Wife

The female partner in a marriage relationship. The origin of this God-ordained institution is traced back in the Bible to the Garden of Eden. Scripture stresses that marriage is a God-ordained institution, within which the husband should love and care for his wife, just as the wife should obey, honour and care for her husband. A good wife is portrayed as a great blessing, but a bad wife influences her husband for evil. In the OT, Israel is sometimes portrayed as God's wife; in the NT, the church is described as Christ's bride.

God's pattern for marriage

Husband and wife are one flesh

Genesis 1:27 See also Genesis 2:23–24; Malachi 2:15; Matthew 19:4–6 parallel Mark 10:6–9

So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

The wife as helper and companion

Genesis 2:18 See also Genesis 2:20–22

The LORD God also said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make for him a suitable helper.”

The husband is head of the wife

Ephesians 5:23 See also 1 Corinthians 11:3

For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, His body, of which He is the Savior.

The wife is the weaker partner

1 Peter 3:7 See also Genesis 3:16

Husbands, in the same way, treat your wives with consideration as a delicate vessel, and with honor as fellow heirs of the gracious gift of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.

The Israelites were forbidden to take foreign wives

Deuteronomy 7:3–4 See also Exodus 34:16; Joshua 23:12–13

Do not intermarry with them. Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons, because they will turn your sons away from following Me to serve other gods. Then the anger of the LORD will burn against you, and He will swiftly destroy you.

Duties of a wife

To submit to and respect her husband

Colossians 3:18 See also Ephesians 5:22–24, Ephesians 5:33; 1 Peter 3:1–6

Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.

To care for her husband and household

Proverbs 31:10–31 See also Titus 2:4–5

To be faithful to her husband

Exodus 20:14 parallel Deuteronomy 5:18 See also Numbers 5:11–31; Proverbs 23:27; Matthew 14:3–4 parallel Mark 6:17–18; Mark 10:12; Luke 3:19

You shall not commit adultery.

Advice on widows remarrying

1 Corinthians 7:39–40 See also 1 Corinthians 7:8–9

A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, as long as he belongs to the Lord. In my judgment, however, she is happier if she remains as she is. And I think that I too have the Spirit of God.

Childless wives

Genesis 25:21 See also Genesis 18:9–15; Judges 13:2–5; 1 Samuel 1:9–20; Luke 1:5–25

Later, Isaac prayed to the LORD on behalf of his wife, because she was barren. And the LORD heard his prayer, and his wife Rebekah conceived.

Good wives

Proverbs 31:10–31 See also 1 Samuel 19:11–17, 1 Samuel 25:14–35; Proverbs 12:4, Proverbs 18:22, Proverbs 19:14; Titus 2:3–5; 1 Peter 3:1–6

Wives giving good counsel

Matthew 27:19 See also Judges 13:22–23; Daniel 5:10–12

While Pilate was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent him this message: “Have nothing to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered terribly in a dream today because of Him.”

Bad wives

Proverbs 12:4 See also Proverbs 19:13, Proverbs 21:19, Proverbs 25:24

A wife of noble character is her husband’s crown, but she who causes shame is like decay in his bones.

Wives influencing their husbands for evil

Genesis 3:8–12 See also 1 Kings 11:3–4, 1 Kings 21:20–26; Esther 5:9–14; Job 2:9

Then the man and his wife heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the breeze of the day, and they hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. But the LORD God called out to the man, “Where are you?” “I heard Your voice in the garden,” he replied, “and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself.” “Who told you that you were naked?” asked the LORD God. “Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” And the man answered, “The woman whom You gave me, she gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate it.”

Israel as the wife of God

Jeremiah 3:20 Israel's relationship with God was at times comparable to that of an unfaithful wife; Ezekiel 16:8 See also Isaiah 62:5; Jeremiah 2:2; Ezekiel 16:32; Hosea 1:2, Hosea 2:2

But as a woman may betray her husband, so you have betrayed Me, O house of Israel,” declares the LORD.

Then I passed by and saw you, and you were indeed old enough for love. So I spread My cloak over you and covered your nakedness. I pledged Myself to you, entered into a covenant with you, and you became Mine, declares the Lord GOD.

The church as the bride of Christ

Revelation 21:2 See also Ephesians 5:25–27; Revelation 19:7

I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.