, Do not take a wife from among the women of Canaan;

Nehemiah 13:25

And I took up the cause against them, cursing them and giving blows to some of them and pulling out their hair; and I made them take an oath by God, saying, You are not to give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons or for yourselves.

Deuteronomy 7:3

Do not take wives or husbands from among them; do not give your daughters to their sons, or take their daughters for your sons.

Joshua 23:12

For if you go back, joining yourselves to the rest of these nations who are still among you, getting married to them and living with them and they with you:

More verses: Genesis 24:3

Marriage » Husbands and wives becoming one

1 Corinthians 6:15-16

Do you not see that your bodies are part of the body of Christ? how then may I take what is a part of the body of Christ and make it a part of the body of a loose woman? such a thing may not be. Or do you not see that he who is joined to a loose woman is one body with her? for God has said, The two of them will become one flesh.

Matthew 19:4-6

And he said in answer, Have you not seen in the Writings, that he who made them at the first made them male and female, and said, For this cause will a man go away from his father and mother, and be joined to his wife; and the two will become one flesh? So that they are no longer two, but one flesh. Then let not that which has been joined by God be parted by man.

Mark 10:6-9

But from the first, male and female made he them. For this cause will a man go away from his father and mother, and be joined to his wife; And the two will become one flesh; so that they are no longer two, but one flesh. read more.
Let not that which has been joined together by God be parted by man.

Ephesians 5:28-31

Even so it is right for husbands to have love for their wives as for their bodies. He who has love for his wife has love for himself: For no man ever had hate for his flesh; but he gives it food and takes care of it, even as Christ does for the church; Because we are parts of his body. read more.
For this cause will a man go away from his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.

Marriage » Solemn obligations of

1 Corinthians 7:10-11

But to the married I give orders, though not I but the Lord, that the wife may not go away from her husband (Or if she goes away from him, let her keep unmarried, or be united to her husband again); and that the husband may not go away from his wife.

More verses: Romans 7:2

Marriage » Sacred

1 Corinthians 7:10-11

But to the married I give orders, though not I but the Lord, that the wife may not go away from her husband (Or if she goes away from him, let her keep unmarried, or be united to her husband again); and that the husband may not go away from his wife.

More verses: Romans 7:2

Marriage » Commended

Jeremiah 29:6

Take wives and have sons and daughters, and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, so that they may have sons and daughters; and be increased in number there and do not become less.

1 Timothy 5:14

So it is my desire that the younger widows may be married and have children, controlling their families, and giving the Evil One no chance to say anything against them,

Marriage » Figurative

Jeremiah 3:14

Come back, O children who are turned away, says the Lord; for I am a husband to you, and I will take you, one from a town and two from a family, and will make you come to Zion;

Revelation 19:7-9

Let us be glad with delight, and let us give glory to him: because the time is come for the Lamb to be married, and his wife has made herself ready. And to her it was given to be clothed in delicate linen, clean and shining: for the clean linen is the righteousness of the saints. And he said to me, Put in the book, Happy are the guests at the bride-feast of the Lamb. And he said to me, These are the true words of God.

Jeremiah 31:32

Not like the agreement which I made with their fathers, on the day when I took them by the hand to be their guide out of the land of Egypt; which agreement was broken by them, and I gave them up, says the Lord.

Hosea 2:19-20

And I will take you as my bride for ever; truly, I will take you as my bride in righteousness and in right judging, in love and in mercies. I will take you as my bride in good faith, and you will have knowledge of the Lord.

Marriage » The duties of a wife

1 Corinthians 7:1-3

Now, as to the things in your letter to me: It is good for a man to have nothing to do with a woman. But because of the desires of the flesh, let every man have his wife, and every woman her husband. Let the husband give to the wife what is right; and let the wife do the same to the husband.

1 Peter 3:1-6

Wives, be ruled by your husbands; so that even if some of them give no attention to the word, their hearts may be changed by the behaviour of their wives, When they see your holy behaviour in the fear of God. Do not let your ornaments be those of the body such as dressing of the hair, or putting on of jewels of gold or fair clothing; read more.
But let them be those of the unseen man of the heart, the ever-shining ornament of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great price in the eyes of God. And these were the ornaments of the holy women of the past, whose hope was in God, being ruled by their husbands: As Sarah was ruled by Abraham, naming him lord; whose children you are if you do well, and are not put in fear by any danger.

Marriage » Levirate (the brother required to marry a brother's widow)

Deuteronomy 25:5-10

If brothers are living together and one of them, at his death, has no son, the wife of the dead man is not to be married outside the family to another man: let her husband's brother go in to her and make her his wife, doing as it is right for a brother-in-law to do. Then the first male child she has will take the rights of the brother who is dead, so that his name may not come to an end in Israel. But if the man says he will not take his brother's wife, then let the wife go to the responsible men of the town, and say, My husband's brother will not keep his brother's name living in Israel; he will not do what it is right for a husband's brother to do. read more.
Then the responsible men of the town will send for the man, and have talk with him: and if he still says, I will not take her; Then his brother's wife is to come to him, before the responsible men of the town, and take his shoe off his foot, and put shame on him, and say, So let it be done to the man who will not take care of his brother's name. And his family will be named in Israel, The house of him whose shoe has been taken off.

Matthew 22:24

Master, Moses said, If a man, at the time of his death, has no children, let his brother take his wife, and get a family for his brother;

Luke 20:28

Master, Moses said that if a man's brother comes to his end, having a wife, but no children, his brother is to take the wife, and get a family for his brother.

Genesis 38:8

Then Judah said to Onan, Go in to your brother's wife and do what it is right for a husband's brother to do; make her your wife and get offspring for your brother.

Genesis 38:11

Then Judah said to Tamar, his daughter-in-law, Go back to your father's house and keep yourself as a widow till my son Shelah becomes a man: for he had in his mind the thought that death might come to him as it had come to his brothers. So Tamar went back to her father's house.

More verses: Ruth 4:5 Mark 12:19-23

Marriage » Those that remarry or marry those who have been divorced

Matthew 19:9

And I say to you, Whoever puts away his wife for any other cause than the loss of her virtue, and takes another, is a false husband: and he who takes her as his wife when she is put away, is no true husband to her.

Matthew 5:31-32

Again, it was said, Whoever puts away his wife has to give her a statement in writing for this purpose: But I say to you that everyone who puts away his wife for any other cause but the loss of her virtue, makes her false to her husband; and whoever takes her as his wife after she is put away, is no true husband to her.

Mark 10:11-12

And he said to them, Whoever puts away his wife and takes another, is false to his wife; And if she herself puts away her husband and takes another, she is false to her husband.

