Dictionary of Bible Themes Dictionary of Bible Themes » 5000 Humanity » 5650 Human relationships » 5708 marriage » 5711 marriage, restrictions concerning The OT law forbade intermarriage with people who worshipped idols because it threatened the covenant relationship with God and his people. Marriage with close relations was also forbidden. Remarriage is permissible following the death of a spouse and, in certain circumstances, following divorce. Intermarriage with foreigners Examples of marriages to foreigners Genesis 38:2; Genesis 41:45; Exodus 2:21; Leviticus 24:10; Ruth 1:4; 1 Chronicles 2:34-35; Ezra 10:18-44 Warnings against marrying foreigners Exodus 34:16 See also Deuteronomy 7:3-4; Joshua 23:12-13 Intermarriage with foreigners led to idolatry Judges 3:5-6; 1 Kings 11:1-8 Royal marriages to foreigners brought disastrous consequences. See also 1 Kings 16:31; Malachi 2:11 Intermarriage among returning exiles was a major problem facing Ezra and Nehemiah: Ezra 9:1-2,14; Ezra 10:1-2; Nehemiah 13:23-27 Parents sought to avoid their children marrying foreigners Nehemiah 10:30 See also Genesis 24:3-4 Abraham seeks a bride for Isaac from among his own people. Esau's foreign wives are a source of grief to his parents: Genesis 26:34-35; Genesis 27:46 Genesis 28:1-2 Isaac forbids Jacob to marry a Canaanite woman; Judges 14:3 Samson's parents encourage him to marry an Israelite. Marriage to foreigners may be permissible Ruth 4:13 Boaz' marriage to Ruth the Moabitess was acceptable because Ruth embraced the Israelite faith. Restrictions were on the grounds of religion not of race. Foreign wives were put aside after the exile Ezra 10:3 See also Ezra 10:10-17 Marriages between Christians and unbelievers Christians should not marry unbelievers 1 Corinthians 7:39; 2 Corinthians 6:14 Christians should not leave an unbelieving spouse Restrictions on marriage to close relatives Sexual relations with close relatives is forbidden Leviticus 18:6-18 See also Leviticus 20:11-12,14,19-21; Deuteronomy 22:30; Ezekiel 22:10-11; Matthew 14:3-4 pp Mark 6:17-18 Examples of marriage to close relatives Genesis 20:12 Abraham was married to his half-sister; 2 Samuel 13:13 Tamar suggests marriage with her half-brother, Amnon. Levirate marriage The levirate law was instituted to preserve the dead father's name Deuteronomy 25:5-10; Ruth 4:10 Levirate marriage refers to the legal obligation of a brother-in-law to produce heirs for his dead brother by marrying his widow. When there was no brother-in-law responsibility fell to a near relative, also described as a “kinsman-redeemer”. See also Genesis 38:8,11; Ruth 1:11-13; Ruth 3:9; Ruth 4:5; Matthew 22:24-26 pp Mark 12:19-22 pp Luke 20:28-31 Unwillingness to fulfil the levirate law Genesis 38:9,14,26; Ruth 4:6 Regulations governing seduction and rape Exodus 22:16; Deuteronomy 22:28-29 Remarriage Widows are free to remarry Romans 7:2-3 See also Ruth 1:9; 1 Corinthians 7:8-9; 1 Timothy 5:14 Remarriage after divorce may be adultery Luke 16:18 pp Matthew 19:9 pp Mark 10:11-12 See also 1 Corinthians 7:10-11 Remarriage after divorce permissible in certain circumstances Deuteronomy 24:1-4; Matthew 5:32; 1 Corinthians 7:15,27-28 See also
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