Study – Characteristics of a good wife
1st and foremost, she is to love God and study to become what the word tells her to become.
Proverbs 31:10-31
10 Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.
Virtuous: ability, efficiencey, often involving moral worth
11 The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.
trusting
12 She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.
good: benefit, a good thing
13 She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.
a hard worker
4 She is like the merchants’ ships; she bringeth her food from afar.
cunning or good with money, savy
15 She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.
giveth meat – finds or prepares food. A caregiver
16 She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.
cunning or good with money, savy
17 She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.
18 She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night.
takes care of herself
19 She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.
20 She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.
a hard worker and a giver to those in need
21 She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet.
cunning or good with money, savy
22 She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple.
feminine
23 Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.
24 She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.
cunning or good with money, savy
25 Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.
She wears both strength and honor
26 She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.
speaks liberally of wisdom and with freedom and is kind
27 She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.
cunning or good with money, savy
28 Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.
worthy of praise from her children and husband
29 Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.
30 Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.
How to become praised? Fear or have reverential awe of God
31 Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.
She is deserving of what she does with her own work
Titus 2:4-5
4 That they may teach the young women to be sober (to make of sound mind; to make, think and act soberly or temperate, discreetly or prudently), to love their husbands, to love their children,
Women are to act
soberly or temperate: even temper
discreet: of sound mind, follows sound reason and restrains passions; uses sound judgment and moderation.
Prudent: a minding to do, purpose, intention; thoughtfulness, good sense, practial wisom, prudence. A putting together of mind.
5 To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.
discreet: of sound mind, follows sound reason and restrains passions; uses sound judgment and moderation.
chaste: holy, sacred, undefiled, unsullied, virgin chasity
good: worthy of admiration, good of it’s kind. morally good.
obedient: to range or put under, to be subjected (reduced to the dominion of another)
Proverbs 19:14
14 House and riches are the inheritance of fathers: and a prudent wife is from the Lord.
Prudent: to show oneself attentive, understanding, considerate, wise
Leviticus 21:7
7 They shall not take a wife that is a whore, or profane; neither shall they take a woman put away from her husband: for he is holy unto his God.
Don’t be a whore or profane (figuratively poluted)
1 Corinthians 7:4
4 The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife.
Be sexually agreeable to your husband
Ephesians 5:21-24
21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.
22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.
submit: to cease fighting, to give way under, to give under, yield; be agreeable, be under
23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.
24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.
Let your husband lead
Ephesians 5:33
33 Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.
reverence: to honor, fear (reverential awe)
recognize husbands worth, an estimate of value, esteem, respect
WOMAN
Wife Characteristics
- be virtuous, be morally good
- Be trusting
- be good or a benefit to your husband
- be a hard worker
- be cunning or good with finances
- be a care giver. Care and provide for those in the family and those who work for you
- give to those in need
- take care of yourself and be feminine