Luke 16:18

Everyone who puts away his wife and takes another, is a false husband: and he who is married to a woman whose husband has put her away, is no true husband to her.

Romans 7:1-3

Is it not clear, my brothers (I am using an argument to those who have knowledge of the law), that the law has power over a man as long as he is living? For the woman who has a husband is placed by the law under the power of her husband as long as he is living; but if her husband is dead, she is free from the law of the husband. So if, while the husband is living, she is joined to another man, she will get the name of one who is untrue to her husband: but if the husband is dead, she is free from the law, so that she is not untrue, even if she takes another man.

Marriage » Modes of demanding women in

Genesis 24:3

And take an oath by the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that you will not get a wife for my son Isaac from the daughters of the Canaanites among whom I am living;

Genesis 34:6

Then Hamor, the father of Shechem, came out to have a talk with Jacob.

Genesis 34:8

But Hamor said to them, Shechem, my son, is full of desire for your daughter: will you then give her to him for a wife?

1 Samuel 25:39-40

And David, hearing that Nabal was dead, said, May the Lord be praised, who has taken up my cause against Nabal for the shame which he put on me, and has kept back his servant from evil, and has sent on Nabal's head the reward of his evil-doing. And David sent word to Abigail, desiring to take her as his wife. And when David's servants came to Carmel, to Abigail, they said to her, David has sent us to you to take you to him as his wife.

Marriage » Lawful in all

1 Timothy 5:14

So it is my desire that the younger widows may be married and have children, controlling their families, and giving the Evil One no chance to say anything against them,

Marriage » Of kinsman's widow

Matthew 22:24

Master, Moses said, If a man, at the time of his death, has no children, let his brother take his wife, and get a family for his brother;

Deuteronomy 25:5

If brothers are living together and one of them, at his death, has no son, the wife of the dead man is not to be married outside the family to another man: let her husband's brother go in to her and make her his wife, doing as it is right for a brother-in-law to do.

Ruth 3:9

And he said, Who are you? And she answering said, I am your servant Ruth: take your servant as wife, for you are a near relation.

Ruth 4:10

And, further, I have taken Ruth, the Moabitess, who was the wife of Mahlon, to be my wife, to keep the name of the dead man living in his heritage, so that his name may not be cut off from among his countrymen, and from the memory of his town: you are witnesses this day.

Marriage » The jews » Often contracted, in their own tribe

Luke 1:5

In the days of Herod, king of Judaea, there was a certain priest, by name Zacharias, of the order of Abijah; and he had a wife of the family of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.

Luke 1:27

To a virgin who was to be married to a man named Joseph, of the family of David; and the name of the virgin was Mary.

Exodus 2:1

Now a man of the house of Levi took as his wife a daughter of Levi.

Numbers 36:6-13

This is the order of the Lord about the daughters of Zelophehad: The Lord says, Let them take as their husbands whoever is most pleasing to them, but only among the family of their father's tribe. And so no property will be handed from tribe to tribe among the children of Israel; but every one of the children of Israel will keep the heritage of his father's tribe. And every daughter owning property in any tribe of the children of Israel is to be married to one of the family of her father's tribe, so that every man of the children of Israel may keep the heritage of his fathers. read more.
And no property will be handed from one tribe to another, but every tribe of the children of Israel will keep its heritage. So the daughters of Zelophehad did as the Lord gave orders to Moses: For Mahlah, Tirzah, and Hoglah, and Milcah, and Noah, the daughters of Zelophehad, took as their husbands the sons of their father's brothers: And were married into the families of the sons of Manasseh, the son of Joseph, and their property was kept in the tribe of their father's family These are the laws and the orders which the Lord gave to the children of Israel by Moses, in the lowlands of Moab by Jordan at Jericho.

Marriage » Consent of the parties necessary to

1 Samuel 25:41

And she got up, and going down on her face to the earth, said, See, I am ready to be a servant-girl, washing the feet of the servants of my lord.

Genesis 24:57-58

And they said, We will send for the girl, and let her make the decision. And they sent for Rebekah and said to her, Are you ready to go with this man? And she said, I am ready.

1 Samuel 18:20

And Saul's daughter Michal was in love with David: and Saul had word of it and was pleased.

Marriage » A dowry given to the woman's parents before

1 Samuel 18:27-28

So David and his men got up and went, and put to death two hundred of the Philistines; and David took their private parts and gave the full number of them to the king, so that he might be the king's son-in-law. And Saul gave him his daughter Michal for his wife. And it was clear to Saul that the Lord was with David; and he was loved by all Israel.

Marriage » Who does not marry

Mark 12:18-27

And there came to him Sadducees, who say there is no coming back from the dead; and they put a question to him, saying, Master, in the law Moses says, If a man's brother comes to his end, and has a wife still living and no child, it is right for his brother to take his wife, and get a family for his brother. There were seven brothers: and the first took a wife, and at his death there were no offspring; read more.
And the second took her, and at his death there were no offspring; and the third the same: And all the seven had no seed. Last of all the woman herself came to her death. In the future life, when they come back from the dead, whose wife will she be? for the seven had her for a wife. Jesus said to them, Is not this the reason for your error, that you have no knowledge of the holy Writings or of the power of God? When they come back from the dead, they do not get married, but are like the angels in heaven. But as to the dead coming back to life; have you not seen in the book of Moses, about the burning thorn-tree, how God said to him, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? He is not the God of the dead, but of the living: you are greatly in error.

Matthew 22:23-32

On the same day there came to him the Sadducees, who say that there is no coming back from the dead: and they put a question to him, saying, Master, Moses said, If a man, at the time of his death, has no children, let his brother take his wife, and get a family for his brother; Now there were among us seven brothers; and the first was married and at his death, having no seed, gave his wife to his brother; read more.
In the same way the second and the third, up to the seventh. And last of all the woman came to her end. When they come back from the dead, then, whose wife will she be of the seven? because they all had her. But Jesus said to them in answer, You are in error, not having knowledge of the Writings, or of the power of God. For when they come back from the dead there are no husbands and wives, but they are as the angels in heaven. But about the dead coming back to life, have you no knowledge of what was said to you by God in the Writings: I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead but of the living.

Luke 20:27-38

And some of the Sadducees came to him, who say that there is no coming back from the dead; and they said to him, Master, Moses said that if a man's brother comes to his end, having a wife, but no children, his brother is to take the wife, and get a family for his brother. Now there were seven brothers, and the first had a wife and came to his end, having no children; read more.
And the second; And the third took her; and in the same way, all the seven, without having any children, came to their end. And last of all, the woman came to her end. When they come back from the dead, whose wife will she be? for all the seven had her. And Jesus said to them, The sons of this world are married and have wives; But those to whom is given the reward of the world to come, and to come back from the dead, have no wives, and are not married; And death has no more power over them, for they are equal to the angels, and are sons of God, being of those who will come back from the dead. But even Moses made it clear that the dead come back to life, saying, in the story of the burning thorn-tree, The Lord, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Now he is not the God of the dead but of the living: for all men are living to him.

