"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me." Rev. 3: 20

Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch + Archdiocese of the Western USA

Matrimony in the Syriac Orthodox Church

One of the seven Holy Sacraments, the matrimonial ceremony consists of two orders: the Blessing of the Rings and the Blessing of the Crowns. The former represents a binding betrothal that constitutes half of the marriage; the latter completes the marriage. In former times, the two orders were held at separate times. As the Blessing of the Rings (i.e., betrothal) is binding, both orders are held on the same day in modern times. To compensate for this change, a rather recent non-binding "betrothal service" is now used at the time of engagement.

The Order of the Blessing of the Rings

The Order of the Blessing of the Rings constitutes mkhirutho, a "betrothal" or "engagement" symbolized by the acceptance of rings.

The service starts with an Opening Prayer seeking God's blessings, to have in Him "the beginning of our joy, and the fullness of our rejoicing." A hymn follows asking the heavenly "Bridegroom Who has betrothed the Church to Himself and crowned her with His truth" to bless the rings "which the priests give in Your Holy Name." A prayer asking God to "unite our children who have come closer to each other... that they love and accept each other cheerfully" follows this hymn.

A quqalyon, or a hymn from the Psalms, is chanted followed by an eqbo, a Concluding Prayer, which represents a quotation from Solomon's Song of Songs from the Old Testament: "Solomon, speaking in parables, said: 'Who is your beloved of whom you are so proud, O fair one? My beloved was chosen from among the multitude of myriads whose vineyard is the Church. He is whiter than the vine of Jacob, ruddier than the oil of Nardin, and higher than the cedars of Lebanon.' "

This is followed by a husoyo, a Petition Prayer, in which the priest glorifies the "Heavenly Bridegroom Who betrothed to Himself the defiled Church... making her a glorious bride for Himself." Then he asks the Lord to "bless these rings that we hold, that they may be for the confirmation of betrothal to those who receive them." A hymn is then chanted followed by an etro, a prayer offered with incense.

The prayer of the Blessing of the Rings is recited, "O Bridegroom of truth and justice, You betrothed to Yourself the Church of the Gentiles and by Your Blood You wrote the deed of dowry, and by Your nails You gave her a ring. As the ring of the Holy Church was blessed, bless now, O Lord, these rings that we give to Your servant and Your maid." The prayer recalls the Old Testament Patriarchs, "This is the ring by which Sarah was betrothed to Abraham, Rebecca to Isaac, and Rachel to Jacob." The celebrant makes the sign of the Cross on the ring chanting, "Bless my Lord this betrothal of our daughter [Name of Bride] to our son [Name of Groom]. May they receive heavenly blessings and may they bring forth righteous sons and daughters."

The rings are then blessed ceremoniously: the celebrant, waving his right hand over the rings, chants loudly "May these rings be blessed and may they be for the fulfillment of gladness to the children of the Holy Church." The deacons shout: "Barekhmor - Bless my Lord." The priest blesses: "In the name of the Father." The deacons reply "Amen."
- "And the Son."
- "Amen."
- "And the Living Holy Spirit for everlasting life."
- "Amen."

The priest proceeds to put the ring on the fingers of the bridegroom and the bride saying: "May the right hand of our Lord Jesus Christ be stretched out to you in mercy. Together with this visible ring of your betrothal, receive from Him the invisible grace of His mercy." Contrary to the custom in the West it is the priest who puts the rings on the fingers of the bridegroom and the bride; the rationale can be found in older manuscripts of this service which read "Receive this ring of your betrothal from the hands of the revered priests as if it comes from the hands of the holy Apostles." As Holy Matrimony is a Holy Sacrament, it is God who unites. The Church is not present as a mere witness, but as the effective instrument of the union of man and woman.

A prayer is then said on the bridegroom and the bride followed by a hutomo, a Closing Prayer in which the priest blesses the faithful: "To you, our faithful brethren, who have come and taken part of this witnessing...; May God grant you an excellent reward and bestow upon you all good things at all times."

The order of the Blessing of the Rings is concluded with an impressive hymn addressed to the Church, the Bride of the Lord: "The Young Man that has betrothed you is like a deer, like a young roe," the clergy chant.

The Order of the Blessing of the Crowns

The Order of the Blessing of the Crowns constitutes meshtutho, a "[wedding] feast", during which the bridegroom and the bride are crowned as husband and wife, king and queen of a newly established family on earth.

