Topical Encyclopedia
The concept of "arranged" in the Bible often pertains to the organization, preparation, or ordering of events, objects, or relationships according to divine or human intention. This term can be applied to various aspects of biblical narratives, including marriages, events, and the ordering of the universe.
Arranged Marriages:In biblical times, marriages were commonly arranged by families, reflecting cultural norms and social structures. The practice is evident in several biblical accounts, where marriages were orchestrated to ensure familial alliances, social stability, or the continuation of a lineage.
One notable example is the marriage of Isaac and Rebekah. Abraham, seeking a wife for his son Isaac, sends his servant to his homeland to find a suitable bride. The servant's encounter with Rebekah at the well and her subsequent agreement to marry Isaac illustrates the arranged nature of their union (
Genesis 24:1-67). This account highlights the role of divine guidance in the arrangement, as the servant prays for God's direction and receives a clear answer.
Similarly, the marriage of Jacob to Leah and Rachel was arranged by their father, Laban. Jacob's agreement to work for Laban in exchange for Rachel's hand in marriage, and the subsequent deception that led to his marriage to Leah, underscores the complexities and familial negotiations involved in arranged marriages (
Genesis 29:15-30).
Divine Arrangement:The Bible also speaks of God's sovereign arrangement of events and the natural order. The creation narrative in Genesis describes how God arranged the cosmos, setting the sun, moon, and stars in their places and organizing the earth's environment to sustain life (
Genesis 1:14-19). This divine ordering reflects God's wisdom and intentionality in creation.
In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul speaks of God's arrangement of the body of Christ, the Church. He emphasizes that God has arranged the members of the body, each with unique gifts and functions, to work together for the common good (
1 Corinthians 12:18-28). This arrangement underscores the importance of unity and diversity within the Christian community.
Providential Arrangements:Throughout Scripture, God's providential arrangement of circumstances is evident. The account of Joseph, who was sold into slavery by his brothers, yet rose to a position of power in Egypt, exemplifies how God arranges events for a greater purpose. Joseph himself acknowledges this divine arrangement when he tells his brothers, "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives" (
Genesis 50:20).
The Book of Esther also illustrates divine arrangement, as Esther's rise to queenship and her courageous intervention save the Jewish people from destruction. Mordecai's words to Esther, "And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?" (
Esther 4:14), highlight the belief in God's providential arrangement of events.
Conclusion:The concept of "arranged" in the Bible encompasses human practices, such as arranged marriages, as well as divine actions, including the ordering of creation and the providential guidance of history. These arrangements reflect both cultural practices and theological beliefs about God's sovereignty and purpose in the world.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
(
imp. & p. p.) of Arrange.
Greek
5001. tagma -- that which has beenarranged in order, spec. a...... 5000, 5001. tagma. 5002 . that which has been
arranged in order, spec.
... Word
Origin from tasso Definition that which has been
arranged in order, spec.
...5002. taktos -- ordered, stated
... ordered, stated. Part of Speech: Adjective Transliteration: taktos Phonetic Spelling:
(tak-tos') Short Definition: appointed,arranged, fixed Definition...
1299. diatasso -- to arrange thoroughly, ie to charge, appoint
... Word Origin from dia and tasso Definition to arrange thoroughly, ie to charge, appoint
NASB Word Usage arrange (1),arranged (1), commanded (3), direct (1...
Strong's Hebrew
8626. taqan -- to become straight... 8625b, 8626. taqan. 8627 . to become straight. Transliteration: taqan Phonetic
Spelling: (taw-kan') Short Definition:
arranged. Word Origin a prim.
...8499. tekunah -- arrangement, preparation, fixed place
... seat. From kuwn; or probably ident. With tkuwnah; somethingarranged or fixed, ie
A place -- seat. see HEBREW kuwn. see HEBREW tkuwnah. 8498, 8499....
6186a. arak -- to arrange or set in order
... root Definition to arrange or set in order NASB Word Usage arrange (5),arranged
(5), array (1), arrayed (13), battle lines (2), comparable (1), compare (2...
Library
Things Seemed to beArranged in Some Measure to the Satisfaction...
... Chap. XXVI. Things seemed to bearranged in some measure to the satisfaction
of Galerius? Things seemed to bearranged in some...
All WellArranged.
... Homily XII. Chapter XXIV."All WellArranged. And then Peter having discoursed
concerning God and the service accorded to Him, he...
And all These Omens are of Force Just So Far as Has BeenArranged....
... Book 2 Chapter 37. And all these omens are of force just so far as has
beenarranged? 37. And all these omens are of force just...
Virginity a Plant from Heaven, Introduced Late; the Advancement of...
... Discourse I."Marcella. Chapter II."Virginity a Plant from Heaven, Introduced
Late; The Advancement of Mankind to Perfection, HowArranged....
But this Material May be DifferentlyArranged in the Resurrection...
... Chapter 89."But This Material May Be DifferentlyArranged in the
Resurrection Body. And this earthly material, which when the...
Shapeless Matter an Incongruous Origin for God's Beautiful Cosmos...
... like an ass [6558] instead of a man; unless it be he who supposes that unformed
and shapeless Matter answers to Matter which is nowarranged and beautified in...
The Fragrance of the Life in the Gift.
... And so shearranged to have a man go in her stead to China, she caring for all the
expense involved, while he was so left wholly free for the service....
'A Time to Plant'
... The writer enumerates in this context a number of opposite courses of conduct
arranged in pairs, each of which is right at the right time....
Question Lxxxiii of Prayer
... not so that their acts may change the Divine arrangement, but that by their acts
they may bring about certain effects according to the orderarranged by God...
The Hebrew Prophecies.
... the margin of our English Bibles (which are not always correct though they are
approximately so) will show that these prophetical books are notarranged in the...
Thesaurus
Arranged (32 Occurrences)...Arranged (32 Occurrences).
... Matthew 28:16 As for the eleven disciples, they proceeded
into Galilee, to the hill where Jesus had
arranged to meet them. (WEY).
...Arrange (19 Occurrences)
... 1. (vt) To put in proper order; to dispose (persons, or parts) in the manner intended,
or best suited for the purpose; as, troopsarranged for battle....
Arrangement (18 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) The act of putting in an orderly condition; the
state of beingarranged or put in order; disposition in suitable form....
String (12 Occurrences)
... 2. (n.) A thread or cord on which a number of objects or parts are strung orarranged
in close and orderly succession; hence, a line or series of things...
File (1 Occurrence)
... 3. (n.) An orderly collection of papers,arranged in sequence or classified for
preservation and reference; as, files of letters or of newspapers; this mail...
Triclinium
... tri-klin'-ti-um (Latin from Greek triklinion, from tri and kline, "a couch"): A
couch for reclining at meals among the ancient Romans,arranged along three...
Epistles (2 Occurrences)
... These are notarranged in the New Testament in the order of time as to their
composition, but rather according to the rank of the cities or places to which...
Machine (2 Occurrences)
... relative motions are constrained, and by means of which force and motion may be
transmitted and modified, as a screw and its nut, or a leverarranged to turn...
Bolster (7 Occurrences)
... 3. (n.) Anythingarranged to act as a support, as in various forms of mechanism,
etc. 4. (n.) A cushioned or a piece part of a saddle....
System (3 Occurrences)
... 1. (n.) An assemblage of objectsarranged in regular subordination, or after some
distinct method, usually logical or scientific; a complete whole of objects...
Resources
Does the Bible advocate arranged marriages? | GotQuestions.orgDid women in the Bible have a choice about whom they married? | GotQuestions.orgWhat was betrothal in biblical times? | GotQuestions.orgArranged: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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