Marriage » Indissoluble during the joint lives of the parties

Romans 7:2-3

For the woman who has a husband is placed by the law under the power of her husband as long as he is living; but if her husband is dead, she is free from the law of the husband. So if, while the husband is living, she is joined to another man, she will get the name of one who is untrue to her husband: but if the husband is dead, she is free from the law, so that she is not untrue, even if she takes another man.

Marriage » The jews » Betrothed themselves some time before

Judges 14:5

Then Samson went down to Timnah (and his father and his mother,) and came to the vine-gardens of Timnah; and a young lion came rushing out at him.

Deuteronomy 20:7

Or if any man is newly married and has had no sex relations with his wife, let him go back to his house, so that in the event of his death in the fight, another man may not take her.

Judges 14:7-8

So he went down and had talk with the woman; and she was pleasing to Samson. Then after a time he went back to take her; and turning from the road to see the dead body of the lion, he saw a mass of bees in the body of the lion, and honey there.

Marriage » The jews » Often punished by being debarred from

Jeremiah 7:34

And in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem, I will put an end to the laughing voices, the voice of joy and the voice of the newly-married man and the voice of the bride: for the land will become a waste.

Jeremiah 16:9

For the Lord of armies, the God of Israel, has said, See, before your eyes and in your days I will put an end in this place to the laughing voices and the voice of joy; to the voice of the newly-married man and the voice of the bride.

Jeremiah 25:10

And more than this, I will take from them the sound of laughing voices, the voice of joy, the voice of the newly-married man, and the voice of the bride, the sound of the stones crushing the grain, and the shining of lights.

Marriage » Presents given to parents to secure their favor

Genesis 24:53

Then he took jewels of silver and jewels of gold and fair robes and gave them to Rebekah: and he gave things of value to her mother and her brother.

Hosea 3:2

So I got her for myself for fifteen shekels of silver and a homer and a half of barley;

Deuteronomy 22:29

Then the man will have to give the virgin's father fifty shekels of silver and make her his wife, because he has put shame on her; he may never put her away all his life.

1 Samuel 18:25

And Saul said, Then say to David, The king has no desire for any bride-price, but only for the private parts of a hundred Philistines so that the king may get the better of his haters. But it was in Saul's mind that David might come to his end by the hands of the Philistines.

Marriage » Often contracted by parents for children

Genesis 34:6

Then Hamor, the father of Shechem, came out to have a talk with Jacob.

Genesis 34:8

But Hamor said to them, Shechem, my son, is full of desire for your daughter: will you then give her to him for a wife?

Genesis 24:49-51

And now, say if you will do what is good and right for my master or not, in order that it may be clear to me what I have to do. Then Laban and Bethuel said in answer, This is the Lord's doing: it is not for us to say Yes or No to you. See, here is Rebekah: take her and go, and let her be your master's son's wife, as the Lord has said.

Marriage » Celebrated » With feasting

Judges 14:10

Then Samson went down to the woman, and made a feast there, as was the way among young men.

Matthew 22:2-3

The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king, who made a feast when his son was married, And sent out his servants to get in the guests to the feast: and they would not come.

Marriage » The bride » Given a handmaid at

Genesis 29:29

And Laban gave Rachel his servant-girl Bilhah to be her waiting-woman.

Genesis 24:59

So they sent their sister Rebekah and her servant with Abraham's servant and his men.

Genesis 29:24

And Laban gave Zilpah, his servant-girl, to Leah, to be her waiting-woman.

Marriage » Contracted in patriarchal age with near relations

Genesis 24:24

And she said to him, I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Milcah, Nahor's wife.

Genesis 28:2

But go to Paddan-aram, to the house of Bethuel, your mother's father, and there get yourself a wife from the daughters of Laban, your mother's brother.

Genesis 20:12

And, in fact, she is my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife:

Marriage » Illustrative of » God's union with the jewish nation

Jeremiah 3:14

Come back, O children who are turned away, says the Lord; for I am a husband to you, and I will take you, one from a town and two from a family, and will make you come to Zion;

Hosea 2:19-20

And I will take you as my bride for ever; truly, I will take you as my bride in righteousness and in right judging, in love and in mercies. I will take you as my bride in good faith, and you will have knowledge of the Lord.

Marriage » Nuptial feasts

Esther 2:18

Then the king gave a great feast for all his captains and his servants, even Esther's feast; and he gave orders through all the divisions of his kingdom for a day of rest from work, and gave wealth from his store.

Judges 14:12

And Samson said, Now I have a hard question for you: if you are able to give me the answer before the seven days of the feast are over, I will give you thirty linen robes and thirty changes of clothing;

Matthew 22:11-12

But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man who had not on a guest's robe; And he says to him, Friend, how came you in here not having a guest's robe? And he had nothing to say.

Marriage » Those that marry

1 Corinthians 7:25-38

Now about virgins I have no orders from the Lord: but I give my opinion as one to whom the Lord has given mercy to be true to him. In my opinion then, because of the present trouble, it is good for a man to keep as he is. If you are married to a wife, make no attempt to get free from her: if you are free from a wife, do not take a wife. read more.
If you get married it is not a sin; and if an unmarried woman gets married it is not a sin. But those who do so will have trouble in the flesh. But I will not be hard on you. But I say this, my brothers, the time is short; and from now it will be wise for those who have wives to be as if they had them not; And for those who are in sorrow, to give no signs of it; and for those who are glad, to give no signs of joy; and for those who are getting property, to be as if they had nothing; And for those who make use of the world, not to be using it fully; for this world's way of life will quickly come to an end. But it is my desire for you to be free from cares. The unmarried man gives his mind to the things of the Lord, how he may give pleasure to the Lord: But the married man gives his attention to the things of this world, how he may give pleasure to his wife. And the wife is not the same as the virgin. The virgin gives her mind to the things of the Lord, so that she may be holy in body and in spirit: but the married woman takes thought for the things of the world, how she may give pleasure to her husband. Now I say this for your profit; not to make things hard for you, but because of what is right, and so that you may be able to give all your attention to the things of the Lord. But if, in any man's opinion, he is not doing what is right for his virgin, if she is past her best years, and there is need for it, let him do what seems right to him; it is no sin; let them be married. But the man who is strong in mind and purpose, who is not forced but has control over his desires, does well if he comes to the decision to keep her a virgin. So then, he who gets married to his virgin does well, and he who keeps her unmarried does better.

