Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Proverbs 18:22
[Whoso] findeth a wife findeth a good [thing], and obtaineth favor of the LORD.
22. Compare:
“Happy is the husband of a good wife;
And the number of his days shall be twofold.
A brave woman rejoiceth her husband;
And he shall fulfil his years in peace.
A good wife is a good portion:
She shall be given in the portion of such as fear the Lord.”
Sir 26:1-3 .
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The sense seems to require, Whoso findeth a good wife, as in some Chaldee manuscripts; but the proverb writer may be looking at marriage in its ideal aspect, and sees in every such union the hands of God joining together man and woman for their mutual good. The Septuagint adds He who casts out a good wife, casts away that which is good: but he that keepeth an adulteress is foolish and ungodly.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Pro 18:22
Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the Lord.
A happy marriage
At the outset these words strike two thoughts on our attention.
1. That celibacy is not the best mode of social life. Solomon means to say that it is a good thing to have a wife. Even in the state of innocence it was not good for man to be alone. Celibate, says Bishop Taylor, like the fly in the heart of an apple, dwells in perpetual sweetness, but sits alone, and is confined and dies in singularity; but marriage, like the useful bee, builds a house and gathers sweetness from every flower, and labours and unites into societies and republics, and sends out colonies and feeds the world with delicacies, and obeys their king and keeps order, and exercises many virtues, and promotes the interests of mankind, and is that state of good things to which God hath designed the present constitution of the world.
2. That monogamy is the true marriage. Solomon does not say, He that findeth wives, but He that findeth a wife. Though Solomon had many wives, he nowhere justified plurality. Duality appears everywhere, and throughout the universe is necessary. The text in its completeness teaches–
I. That a good wife is a good thing. Of a good wife, of course, the writer must be supposed to speak, for a bad wife is a bad thing. Manoah found a good thing in his wife (Jdg 3:13). The patriarch of Uz does not seem to have found a good thing in his (Job 2:9-10). A good wife must be–
1. A good woman. A woman of chaste loves, incorruptible virtues, and godly sympathies and aims.
2. A suitable companion. A good woman would not be a good wife to all men. There must be a mutual fitness, a fitness of temperament, taste, habits, culture, associations.
II. A good wife is a divine gift. Obtaineth favour of the Lord. All good things are His gifts. Young men, be cautious of your choice of a companion for life. When Themistocles was to marry his daughter, there were two suitors, the one rich and a fool, and the other wise but not rich; and being asked which of the two he had rather his daughter should have, he answered, I had rather she should marry a man without money than money without a man. The best of marriage is in the man or woman, not in the means or the money. (D. Thomas, D. D.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 22. Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing] Marriage, with all its troubles and embarrassments, is a blessing from God; and there are few cases where a wife of any sort is not better than none, because celibacy is an evil; for God himself hath said, “It is not good for man to be alone.” None of the versions, except the Chaldee, are pleased with the naked simplicity of the Hebrew text, hence they all add good: “He that findeth a GOOD wife findeth a good thing;” and most people, who have not deeply considered the subject, think the assertion, without this qualification, is absurd. Some copies of the Targum, and apparently one of Kennicott’s MSS., have the addition tobah, good; but this would be an authority too slender to justify changing the Hebrew text; yet Houbigant, Kennicott, and other able critics argue for it. The Septuagint is not satisfied without an addition: “But he who puts away a good wife, puts away a good thing: and he that retains an adulteress, is a fool and wicked.” In this addition the Vulgate, Syriac, and Arabic, agree with the Septuagint. The Hebrew text as it stands, teaches a general doctrine by a simple but general proposition: “He that findeth a wife findeth a good thing.” So St. Paul: “Marriage is honourable in all.” Had the world been left, in this respect, to the unbridled propensities of man, in what a horrible state would society have been – if indeed society could have existed, or civilization have taken place – if marriage had not obtained among men! As to good wives and bad wives, they are relatively so, in general; and most of them that have been bad afterwards, have been good at first; and we well know the best things may deteriorate, and the world generally allows that where there are matrimonial contentions, there are faults on both sides.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
A wife; either,
1. Simply a wife; for a wife, though she be not the best of her kind, is to be esteemed a blessing, being useful both for society of life, Gen 2:18, and for the mitigation of a mans cares and troubles, and for the prevention of sins. Or,
2. Good wife; one that deserves the name and performs the duty of that relation; a wise and worthy wife, as this word may seem to imply, being deduced from the Hebrew word isch, which sometimes notes a man of eminency. And this limitation and explication of the word may be gathered both from the following commendations, which would hardly be given to a bad wife, and from the usage of Scripture, in which this ellipsis is frequent, as a path or way is put for a good path or way, Psa 119:1; Pro 15:10, an answer for a good answer, Pro 15:23, a king for a good king, Pro 16:10; 29:4, a name for a good name, Pro 22:1; Ecc 7:1, &c.
A good thing; a singular blessing.