The Opening Prayer and the hymn that follows ask for God's blessing to the entire assembly. The same structure of the previous order follows: a quqalyon from the Psalms, an eqbo, a husoyo, and an etro. A reading from Ephesians 5:21-33 is then read, and the celebrant chants a reading from the Gospels (Matthew 19:3-6), placing the Holy Book above the heads of the bridegroom and the bride.

The impressive crowning ceremony follows the readings. A deacon holds the crowns while the celebrant recites a prayer over them: "O Lord, Who did adorn the sky with luminaries: the sun, the moon and all the stars; O God, Who did crown the earth with fruits, flowers and blossoms of all kinds; O Jesus Christ Who did crown kings, priests, and prophets... O God, Who encircled the ocean like a crown around all the earth... put Your right hand upon the heads upon which these crowns are placed." Then, the celebrant, waving his right hand over the crowns, blesses them crying aloud: "Blessed and perfect be these crowns and the heads upon which they are placed." The deacons shout: "Barekhmor - Bless my Lord." The priest blesses: "In the name of the Father." The deacons reply "Amen."
- "And the Son."
- "Amen."
- "And the Living Holy Spirit for everlasting life."
- "Amen."

Amidst the ululation of the crowd, the celebrant waves the crown ceremoniously three times, in the likeness of the cross, above the head of the bridegroom chanting: "The crown which is in our Lord's hand comes and descends from heaven. Fitting to the bridegroom is the crown which the most reverend prelate places upon his head." After each time, the deacons chant a response the last of which is: "The bridegroom is like the sun; the bride is like the moon. The wedding symbolizes the dawn which gladdens the earth." The celebrant performs the same above the head of the bride. The deacons chant three responses the last of which is: "Let the bridegroom and the bride rejoice today because their noble desires have been fulfilled by Divine Providence."

A brief prayer upon the best man and the matron of honor follows, as well as a blessing for the bridegroom and the bride: "May God, Who abounds in gifts... Who crowned the earth, the mountains, and the hills... delight you in your marriage."

After a supplication, the celebrant reads an admonition: "O our son [Name of Groom], this our daughter [Name of Bride] has today left her parents, brothers and sisters, and has entrusted herself to you as your wedded wife. Therefore, take care of her, and fulfill all that is due to her in food, drink, and dress... Treat her kindly, deal with her pleasantly, and be always ready to do good to her. "Our daughter [Name of Bride], we exhort you to obey your husband and be faithful to him. Also, be like the dove in gentleness and like the turtle dove in devotion." "We command and charge both of you to walk in the fear of God; to accept alike—and in concord—pleasure and distress; to bear all sickness, pain and other adversities that may accidentally fall upon you with patience and without complaints, that we might not be blamed in the day of judgment on your account, since we have served as mediators in this marriage..."

Here the celebrant joins the hands of the bridegroom and the bride saying: "O our beloved children, we have a custom received from our forefathers to admonish you and make you diligent. Know that you are standing in the presence of God...; from this time we entrust you each to one another (and pronounce you husband and wife). God himself will surely be between you and me, as I am innocent of your faults. Behold, O our son, this is your wife whose hand we have placed in yours... Hold her diligently. Remember that you have to answer for your care of her in the presence of God on the day of judgment." [The parenthesized phrase is not part of the original Syriac, but is practiced in the United States and Canada.]

The celebrant then removes the crowns saying: "By laying aside these temporary crowns, make them worthy, O Lord, to be among the guests at Your heavenly table." The service is concluded with the Lord's prayer, the Nicene Creed and the teshmeshto "service" of the Blessed Virgin.

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Marriage as it is in the Bible.

Marriage is:

• Divinely instituted.
  Genesis 2:24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.
   

• A covenant relationship.
  Malachi 2:4 And ye shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that my covenant might be with Levi, saith the LORD of hosts.
   

• DESIGNED FOR

  • The happiness of man.
    Genesis 2:18 And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.
     

  • Increasing the species.
    Genesis 1:28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

    Genesis 9:1 And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.
     

  • Raising up godly seed.
    Malachi 2:15 And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth.
     

  • Preventing fornication.
    1 Corinthians 7:2 Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.
     

• The expectation of the promised seed of the woman an incentive to, in the early age.
  Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

  Genesis 4:1 And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD.
   

• Lawful in all.
  1 Corinthians 7:2 Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.

  1 Corinthians 7:28 But and if thou marry, thou hast not sinned; and if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned. Nevertheless such shall have trouble in the flesh: but I spare you.

  1 Timothy 5:14 I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully.
   

• Honorable for all.
  Hebrews 13:4 Marriage is honorable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.
   