Marriage » Who should get married

Exodus 22:16-17

If a man takes a virgin, who has not given her word to another man, and has connection with her, he will have to give a bride-price for her to be his wife. If her father will not give her to him on any account, he will have to give the regular payment for virgins.

1 Corinthians 7:6-9

But this I say as my opinion, and not as an order of the Lord. It is my desire that all men might be even as I am. But every man has the power of his special way of life given him by God, one in this way and one in that. But I say to the unmarried and to the widows, It is good for them to be even as I am. read more.
But if they have not self-control let them get married; for married life is better than the burning of desire.

Marriage » How long wives are bound to their husbands

Romans 7:1-3

Is it not clear, my brothers (I am using an argument to those who have knowledge of the law), that the law has power over a man as long as he is living? For the woman who has a husband is placed by the law under the power of her husband as long as he is living; but if her husband is dead, she is free from the law of the husband. So if, while the husband is living, she is joined to another man, she will get the name of one who is untrue to her husband: but if the husband is dead, she is free from the law, so that she is not untrue, even if she takes another man.

1 Corinthians 7:39-40

It is right for a wife to be with her husband as long as he is living; but when her husband is dead, she is free to be married to another; but only to a Christian. But it will be better for her to keep as she is, in my opinion: and it seems to me that I have the Spirit of God.

Marriage » Illustrative of » Christ's union with his church

Ephesians 5:23-24

For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ is the head of the church, being himself the saviour of the body. And as the church is under Christ's authority, so let wives be under the rule of their husbands in all things.

Marriage » Wives obtained » By purchase

Hosea 3:2

So I got her for myself for fifteen shekels of silver and a homer and a half of barley;

Hosea 12:12

And Jacob went in flight into the field of Aram, and Israel became a servant for a wife, and for a wife he kept sheep.

Ruth 4:10

And, further, I have taken Ruth, the Moabitess, who was the wife of Mahlon, to be my wife, to keep the name of the dead man living in his heritage, so that his name may not be cut off from among his countrymen, and from the memory of his town: you are witnesses this day.

Marriage » The jews » Were allowed divorce from, because of hardness of their hearts

Matthew 19:7-8

They say to him, Why then did Moses give orders that a husband might give her a statement in writing and be free from her? He says to them, Moses, because of your hard hearts, let you put away your wives: but it has not been so from the first.

Deuteronomy 24:1

If a man takes a wife, and after they are married she is unpleasing to him because of some bad quality in her, let him give her a statement in writing and send her away from his house.

Marriage » The jews » Obliged to contract with a brother's wife who died without seed

Matthew 22:24

Master, Moses said, If a man, at the time of his death, has no children, let his brother take his wife, and get a family for his brother;

Deuteronomy 25:5

If brothers are living together and one of them, at his death, has no son, the wife of the dead man is not to be married outside the family to another man: let her husband's brother go in to her and make her his wife, doing as it is right for a brother-in-law to do.

Marriage » Obligations under, inferior to duty to God

Deuteronomy 13:6-10

If your brother, the son of your mother, or your son or your daughter or the wife of your heart, or the friend who is as dear to you as your life, working on you secretly says to you, Let us go and give worship to other gods, strange to you and to your fathers; Gods of the peoples round about you, near or far, from one end of the earth to the other; Do not be guided by him or give attention to him; have no pity on him or mercy, and give him no cover; read more.
But put him to death without question; let your hand be the first stretched out against him to put him to death, and then the hands of all the people. Let him be stoned with stones till he is dead; because it was his purpose to make you false to the Lord your God, who took you out of the land of Egypt, out of the prison-house.

Marriage » Parents might refuse to give their children in

Deuteronomy 7:3

Do not take wives or husbands from among them; do not give your daughters to their sons, or take their daughters for your sons.

Exodus 22:17

If her father will not give her to him on any account, he will have to give the regular payment for virgins.

Marriage » The jews » Careful in contracting for their children

Genesis 24:2

And Abraham said to his chief servant, the manager of all his property, Come now, put your hand under my leg:

Genesis 28:1-2

Then Isaac sent for Jacob, and blessing him, said, Do not take a wife from among the women of Canaan; But go to Paddan-aram, to the house of Bethuel, your mother's father, and there get yourself a wife from the daughters of Laban, your mother's brother.

Marriage » The jews » Often contracted with foreigners

1 Kings 11:1

Now a number of strange women were loved by Solomon, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites:

Nehemiah 13:23

And in those days I saw the Jews who were married to women of Ashdod and Ammon and Moab:

Marriage » Celibacy deplored

Isaiah 4:1

And in that day seven women will put their hands on one man, saying, There will be no need for you to give us food or clothing, only let us go under your name, so that our shame may be taken away.

Jeremiah 16:9

For the Lord of armies, the God of Israel, has said, See, before your eyes and in your days I will put an end in this place to the laughing voices and the voice of joy; to the voice of the newly-married man and the voice of the bride.

Judges 11:38

And he said, Go then. So he sent her away for two months; and she went with her friends to the mountains, weeping for her sad fate.

Marriage » Should be with consent of parents

Genesis 28:8

It was clear to Esau that his father had no love for the women of Canaan,

Judges 14:2-3

And when he came back he said to his father and mother, I have seen a woman in Timnah, of the daughters of the Philistines: get her now for me for my wife. Then his father and mother said to him, Is there no woman among the daughters of your relations or among all my people, that you have to go for your wife to the Philistines, who are without circumcision? But Samson said to his father, Get her for me, for she is pleasing to me.

Marriage » A benediction pronounced after

Ruth 4:11-12

And all the people who were in the public place, and the responsible men, said, We are witnesses. May the Lord make this woman, who is about to come into your house, like Rachel and Leah, which two were the builders of the house of Israel: and may you have wealth in Ephrathah, and be great in Beth-lehem; May your family be like the family of Perez, the son whom Tamar gave to Judah, from the offspring which the Lord may give you by this young woman.

Genesis 24:60

And they gave Rebekah their blessing, saying, O sister, may you be the mother of thousands and ten thousands; and may your seed overcome all those who make war against them.

Marriage » Expressed by » Giving daughters to sons, and sons to daughters

Ezra 9:12

So now do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons or do anything for their peace or well-being for ever; so that you may be strong, living on the good of the land, and handing it on to your children for a heritage for ever.

Deuteronomy 7:3

Do not take wives or husbands from among them; do not give your daughters to their sons, or take their daughters for your sons.

Marriage » The bride » Adorned with jewels for

Isaiah 49:18

Let your eyes be lifted up round about, and see: they are all coming together to you. By my life, says the Lord, truly you will put them all on you as an ornament, and be clothed with them like a bride.

