When a man wanted to marry a girl, he could not just ask her to marry him. First, he had to ask the girl’s father.
"If a man wants to ask for a wife, he must first go to her guardian and her closest relatives and come forward with his wish. A father is the guardian of his daughter."
A girl could not marry a man against the will of her father or mother. If she did, she would lose her inheritance.
"If a maiden takes a husband against the will of her father or mother, she has forfeited her paternal and maternal inheritance."
If the father agrees to the marriage, the father shall give her away saying these words:
"I will give you my daughter, so that she will be a housewife with honour, with half of the bed, locks and keys and a third of all money you own or will own."
The wife had the right to make decisions concerning the household and she also took care of the keys. She owned a third of all that was in the house.