Ancient Hebrew Weddings

Last updated Dec 20, 2011.

Ancient Hebrew weddings may have included the following: 1) The blowing of the SHaPUR (shofar), 2) PaXIM (many colours/distinction/individuality) in tartan (plaid) garments and decorations, 3) A CHUPE (chuppah/canopy), 4) TSITSIT (fringes) and blue PaTILIM (bands) above (in height) ("up-on"—not within) the fringes all along each of four hems (not four enlarged tassels) of the garments, 5) ID IMINU (his right hand): the position where the bride stands next to the groom during the vows, 6) A belief-filled and confident celebrant (not necessarily a rabbi), 7) A personalised and Hebrew themed KaTUBE (katubah/written covenant) which is signed by the bride then groom in the presence of two witnesses, and, 8) Decorations of TaPaARaT (beauty) with Biblical symbols like the Ancient ISHaRaALite (Israeli) national flower the Lily of the Valley (aka fleur de lis/madonna lily). Jeremy Douglas Lythgoe and Jane Elizabeth Marchant had their spiritual wedding which they tried to make as Ancient Hebrew as possible on the 28th Day of the 12th Agricultural and Astronomical Month (aka March 4), 2011—at Jane's home in Ohope Beach, Bay of Plenty, New Zealand (in exile!). After that they had their governmental wedding on August 19, 2011.

How We Tried to Make Our Wedding Ancient Hebrew

1) SHaPUR (rams horn). We had an older male family member Jeremy's father Don blow the SHaPUR [shapoor] (shofar/trumpet/rams horn) (Strong's H7782) off a balcony to commence the wedding—and tell Jane to leave her chamber (bedroom) and head for the beach with her father Mel. The ancient Hebrews used SHaPURIM [shapooreem] (shofars) to make blasting noises for times of rejoicing as well as: battle starts, appointed times (like the Day of Trumpets [IUM TaRUOE]), month starts, emergencies, the arrival of royalty, and calls to action.

2) PaXIM (many colours/distinction/individuality). We had tartan (plaid) garments and decorations of PaXIM [paxeem] (many colours/distinction/individuality) (H6446)—like IEUXaP (Joseph) with his coat of PaXIM (many colours) (BaRaASHIT Genesis 37:3, 23 and 32). We believe tartan was invented by the Ancient Hebrews. We were wearing the Scottish Ancient Douglas tartan (after Jeremy's middle name), because we could not get Linlithgowshire (for Lythgoe) tartan in time. We also had tartan table runners. The website Britam.org does an excellent job in providing evidence that tartan is ISHaRaLI (Israelite): each link on this page goes through to another with lots of information. Also ISHaRaALI (caucasian) mummies around 2700 years old have been found in China wearing tartan.

3) CHUPE (canopy). We said our vows under a CHUPE [choopeh] (chuppah/canopy) (H2646) (ISHOIEU Isaiah 4:5). This canopy was transferred to Jeremy's left shoulder and pinned by a brooch after the ceremony: so he could protect Jane with his canopy from then on as needed. Today the Scots (many descended from the 10 lost tribes of ISHaRaAL) call this over-shoulder garment a "fly plaid". Jeremy fringed the square fabric roof by hand, but we ran out of time to put blue bands on its borders because we did own it. Jane found the four (free) drift-wood pillars on the beach a few weeks earlier after a storm (good can be made out of something bad!). The men of the wedding party put the stakes into the sand early on the morning on the wedding. The celebrant Ken Asiata did an excellent job of attaching the roof to the roof to the pillars for us.