Marriage » The jews » Sometimes guilty of polygamy

1 Kings 11:1

Now a number of strange women were loved by Solomon, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites:

Marriage » Consanguinous, abraham and sarah

Genesis 11:29

And Abram and Nahor took wives for themselves: the name of Abram's wife was Sarai, and the name of Nahor's wife was Milcah, the daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah and Iscah.

Genesis 20:3

But God came to Abimelech in a dream in the night, and said to him, Truly you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken; for she is a man's wife.

Genesis 12:13

Say, then, that you are my sister, and so it will be well with me because of you, and my life will be kept safe on your account.

Genesis 20:9-16

Then Abimelech sent for Abraham, and said, What have you done to us? what wrong have I done you that you have put on me and on my kingdom so great a sin? You have done to me things which are not to be done. And Abimelech said to Abraham, Why did you do this thing? And Abraham said, Because it seemed to me that there was no fear of God in this place, and that they might put me to death because of my wife. read more.
And, in fact, she is my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife: And when God sent me wandering from my father's house, I said to her, Let this be the sign of your love for me; wherever we go, say of me, He is my brother. Then Abimelech gave to Abraham sheep and oxen and men-servants and women-servants, and gave him back his wife Sarah. And Abimelech said, See, all my land is before you; take whatever place seems good to you. And he said to Sarah, See, I have given to your brother a thousand bits of silver so that your wrong may be put right; now your honour is clear in the eyes of all.

Marriage » Designed for » Increasing the species

Marriage » Celebrated » With great rejoicing

Jeremiah 33:11

Happy sounds, the voice of joy, the voice of the newly-married man and the voice of the bride, the voices of those who say, Give praise to the Lord of armies, for the Lord is good, for his mercy is unchanging for ever: the voices of those who go with praise into the house of the Lord. For I will let the land come back to its first condition, says the Lord.

Marriage » Promised » Seed

Genesis 4:1

And the man had connection with Eve his wife, and she became with child and gave birth to Cain, and said, I have got a man from the Lord.

Marriage » Daughters given in, as rewards of valor

1 Samuel 17:25

And the men of Israel said, Have you seen this man? Clearly he has come out to put shame on Israel: and it is certain that if any man overcomes him, the king will give that man great wealth, and will give him his daughter, and make his father's family free in Israel.

Judges 1:12

And Caleb said, I will give Achsah, my daughter, as wife to the man who overcomes Kiriath-sepher and takes it.

1 Samuel 18:27

So David and his men got up and went, and put to death two hundred of the Philistines; and David took their private parts and gave the full number of them to the king, so that he might be the king's son-in-law. And Saul gave him his daughter Michal for his wife.

Marriage » Why you should get married

1 Corinthians 7:1-2

Now, as to the things in your letter to me: It is good for a man to have nothing to do with a woman. But because of the desires of the flesh, let every man have his wife, and every woman her husband.

Marriage » Not binding after death

Matthew 22:29-30

But Jesus said to them in answer, You are in error, not having knowledge of the Writings, or of the power of God. For when they come back from the dead there are no husbands and wives, but they are as the angels in heaven.

Mark 12:24-25

Jesus said to them, Is not this the reason for your error, that you have no knowledge of the holy Writings or of the power of God? When they come back from the dead, they do not get married, but are like the angels in heaven.

Marriage » The bridegroom » Attended by many friends

Marriage » The jews » Contracted when young

Marriage » Those that do not marry

1 Corinthians 7:25-38

Now about virgins I have no orders from the Lord: but I give my opinion as one to whom the Lord has given mercy to be true to him. In my opinion then, because of the present trouble, it is good for a man to keep as he is. If you are married to a wife, make no attempt to get free from her: if you are free from a wife, do not take a wife. read more.
If you get married it is not a sin; and if an unmarried woman gets married it is not a sin. But those who do so will have trouble in the flesh. But I will not be hard on you. But I say this, my brothers, the time is short; and from now it will be wise for those who have wives to be as if they had them not; And for those who are in sorrow, to give no signs of it; and for those who are glad, to give no signs of joy; and for those who are getting property, to be as if they had nothing; And for those who make use of the world, not to be using it fully; for this world's way of life will quickly come to an end. But it is my desire for you to be free from cares. The unmarried man gives his mind to the things of the Lord, how he may give pleasure to the Lord: But the married man gives his attention to the things of this world, how he may give pleasure to his wife. And the wife is not the same as the virgin. The virgin gives her mind to the things of the Lord, so that she may be holy in body and in spirit: but the married woman takes thought for the things of the world, how she may give pleasure to her husband. Now I say this for your profit; not to make things hard for you, but because of what is right, and so that you may be able to give all your attention to the things of the Lord. But if, in any man's opinion, he is not doing what is right for his virgin, if she is past her best years, and there is need for it, let him do what seems right to him; it is no sin; let them be married. But the man who is strong in mind and purpose, who is not forced but has control over his desires, does well if he comes to the decision to keep her a virgin. So then, he who gets married to his virgin does well, and he who keeps her unmarried does better.

Marriage » Unbelieving spouses

1 Corinthians 7:10-16

But to the married I give orders, though not I but the Lord, that the wife may not go away from her husband (Or if she goes away from him, let her keep unmarried, or be united to her husband again); and that the husband may not go away from his wife. But to the rest I say, and not the Lord; If a brother has a wife who is not a Christian, and it is her desire to go on living with him, let him not go away from her. read more.
And if a woman has a husband who is not a Christian, and it is his desire to go on living with her, let her not go away from her husband. For the husband who has not faith is made holy through his Christian wife, and the wife who is not a Christian is made holy through the brother: if not, your children would be unholy, but now are they holy. But if the one who is not a Christian has a desire to go away, let it be so: the brother or the sister in such a position is not forced to do one thing or the other: but it is God's pleasure that we may be at peace with one another. For how may you be certain, O wife, that you will not be the cause of salvation to your husband? or you, O husband, that you may not do the same for your wife?

Marriage » The bridegroom » Crowned with garlands

Song of Songs 3:11

Go out, O daughters of Jerusalem, and see King Solomon, with the crown which his mother put on his head on the day when he was married, and on the day of the joy of his heart.

