Marriage

How Nave’s arranged it

• Consanguinous, Abraham and SarahGenesis 11:29Genesis 12:13Genesis 20:3Genesis 20:9–16
• Isaac and RebekahGenesis 24:3Genesis 24:4Genesis 24:67Genesis 28:2
• Jacob and his wivesGenesis 29:15–30
• See below, in the elaborated text
• Levirate (the brother required to marry a brother's widow)Genesis 38:8Genesis 38:11Deuteronomy 25:5–10Ruth 4:5Matthew 22:24Mark 12:19–23Luke 20:28
• Parents contract for their children
• Hagar selects a wife for IshmaelGenesis 21:21
• Abraham for IsaacGenesis 24
• Laban arranges for his daughters' marriageGenesis 29
• Samson asks his parents to procure him a wifeJudges 14:2
• Parents' consent requires in the Mosaic lawExodus 22:17
• Presents given to parents to secure their favorGenesis 24:53Genesis 34:12Deuteronomy 22:291 Samuel 18:25Hosea 3:2

The passages, in Bible order (130)

The same references, sorted Genesis to Revelation. The first 16 are quoted in full; the rest are one click beneath them, book by book.

1. Genesis 2:23

   And the man said: “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for out of man she was taken.”

   ›Commentary on Genesis 2:232 voices

   “(Verse 23.) Now this is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. It does not seem to sound in Greek and Latin why she is called Woman, because she was taken out of Man; but the etymology is preserved in the Hebrew language. For Man is called 'Is', and Woman is called 'Issa'. Therefore, she was rightly called Woman from Man.

   “And Adam said, this is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh,....

   Everything gathered on Genesis 2:23→

   Verse page →Original language →

2. Genesis 2:24

   For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.

   ›Commentary on Genesis 2:242 voices

   “If the union of Adam and Eve is a great mystery in Christ and in the church, it is certain that as Eve was bone of the bones of her husband and flesh of his flesh, we also are members of Christ's body, bones of his bones and flesh of his flesh.

   “Therefore shall a man leave his father, and his mother,....

   Everything gathered on Genesis 2:24→

   Verse page →Original language →

3. Genesis 11:29

   And Abram and Nahor took wives for themselves. Abram’s wife was named Sarai, and Nahor’s wife was named Milcah; she was the daughter of Haran, who was the father of both Milcah and Iscah.

   ›Commentary on Genesis 11:292 voices

   “(Verse 29) And Abram and Nachor took wives for themselves. The name of Abram's wife was Sarai, and the name of Nachor's wife was Milcah, the daughter of Haran. The father of Milcah was also the father of Iscah. Haran fathered two daughters, Milcah and Iscah, who were both called by the same name. Of these, Milcah became the wife of Nachor, and Sarai became the wife of Abram. At that time, marriage between cousins and between siblings was not yet prohibited by law, as it later became among all people, even among brothers and sisters.

   “And Abram and Nahor took them wives,....

   Everything gathered on Genesis 11:29→

   Verse page →Original language →

4. Genesis 12:13

   Please say you are my sister, so that I will be treated well for your sake, and on account of you my life will be spared.”

   ›Commentary on Genesis 12:132 voices

   “Say, I pray thee, that thou art my sister,....

   “There came a famine, and so he went to Egypt. He knew that in Egypt the dissipation of youth was widespread, characterized by lust, impudent desires and unrestrained passions. He understood that among such men the modesty of his wife would be defenseless and that her beauty would be a danger for him. So he told his wife to say that she was his sister. By this we are taught that it is not so much beauty that one should seek in a wife, for this often leads to the death of the husband.

   Everything gathered on Genesis 12:13→

   Verse page →Original language →

5. Genesis 20:3

   One night, however, God came to Abimelech in a dream and told him, “You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken, for she is a married woman.”

   ›Commentary on Genesis 20:31 voice

   “But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night and said to him: Behold, you are about to die because of the woman you have taken, for she has a husband; but Abimelech had not touched her and said: Lord, will you kill an …

   Everything gathered on Genesis 20:3→

   Verse page →Original language →

6. Genesis 20:9–16

   Then Abimelech called Abraham and asked, “What have you done to us? How have I sinned against you, that you have brought such tremendous guilt upon me and my kingdom? You have done things to me that should not be done.”

   ›Commentary on Genesis 20:9–161 voice

   “Then Abimelech called Abraham,....

   Everything gathered on Genesis 20:9–16→

   Verse page →Original language →

7. Genesis 21:21

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

   ›Commentary on Genesis 21:212 voices

   “And he dwelt in the wilderness of Paran,....

   “He dwelt in the wilderness of Paran - This is generally allowed to have been a part of the desert belonging to Arabia Petraea, in the vicinity of Mount Sinai; and this seems to be its uniform meaning in the sacred writings.

   Everything gathered on Genesis 21:21→

   Verse page →Original language →

8. Genesis 24:1

   By now Abraham was old and well along in years, and the LORD had blessed him in every way.

   ›Commentary on Genesis 24:12 voices

   “But indeed, we should not fail to notice from these things that are reported by the literal meaning, what generations and of what sort they are, which are propagated from Keturah.For if we remember these things, we will be able to recognize more easily those things that are said about the diverse nations in the Scriptures. For example, as when it is said that Moses took as his wife the daughter of Jethro, priest of Midian, this Midian is found to be a son of Keturah and Abraham.

