61 Bible Verses about Marriage, Restrictions Concerning

and there he saw the daughter of a man called Shua, a Canaanite. And he took her and went in unto her.

And he called Joseph's name Zaphenath-Paneah. And he gave him to wife Asenath the daughter of Poti-Pherah priest of On. Then went Joseph abroad in the land of Egypt.

And Moses was content to dwell with the man. And he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter which bare a son,

And the son of an Israelitish wife, whose father was an Egyptian, went out among the children of Israel. And this son of the Israelitish wife and a man of Israel, strove together in the host.

which took them wives of the nations of the Moabites: the one's name Orpah and the other's Ruth. And when they had dwelled there about a ten years,

Sheshan had no sons, but only daughters. And Sheshan had a servant that was an Egyptian named Jarha to whom he gave his daughter to wife, and she bare him Attai.

And among the children of the priests there were men found that had taken strange wives, namely among the children of Jeshua the son of Jozadak and of his brethren, Maaseiah, and Eliezer, and Jarib, and Gedaliah. And they gave their hands thereupon, that they would put away their wives: and for their trespass offering to give a ram for their trespass. Among the children of Immer: Hanani, and Zebadiah.read more.
Among the children of Harim: Maaseiah, and Elijah, and Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah. Among the children of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah. Among the Levites: Jozabad, Shimei, and Kelaiah, which same is Kelita, Pethahiah, Judah and Eliezer. Among the singers: Eliashib. Among the porters: Shallum, Telem, and Uri. Of Israel: Among the children of Parosh: Ramiah and Izziah, and Malchiah, Mijamin, and Eleazar, Malchijah, and Benaiah. Among the children Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jerimoth and Elijah. Among the children of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jerimoth, Zabad and Aziza. Among the children of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai. Among the children of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Jerimoth. Among the children of Pahathmoab: Adna, Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui and Manasseh. Among the children of Harim: Eliezer, Isshijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon, Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah. Among the children of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei. Among the children of Bani: Maadai, Amram, Uel, Benaiah, Cheluhi, Bedeiah, Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Mattenai, Jaasu, Bani, Binnui, Shimei, Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah, Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai, Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah, Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph. Among the children of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel, Benaiah. All these had taken strange wives; and among the same wives there were some that had born children.

And thou take of their daughters unto thy sons, and when their daughters go a whoring after their gods,

Also thou shalt make no marriages with them, neither give thy daughter unto his son nor take his daughter unto thy son. For they will make your sons depart from me and serve strange gods, and then will the wrath of the LORD wax hot upon you and destroy you shortly.

But and if ye shall go back and cleave unto the rest of these nations that remain with you and shall make marriages with them, and shall go to them and they come to you: be sure that the LORD your God will not cast out all these nations before you. But they shall be snares and traps unto you, and scourges for your sides, and pricks in your eyes, until ye perish from off this good land which the LORD your God hath given you.

And as the children of Israel dwelt among the Cananites, Hittites, Amorites, Perezites, Hivites, and Jebusites, they took the daughters of them to be their wives, and gave their own daughters to their sons, and served their gods.

But king Solomon loved many outlandish women: the daughter of Pharaoh, and of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians and Hittites, even of nations of which the LORD said unto the children of Israel, "See ye come not at them, nor let them come to you: for surely they will turn your hearts after their gods." Nevertheless to such Solomon clave and fell in love with them. And he had seven hundred very Queens and three hundred concubines which turned always his heart.read more.
For when Solomon was old, his wives turned his heart after other gods: so that his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father. And Solomon followed Ashtaroth the goddess of the Sidonians, and Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. And Solomon wrought wickedness in the sight of the LORD and continued not after the LORD as did David his father. After that, Solomon built an altar for Chemosh the abomination of the Moabites in the hill that standeth before Jerusalem, and unto Moloch the abomination of the children of Ammon. And likewise did he for all his outlandish wives, which burnt cense and offered unto their gods.

For it seemed him a light thing to walk in the sin of Jeroboam - But took Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians to wife, and went and served Baal and bowed unto him.

