In ancient Jewish society, to be pledged to be married was a one-year term of legal marriage without coming together. The husband would create an environment for a family to be raised in during this one year period. During this time, they would spiritually ready their hearts for the responsibility to come.
When Jesus came in the flesh around two thousand years ago, the Jewish marriage practices were different then the practices of marriage in much of the world today. In those days, when children were very young the parents of two families would decide who their children’s prospective spouse would be. The children were too young to know what was going on. Then when the two children became of a certain age they would be betrothed as bride and bridegroom for one year. Today’s engagement time is similar to the betrothed year, but there are distinct differences. (Ex. 22:16, Deuteronomy 22:13-30, Matt. 1:18, Luke 1:27, 2:5)
During the one year, the betrothed bride and bridegroom were considered legally married. Yet they would not live together, nor have intimate relations together. They would not leave their parent’s families until the year was concluded. Before they were married they were to be sanctified as Israel was sanctified before they married the Lord at Mount Sinai. (Ex. 19:10-14) The brides became sanctified by having the ceremonial “mikvah” (water immersion). While they were betrothed, the couple must remain pure and devoted to each other. The bridegroom would prepare a house for them to raise a family in, and the bride would take care of the bridegroom’s needs. At any time during the betrothal year if the bride decided that she didn’t want to be married to the bridegroom, she could call the marriage off and there would be a legal separation.
When they were finally married there would be two witnesses, friends of the bridegroom. Their role was to prepare the bride and escort her to meet the groom underneath the “chupath” (wedding canopy) where the marriage would occur. Moses was the witness who led Israel to the Lord at Mount Sinai, where a canopy of smoke circled the mountain top. (Ex. 19)
When they married, they would have a “ketuba” (marriage contract/covenant) which states the terms and conditions of the marriage; the Lord and Israel in Deuteronomy 28 and Leviticus 26. During a traditional Jewish wedding, the couple would state their love for each other as the Lord and Israel did at Mount Sinai. (Ex. 19:4-8) The marriage was completed (“kiddushin” meaning sanctified) when the bridegroom gave something of value to the bride and she accepted it, usually a ring that had a precious stone on it if he could afford it. Then there would be a great wedding banquet, a feast was held which lasted several days. (John 2:1-11)