4) TSITSIT and Blue PaTILIM (fringes and blue bands). Jane had fringes that the Bible calls TSITSIT [tseetseet] (H6734) and blue PaTILIM [pateeleem] (bands) (H6616) above/over in height ("up-on"—not within) all along each of her four hems: neckline, two cuffs and bottom hemline (BaMaDaBaR Numbers 15:38). The KJV word "on" (H5921) in this verse means "upon" as in "up-on", or "up-over"—just as ALUEIM's (IEUE's) Spirit moved "over" (not within) the face of the waters (BaRaASHIT Genesis 1:2). Also the Ancient Hebrew Lexicon of the Bible by Jeff Benner defines "OL" (ayin-lamed) as "above" or "upon", but never just "on" (AHLB#: 1357-A (N))—indicating a position of relative  height. Jane did not have four enlarged (lengthened) tassels which the MaSHICH rebuked the Pharisees for making: "[F]or they are broadening their amulets and magnifying the tassels."(CLV MaTaTIEU Matthew 23:5). The CHES Bible version translates the word "fringes" (in the the KJV) in DaBaRIM Deuteronomy 22:12 as "cones" (from the Hebrew "GaDILIM" [gadeeleem] [H1434]—another word for "fringes" apart from TSITSIT) indicating the shape of upside-down blossoming flowers, like bells. The word for "blossom" (H6692) in the phrase, "Israel shall blossom" (KJV ISHOIEU Isaiah 27:6) in Hebrew is TSITS [tseets], a word closely related to TSITSIT. Jeremy rented his outfit so we could not put fringes and bands on it. For more on TSITSIT and PaTIL see the article Ancient Hebrew TSITSIT.

5) ID IMINU (his right hand). Jane stood at ID IMINU [eed eemeenu] (his right hand) (Jeremy's) (H3027, H3225) while we said our vows—like the MaSHICH IEUESHUO is seated next to Father IEUE in heaven. Being on the right hand represents being under the authority of.

6) No RaBI (rabbi). We had no rabbi, only Jane's belief-filled and confident brother-in-law as a celebrant Ken Asiata (Sally's [an administrator's] husband).

7) KaTUBE (written covenant). We signed our KaTUBE [katoobeh] (ketubah/written covenant) (H3789) in the presence of the celebrant and two witnesses (Jane's father Mel and Jeremy's father Don—the most authoritative members of the wedding party). The KaTUBE was written in Jane's OBaRISH font (fusion font of English and Ancient Hebrew [OBaRIT]), and had borders and a watermark containing the two national flowers of ancient ISHaRaAL: the Lily of the Valley (fleur de lis/madonna lily) and Rose of Sharon (tudor rose/hibiscus syriacus).

8) TaPaARaT (beauty). We had table napkins each folded like a Lily of the Valley (fleur de lis/madonna lily); again, tartan table runners; and a bit of a beach (again a local/individual) theme. Jane's gold head braid was like those worn by Old English (10/Northern lost tribal) maidens, and like the gold crown that she hopes to inherit in the Kindgom of Heaven. She also wore her (mother's) chain-work necklace which had flower shapes like the madonna lily/Star of David. This necklace, along with her earrings and bracelet were all pearl-like—inspired by Jewish Yemenite Bridal worn jewelry dowrys of today. Moreover her dress was based on a 15th Century Irish (APaRIMI [Ephraimite]) wedding dress. Jeremy wore a traditional Scottish formal outfit including rampant lion (IEUDI [Jewish]/Lion of DUID [David]) symbols on his buttons and belt buckle. He is a soldier by profession so the shorter more practical battle kilt—as opposed to a long more formal tunic—we thought was adequately appropriate in this case.

Photos (16) (Click to Enlarge)

1) Jeremy's Dad Don Blowing the SHaPUR (shofar)

2) Jeremy Waiting for Jane Under the CHUPE (chuppah)

3) Jeremy and Jane Under the CHUPE (chuppah)

4) Jeremy Saying His Vows

5) Jeremy and Jane's KaTUBE (ketubah)

6) Jeremy and Jane's Wedding Rings

7) Jeremy and Jane After their Vows

8) King Jeremy and Queen Jane (in Training, Hopefully!)

9) Jeremy and Jane Holding Hands

10) Jeremy and Jane on the Rock

11) Jeremy and Jane Side View

12) Wedding Tables

13) Table Decoration with Lily of the Valley Napkins

14) The Men of the Wedding

15) The Women of the Wedding

16) Jeremy and Jane at their Government Wedding (Later)