Now hath Judah offended: yea the abomination is done in Israel and in Jerusalem, for Judah hath defiled the Sanctuary of the LORD, which he loved, and hath kept the daughter of a strange God.

Then all this was performed, the rulers came to me, and said, "The people of Israel, and the priests, and Levites are not separated from the nations in the lands as touching their abominations, namely of the Cananites, Hittites, Perezites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians, and Amorites. For they have taken the daughters of the same, and their sons, and have mixed the holy seed with the nations in the lands: and the hand of the rulers and lords of council hath been principal in this trespass."

And when Ezra prayed after this manner, and knowledged, wept, and lay before the house of God, there resorted unto him out of Israel a very great congregation of men and women and children: For the people wept very sore. And Shecaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the children of Elam, answered, and said unto Ezra, "We have trespassed against the LORD our God, in that we have taken strange wives of the people of the land. Now there is hope yet in Israel concerning this:

And at the same time saw I Jews, that married wives of Ashdod, Ammon, and of Moab; and their children spake half in the speech of Ashdod, and could not speak in the Jews' language, but according to the language of the one people and the other people. And I reproved them, and cursed them, and smote certain men of them, and plucked them up, and took an oath of them by God, "Ye shall not give your daughters unto their sons, neither shall ye take their daughters unto your sons, or for yourselves.read more.
Did not Solomon the king of Israel sin therein? And yet among many Heathen was there no king like him, and he was dear unto his God, and God made him king over all Israel, and yet nevertheless outlandish women caused him to sin? And shall we then obey unto you, to do all this great evil, and to transgress against our God, and marry strange wives?"

and that we would not give our daughters unto the people in the land, neither to take their daughters for our sons.

that I may make thee swear by the LORD that is God of heaven and God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son, of the daughters of the Canaanites, among which I dwell. But shalt go unto my country and to my kindred, and there take a wife unto my son Isaac."

When Esau was forty years old, he took to wife Judith the daughter of Beeri, an Hittite, and Basemath the daughter of Elon, an Hittite also, which were disobedient unto Isaac and Rebekah.

And Rebekah spake to Isaac, "I am weary of my life, for fear of the daughters of Heth. If Jacob take a wife of the daughters of Heth, such one as these are, or of the daughters of the land, what lust should I have to live?"

Then Isaac called Jacob his son and blessed him, and charged him and said unto him, "See thou take not a wife of the daughters of Canaan, but arise and get thee to Mesopotamia, to the house of Bethuel thy mother's father: and there take thee a wife of the daughters of Laban, thy mother's brother.

Then his father and mother said unto him, "Is there never a woman of the daughters of thy brethren, among all my people: but that thou must go and fetch a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines?" And Samson said unto his father, "Give me this woman for she pleaseth me well."

And so Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife. And he went in unto her, and the LORD gave that she conceived and bare a son.

for now will we make a covenant with our God, that we shall put away all the wives - and such as are born of them - according to the counsel of the LORD and of them that fear the commandment of our God, that we may do according to the law.

And Ezra the priest stood up, and said unto them, "Ye have transgressed, that have taken strange wives, to make the trespass of Israel yet more: confess now therefore unto the LORD God of your fathers, and do his pleasure, and separate yourselves from the people of the land, and from the strange wives." Then answered all the congregation and said with a loud voice, "Let it be done as thou hast said.read more.
But the people are many, and it is a rainy weather; and the people are too faint to tarry without in the street - neither is this a work of one day or two, for we are many that have offended in this transgression. Let us appoint our rulers therefore in all the congregation, that all they which have taken strange wives in our cities, may come at the time appointed - and the elders of every city and their judges with them - till the wrath of our God be turned away from us for this offense." Then were appointed Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahzeiah the son of Tikvah over this matter: And Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levites helped them. And the children of the captivity did even so. And Ezra the priest, and the ancient heads through the house of their fathers, and all that were now rehearsed by name, separated themselves; and sat them down on the first day of the tenth month to examine this matter. And on the first day of the first month they made an end of all the men that had taken strange wives.

The wife is bound to the law as long as her husband liveth. If her husband sleep, she is at liberty to marry with whom she will only in the Lord.

