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Where is this marriage covenant doctrine taught in the Bible?

NeoPatriarch

NeoPatriarch

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I'm looking for clarification.

Where does the Bible teach that Adam and Eve had a marriage covenant? How about Cain and his wife? Lamech? Did Isaac and Rebecca make a covenant before she became his wife?

What were the terms of Jacobs covenant with Leah, when he thought she was Rebecca? What are the term of any biblical marriage covenant?

The Bible says David and Jonathan had a covenant, but they weren't married. Right? Job made a covenant with his eyes. So then it cannot be said that a covenant equals marriage.

I'm looking for verses about real identifiable marriages, wives, and husbands that include the word covenant.

So Malachi 2 isn't sufficient. It's not about a specific couple, but rather a people in covenant with God.

I'm open to prescriptive text from scripture as well.
 
It may also be helpful for you to familiarize yourself with the Hebrew culture on the subject. There are several good reference books on the topic if you are so inclined
 
Verifyveritas76 said:
The best reference I know of is Ezekiel 16:8
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Of course that suffers with the same problem as Malachi 2. Are all references to a marriage covenant limited to these metaphorical narratives?

Ezekiel 16:8
“When I passed by you again and saw you, behold, you were at the age for love, and I spread the corner of my garment over you and covered your nakedness; I made my vow to you and entered into a covenant with you, declares the Lord God, and you became mine.
 
Can't you comment on it? You should be able to. The whole point of that thread is to keep the conversation in one place so it's easier for people to find, rather than scattered all over the forum.
 
FollowingHim2 said:
Can't you comment on it? You should be able to. The whole point of that thread is to keep the conversation in one place so it's easier for people to find, rather than scattered all over the forum.
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I cannot, but even if I could. The OP clearly states, "This thread is not to debate the topic named, but exists to collate scripture in support of one position only as part of a structured discussion."

So it would be inappropriate to do so there. I suppose.
 
You should be able to comment on that thread. However, the link Sarah originally gave was problematic: it sent you to the http:// website instead of https://, so you may have appeared logged out and unable to comment. Follow the link now, or browse to it any other way, and you should find you can comment. Little technical details.

But regarding the way that discussion is organised, yes, debating the topic would detract from that thread. This is an issue we've gone round and round in circles on for so many years, that I have tried to set up an organised structure for it to try and bring some clarity. There's a thread for each major position to list the key points in support of each to help people researching this from any angle. Go to here and you'll see this explained. If you have any key points to add to the opposing positions, that don't yet exist, please do add them to the relevant threads. I'd really like to see this very long-running debate clarified rather than being an argument everywhere as it always seems to be (especially right now).
 
Aren’t the verses about God and his people actually more descriptive than any human relationship? The whole point of human marriage is supposed to be a reflection of Gods relationship with his people. Literally the man is the reflection of God and the woman is the reflection of Gods people...

Also covenant (arrangement/agreement) is evident in many marriages in scripture. Sometimes it’s made by someone else on behalf of the groom. Genesis 24 for instance. Sometimes we aren’t informed about the specifics but I believe it’s always present...
 
FollowingHim said:
You should be able to comment on that thread. However, the link Sarah originally gave was problematic: it sent you to the http:// website instead of https://, so you may have appeared logged out and unable to comment. Follow the link now, or browse to it any other way, and you should find you can comment. Little technical details.

But regarding the way that discussion is organised, yes, debating the topic would detract from that thread. This is an issue we've gone round and round in circles on for so many years, that I have tried to set up an organised structure for it to try and bring some clarity. There's a thread for each major position to list the key points in support of each to help people researching this from any angle. Go to here and you'll see this explained. If you have any key points to add to the opposing positions, that don't yet exist, please do add them to the relevant threads. I'd really like to see this very long-running debate clarified rather than being an argument everywhere as it always seems to be (especially right now).
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So to be clear, I can comment on that other thread, but not debate in it.

This thread is very narrow. It's not a debate thread either. I'm looking for chapter and verse in which two real people, not metaphoric characters, enter a covenant marriage, and what the terms are. It should be a short in and out discussion, as there is either such an example or there is not. I'm looking for the example, that would help me a great deal in my understanding.

I'll be glad to dig through those other threads, but it's unlikely that they will be as narrow in scope as has been framed here.

In order to do that, I'd have to begin some sub-thread, within one of those threads you mentioned. Is that what you are trying to get me to do?

Rom 12:18
If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.
 
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I don't doubt that you presuppose things, but I'm asking for concrete examples. If they don't exist that's fine, but I'm looking for that concession. If possible.

One of the things I've learned in the poly debate, God's not bashful or coy about the things that are important. Like marriage.

Pacman said:
Aren’t the verses about God and his people actually more descriptive than any human relationship? The whole point of human marriage is supposed to be a reflection of Gods relationship with his people. Literally the man is the reflection of God and the woman is the reflection of Gods people...

Also covenant (arrangement/agreement) is evident in many marriages in scripture. Sometimes it’s made by someone else on behalf of the groom. Genesis 24 for instance. Sometimes we aren’t informed about the specifics but I believe it’s always present...
Click to expand...
 
NeoPatriarch said:
Ezekiel 16:8
“When I passed by you again and saw you, behold, you were at the age for love, and I spread the corner of my garment over you and covered your nakedness; I made my vow to you and entered into a covenant with you, declares the Lord God, and you became mine.
Click to expand...


I’m not sure why you would discount this passage. As I understand it, God has just made a perfect example in terminology and language that the audience would associate with immediately. He describes a spiritual covenant in flesh and blood terminology.

Even at that, just because this is the most perfect and thorough example of covenant that I am aware of Scripturally, that doesn’t mean that a marriage must ascribe to all of these perfectly to be considered ‘in covenant ‘. There are many examples in scripture where much less than this is perfectly acceptable for a ‘covenant relationship ‘ commonly referred to as marriage.
 
Verifyveritas76 said:
I’m not sure why you would discount this passage.
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The question is about a human couple. Ie Adam and Eve, David and Abigail, and Peter and the woman whose mother he heals.

This example from Ezekiel is the Lord and a people group. We know that God has a covenant people. That's a given. It's uncontested.

It doesn't make an absolute case that every human marriage must have one.
So, I'm looking for a biblical example of real people or prescriptive text that mandates such a vow.

Especially in light of how Christ commanded his followers not to make vows. Let your yes be yes and no be no.

As to your question about betrothal and espousal. Generally, they are covenants between parents, or a father and a prospective husband. I'm looking for an example of a husband and wife covenant.
 
NeoPatriarch said:
I'm looking for an example of a husband and wife covenant.
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I don’t think you will find it. As the woman doesn’t have that authority. Her father does.
 
Pacman said:
I don’t think you will find it. As the woman doesn’t have that authority. Her father does.
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Oh, what an interesting turn. One I don't necessarily disagree with.

So you're saying that the parties to a marital covenant are both men. Right?

So for example: in the case of Adam and Eve the parties are the Lord and Adam. The text would suggest that the relationship between Adam and Eve is then one of stewardship. The text never refers to a covenant, but I can see where there is space for one.

That idea of a marriage covenant being between men, may be accurate in some cases, especially cases in which a wife is "given", is there an example of a marriage covenant when a wife is "taken"?

Thanks for continuing to contribute.
 
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