Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Proverbs 21:19
[It is] better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and an angry woman.
19. wilderness ] regarded, as the parallel requires, not as a barren, but as a solitary place.
angry ] Or, fretful, R.V. text; or, a contentious woman and vexation, R.V. marg. The LXX. introduce a third characteristic, chattering, .
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Pro 21:19
It is better to dwell in the wilderness than with a contentious and an angry woman.
An angry woman
I. No social discomfort is to be compared to that of an ill-tempered wife. A corner of the housetop would be exposed to the rain and to the storm, both of which, in Eastern countries, are generally of a violent character. Neither is the wilderness a pleasant place of abode. But it is better to dwell in either of these places than with a brawling or even with an angry woman.
1. Because one might enjoy intervals of repose.
2. Because, whatever may be the discomforts of a housetop or wilderness dwelling, they may leave the soul at rest. They can but reach the body, and the mind may be so absolutely calm or absorbed in thought as to be almost unconscious of what is passing without.
II. External good-fortune is no proof against this domestic curse. The wide house or the house of companionship suggests a goodly mansion. (W. Harris.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Than, understand, in a wide house, as it is expressed above, Pro 21:9, and as the opposition here requires.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
19. (Compare Pr21:9).
wildernesspasture,though uninhabitable ground (Ps65:12).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
[It is] better to dwell in the wilderness,…. Where persons live without shelter, and are not only exposed to storms and tempests, but to beasts of prey; where is want of the necessaries of life, and no society; where no “speech” is, as the word e for wilderness may signify; yet it is better to dwell in such a place, where no human voice is heard,
than with a contentious and an angry woman; that is always brawling and scolding, ever in a quarrelsome and angry disposition, and provoking to anger all about her; [See comments on Pr 21:9]. In a mystical sense, it is better to be with the church in the wilderness, Re 12:14; than with the furious, bloodthirsty, and persecuting church of Rome, in all its worldly glory and splendour.
e “a” “loqui”.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
With this verse, a doublet to Pro 21:9 (Pro 25:24), the collector makes a new addition; in Pro 21:29 he reaches a proverb which resembles the closing proverb of the preceding group, in its placing in contrast the and ; –
It is better to dwell in a waste land,
Than a contentious wife and vexation.
The corner of the roof, Hitzig remarks, has been made use of, and the author must look further out for a lonely seat. But this is as piquant as it is devoid of thought; for have both proverbs the same author, and if so, were they coined at the same time? Here also it is unnecessary to regard as an abbreviation for . Hitzig supplies , by which , as the accus.-obj., is governed; but it is not to be supplied, for the proverb places as opposite to one another dwelling in a waste land (read , with Codd. and correct Ed.) and a contentious wife ( Chethb , , Ker , ) and vexation, and says the former is better than the latter. For [and vexation] is not, as translated by the ancients, and generally received, a second governed genitive to , but dependent on , follows “contentious woman” (cf. 9b): better that than a quarrelsome wife, and at the same time vexation.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
19 It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and an angry woman.
Note, 1. Unbridled passions embitter and spoil the comfort of all relations. A peevish angry wife makes her husband’s life uneasy, to whom she should be a comfort and a meet help. Those cannot dwell in peace and happiness that cannot dwell in peace and love. Even those that are one flesh, if they be not withal one spirit, have no joy of their union. 2. It is better to have no company than bad company. The wife of thy covenant is thy companion, and yet, if she be peevish and provoking, it is better to dwell in a solitary wilderness, exposed to wind and weather, than in company with her. A man may better enjoy God and himself in a wilderness than among quarrelsome relations and neighbours. See v. 9.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
The Intolerable Wife
Verse 19 – See comment on verse 9 and Pro 19:13-14.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
CRITICAL NOTES.
Pro. 21:9. Wide house. Literally a house of companionship, i.e., to share the house with her.
MAIN HOMILETICS OF Pro. 21:9; Pro. 21:19
AN ANGRY WOMAN
I. No social discomfort is to be compared to that of an ill-tempered wife. A corner of the housetop would be exposed to the rain and to the storm, both of which, in eastern countries, are generally of a violent character; and although it is not uncommon for orientals sometimes to pass the night there, it would be most undesirable to be obliged at all seasons, and under all circumstances, to have no other place of refuge. He who had to dwell there would at one time be subjected to the intense heat of the mid-day sun, and at another would be chilled by the midnight air. Neither is the wilderness a pleasant place of abode. In addition to all the drawbacks of the housetop arising from exposure to the weather, a wilderness is a place of dreary solitude, and often of danger from wild beasts and lawless men. But it is better to dwell in either of these places than with a brawling or even with an angry woman.
1. Because one might enjoy intervals of repose. The rain would not always descend, neither would the storm-wind be always blowing; the sun would sometimes give forth only an agreeable warmth, and the night-wind bring only a refreshing coolness. Even in the wilderness the solitude would sometimes be enjoyable, and life there would not always be in peril. But the woman pictured here is one whose ill-temper is always ruling her and casting gloom over the home, and when there is no storm of passion actually raging there is one brewing and ready to burst forth. The unhappy partner of her life can never look forward to an hour of ease, for the lulls in the storm are but momentary, and the rifts in the clouds obscured again immediately.
