Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Proverbs 19:14
House and riches [are] the inheritance of fathers: and a prudent wife [is] from the LORD.
14. the inheritance of ] Rather, an inheritance from (R.V.); i.e. derived from.
And ] Rather, But.
, , LXX. Domus et diviti dantur a parentibus; a Domino autem proprie uxor prudens, Vulg. Comp. Pro 18:22; Gen 24:12-14.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Pro 19:14
And a prudent wife is from the Lord.
Divine direction needed in the choice of a wife
In the choice of a wife, first of all seek Divine direction. About thirty-five years ago, when Martin Farquhar Tupper urged men to prayer before they decided upon matrimonial association, people laughed. And some of them have lived to laugh on the other side of their mouths. The need of Divine direction I argue from the fact that so many men, and some of them strong and wise, have wrecked their lives at this juncture. Witness Samson and the woman of Timnath. Witness Socrates, pecked of the historical Xantippe. Witness Ananias, a liar, who might perhaps have been cured by a truthful spouse, yet marrying as great a liar as himself–Sapphira. Witness John Wesley, one of the best men that ever lived, united to one of the most miserable women, who sat in City Road Chapel making mouths at him while he preached. Witness the once connubial wretchedness of John Ruskin, the great art essayist, and Frederick W. Robertson the great preacher. On this sea of matrimony, where so many have been wrecked, am I not right in advising Divine pilotage? Especially is devout supplication needed because of the fact that society is so full of artificialities that men are deceived as to whom they are marrying, and no one but the Lord knows. After the dressmaker, and the milliner, and the jeweller, and the hair-adjuster, and the dancing-master, and the cosmetic art have completed their work, how is an unsophisticated man to decipher the physiological hieroglyphics, and make accurate judgment of who it is to whom he offers hand and heart? That is what makes so many recreant husbands. They make an honourable marriage contract, but the goods delivered are so different from the sample by which they bargained. They were simply swindled. They mistook Jezebel for Longfellows Evangeline, and Lucretia Borgia for Martha Washington. (T. De Witt Talmage.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 14. A prudent wife is from the Lord.] One who has a good understanding, ishshah mascaleth; who avoids complaining, though she may often have cause for it.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Is vouchsafed to a man by the singular providence of God, who is the only searcher and ruler of hearts, exactly discerning who are prudent or pious, in which even wise mens judgments are commonly mistaken, and inclining the minds and hearts of persons one towards another.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
14. A contrast of men’s giftsand God’s, who, though author of both blessings, confers the latterby His more special providence.
andor, “but,”implying that the evils of Pr19:13 are only avoided by His care.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Houses and riches [are] the inheritance of fathers,…. Which they are careful to provide and leave to their children. This they may and often do, build or purchase houses, and procure great riches, and put their children into the possession of them;
and, or but,
a prudent wife [is] from the Lord; one that behaves well to her husband, massages the affairs of her house with wisdom, and brings up her children in all orderly manner: such a wife no man has from the care and provision of his parents; nor so much from his own good choice and industry as from the kind providence of God, to which he should ascribe it; his parents may give him houses and lands, but it is God that gives him a wise and discreet woman to be an helpmeet to him; see
Pr 18:22.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
14 House and riches are a paternal inheritance,
But from Jahve cometh a prudent wife.
House and riches ( opulentia ), which in themselves do not make men happy, one may receive according to the law of inheritance; but a prudent wife is God’s gracious gift, Pro 18:22. There is not a more suitable word than (fem. of ) to characterize a wife as a divine gift, making her husband happy. ( ) is the property which says: “I am named modesty, which wears the crown of all virtues.”
(Note: The lxx translates: . Here as often ( vid., my Jesurun) The Arab. usus loquendi makes itself felt in the idiom of the lxx, for shakl means .)
