חֲתֻנָּה
a wedding
Definition
The Hebrew noun חֲתֻנָּה refers specifically to a wedding ceremony or the celebration of a marriage. It denotes the festive event itself, encompassing the rituals, feasting, and public celebration that formalized the marital union. In its single biblical occurrence in Song of Solomon 3:11, it is used in the context of King Solomon's glorious wedding procession, highlighting the joy and splendor of the occasion. The word focuses on the ceremonial aspect rather than the legal or relational state of marriage.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only once in the entire Old Testament, in Song of Solomon 3:11. Here, it describes the specific, celebratory event of a royal wedding: 'Go forth, O daughters of Zion, and behold King Solomon with the crown with which his mother crowned him on the day of his espousals (חֲתֻנָּה), on the day of the gladness of his heart.' Its usage is entirely within the poetic and metaphorical context of the Song, emphasizing the joy and public festivity of the wedding day.
Etymology
The noun חֲתֻנָּה is derived from the root חָתַן (H2859, chathan), which means 'to become a son-in-law' or 'to marry into a family.' This root gives us the common noun for 'bridegroom' (חָתָן, H2860). Thus, חֲתֻנָּה literally means 'that which pertains to the bridegroom'—the wedding celebration itself. It is part of a word family centered on marriage and joining families.
Semantic Range
Though used only once, this word is theologically significant as it anchors the rich marital imagery used throughout Scripture to describe God's covenant relationship with His people. In Song of Solomon, the wedding celebration symbolizes the peak of joyful, covenantal love. This imagery is foundational for understanding the New Testament depiction of Christ as the bridegroom and the church as His bride (e.g., Ephesians 5:25-27, Revelation 19:7-9). Understanding this Hebrew term enriches the biblical metaphor of divine covenant as a sacred, joyous, and celebratory union.
In ancient Israelite culture, a wedding (חֲתֻנָּה) was not a private affair but a major community celebration, often lasting several days. It involved a procession, feasting, and public recognition of the new union. The reference in Song of Solomon 3:11 to a royal crown and the call for the 'daughters of Zion' to behold the event underscores its public, ceremonial, and joyous nature, differing from a modern focus primarily on the private exchange of vows.
נִשּׂוּאִין (nissu'in, H5375) — A later rabbinic Hebrew term for the marriage ceremony itself, focusing on the legal act of 'taking' a wife. חָתָן (chathan, H2860) — The 'bridegroom,' the central male figure of the חֲתֻנָּה. כַּלָּה (kallah, H3618) — The 'bride,' the female counterpart in the wedding.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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