• Should be only in the Lord.
  1 Corinthians 7:39 The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord.

   

• EXPRESSED BY

  • Joining together.
    Matthew 19:6 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
     

  • Making affinity.
    1 Kings 3:1 And Solomon made affinity with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and took Pharaoh's daughter, and brought her into the city of David, until he had made an end of building his own house, and the house of the LORD, and the wall of Jerusalem round about.
     

  • Taking to wife.
    Exodus 2:1 And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi.
     

  • Giving daughters to sons, and sons to daughters.
    Deuteronomy 7:3 Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son.

    Ezra 9:12 Now therefore give not your daughters unto their sons, neither take their daughters unto your sons, nor seek their peace or their wealth for ever: that ye may be strong, and eat the good of the land, and leave it for an inheritance to your children for ever.
     

• Indissoluble during the joint lives of the parties.
  Matthew 19:6 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

  Romans 7:2-3 For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband. So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.

  1 Corinthians 7:39 The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord.
   

• Early introduction of polygamy.
  Genesis 4:19 And Lamech took unto him two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah.
   

• Contracted in patriarchal age with near relations.
  Genesis 20:12 And yet indeed she is my sister; she is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.

  Genesis 24:24 And she said unto him, I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, which she bare unto Nahor.

  Genesis 28:2 Arise, go to Padan Aram, to the house of Bethuel thy mother's father; and take thee a wife from thence of the daughters of Laban thy mother's brother.
   

• Often contracted by parents for children.
  Genesis 24:49-51 And now if ye will deal kindly and truly with my master, tell me: and if not, tell me; that I may turn to the right hand, or to the left. Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, The thing proceedeth from the LORD: we cannot speak unto thee bad or good. Behold, Rebekah is before thee, take her, and go, and let her be thy master's son's wife, as the LORD hath spoken.

  Genesis 34:6 And Hamor the father of Shechem went out unto Jacob to commune with him.

  Genesis 34:8 And Hamor communed with them, saying, The soul of my son Shechem longeth for your daughter: I pray you give her him to wife.
   

• Should be with consent of parents.
  Genesis 28:8 And Esau seeing that the daughters of Canaan pleased not Isaac his father;

  Judges 14:2-3 And he came up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines: now therefore get her for me to wife. Then his father and his mother said unto him, Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well.
   

• Consent of the parties necessary to.
  Genesis 24:57-58 And they said, We will call the damsel, and enquire at her mouth. And they called Rebekah, and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I will go.

  1 Samuel 18:20 And Michal Saul's daughter loved David: and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him.

  1 Samuel 25:41 And she arose, and bowed herself on her face to the earth, and said, Behold, let thine handmaid be a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord.
   

• Parents might refuse to give their children in.
  Exodus 22:17 If her father utterly refuse to give her unto him, he shall pay money according to the dowry of virgins.

  Deuteronomy 7:3 Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son.
   

• THE JEWS

  • Forbidden to contract, with their near relations.
    Leviticus 18:6 None of you shall approach to any that is near of kin to him, to uncover their nakedness: I am the LORD.
     

  • Forbidden to contract with idolaters.
    Deuteronomy 7:3-4 Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son. For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods: so will the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and destroy thee suddenly.
     

  • Often contracted with foreigners.
    1 Kings 11:1 But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites;

    Nehemiah 13:23 In those days also saw I Jews that had married wives of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab:
     

  • Sometimes guilty of polygamy.
    1 Kings 11:1 But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites;

    1 Kings 11:3 And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart.
     

  • Careful in contracting for their children.
    Genesis 24:2 And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh:

    Genesis 28:1-2 And Isaac called Jacob, and blessed him, and charged him, and said unto him, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan. Arise, go to Padanaram, to the house of Bethuel thy mother's father; and take thee a wife from thence of the daughters of Laban thy mother's brother.
     

  • Betrothed themselves some time before.
    Deuteronomy 20:7 And what man is there that hath betrothed a wife, and hath not taken her? let him go and return unto his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man take her.

    Judges 14:5 Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and came to the vineyards of Timnath: and, behold, a young lion roared against him.

    Judges 14:7-8 And he went down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well. And after a time he returned to take her, and he turned aside to see the carcase of the lion: and, behold, there was a swarm of bees and honey in the carcase of the lion
     

  • Contracted when young.
    Proverbs 2:17 Which forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God.

    Joel 1:8 Lament like a virgin girded with sackcloth for the husband of her youth.
     

  • Often contracted, in their own tribe.
    Exodus 2:1 And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi.