Marriage » Ceremony attested by witnesses

Ruth 4:1-11

And Boaz went up to the public place of the town, and took his seat there: and the near relation of whom he had been talking came by; and Boaz, crying out to him by name, said, Come and be seated here. And he came and was seated. Then he got ten of the responsible men of the town, and said, Be seated here. And they took their seats. Then he said to the near relation, Naomi, who has come back from the country of Moab, is offering for a price that bit of land which was our brother Elimelech's: read more.
And it was in my mind to give you the chance of taking it, with the approval of those seated here and of the responsible men of my people. If you are ready to do what it is right for a relation to do, then do it: but if you will not do it, say so to me now; for there is no one who has the right to do it but you, and after you myself. And he said, I will do it. Then Boaz said, On the day when you take this field, you will have to take with it Ruth, the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, so that you may keep the name of the dead living in his heritage. And the near relation said, I am not able to do the relation's part, for fear of damaging the heritage I have: you may do it in my place, for I am not able to do it myself. Now, in earlier times this was the way in Israel when property was taken over by a near relation, or when there was a change of owner. To make the exchange certain one man took off his shoe and gave it to the other; and this was a witness in Israel. So the near relation said to Boaz, Take it for yourself. And he took off his shoe. Then Boaz said to the responsible men and to all the people, You are witnesses today that I have taken at a price from Naomi all the property which was Elimelech's, and everything which was Chilion's and Mahlon's. And, further, I have taken Ruth, the Moabitess, who was the wife of Mahlon, to be my wife, to keep the name of the dead man living in his heritage, so that his name may not be cut off from among his countrymen, and from the memory of his town: you are witnesses this day. And all the people who were in the public place, and the responsible men, said, We are witnesses. May the Lord make this woman, who is about to come into your house, like Rachel and Leah, which two were the builders of the house of Israel: and may you have wealth in Ephrathah, and be great in Beth-lehem;

Isaiah 8:1-3

And the Lord said to me, Take a great writing-board, and on it put down in common letters, Maher-shalal-hash-baz; And take true witnesses to the writing, Uriah the priest, and Zechariah, the son of Jeberechiah. And I went in to my wife, and she became with child, and gave birth to a son. Then the Lord said to me, Give him the name Maher-shalal-hash-baz,

Marriage » Infidelity of those contracted in, punished as if married

Deuteronomy 22:23-24

If a young virgin has given her word to be married to a man, and another man meeting her in the town, has connection with her; Then you are to take the two of them to the doorway of the town, and have them stoned to death; the young virgin, because she gave no cry for help, though it was in the town, and the man, because he has put shame on his neighbour's wife: so you are to put away evil from among you.

Marriage » The rights of marriage

1 Corinthians 7:3-5

Let the husband give to the wife what is right; and let the wife do the same to the husband. The wife has not power over her body, but the husband; and in the same way the husband has not power over his body, but the wife. Do not keep back from one another what is right, but only for a short time, and by agreement, so that you may give yourselves to prayer, and come together again; so that Satan may not get the better of you through your loss of self-control.

Marriage » Bridal ornaments

Jeremiah 2:32

Is it possible for a virgin to put out of her memory her ornaments, or a bride her robes? but my people have put me out of their memories for unnumbered days.

Isaiah 49:18

Let your eyes be lifted up round about, and see: they are all coming together to you. By my life, says the Lord, truly you will put them all on you as an ornament, and be clothed with them like a bride.

Marriage » Given by kings

1 Samuel 17:25

And the men of Israel said, Have you seen this man? Clearly he has come out to put shame on Israel: and it is certain that if any man overcomes him, the king will give that man great wealth, and will give him his daughter, and make his father's family free in Israel.

1 Samuel 18:17

And Saul said to David, Here is my oldest daughter Merab, whom I will give you for your wife: only be strong for me, fighting in the Lord's wars. For Saul said, Let it not be through me that his fate comes to him, but through the Philistines.

1 Samuel 18:21

And Saul said, I will give her to him, so that she may be a cause of danger to him, and so that the hands of the Philistines may be against him. So Saul said to David, Today you are to become my son-in-law for the second time.

Marriage » Bridal presents

Genesis 24:53

Then he took jewels of silver and jewels of gold and fair robes and gave them to Rebekah: and he gave things of value to her mother and her brother.

Psalm 45:12

And the daughters of Tyre will be there with an offering; those who have wealth among the people will be looking for your approval.

Marriage » Isaac and rebekah

Genesis 28:2

But go to Paddan-aram, to the house of Bethuel, your mother's father, and there get yourself a wife from the daughters of Laban, your mother's brother.

Genesis 24:3-4

And take an oath by the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that you will not get a wife for my son Isaac from the daughters of the Canaanites among whom I am living; But that you will go into my country and to my relations and get a wife there for my son Isaac.

Marriage » Should be only in the lord

Marriage » Designed for » Preventing fornication

Marriage » The jews » Forbidden to contract with idolaters

Deuteronomy 7:3-4

Do not take wives or husbands from among them; do not give your daughters to their sons, or take their daughters for your sons. For through them your sons will be turned from me to the worship of other gods: and the Lord will be moved to wrath against you and send destruction on you quickly.

Marriage » What marriage is analogous to

Ephesians 5:22-33

Wives, be under the authority of your husbands, as of the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ is the head of the church, being himself the saviour of the body. And as the church is under Christ's authority, so let wives be under the rule of their husbands in all things. read more.
Husbands, have love for your wives, even as Christ had love for the church, and gave himself for it; So that he might make it holy, having made it clean with the washing of water by the word, And might take it for himself, a church full of glory, not having one mark or fold or any such thing; but that it might be holy and complete. Even so it is right for husbands to have love for their wives as for their bodies. He who has love for his wife has love for himself: For no man ever had hate for his flesh; but he gives it food and takes care of it, even as Christ does for the church; Because we are parts of his body. For this cause will a man go away from his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. This is a great secret: but my words are about Christ and the church. But do you, everyone, have love for his wife, even as for himself; and let the wife see that she has respect for her husband.

Marriage » Those that love their wife

Ephesians 5:28-29

Even so it is right for husbands to have love for their wives as for their bodies. He who has love for his wife has love for himself: For no man ever had hate for his flesh; but he gives it food and takes care of it, even as Christ does for the church;

Marriage » Figurative » Parables from

Matthew 25:1-10

Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins, the friends of the bride, who took their lights, and went out with the purpose of meeting the husband. And five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For the foolish, when they took their lights, took no oil with them. read more.
But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lights. Now the husband was a long time in coming, and they all went to sleep. But in the middle of the night there is a cry, The husband comes! Go out to him. Then all those virgins got up, and made ready their lights. And the foolish said to the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lights are going out. But the wise made answer, saying, There may not be enough for us and you; it would be better for you to go to the traders and get oil for yourselves. And while they went to get oil, the master came; and those who were ready went in with him to the feast: and the door was shut.

Marriage » The jews » Exempted from going to war immediately after

Deuteronomy 20:7

Or if any man is newly married and has had no sex relations with his wife, let him go back to his house, so that in the event of his death in the fight, another man may not take her.