Set yourselves therefore at large, and bear not a stranger's yoke with the unbelievers. For what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? What company hath light with darkness?

To the remnant speak I, and not the Lord: if any brother have a wife that believeth not, if she be content to dwell with him, let him not put her away. And the woman which hath to her husband an infidel, if he consent to dwell with her, let her not put him away. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife: and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband. Or else were your children unclean: but now are they pure.read more.
But and if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not in subjection to such. God hath called us in peace. For how knowest thou o woman, whether thou shalt save that man or no? Other, how knowest thou o man, whether thou shalt save that woman or no?

"'See that ye go to none of your nighest kindred for to uncover their privities, for I am the LORD. The privities of thy father and thy mother, see thou unhele not: she is thy mother, therefore shalt thou not uncover her privities. The privities of thy father's wife shalt thou not uncover, for they are thy father's privities.read more.
Thou shalt not uncover the privities of thy sister, the daughter of thy father or of thy mother: whether she be born at home or without. Thou shalt not uncover the privities of thy son's daughter or thy daughter's daughter, for that is thine own privity. Thou shalt not uncover the privities of thy father's wife's daughter, which she bare to thy father, for she is thy sister: thou shalt therefore not uncover her privities. Thou shalt not uncover the privities of thy father's sister, for she is thy father's next kin. Thou shalt not uncover the privities of thy mother's sister, for she is thy mother's next kinswoman. Thou shalt not open the privities of thy father's brother; that is, thou shalt not go in to his wife, for she is thine aunt. Thou shalt not uncover the privities of thy daughter-in-law, she is thy son's wife; therefore uncover not her privities. Thou shalt not unhele the privity of thy brother's wife, for that is thy brother's privity. Thou shalt not uncover the privities of the wife and her daughter also; neither shalt thou take her son's daughter or her daughter's daughter to uncover their privities: they are her next kin, it were therefore wickedness. Thou shalt not take a wife and her sister thereto, to vex her that thou wouldest open her privities as long as she liveth.

If a man lie with his father's wife and uncover his father's privities, they shall both die for it, their blood be upon their heads. If a man lie with his daughter-in-law they shall die both of them: they have wrought abomination, their blood upon their heads.

No man shall take his father's wife, nor uncover his father's covering.

In thee have they discovered their fathers' shame, in thee have they vexed women in their sickness. Every man hath dealt shamefully with his neighbour's wife, and abominably defiled his daughter-in-law. In thee hath every man forced his own sister, even his father's daughter.

For Herod had taken John and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife. For John said unto him, "It is not lawful for thee to have her."

For Herod himself had sent forth, and had taken John, and bound him and cast him into prison for Herodias' sake, which was his brother Philip's wife. For he had married her. John said unto Herod, "It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife."

yet in very deed she is my sister, the daughter of my father, but not of my mother: and became my wife.

For whither shall I go with my shame? And thou shalt be as one of the fools in Israel. But speak unto the king, and he shall not deny me unto thee."

When brethren dwell together and one of them die and have no child, the wife of the dead shall not be given out unto a stranger: but her brother-in-law shall go in unto her and take her to wife and marry her. And the eldest son which she beareth, shall stand up in the name of his brother which is dead, that his name be not put out in Israel. But and if the man will not take his sister-in-law, then let her go to the gate unto the elders and say, 'My brother-in-law refuseth to stir up unto his brother a name in Israel, he will not marry me.'read more.
Then let the elders of his city call unto him and commune with him. If he stand and say, 'I will not take her,' then let his sister-in-law go unto him in the presence of the elders and loose his shoe off his foot and spit in his face and answer and say, 'So shall it be done unto that man that will not build his brother's house.' And his name shall be called in Israel, the unshoed house.

And moreover, Ruth the Moabite, the wife of Mahlon, do I take unto me to wife to stir up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that his name be not put out from among his brethren, and from the gate of his city: ye are witnesses this day."

Then said Judah unto Onan, go in to thy brother's wife and marry her, and stir up seed unto thy brother.

