of Christ and the church (Matt. 9:15; 2 Cor. 11:2; Eph. 5:25–27; Rev. 19:7; 21:9).20 Reasons for the practice of betrothal include allowing the bride and groom time to get better acquainted—a necessity in a culture of arranged marriages—and to give the participating families time to prepare for the ensuing wedding ceremony. However, one of the major reasons for the betrothal period, if not the main reason, was to confirm the bride’s chastity.21 This was an important component of the betrothal process,