More

precious
than jewels
Ode to a capable wife
Proverbs chapter 31:10-31

10 A good wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels.
11 The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain.
12 She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life.
13 She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands.
14 She is like the ships of the merchant, she brings her food from afar.
15 She rises while it is yet night and provides food for her household and tasks for her maidens.
16 She considers a field and buys it; with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
17 She girds her loins with strength and makes her arms strong.
18 She perceives that her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp does not go out at night.
19 She puts her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle.
20 She opens her hand to the poor, and reaches out her hands to the needy.
21 She is not afraid of snow for her household, for all her household are clothed in scarlet.
22 She makes herself coverings; her clothing is fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is known in the gates, when he sits among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them; she delivers girdles to the merchant.
25 Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come.
26 She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
27 She looks well to the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:
29 "Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all."
30 Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
31 Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates.

Sirach 7:19 Do not deprive yourself of a wise and good wife, for her charm is worth more than
gold.

Sirach 25:16 I would rather dwell with a lion and a dragon than dwell with an evil wife.

Sirach 26:1-12
Happy is the husband of a good wife; the number of his days will be doubled. A loyal wife rejoices
her husband, and he will complete his years in peace. A good wife is a great blessing; she will be
granted among the blessings of the man who fears the Lord. Whether rich or poor, his heart is glad,
and at all times his face is cheerful. Of three things my heart is afraid, and of a fourth I am
frightened: The slander of a city, the gathering of a mob, and false accusation -- all these are worse
than death. There is grief of heart and sorrow when a wife is envious of a rival, and a tongue-
lashing makes it known to all. An evil wife is an ox yoke which chafes; taking hold of her is like
grasping a scorpion. There is great anger when a wife is drunken; she will not hide her shame. A
wife's harlotry shows in her lustful eyes, and she is known by her eyelids. Keep strict watch over a
headstrong daughter, lest, when she finds liberty, she use it to her hurt. Be on guard against her
impudent eye, and do not wonder if she sins against you. As a thirsty wayfarer opens his mouth and
drinks from any water near him, so will she sit in front of every post and open her quiver to the
arrow.
The Blessing of a Good Wife
Sirach 26:13-18

A wife's charm delights her husband, and her skill puts fat on his bones. A silent wife is a gift of the
Lord, and there is nothing so precious as a disciplined soul. A modest wife adds charm to charm,
and no balance can weigh the value of a chaste soul. Like the sun rising in the heights of the Lord,
so is the beauty of a good wife in her well-ordered home. Like the shining lamp on the holy
lampstand, so is a beautiful face on a stately figure. Like pillars of gold on a base of silver, so are
beautiful feet with a steadfast heart. At two things my heart is grieved, and because of a third anger
comes over me: a warrior in want through poverty, and intelligent men who are treated
contemptuously; a man who turns back from righteousness to sin -- the Lord will prepare him for
the sword! A merchant can hardly keep from wrongdoing, and a tradesman will not be declared
innocent of sin.

Psalm 128:3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your children will be like olive
shoots around your table.

Eccles 9:9 Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your vain life which he has given
you under the sun, because that is your portion in life and in your toil at which you toil under the
sun.

Proverbs 5:18 Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice in the wife of your youth,

Proverbs 12:4 A good wife is the crown of her husband, but she who brings shame is like rottenness
in his bones.

Proverbs 18:22 He who finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor from the LORD.

Proverbs 19:14 House and wealth are inherited from fathers, but a prudent wife is from the LORD.

Mark 10:11 "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another, commits adultery against her; 12 and
if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery."

Genesis 2:24-5 Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and cleaves to his wife, and they
become one flesh. And the man and his wife were both naked, and were not ashamed.

The Christian Household

Ephesians 5:21-33
21Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives, be subject to your husbands, as to
the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body,
and is himself its Savior. 24 As the church is subject to Christ, so let wives also be subject in
everything to their husbands. 25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave
himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with
the word, 27 that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any
such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. 28 Even so husbands should love their
wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no man ever hates his own
flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, as Christ does the church, 30 because we are members of his
body. 31 "For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the
two shall become one flesh." 32 This is a great mystery, and I mean in reference to Christ and the
church; 33 however, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she
respects her husband.
Directions concerning marriage
1 Corinthians 7:1-16

1 Now concerning the matters about which you wrote. It is well for a man not to touch a woman. 2
But because of the temptation to immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman
her own husband. 3 The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife
to her husband. 4 For the wife does not rule over her own body, but the husband does; likewise the
husband does not rule over his own body, but the wife does. 5 Do not refuse one another except
perhaps by agreement for a season, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come
together again, lest Satan tempt you through lack of self-control. 6 I say this by way of concession,
not of command. 7 I wish that all were as I myself am. But each has his own special gift from God,
one of one kind and one of another. 8 To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is well for them
to remain single as I do. 9 But if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry. For it is better
to marry than to be aflame with passion.
10 To the married I give charge, not I but the Lord, that the wife should not separate from her
husband 11 (but if she does, let her remain single or else be reconciled to her husband) -- and that
the husband should not divorce his wife. 12 To the rest I say, not the Lord, that if any brother has a
wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he should not divorce her. 13 If any
woman has a husband who is an unbeliever, and he consents to live with her, she should not divorce
him. 14 For the unbelieving husband is consecrated through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is
consecrated through her husband. Otherwise, your children would be unclean, but as it is they are
holy. 15 But if the unbelieving partner desires to separate, let it be so; in such a case the brother or
sister is not bound. For God has called us to peace. 16 Wife, how do you know whether you will
save your husband? Husband, how do you know whether you will save your wife?