“Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.”

Genesis 2:24

Marriage

Remarriage?

Marriage

Definitions

Generic modern definitions: • Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary

Merriam-Webster online dictionary: 1 a (1): the state of being united to a person of the opposite sex as husband or wife in a consensual and contractual relationship recognized by law

(2): the state of being united to a person of the same sex in a relationship like that of a traditional marriage <same-sex marriage>

b: the mutual relation of married persons: wedlock

c: the institution whereby individuals are joined in a marriage

2: an act of marrying or the rite by which the married status is effected ; especially: the wedding ceremony and attendant festivities or formalities

3: an intimate or close union <the marriage of painting and poetry — J. T. Shawcross>

Marriage

Definitions

Generic modern definitions: • Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary• Wordnet (Princeton) online dictionary

Wordnet (Princeton) online dictionary: • the state of being a married couple voluntarily joined for life (or until divorce); "a long and happy marriage"; "God bless this union"

• two people who are married to each other; "his second marriage was happier than the first"; "a married couple without love"

• the act of marrying; the nuptial ceremony; "their marriage was conducted in the chapel"

• a close and intimate union; "the marriage of music and dance"; "a marriage of ideas"

Marriage

Definitions

Generic modern definitions: • Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary• Wordnet (Princeton) online dictionary• Wikipedia online encyclopedia

Wikipedia online encyclopedia: • a social, religious, spiritual, emotional, and/or legal union of individuals that creates kinship.• may also be called matrimony, while the ceremony that marks its beginning is usually called a wedding and the married status created is sometimes called wedlock.

• Marriage is an institution in which interpersonal relationships (usually intimate and sexual) are acknowledged by the state, by religious authority, or both.

• It is often viewed as a contract.

• Civil marriage is the legal concept of marriage as a govern- mental institution, in accordance with marriage laws of the jurisdiction. If recognized by the state, by the religion(s) to which the parties belong or by society in general, the act of marriage changes the personal and social status of the individuals who enter into it.

Marriage

Definitions

Generic modern definitions: • Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary• Wordnet (Princeton) online dictionary• Wikipedia online encyclopedia

Some highlights of the modern view of marriage: Union of individuals, whether same-sex or not A contract, recognized and sanctioned by law 2nd, subsequent legal unions also called marriage Change of personal and social status for the married

Marriage

Definitions

Generic modern definitions: • Merriam-Webster, Wordnet, Wikipedia; etc.Specific modern legal definitions: • South Carolina Legislature

South Carolina Legislature Code of Law: TITLE 20. DOMESTIC RELATIONS 

CHAPTER 1. MARRIAGE ARTICLE 1. GENERAL PROVISIONS

(A) All persons, except mentally incompetent persons and personswhose marriage is prohibited by this section, may lawfully contractmatrimony.

(B) No man shall marry his mother, grandmother, daughter, grand-daughter, stepmother, sister, grandfather's wife, son's wife, grandson's wife, wife's mother, wife's grandmother, wife's daughter, wife's grand-daughter, brother's daughter, sister's daughter, father's sister, mother's sister, or another man.

(C) No woman shall marry her father, grandfather, son, grandson, stepfather, brother, grandmother's husband, daughter's husband, granddaughter's husband, husband's father, husband's grandfather, husband's son, husband's grandson, brother's son, sister's son, father's brother, mother's brother, or another woman.

SECTION 20-1-10. Persons who may contract matrimony. [SC ST SEC 20-1-10]

South Carolina Legislature Code of Law: TITLE 20. DOMESTIC RELATIONS 

CHAPTER 1. MARRIAGE ARTICLE 1. GENERAL PROVISIONS

SECTION 20-1-15. Prohibition of same sex marriage . [SC ST SEC 20-1-15]

A marriage between persons of the same sex is void ab initio and against the public policy of this State.

SECTION 20-1-10. Persons who may contract matrimony. [SC ST SEC 20-1-10]

Interesting Note:The words “ab initio” used in the state

law prohibiting same-sex marriages arefrom Latin, meaning “from the beginning”!

Marriage

Definitions

Generic modern definitions: • Merriam-Webster, Wordnet, Wikipedia; etc.Specific modern legal definitions: • South Carolina Legislature• Legislature from other states

− As of this study, 11 states in some form accept or legalize same-sex marriages

• U.S. constitution does not provide legislation with regards to marriage; a state-level issue

Marriage

Definitions

Remember: Dictionaries, Encyclopedias, and legal codesdo not create word definitions; rather, they reflect what is common usage of the day.

Therefore, if we desire to analyze a word in its context, it helps if we understand that word’s origins and meaning at the time it was used.