   “And Abraham was old, and well stricken in age,....

   Everything gathered on Genesis 24:1→

   Verse page →Original language →

9. Genesis 24:3

   and I will have you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites among whom I am dwelling,

   ›Commentary on Genesis 24:32 voices

   “And I will make thee swear by the Lord, the God of heaven, and the God of earth,.... The Maker and possessor of heaven and earth, by whom Abraham used to swear whenever he did, and by whom only men should swear, see Gen 14:

   “I will make thee swear - See note on Gen 24:9. Of the Canaanites - Because these had already been devoted to slavery, etc., and it would have been utterly inconsistent as well with prudence as with the design of God to have united the child and heir of the promise with one who was under a curse, though that curse might be considered to be only of a political nature. See the curse of Canaan, Gen 9:25 (note).

   Everything gathered on Genesis 24:3→

   Verse page →Original language →

10. Genesis 24:4

    but will go to my country and my kindred to take a wife for my son Isaac.”

    ›Commentary on Genesis 24:42 voices

    “But thou shalt go unto my country,....

    “My country - Mesopotamia, called here Abraham’s country, because it was the place where the family of Haran, his brother, had settled; and where himself had remained a considerable time with his father Terah. In this family, as well as in that of Nahor, the true religion had been in some sort preserved, though afterwards considerably corrupted; see Gen 31:

    Everything gathered on Genesis 24:4→

    Verse page →Original language →

11. Genesis 24:53

    Then he brought out jewels of silver and gold, and articles of clothing, and he gave them to Rebekah. He also gave precious gifts to her brother and her mother.

    ›Commentary on Genesis 24:532 voices

    “And the servant brought forth jewels of silver, and jewels of gold,....

    “Jewels of silver, and jewels of gold - The word כלי keley, which we here translate jewels signifies properly vessels or instruments; and those presented by Eliezer might have been of various kinds. What he had given before, Gen 24:22, was in token of respect, what he gave now appears to have been in the way of dowry. Precious things - מגדנת migdanoth. This word is used to express exquisite fruits or delicacies, Deu 33:13-16; precious plants or flowers, Son 4:16; Son 7:13. But it may mean gifts in general, though rather of an inferior kind to those mentioned above.

    Everything gathered on Genesis 24:53→

    Verse page →Original language →

12. Genesis 24:67

    And Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah and took Rebekah as his wife. And Isaac loved her and was comforted after his mother’s death.

    ›Commentary on Genesis 24:672 voices

    “By the joy [which he received] from Rebekah, who came three years later, Isaac was comforted from the mourning of his mother with which he had been shrouded for three years.

    “And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent,....

    Everything gathered on Genesis 24:67→

    Verse page →Original language →

13. Genesis 28:2

    “Go at once to Paddan-aram, to the house of your mother’s father Bethuel, and take a wife from among the daughters of Laban, your mother’s brother.

    ›Commentary on Genesis 28:22 voices

    “When the lesson was read just now, dearly beloved, we heard that in reply to holy Rebekah's plea Isaac called his son Jacob and told him to proceed to Mesopotamia of Syria and take a wife from there. Jacob departed in humble obedience to his …

    “Arise, go to Padanaram,....

    Everything gathered on Genesis 28:2→

    Verse page →Original language →

14. Genesis 29:1

    Jacob resumed his journey and came to the land of the people of the east.

    ›Commentary on Genesis 29:12 voices

    “- Jacob’s Marriage 6. רחל rāchēl, Rachel, “a ewe.” 16. לאה lê'âh, Leah, “wearied.” 24. זלפה zı̂lpâh, Zilpah, “drop?” 29. בלהה bı̂lhâh, Bilhah, “timidity.” 32. ראוּבן re'uvbēn, Reuben, “behold a son.” A paronomasia in allusion to the phrase בעניי ראה be‛ānyı̂y rā'âh. Derivatives and compounds, being formed by the common speaker, are sometimes founded upon resemblance in sound, and not always on precise forms of the original sentence which prompted them.

    “Then Jacob went on his journey,....

    Everything gathered on Genesis 29:1→

    Verse page →Original language →

15. Genesis 29:15–30

    Laban said to him, “Just because you are my relative, should you work for nothing? Tell me what your wages should be.”

    ›Commentary on Genesis 29:15–302 voices

    “And Laban said unto Jacob, because thou art my brother,....

    “Because thou art my brother, etc. - Though thou art my nearest relative, yet I have no right to thy services without giving thee an adequate recompense. Jacob had passed a whole month in the family of Laban, in which he had undoubtedly rendered himself of considerable service. As Laban, who was of a very saving if not covetous disposition, saw that he was to be of great use to him in his secular concerns, he wished to secure his services, and therefore asks him what wages he wished to have.

    Everything gathered on Genesis 29:15–30→

    Verse page →Original language →

16. Genesis 29:20

    So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, yet it seemed but a few days because of his love for her.

    ›Commentary on Genesis 29:202 voices

    “And Jacob served seven years for Rachel,.... The whole term of time, diligently, faithfully, and patiently.

    “And Jacob served seven years for Rachel - In ancient times it appears to have been a custom among all nations that men should give dowries for their wives; and in many countries this custom still prevails. When Shechem asked Dinah for wife, he said, Ask me never so much - dowry and gift, and I will give according as ye shall say unto me.

    Everything gathered on Genesis 29:20→

    Verse page →Original language →