Obtaineth favour of the Lord; obtaineth her not by his own wit, or art, or diligence, but by Gods good providence towards him, which ordereth that and all other events as it pleaseth him.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
22. The old versions supply”good” before the “wife,” as the last clause andPr 19:14 imply (compare Pr31:10).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
[Whoso] findeth a wife,…. A good one; so the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Arabic versions, supply it; and so the Targum, though it leaves out the word good in the last clause; and no other can be meant, even a good natured one, wise, prudent, careful, and industrious; a proper helpmeet, a virtuous woman, as in Pr 31:10; whoso seeks after such an one, and finds one, especially one that has the grace of God, which he should seek after among his friends, and by their assistance, and by prayer to God:
findeth a good [thing]; that will be good for him, both upon a civil and spiritual account; the Septuagint version adds,
“he that casts out a good wife casts out good things, but he that retains a whore is foolish and ungodly;”
which is followed by the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Arabic versions, but is not in the Hebrew text. Jarchi interprets it of the law in a mystic sense, but, according to the literal sense, of a good wife;
and obtaineth favour of the Lord; it is from the Lord, and under his direction and guidance in seeking, that he finds a good wife; and which he ought to esteem as a favour from the Lord, and as an evidence of his favour to him, and may encourage himself to hope for others of him z Hesiod says, a man cannot obtain anything better than a good wife.
z Opera & Dies, l. 2. v. 323.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
22 Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD.
Note, 1. A good wife is a great blessing to a man. He that finds a wife (that is, a wife indeed; a bad wife does not deserve to be called by a name of so much honour), that finds a help meet for him (that is a wife in the original acceptation of the word), that sought such a one with care and prayer and has found what he sought, he has found a good thing, a jewel of great value, a rare jewel; he has found that which will not only contribute more than any thing to his comfort in this life, but will forward him in the way to heaven. 2. God is to be acknowledged in it with thankfulness; it is a token of his favour, and a happy pledge of further favours; it is a sign that God delights in a man to do him good and has mercy in store for him; for this, therefore, God must be sought unto.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
A Wife Jehovah’s Favor
Verse 22, in agreement with Proverbs Gen 2:18, declares that it is good for man to find a wife, and he who does so obtains favor of the LORD. Other Scripture attests that the LORD’s standard is for a good wife, Pro 12:4; Pro 19:14; Pro 31:10-31; Pro 19:13; Pro 21:9; Pro 21:19; Pro 27:15.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
MAIN HOMILETICS OF Pro. 18:22
A TWOFOLD GOOD
I. Polygamy cannot be recommended by those who have practised it. A thousand counterfeit coins, even if they pass as genuine for a time, are nothing worth in comparison with one real golden sovereign. Both may bear the image and superscription of the king, but the one is an insult to the name it bears while the other has a right to be imprinted with the royal name. The author of this proverb was a polygamisthis great experience qualified him to give an opinion upon the subjectbut we do not here find him dwelling upon the satisfaction of the harem, but upon the blessedness of a wife. He was fully conscious of the fact that a real partner of his lifeone woman to be a help-meet for him according to the Divine intentionwould have added much more to his real welfare than the thousand counterfeits to whom it was an insult to God to give the name of wives. More than once he bears testimony to the blessedness of marriage in the true sense of the word, but we never find him praising the practice which was so great a curse to his own life. In this proverb he indirectly condemns himself and warns others by his own example. A vessel that has gone to pieces upon the rocks may still be used to prevent others from sharing her fate. The broken timbers may serve to light a beacon fire which may warn other vessels to take another course. Polygamy was the rock upon which Solomon shipwrecked his social happiness and much more (1Ki. 11:3), and he seems here and elsewhere to warn his descendants not to follow in his footsteps in this respect and conform to the custom of the heathen monarchs by whom they were surrounded.
II. Monogamy brings a double portiona good thing and the Divine favour. The favour of a good parent is a thing prized highly by a dutiful child, and enhances the value of every other blessing. The favour of a good king is in itself a fortune which few men would despise. The favour of God is a fortune for a period which extends beyond that named in the marriage vow, it is a fortune which no creature can afford to despise, and a blessing which those who know Him prize before all things in earth or heaven. When a man enters into the marriage relation according to the Divine intentionmaking a woman his wife in the true sense of the wordhe not only adds to his own comfort and consults his own interest, but he does that which is pleasing to Godhe takes a step upon which he can fearlessly ask for the Divine blessing.
OUTLINES AND SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS
Findeth implies the rarity of the thing obtained (Ecc. 7:27-28), and the need of circumspection in the search. Blind passion is not to make the selection at random.Fausset.
The married who is truly Christian knows that, even though sometimes things are badly matched, still his marriage relation is well pleasing to God as His creation and ordinance, and what he therein does or endures, passes as done or suffered for God.Luther.
There is a secular and a spiritual in every proverb. These two are not apart, but flow easily into each other. Secularly, a wife is the highest treasure. It is a vapid distinction to say a good wife, and the Bible many a time hurries on without any such distinction (comp. ch. Pro. 4:3). A bad wife is no wife at all. A wife is the holiest of all relations; in this world the most powerful for good. A good marriage is a means of grace, of course any relation that is near and potent is covered by the passage.Miller.