But Naomi said, "Turn again my daughters: for what cause would you go with me? Think you that there be any more children in my bowels to be your husbands? Turn again my daughters and go: for I am too old to have a husband. If I said I have hope, also if I took a man this night: yea, and though I had already borne sons? Would ye tarry after them, till they were of age? Or would ye for them so long refrain from taking of husbands? Not so, my daughters: for it grieveth me much for your sakes, that the hand of the LORD is gone out against me."

Then he said, "What art thou?" And she answered, "I am Ruth, thine handmaid. Spread thy mantle over thine handmaid, for thou art the next of the kin."

Then said Boaz, "What day thou buyest the field of the hand of Naomi, thou must take also Ruth the Moabite the wife of the dead, to stir up the name of the dead upon his inheritance."

saying, "Master, Moses bade, if a man die having no children, that the brother marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother. There were with us seven brethren, and the first married and deceased without issue, and left his wife unto his brother. Likewise the second and the third, unto the seventh:

"Master, Moses wrote unto us, if any man's brother die, and leave his wife behind him, and leave no children: that then his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother. There were seven brethren and the first took a wife, and when he died left no seed behind him. And the second took her, and died: neither left he any seed, and the third likewise.read more.
And seven had her, and left no seed behind them. Last of all, the wife died also.

saying, "Master, Moses wrote unto us, 'if any man's brother die having a wife; And the same die without issue: that then his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.' There were seven brethren, and the first took a wife, and died without children. And the second took the wife, and he died childless.read more.
And the third took her, and in likewise the residue of the seven; And left no children behind them, and died.

And when Onan perceived that the seed should not be his: therefore when he went into his brother's wife, he spilled it on the ground, because he would not give seed unto his brother.

Then said the kinsman, "I cannot purchase it for marrying of mine own inheritance: take thou my right to thee, for I cannot purchase it."

"If a man beguile a maid that is not betrothed and lie with her, he shall endote her and take her to his wife:

If a man find a maid that is not betrothed and take her and lie with her and be found: Then the man that lay with her shall give unto the damsel's father fifty sicles of silver. And she shall be his wife, because he hath humbled her, and he may not put her away all his days.

For the woman which is in subjection to a man, is bound by the law to the man, as long as he liveth. If the man be dead, she is loosed from the law of the man. So then, if while the man liveth she couple herself with another man, she shall be counted a wedlock-breaker. But if the man be dead she is free from the law: so that she is no wedlock-breaker, though she couple herself with another man.

And the LORD grant you that you may find rest, either of you in the house of her husband." And so she kissed them.

I say unto the unmarried men, and widows: it is good for them if they abide even as I do, but and if they cannot abstain, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn.

I will therefore that the younger women marry and bear children, and guide the house, and give none occasion to the adversary to speak evil.

Whosoever forsaketh his wife, and marrieth another, breaketh matrimony. And every man which marrieth her that is divorced from her husband committeth adultery also.

I say therefore unto you, whosoever putteth away his wife, except it be for fornication, and marrieth another, breaketh wedlock. And whosoever marrieth her which is divorced, doth commit adultery."

And he said unto them, "Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, breaketh wedlock to her-ward. And if a woman forsake her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery."

Unto the married command not I, but the Lord: that the wife separate not herself from the man. If she separate herself, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled unto her husband again. And let not the husband put away his wife from him.

When a man hath taken a wife and married her, if she find no favour in his eyes, because he hath spied some uncleanness in her: Then let him write her a bill of divorcement and put it in her hand and send her out of his house. If, when she is departed out of his house, she go and be another man's wife, and the second husband hate her and write her a letter of divorcement and put it in her hand and send her out of his house, or if the second man die which took her to wife;read more.
her first man which sent her away may not take her again to be his wife, inasmuch as she is defiled. For that is abomination in the sight of the LORD: that thou defile not the land with sin, which the LORD thy God giveth thee to inherit.

But I say unto you, Whosoever put away his wife, except it be for fornication, causeth her to break matrimony. And whosoever marryeth her that is divorced breaketh wedlock.

But and if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not in subjection to such. God hath called us in peace.