{"id": "card_n_e06a6ad551ae", "kind": "note", "title": "Easton: Espouse", "body": "(2 Sam. 3:14), to betroth. The espousal was a ceremony of betrothing, a formal agreement between the parties then coming under obligation for the purpose of marriage. Espousals are in the East frequently contracted years before the marriage is celebrated. It is referred to as figuratively illustrating the relations between God and his people (Jer. 2:2; Matt. 1:18; 2 Cor. 11:2). (See BETROTH.)", "source": {"label": "Matthew Easton, Illustrated Bible Dictionary (1897)", "url": "/characters.html?search=Espouse", "ref": "Espouse", "authority_tier": "external_aligned"}, "shelf": "dictionary", "box": "easton_concept_e_h", "bands": ["easton", "bible_dictionary", "concept"], "connections": [{"to_card_id": "card_n_b3d286d98c09", "relationship": "cites", "via_connection_card_id": "card_c_3a5b77a4f3d5"}, {"to_card_id": "card_spine_words", "relationship": "member_of", "evidence": "a member of the dictionary shelf in the keeping"}], "author": "engine", "created_at": "2026-05-19T13:08:59.414024+00:00", "updated_at": "2026-05-19T19:50:29.296051+00:00", "visibility": "public", "lifecycle_stage": "public", "volatility": "permanent", "metrics": {"paperclips_count": 0, "helpful_count": 0, "not_helpful_count": 0, "cite_count": 2, "walks_through_count": 0, "flagged_count": 0}, "source_hash": "60f2de3fffbc1de117c2ac06a7d0c379aa74073cfe558a2df74e14dcea2e6d98", "witnesses": [{"class": "manuscript_tradition", "label": "Original 1897 publication — Thomas Nelson, London", "ref": "Easton-1897"}, {"class": "republication", "label": "Project Gutenberg — Easton's Bible Dictionary", "url": "https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/45696", "ref": "PG-45696"}, {"class": "republication", "label": "Internet Archive — multiple scans", "url": "https://archive.org/details/eastonsillustra00east", "ref": "IA-Easton"}, {"class": "republication", "label": "CCEL — Easton's Bible Dictionary", "url": "https://www.ccel.org/e/easton/ebd/", "ref": "CCEL-Easton"}, {"class": "republication", "label": "Blue Letter Bible — searchable Easton's", "url": "https://www.blueletterbible.org/study/easton/", "ref": "BLB-Easton"}], "witness_status": "passed", "witness_status_reason": "5 witnesses across 2 independence classes: ['manuscript_tradition', 'republication']", "surface": "secular", "presentation": {"glyph": "•", "kind_label": "easton concept e h", "by": "Matthew Easton, Illustrated Bible Dictionary (1897)", "authority": "external_aligned", "posted": "", "standing": "", "link": {"url": "/characters.html?search=Espouse", "host": "", "provider": "", "titled": "Easton: Espouse", "waybill_line": "", "reach": "", "embed": ""}}, "neighbors": [{"id": "card_n_b3d286d98c09", "title": "Matthew", "relationship": "cites", "why": "", "href": "/card/card_n_b3d286d98c09", "resolved": true}, {"id": "card_spine_words", "title": "The Dictionary & Thesaurus", "relationship": "on the shelf of", "why": "a member of the dictionary shelf in the keeping", "href": "/card/card_spine_words", "resolved": true}]}