I shall always endeavour to make choice of such a woman for my spouse who hath first made choice of Christ as a spouse for herself; that none may be made one flesh with me who is not made one spirit with Christ my Saviour. For I look upon the image of Christ as the best mark of beauty I can behold in her, and the grace of God as the best portion I can receive with her.Bp. Reynolds.
Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell
(22) Whoso findeth a wife . . .One who deserves the name of wife, as the one described in Pro. 31:10, sqq.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
22. Whose findeth a wife The versions and interpreters generally supply the word good before wife. But others assert that this makes it a mere truism. Dr. A. Clarke thinks that almost any kind of a wife, if properly treated, is better than none. The text states a general and true doctrine in a simple proposition. Still, it must be admitted that a good wife may be considered a special blessing from Jehovah. Conant renders: “He found a wife he found good, and obtained favour from Jehovah.” The Septuagint adds another proverb: “He that puts away a good wife puts away a good thing; and he that keeps an adulteress is foolish and ungodly.”
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
v. 22. Whoso findeth a wife,
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
Pro 18:22. Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing He who findeth a good wife, findeth a good thing. Houbigant, after many of the versions. See chap. Pro 19:14. The LXX and Vulgate read at the end of this verse, He that putteth away a good wife putteth away a good thing, but he who retains an adulteress is foolish and wicked.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Pro 18:22
Ver. 22. Whoso findeth a wife, &c. ] Whoso, after much seeking, by prayer to God, and his own utmost industry – as Gen 24:1-9 Isaac went forth to pray, and his servant went forth to seek – findeth a fit and faithful yoke fellow – called here “a wife,” that is, “a good wife,” as Ecc 7:1 . A name is put for a good name, and as Isa 1:18 , wool is put for white wool: every married woman is not a wife; a bad woman is but the shadow of a wife; a according to Lamech’s second wife’s name, Zillah. “He findeth a good thing,” a singular blessing, and such as should draw from him abundance of thanks. He may well say, as they were wont to do at Athens when they were married, , . I have left a worse condition, and found a better. b If any be the worse for a wife, for a good wife especially, it is from his own corrupt heart, that, like a toad, turns all it takes into rank poison.
a Hilbah: id est, umbra ipsius, quomodo. – Menander, dixit.
b Zenodo. Prov.
a wife. Some codices, Aramaean, Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate, read, “a good wife”. Compare Pro 19:14.
Pro 18:22
Pro 18:22
“Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, And obtaineth favor of Jehovah.”
This writer has performed many wedding ceremonies, and this proverb was often quoted in the preliminary remarks.
Pro 18:22. Marriage is Gods plan for the human race (Mat 19:4-6). His displeasure is against the growing trend in society to by-pass marriage by illicitly living together. A common-law situation is not equal to marriage in Gods sight (Joh 4:16-18). Other passages that show the divine plan includes marriage: Pro 19:14; Pro 31:10; Heb 13:4. There are at least two abuses of this verse: (1) Jokers quote this in levity as if to prove that a wife is a thing; (2) Catholics have used it as a proof-text that marriage is a sacrament because of the words obtaineth favor of Jehovah. What the verse really means is that when one marries, he is entering into something good and is carrying out Gods will for the human race in that regard. If somebody argues back that many marriages are anything but pleasant and good, it is not Gods fault but the people who have made their marriages that way. If they would follow Gods instructions for marriage (Eph 5:22-33), they would find that it is good.
findeth a wife: Pro 5:15-23, Pro 12:4, Pro 19:14, Pro 31:10-31, Gen 24:67, Gen 29:20, Gen 29:21, Gen 29:28, Ecc 9:9, Hos 12:12, 1Co 7:2
and: Pro 3:4, Pro 8:35
Reciprocal: Gen 2:18 – good Gen 2:22 – brought Gen 24:44 – the woman Rth 4:10 – have I 1Sa 25:39 – to take her Mat 19:10 – General Joh 2:1 – a marriage
Pro 18:22. Whoso findeth a wife A good wife; one that deserves the name, and performs the duty of that relation. Thus Houbigant interprets it after many of the versions: see Pro 19:14. Findeth a good thing A singular blessing; and obtaineth favour of the Lord Obtaineth her, not by his own wisdom, or art, or endeavours, merely or chiefly, but by Gods good providence toward him, which orders that and all other events as it pleases him. The LXX. and Vulgate read at the end of this verse, He that putteth away a good wife, putteth away a good thing; but he who retains an adulteress is foolish and wicked.
18:22 [Whoever] findeth a {p} wife findeth a good [thing], and obtaineth favour from the LORD.
(p) He who is joined with a virtuous woman in marriage is blessed by the Lord, as in Pro 19:14.
The favor God bestows is His blessing.
"The wording, especially in the Heb., strikingly resembles that of Pro 8:35, and so suggests that after wisdom itself, the best of God’s blessings is a good wife. Pro 31:10 makes a similar comparison, putting her price, like wisdom’s (Pro 8:11), above rubies." [Note: Kidner, p. 130. Cf. Genesis 2:18.]
Not just any wife is a good thing though; only a good wife is (cf. Pro 19:13-14).
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)