Marriage » Betrothal a quasi-marriage

Matthew 1:18

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was in this way: when his mother Mary was going to be married to Joseph, before they came together the discovery was made that she was with child by the Holy Spirit.

Luke 1:27

To a virgin who was to be married to a man named Joseph, of the family of David; and the name of the virgin was Mary.

Marriage » Advised

1 Corinthians 7:7-8

It is my desire that all men might be even as I am. But every man has the power of his special way of life given him by God, one in this way and one in that. But I say to the unmarried and to the widows, It is good for them to be even as I am.

1 Corinthians 7:24-40

My brothers, let every man keep in that condition which is the purpose of God for him. Now about virgins I have no orders from the Lord: but I give my opinion as one to whom the Lord has given mercy to be true to him. In my opinion then, because of the present trouble, it is good for a man to keep as he is. read more.
If you are married to a wife, make no attempt to get free from her: if you are free from a wife, do not take a wife. If you get married it is not a sin; and if an unmarried woman gets married it is not a sin. But those who do so will have trouble in the flesh. But I will not be hard on you. But I say this, my brothers, the time is short; and from now it will be wise for those who have wives to be as if they had them not; And for those who are in sorrow, to give no signs of it; and for those who are glad, to give no signs of joy; and for those who are getting property, to be as if they had nothing; And for those who make use of the world, not to be using it fully; for this world's way of life will quickly come to an end. But it is my desire for you to be free from cares. The unmarried man gives his mind to the things of the Lord, how he may give pleasure to the Lord: But the married man gives his attention to the things of this world, how he may give pleasure to his wife. And the wife is not the same as the virgin. The virgin gives her mind to the things of the Lord, so that she may be holy in body and in spirit: but the married woman takes thought for the things of the world, how she may give pleasure to her husband. Now I say this for your profit; not to make things hard for you, but because of what is right, and so that you may be able to give all your attention to the things of the Lord. But if, in any man's opinion, he is not doing what is right for his virgin, if she is past her best years, and there is need for it, let him do what seems right to him; it is no sin; let them be married. But the man who is strong in mind and purpose, who is not forced but has control over his desires, does well if he comes to the decision to keep her a virgin. So then, he who gets married to his virgin does well, and he who keeps her unmarried does better. It is right for a wife to be with her husband as long as he is living; but when her husband is dead, she is free to be married to another; but only to a Christian. But it will be better for her to keep as she is, in my opinion: and it seems to me that I have the Spirit of God.

Marriage » The high priest not to contract, with a widow or a divorced or profane person

Leviticus 21:14

A widow, or one whose husband has put her away, or a common woman of loose behaviour, may not be the wife of a priest; but let him take a virgin from among his people.

Marriage » The bridegroom » Returned with the bride to his house at night

Matthew 25:1-6

Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins, the friends of the bride, who took their lights, and went out with the purpose of meeting the husband. And five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For the foolish, when they took their lights, took no oil with them. read more.
But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lights. Now the husband was a long time in coming, and they all went to sleep. But in the middle of the night there is a cry, The husband comes! Go out to him.

Marriage » The bride » Gorgeously apparelled

Psalm 45:13-14

In the great house the king's daughter is all shining: her clothing is worked with gold. She will come before the king in robes of needlework; the virgins in her train will come before you.

Marriage » The jews » Forbidden to contract, with their near relations

Marriage » The contentions of a wife

Marriage » Prudent wives

Marriage » Priest not to contract, with divorced or improper person

Leviticus 21:7

They may not take as wife a loose or common woman, or one who has been put away by her husband: for the priest is holy to his God.

Marriage » The bride » Received presents before

Genesis 24:53

Then he took jewels of silver and jewels of gold and fair robes and gave them to Rebekah: and he gave things of value to her mother and her brother.

Marriage » Wives taken by edict

Esther 2:2-4

Then the servants who were waiting on the king said to him, Let search be made for some fair young virgins for the king: Let the king give authority to certain men in all the divisions of his kingdom, to get together all the fair young virgins and send them to Shushan, the king's town, to the women's house, under the care of Hegai, the king's servant, the keeper of the women: and let the things needed for making them clean be given to them; And let the girl who is pleasing to the king be queen in place of Vashti. And the king was pleased with this suggestion; and he did so.

Esther 2:8-14

So when the order made by the king was publicly given out, and a number of girls had been placed in the care of Hegai in the king's house in Shushan, Esther was taken into the king's house and put in the care of Hegai, the keeper of the women. And he was pleased with the girl and was kind to her; and he quickly gave her what was needed for making her clean, and the things which were hers by right, and seven servant-girls who were to be hers from the king's house: and he had her and her servant-girls moved to the best place in the women's part of the house. Esther had not said what family or people she came from, for Mordecai had given her orders not to do so. read more.
And every day Mordecai took his walk before the square of the women's house, to see how Esther was and what would be done to her. Now every girl, when her turn came, had to go in to King Ahasuerus, after undergoing, for a space of twelve months, what was ordered by the law for the women (for this was the time necessary for making them clean, that is, six months with oil of myrrh and six months with sweet perfumes and such things as are needed for making women clean): And in this way the girl went in to the king; whatever she had a desire for was given to her to take with her from the women's house into the house of the king. In the evening she went, and on the day after she came back to the second house of the women, into the keeping of Shaashgaz, one of the king's unsexed servants who had the care of the king's wives: only if the king had delight in her and sent for her by name did she go in to him again.

Marriage » Elder daughters usually given in, before the younger

Genesis 29:26

And Laban said, In our country we do not let the younger daughter be married before the older.

Marriage » Garments provided for guests at

Matthew 22:12

And he says to him, Friend, how came you in here not having a guest's robe? And he had nothing to say.

Marriage » The bridegroom » Adorned with ornaments

Marriage » Designed for » Raising up Godly seed

Marriage » Designed for » The happiness of man

Marriage » Expressed by » Joining together

Marriage » Celebrated » For seven days

Judges 14:12

And Samson said, Now I have a hard question for you: if you are able to give me the answer before the seven days of the feast are over, I will give you thirty linen robes and thirty changes of clothing;

Marriage » The jews » Considered being debarred from, a cause of grief

Judges 11:38

And he said, Go then. So he sent her away for two months; and she went with her friends to the mountains, weeping for her sad fate.

Marriage » What marriage is

Marriage » Early introduction of polygamy

Genesis 4:19

And Lamech had two wives; the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah.

Marriage » Honorable for all

Marriage » Divinely instituted

Marriage » The bridegroom » Rejoiced over the bride

Isaiah 62:5

For as a young man takes a virgin for his wife, so will your maker be married to you: and as a husband has joy in his bride, so will the Lord your God be glad over you.