Marriage

Definitions

Generic modern definitions: • Merriam-Webster, Wordnet, Wikipedia; etc.Specific modern legal definitions: • South Carolina and other state LegislatureBible definitions: • Old Testament [Hebrew]

− Strong’s Exhaustive Bible Concordance› marriage(s), married, marry(ing) = 10 Heb. words

Strong’s Exhaustive Bible Concordance: “marriage”: (1) - ownah (1x): to dwell together, (sexual) cohabitation; “marriage rights” [Ex. 21:10] (2) - halal (1x): to be clear; to shine; to make a show, boast; to celebrate, commend, make a deal; “given in marriage” [Ps. 78:63]

“marriages”: (3) - chathan (1x): to give (a daughter) away in marriage; to contract affinity by marriage; join in affinity; father-in-law, mother-in-law; son-in-law; “make marriages with us” [Gen. 34:9]

Strong’s Exhaustive Bible Concordance: “married”: (4) - laqach (4x): to take (applied very widely); accept, bring, buy, carry away, drawn, fetch, get, take many, mingle, place, receive, reserve, seize, send for, take away, take up, use, win. “who had married his daughters” [Gen. 19:14] “he had married” [Num. 12:1] (2x) “whom he had married” [1 Chr. 2:21]

Strong’s Exhaustive Bible Concordance: “married”: (4) - laqach (4x): to take (applied very widely);

(5) - baal (11x): to be master; to marry; have dominion (over), be husband, married, wife. “if he comes in married” [Ex. 21:3] “If the priest’s daughter is married” [Lev. 22:12] “a woman married to a husband” [Deut. 22:22] “takes a wife and marries her” [Deut. 24:1] “woman when she is married” [Prov. 30:23] “the children of the married woman” [Isa. 54:1] “your land shall be married” [Isa. 62:4] “as a young man marries a virgin” [Isa. 62:5] “so shall your sons marry you” [Isa. 62:5] “for I am married to you” [Jer. 3:14] “He has married the daughter” [Mal. 2:11]

Strong’s Exhaustive Bible Concordance: “married”: (4) - laqach (4x): to take (applied very widely);

(5) - baal (11x): to be master; to marry; have dominion (over);

(6) - ishsha (6x): a woman (applied very widely); adulteress; female, together, wife, woman. “then his wife shall go out with him” [Ex. 21:3] - modifies “married” from earlier in verse “they are married to any…sons” [Num. 36:3] “let them marry whom they” [Num. 36:6] “they may marry only within” [Num. 36:6] “were married to the sons” [Num. 36:11] “were married into the families” [Num. 36:12]

Strong’s Exhaustive Bible Concordance: “married”: (4) - laqach (4x): to take (applied very widely);

(5) - baal (11x): to be master; to marry; have dominion (over);

(6) - ishsha (6x): a woman (applied very widely);

(7) - nasa (1x): to lift (applied very widely); accept, bear up, bring forth, carry away, contain, desire, fetch, furnish, give, help, hold up, honorable, lift (self), lofty, marry, magnify, lift needs, obtain, raise up, receive, regard, respect, set up, take away/up, lift utterly, wear, yield. “married fourteen wives” [2 Chr. 13:21]

Strong’s Exhaustive Bible Concordance: “married”: (4) - laqach (4x): to take (applied very widely);

(5) - baal (11x): to be master; to marry; have dominion (over);

(6) - ishsha (6x): a woman (applied very widely);

(7) - nasa (1x): to lift (applied very widely);

“marry”: (8) - yabam (1x): to marry a (deceased) brother’s widow; to perform the duty of a husband’s brother. “brother’s wife and marry her” [Gen. 38:8]

Strong’s Exhaustive Bible Concordance: “married”: (4) - laqach (4x): to take (applied very widely);

(5) - baal (11x): to be master; to marry; have dominion (over);

(6) - ishsha (6x): a woman (applied very widely);

(7) - nasa (1x): to lift (applied very widely);

“marry”: (8) - yabam (1x): to marry a (deceased) brother’s widow;

(9) - hayah (1x): to exist, to be or become, come to pass; be committed, continue, pertain. “not be {married} to a stranger” [Deut. 25:5] - “marriage” is understood, supplied here

Strong’s Exhaustive Bible Concordance: “married”: (4) - laqach (4x): to take (applied very widely);

(5) - baal (11x): to be master; to marry; have dominion (over);

(6) - ishsha (6x): a woman (applied very widely);

(7) - nasa (1x): to lift (applied very widely);

“marry”: (8) - yabam (1x): to marry a (deceased) brother’s widow;

(9) - hayah (1x): to exist, to be or become, come to pass;

“marrying”:(10) - yashab (1x): to sit down, dwell, remain; to settle; to marry; make to abide, continue, cause to dwell; endure, establish, habitation, haunt, make to inhabit, make to keep house, marrying, take “marrying pagan women?” [Neh. 13:27]

Marriage

Definitions

Generic modern definitions: • Merriam-Webster, Wordnet, Wikipedia; etc.Specific modern legal definitions: • South Carolina and other state LegislatureBible definitions: • Old Testament [Hebrew]• New Testament [Greek]

− Vine’s Expository Dict. Of New Testament Words› marriage, marry = 7 Greek words