2. Because, whatever may be the discomforts of a housetop or wilderness dwelling, they may leave the soul at rest. They can but reach the body, and the mind may be so absolutely calm or absorbed in thought as to be almost unconscious of what is passing without. To some men solitude has such charms that they are willing to forego many bodily comforts in order to obtain it. There have been and are those whose own thoughts are the only company they desire, and who would gladly brave the drawbacks of the housetop or the wilderness, if by so doing they could be left undisturbed to indulge their own speculations, or pursue their meditations. But the sharp tongue of a contentious woman leaves no corner of the soul undisturbed. It is vain for the subject of it to seek refuge in reflection upon more agreeable topics, to endeavour to banish the actual present by calling up images of the future, or of unseen though distant realities. All the powers of the mind are paralyzed by such an incubus, and the soul cannot wing its flight into pleasanter regions, as it can do sometimes when the suffering only touches the outer man.
II. External good fortune is no proof against this domestic curse. The wide house or the house of companionship, suggests a goodly mansiona dwelling which might be the centre of social gatherings, and whose owner is able to indulge in hospitality on a large scale. It calls up before us not the top-story garret of the very poor, or even the narrow dwelling of a struggling man, where the fight for bread, and the effort to make both ends meet, may have something to do with spoiling the temper of the housewife. But the angry and contentious woman is not confined to these abodesSolomon almost seems to speak here from experience, but even if he did not, we know that even palace walls cannot keep out the curse, and that there is often such a skeleton at the most sumptuous feast.
OUTLINES AND SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS
The family is sometimes a fierce fire. It comprehends the greatest portion of our world. It is to us the most interesting, and therefore is capable of becoming the most trying portion.Cecil.
Everyone has known some pair chained together by human laws where the hearts union has either never existed or been rent asunder. Two ships at sea are bound together by strong, short chains. As long as the sea remains perfectly calm all may be well with both; though they do each other no good, they may not inflict much evil. But the sea never rests long, and seldom rests at all. Woe to these two ships when the waves begin to roll. There are two conditions in which they might be safe. If they were either brought more closely together, or more widely separated, it might yet be well with them. If they were from stern to stern riveted into one, or if the chain were broken and the two left to follow independently their several courses, there would be no further cause of anxiety on their account. If they are so united that they shall move as one body, they are safe; if they move far apart, they are safe. The worst possible position is to be chained together, and yet have separate and independent motion in the waves. They will rasp each others sides off, and tear open each others heart, and go down together.Arnot.
Better to retire into a corner of the housetop than to quit the house and go into bad company for diversion, as many who, like Adam, make their wifes sin the excuse of their own.Henry.
Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell
19. In wilderness , ( beerets midhbar,) in the pasture lands, the uncultivated regions, those not occupied by the dwellings of man.
Angry woman A fretful, morose, or contentious woman. Compare Pro 21:9; Pro 19:13; Pro 27:15; Pro 25:26.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
v. 19. It is better to dwell in the wilderness,
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
Pro 21:19 [It is] better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and an angry woman.
Ver. 19. It is better to dwell in the wilderness. ] Among ravenous beasts and venomous serpents, in greatest danger, and want of all necessary accommodation. This is so much worse than the housetop, as an angry and vexatious woman – which, like a mad dog, bites all about her, and makes them as mad as herself – is worse than her that is not so much angry as unquiet, brawling (as dogs bark sometimes in the night) of custom or fancy, and not provoked by any. See Trapp on “ Pro 21:9 “
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Than, &c. Supply the Ellipsis thus: Than [in a house, or palace].
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Pro 21:19
Pro 21:19
“It is better to dwell in a desert land, Than with a contentious and fretful woman.”
This is parallel to Pro 21:9; and again we must say that the same thing is true of a contentious and fretful man. Illustration: This writer served for seventeen years as a member of the City of Houston Housing Board of Appeals. One night a German citizen appeared before the board requesting a license for the installation of a mobile home in the rear of his residence. Mount Termini, our chairman, asked how large was his residence. He said, “Fourteen rooms.” When asked how many people lived there, he said, “My wife and me.” Mount Termini said, “That does not come under our usual guidelines for issuing such a license.” “But I absolutely have to have it,” the applicant said. Mount Termini asked, “Why”? The man said, “My wife has got the talking disease and she talks day and night without intermission; and if I don’t get out of that place, I’m going to do something terrible! I want to live in that mobile home”! We granted his request.
Pro 21:19. This is very similar to Pro 21:9 and Pro 25:24. There are some kinds of women who will ruin a mans life: a contentious woman (this verse); a fretful woman (this verse); and an odious woman (Pro 30:23). Since it is better to dwell in a desert than with such a woman, is not this proverb saying that it is better not to be married than to be married to such a person? Since there is a noticeable percentage of people so married, should it not be some comfort to the unmarried that at least they are in the class that Proverbs says is better than that?
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
better: Pro 21:9, Psa 55:6, Psa 55:7, Psa 120:5, Psa 120:6, Jer 9:2
wilderness: Heb. land of the desert
Reciprocal: Pro 9:13 – General Pro 12:4 – she Pro 14:1 – the foolish Pro 15:17 – General Pro 17:1 – with Pro 19:13 – the contentions Pro 25:24 – General Pro 27:15 – A continual Pro 30:23 – an odious Mat 19:10 – General