Marriage » The bridegroom » Presented with gifts

Psalm 45:12

And the daughters of Tyre will be there with an offering; those who have wealth among the people will be looking for your approval.

Marriage » Wives obtained » By kidnapping

Judges 21:21-23

And watching; and if the daughters of Shiloh come out to take part in the dances, then come from the vine-gardens and take a wife for every one of you from among the daughters of Shiloh, and go back to the land of Benjamin. And when their fathers or their brothers come and make trouble, you are to say to them, Give them to us as an act of grace; for we did not take them as wives for ourselves in war; and if you yourselves had given them to us you would have been responsible for the broken oath. So the men of Benjamin did this, and got wives for themselves for every one of their number, taking them away by force from the dance; then they went back to their heritage, building up their towns and living in them.

Marriage » Expressed by » Making affinity

1 Kings 3:1

Solomon became the son-in-law of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and took Pharaoh's daughter as his wife, keeping her in the town of David, till the house he was building for himself, and the house of the Lord and the wall round Jerusalem, were complete.

Marriage » The bride » Called to forget her father's house

Psalm 45:10

O daughter, give thought and attention, and let your ear be open; no longer keep in mind your people, and your father's house;

Marriage » Jacob and his wives

Genesis 29:15-30

Then Laban said to Jacob, Because you are my brother are you to be my servant for nothing? say now, what is your payment to be? Now Laban had two daughters: the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. And Leah's eyes were clouded, but Rachel was fair in face and form. read more.
And Jacob was in love with Rachel; and he said, I will be your servant seven years for Rachel, your younger daughter. And Laban said, It is better for you to have her than another man: go on living here with me. And Jacob did seven years' work for Rachel; and because of his love for her it seemed to him only a very little time. Then Jacob said to Laban, Give me my wife so that I may have her, for the days are ended. And Laban got together all the men of the place and gave a feast. And in the evening he took Leah, his daughter, and gave her to him, and he went in to her. And Laban gave Zilpah, his servant-girl, to Leah, to be her waiting-woman. And in the morning Jacob saw that it was Leah: and he said to Laban, What have you done to me? was I not working for you so that I might have Rachel? why have you been false to me? And Laban said, In our country we do not let the younger daughter be married before the older. Let the week of the bride-feast come to its end and then we will give you the other in addition, if you will be my servant for another seven years. And Jacob did so; and when the week was ended, Laban gave him his daughter Rachel for his wife. And Laban gave Rachel his servant-girl Bilhah to be her waiting-woman. Then Jacob took Rachel as his wife, and his love for her was greater than his love for Leah; and he went on working for Laban for another seven years.

Marriage » A covenant relationship

Malachi 2:4

And you will be certain that I have sent this order to you, so that it might be my agreement with Levi, says the Lord of armies.

Marriage » Expressed by » Taking to wife

Exodus 2:1

Now a man of the house of Levi took as his wife a daughter of Levi.

Marriage » The bride » Stood on the right of bridegroom

Psalm 45:9

Kings' daughters are among your noble women: on your right is the queen in gold of Ophir.

Marriage » The bride » Attended by bridesmaids

Psalm 45:9

Kings' daughters are among your noble women: on your right is the queen in gold of Ophir.

Marriage » The jews » Considered being debarred from, a reproach

Isaiah 4:1

And in that day seven women will put their hands on one man, saying, There will be no need for you to give us food or clothing, only let us go under your name, so that our shame may be taken away.

Marriage » Wedding robes adorned with jewels

Marriage » Jesus present at

John 2:1-5

On the third day two people were going to be married at Cana in Galilee. The mother of Jesus was there: And Jesus with his disciples came as guests. When they had not enough wine, the mother of Jesus said to him, They have no wine. read more.
Jesus said to her, Woman, this is not your business; my time is still to come. His mother said to the servants, Whatever he says to you, do it.

Marriage » Parents contract for their children » Hagar selects a wife for ishmael

Genesis 21:21

And while he was in the waste land of Paran, his mother got him a wife from the land of Egypt.

Marriage » David gave one hundred philistine foreskins for a wife

2 Samuel 3:14

And David sent men to Saul's son Ish-bosheth, saying, Give me back Michal, my wife, whom I made mine for the price of the private parts of a hundred Philistines.

Marriage » Contracted at the gate and before witnesses

Ruth 4:1

And Boaz went up to the public place of the town, and took his seat there: and the near relation of whom he had been talking came by; and Boaz, crying out to him by name, said, Come and be seated here. And he came and was seated.

Marriage » Parents' consent requires in the mosaic law

Exodus 22:17

If her father will not give her to him on any account, he will have to give the regular payment for virgins.

Marriage » Betrothal made with the spirit

Ezekiel 16:8

Now when I went past you, looking at you, I saw that your time was the time of love; and I put my skirts over you, covering your unclothed body: and I gave you my oath and made an agreement with you, says the Lord, and you became mine.

Marriage » Parents contract for their children » Samson asks his parents to procure him a wife

Judges 14:2

And when he came back he said to his father and mother, I have seen a woman in Timnah, of the daughters of the Philistines: get her now for me for my wife.

Marriage » The groom exempt one year from military duty

Marriage » Parents contract for their children » Laban arranges for his daughters' marriage

Marriage » Parents contract for their children » Abraham for isaac

Topics on Marriage

Abusive Marriages

1 Corinthians 7:15

But if the one who is not a Christian has a desire to go away, let it be so: the brother or the sister in such a position is not forced to do one thing or the other: but it is God's pleasure that we may be at peace with one another.

Marriage, Between God And His People

Ezekiel 16:8-14

Now when I went past you, looking at you, I saw that your time was the time of love; and I put my skirts over you, covering your unclothed body: and I gave you my oath and made an agreement with you, says the Lord, and you became mine.

Marriage, Restrictions Concerning

Genesis 38:2

And there he saw the daughter of a certain man of Canaan named Shua, and took her as his wife.

Marriage, The Bride

Genesis 24:53

Then he took jewels of silver and jewels of gold and fair robes and gave them to Rebekah: and he gave things of value to her mother and her brother.

Marriages, Believers With Unbelievers

2 Corinthians 6:14-16

Do not keep company with those who have not faith: for what is there in common between righteousness and evil, or between light and dark?

Second Marriage

Matthew 19:9

And I say to you, Whoever puts away his wife for any other cause than the loss of her virtue, and takes another, is a false husband: and he who takes her as his wife when she is put away, is no true husband to her.

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Theasaurus: Marriage

Basic English, produced by Mr C. K. Ogden of the Orthological Institute - public domain