    Numbers 36:6-13 This is the thing which the LORD doth command concerning the daughters of Zelophehad, saying, Let them marry to whom they think best; only to the family of the tribe of their father shall they marry. So shall not the inheritance of the children of Israel remove from tribe to tribe: for every one of the children of Israel shall keep himself to the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers. And every daughter, that possesseth an inheritance in any tribe of the children of Israel, shall be wife unto one of the family of the tribe of her father, that the children of Israel may enjoy every man the inheritance of his fathers. Neither shall the inheritance remove from one tribe to another tribe; but every one of the tribes of the children of Israel shall keep himself to his own inheritance. Even as the LORD commanded Moses, so did the daughters of Zelophehad: For Mahlah, Tirzah, and Hoglah, and Milcah, and Noah, the daughters of Zelophehad, were married unto their father's brothers' sons: And they were married into the families of the sons of Manasseh the son of Joseph, and their inheritance remained in the tribe of the family of their father. These are the commandments and the judgments, which the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses unto the children of Israel in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho.

    Luke 1:5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.

    Luke 1:27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.
     

  • Obliged to contract with a brother's wife who died without seed.
    Deuteronomy 25:5 If brethren dwell together, and one of them die, and have no child, the wife of the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger: her husband's brother shall go in unto her, and take her to him to wife, and perform the duty of an husband's brother unto her.

    Matthew 22:24 Saying, Master, Moses said, If a man die, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.
     

  • Considered being debarred from, a reproach.
    Isaiah 4:1 And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach.
     

  • Considered being debarred from, a cause of grief.
    Judges 11:38 And he said, Go. And he sent her away for two months: and she went with her companions, and bewailed her virginity upon the mountains.
     

  • Often punished by being debarred from.
    Jeremiah 7:34 Then will I cause to cease from the cities of Judah, and from the streets of Jerusalem, the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride: for the land shall be desolate.

    Jeremiah 16:9 For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will cause to cease out of this place in your eyes, and in your days, the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride.

    Jeremiah 25:10 Moreover I will take from them the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the sound of the millstones, and the light of the candle.
     

  • Were allowed divorce from, because of hardness of their hearts.
    Deuteronomy 24:1 When a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and it come to pass that she find no favour in his eyes, because he hath found some uncleanness in her: then let him write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house.

    Matthew 19:7-8 They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away? He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.
     

  • Exempted from going to war immediately after.
    Deuteronomy 20:7 And what man is there that hath betrothed a wife, and hath not taken her? let him go and return unto his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man take her.
     

• Priest not to contract, with divorced or improper person.
  Leviticus 21:7 They shall not take a wife that is a whore, or profane; neither shall they take a woman put away from her husband: for he is holy unto his God.
   

• The high priest not to contract, with a widow or a divorced or profane person.
  Leviticus 21:14 A widow, or a divorced woman, or profane, or an harlot, these shall he not take: but he shall take a virgin of his own people to wife.
   

• Contracted at the gate and before witnesses.
  Ruth 4:1 Then went Boaz up to the gate, and sat him down there: and, behold, the kinsman of whom Boaz spake came by; unto whom he said, Ho, such a one! turn aside, sit down here. And he turned aside, and sat down.

  Ruth 4:10-11 Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of his place: ye are witnesses this day. And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said, We are witnesses. The LORD make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel: and do thou worthily in Ephratah, and be famous in Bethlehem:
   

• Modes of demanding women in.
  Genesis 24:3 And I will make thee swear by the LORD, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell:

  Genesis 34:6 And Hamor the father of Shechem went out unto Jacob to commune with him.

  Genesis 34:8 And Hamor communed with them, saying, The soul of my son Shechem longeth for your daughter: I pray you give her him to wife.

  1 Samuel 25:39-40 And when David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, Blessed be the LORD, that hath pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and hath kept his servant from evil: for the LORD hath returned the wickedness of Nabal upon his own head. And David sent and communed with Abigail, to take her to him to wife. And when the servants of David were come to Abigail to Carmel, they spake unto her, saying, David sent us unto thee, to take thee to him to wife.
   

• Elder daughters usually given in, before the younger.
  Genesis 29:26 And Laban said, It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn.
   

• A dowry given to the woman's parents before.
  Genesis 29:18 And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter.

  Genesis 34:12 Ask me never so much dowry and gift, and I will give according as ye shall say unto me: but give me the damsel to wife.