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
14 House and riches are the inheritance of fathers: and a prudent wife is from the LORD.
Note, 1. A discreet and virtuous wife is a choice gift of God’s providence to a man–a wife that is prudent, in opposition to one that is contentious, v. 13. For, though a wife that is continually finding fault may think it is her wit and wisdom to be so, it is really her folly; a prudent wife is meek and quiet, and makes the best of every thing. If a man has such a wife, let him not ascribe it to the wisdom of his own choice or his own management (for the wisest have been deceived both in and by a woman), but let him ascribe it to the goodness of God, who made him a help meet for him, and perhaps by some hits and turns of providence that seemed casual brought her to him. Every creature is what he makes it. Happy marriages, we are sure, are made in heaven; Abraham’s servant prayed in the belief of this, Gen. xxiv. 12. 2. It is a more valuable gift than house and riches, contributes more to the comfort and credit of a man’s life and the welfare of his family, is a greater token of God’s favour, and about which the divine providence is in a more especial manner conversant. A good estate may be the inheritance of fathers, which, by the common direction of Providence, comes in course to a man; but no man has a good wife by descent or entail. Parents that are worldly, in disposing of their children, look no further than to match them to house and riches, but, if withal it be to a prudent wife, let God have the glory.
| Circumspection and Charity. | |
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
Verse 14 emphasizes the happier home blessed with a prudent wife, a gift from the LORD more valuable than an inheritance of house and riches from earthly kin, Pro 18:22; Pro 31:10-31.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
14. Inheritance of fathers That is, such as may be inherited.
A prudent wife The greatest of earthly blessings is a special boon from Jehovah. Compare Pro 18:22.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
v. 14. House and riches are the inheritance of fathers,
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
Pro 19:14 House and riches [are] the inheritance of fathers: and a prudent wife [is] from the LORD.
Ver. 14. House and riches are the inheritance of the fathers. ] Viz., More immediately. God gives them to the parents, and they leave them to their children, being moved thereto by God. Though a carnal heart looks no higher than parents, cares not, so he may have it, whence he hath it. It is dos non Deus that maketh marriages with them – good enough, if goods enough. Money is the greatest meddler, and drives the bargain and business to an upshot. Mostly such matches prove unhappy and uncomfortable. How can it be otherwise, since Hic Deus nihil fecit? God indeed had a hand in it, but for their just punishment that so followed after lying vanities, and so forsook their own mercies.
But a prudent wife is of the Lord.
a Turkish Hist., fol. 136.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
a prudent wife. See Pro 18:22.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Pro 19:14
Pro 19:14
“House and riches are an inheritance from fathers; But a prudent wife is from Jehovah.”
Only God can give any man the kind of wife that the Lord gave to this writer. For more than sixty-two years, she has exhibited all of the elements of true Christianity with a loving devotion to her husband and constant service to God in the work of the Church. This opinion is shared by all who know Thelma Bradford Coffman. This writer feels that remarks of this kind are demanded by any intelligent comment on this verse. It would be wrong for this writer to comment on this verse without this testimony regarding what God did for him.
Pro 19:14. We may get material inheritances from our parents (2Co 12:14), but a wise wife is a gift from God (Pro 18:22). This saying is a bold contrast to Pro 19:13 : in this verse many blessings come to us because of our families (inheritance from fathers and a prudent wife).
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
the inheritance: Pro 13:22, Deu 21:16, Jos 11:23, 2Co 12:14
and a: Pro 3:6, Pro 18:22, Pro 31:10-31, Gen 24:7, Gen 28:1-4, Jam 1:17
Reciprocal: Gen 2:22 – brought Gen 24:14 – she that Gen 24:44 – the woman Rth 4:10 – have I 1Sa 25:39 – to take her Pro 12:4 – virtuous Ecc 9:9 – with the wife Mat 19:10 – General Joh 2:1 – a marriage 1Co 7:2 – let
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Pro 19:14. House and riches are the inheritance of fathers, &c. Parents may bestow on their children houses, and lands, and riches; but a prudent wife is from the Lord Is vouchsafed to a man by the singular providence of God, who is the only searcher and ruler of hearts, exactly discerning who are prudent or pious, (with regard to which the judgments even of wise men are frequently mistaken,) and inclining the hearts of persons one toward another. So that when such a wife falls to the lot of any one, he should look upon it as a singular favour of God to him, for which he ought to be very thankful.