What Does the Bible Say About Wives?

“Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. to thy: or, subject to thy husband”

“And I will make thee swear by the LORD, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell:”

“And Esau was forty years old when he took to wife Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Bashemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite:”

“Which were a grief of mind unto Isaac and to Rebekah. a grief: Heb. bitterness of spirit”

“And Isaac called Jacob, and blessed him, and charged him, and said unto him, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan.”

“And the woman made haste, and ran, and shewed her husband, and said unto him, Behold, the man hath appeared unto me, that came unto me the other day.”

“And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said unto Samson's wife, Entice thy husband, that he may declare unto us the riddle, lest we burn thee and thy father's house with fire: have ye called us to take that we have? is it not so? take: Heb. possess us, or, impoverish us?”

“And Samson's wife wept before him, and said, Thou dost but hate me, and lovest me not: thou hast put forth a riddle unto the children of my people, and hast not told it me. And he said unto her, Behold, I have not told it my father nor my mother, and shall I tell it thee?”

“And she wept before him the seven days, while their feast lasted: and it came to pass on the seventh day, that he told her, because she lay sore upon him: and she told the riddle to the children of her people. the seven: or, the rest of the seven days”

“And they took them wives of the women of Moab; the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth: and they dwelled there about ten years.”

“And Naomi said unto her two daughters in law, Go, return each to her mother's house: the LORD deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me.”

“Now the name of the man was Nabal; and the name of his wife Abigail: and she was a woman of good understanding, and of a beautiful countenance: but the man was churlish and evil in his doings; and he was of the house of Caleb.”

“And as the ark of the LORD came into the city of David, Michal Saul's daughter looked through a window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart.”

“But there was none like unto Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the LORD, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up. stirred: or, incited”

“Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her for his daughter, was come to go in unto the king, she required nothing but what Hegai the king's chamberlain, the keeper of the women, appointed. And Esther obtained favour in the sight of all them that looked upon her.”

“So Esther was taken unto king Ahasuerus into his house royal in the tenth month, which is the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.”

“And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favour in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti. favour: or, kindness in his: Heb. before him”

“Then said Zeresh his wife and all his friends unto him, Let a gallows be made of fifty cubits high, and to morrow speak thou unto the king that Mordecai may be hanged thereon: then go thou in merrily with the king unto the banquet. And the thing pleased Haman; and he caused the gallows to be made. gallows: Heb. tree”

“Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die.”

“A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband: but she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his bones.”

“Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.”

“Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD.”

“House and riches are the inheritance of fathers: and a prudent wife is from the LORD.”

“It is better to dwell in the wilderness , than with a contentious and an angry woman. in: Heb. in the land of the desert”

“Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.”

“The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.”

“She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.”

“She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.”

“She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar.”

“She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.”

“She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard. buyeth: Heb. taketh”

“She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.”

“She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night. She: Heb. She tasteth”

“She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.”

“She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy. She: Heb. She spreadeth”

“She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet. scarlet: or, double garments”

“She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple.”

“Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.”

“She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.”

“Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.”

“She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.”

“She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.”

“Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.”

“And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,”

“For Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold upon John, and bound him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife: for he had married her.”

“And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.”

“But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,”

“And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet.”

“And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came unto them.”

“And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.”

“For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.”

“So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.”

“Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband.”

“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.”

“Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.”

“And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband:”

“And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him.”

“For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.”

“For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife? how: Gr. what”

“Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law.”

“And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.”

“Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.”

“Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.”

“Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;”

“So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.”

“For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.”

“Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.”

“Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.”

“In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; broided: or, plaited”

“But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.”

“Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.”

“Well reported of for good works; if she have brought up children, if she have lodged strangers, if she have washed the saints' feet, if she have relieved the afflicted, if she have diligently followed every good work.”

“That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, sober: or, wise”

“To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.”

“Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.”

“Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives;”

“While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear.”

“Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;”

“But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.”

“For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands:”

“Even as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement. daughters: Gr. children”