  1 Samuel 18:27-28 Wherefore David arose and went, he and his men, and slew of the Philistines two hundred men; and David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full tale to the king, that he might be the king's son in law. And Saul gave him Michal his daughter to wife. And Saul saw and knew that the LORD was with David, and that Michal Saul's daughter loved him.
   

• CELEBRATED

  • With great rejoicing.
    Jeremiah 33:11 The voice of joy, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the voice of them that shall say, Praise the LORD of hosts: for the LORD is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: and of them that shall bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the LORD. For I will cause to return the captivity of the land, as at the first, saith the LORD.

    John 3:29 He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.
     

  • With feasting.
    Genesis 29:22 And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast.

    Judges 14:10 So his father went down unto the woman: and Samson made there a feast; for so used the young men to do.

    Matthew 22:2-3 The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.
     

  • For seven days.
    Judges 14:12 And Samson said unto them, I will now put forth a riddle unto you: if ye can certainly declare it me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty sheets and thirty change of garments:
     

• A benediction pronounced after.
  Genesis 24:60 And they blessed Rebekah, and said unto her, Thou art our sister, be thou the mother of thousands of millions, and let thy seed possess the gate of those which hate them.

  Ruth 4:11-12 And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said, We are witnesses. The LORD make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel: and do thou worthily in Ephratah, and be famous in Bethlehem: And let thy house be like the house of Pharez, whom Tamar bare unto Judah, of the seed which the LORD shall give thee of this young woman.
   

• THE BRIDE

  • Received presents before.
    Genesis 24:53 And the servant brought forth jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment, and gave them to Rebekah: he gave also to her brother and to her mother precious things.
     

  • Given a handmaid at.
    Genesis 24:59 And they sent away Rebekah their sister, and her nurse, and Abraham's servant, and his men.

    Genesis 29:24 And Laban gave unto his daughter Leah Zilpah his maid for an handmaid.

    Genesis 29:29 And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be her maid
     

  • Adorned with jewels for.
    Isaiah 49:18 Lift up thine eyes round about, and behold: all these gather themselves together, and come to thee. As I live, saith the LORD, thou shalt surely clothe thee with them all, as with an ornament, and bind them on thee, as a bride doeth.

    Isaiah 61:10 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.
     

  • Gorgeously appareled.
    Psalms 45:13-14 The king's daughter is all glorious within: her clothing is of wrought gold. She shall be brought unto the king in raiment of needlework: the virgins her companions that follow her shall be brought unto thee.
     

  • Attended by bridesmaids.
    Psalms 45:9 Kings' daughters were among thy honorable women: upon thy right hand did stand the queen in gold of Ophir.
     

  • Stood on the right of bridegroom.
    Psalms 45:9 Kings' daughters were among thy honorable women: upon thy right hand did stand the queen in gold of Ophir.
     

  • Called to forget her father's house.
    Psalms 45:10 Hearken, O daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear; forget also thine own people, and thy father's house;

   

• THE BRIDEGROOM

  • Adorned with ornaments.
    Isaiah 61:10 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.
     

  • Attended by many friends.
    Judges 14:11 And it came to pass, when they saw him, that they brought thirty companions to be with him.

    John 3:29 He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.
     

  • Presented with gifts.
    Psalms 45:12 And the daughter of Tyre shall be there with a gift; even the rich among the people shall intreat thy favour.
     

  • Crowned with garlands.
    Song of Solomon 3:11 Go forth, O ye daughters of Zion, and behold king Solomon with the crown wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his espousals, and in the day of the gladness of his heart.
     

  • Rejoiced over the bride.
    Isaiah 62:5 For as a young man marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons marry thee: and as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee.
     

  • Returned with the bride to his house at night.
    Matthew 25:1-6 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
     

• Garments provided for guests at.
  Matthew 22:12 And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.
   

• Infidelity of those contracted in, punished as if married.
  Deuteronomy 22:23-24 If a damsel that is a virgin be betrothed unto an husband, and a man find her in the city, and lie with her; Then ye shall bring them both out unto the gate of that city, and ye shall stone them with stones that they die; the damsel, because she cried not, being in the city; and the man, because he hath humbled his neighbour's wife: so thou shalt put away evil from among you.

   

• ILLUSTRATIVE OF

  • God's union with the Jewish nation.
    Isaiah 54:5 For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called.

    Jeremiah 3:14 Turn, O backsliding children, saith the LORD; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion:

    Hosea 2:19-20 And I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness, and in mercies. I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness: and thou shalt know the LORD.ou: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion:
     

  • Christ's union with His church.
    Ephesians 5:23-24 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.

    Ephesians 5:32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

 
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