The Nugget:
Pro 18:22 Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD. (KJV)
Pro 18:22 Whoso hath found a wife hath found a good thing, and hath obtained favour from Jehovah. (Darby)
Pro 18:22 He that has found a good wife has found favours, and has received gladness from God. [He that puts away a good wife, puts away a good thing, and he that keeps an adulteress is foolish and ungodly.] (Brenton LXX)
Pro 18:22 When a man finds a wife, he has found a treasure! For she is the gift of God to bring him joy and pleasure. But the one who divorces a good woman loses what is good from his house. To choose an adulteress is both stupid and ungodly. (TPT)
Pro 18:22 A man’s greatest treasure is his wife– she is a gift from the LORD. (CEV)
My Comment:
There is much to learn from the Bible itself regarding God’s best will for marriage. Today marks my 46th wedding anniversary date. I am thankful to the Lord that I have indeed found a good wife!
The Bible does not tell everything about a subject it discusses all at one place. To learn about all the Bible teaches one must make use of the best and most complete sources of cross references available. These can be found in reference Bibles, in study Bibles, and more completely still in The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, and most completely of all in The Ultimate Cross Reference Treasury.
I have placed explanatory notes on subjects my own students have asked about. If you don’t like the questions they asked or the answers I supplied after my own very careful study and research, blame my students–they insisted I retain my notes which answered their questions! I did my homework carefully. If you have insight on any topic that sheds further light beyond what I knew when I furnished my explanatory notes, always feel free to leave a comment and share it here.
Cross reference study for Proverbs 18:22 from The Ultimate Cross Reference Treasury:
Proverbs 18:22
findeth a wife. Pro 5:15, etc. *Pro 12:4; *Pro 19:14; Pro 30:18, 19; *Pro 31:10, etc. Gen 2:18; Gen 2:22; %+Gen 21:21; Gen 24:44; Gen 24:57; Gen 24:67; %Gen 28:8; %Gen 28:9; Gen 29:20, 21; Gen 29:28, Exo 2:21, Num 12:1; Num 36:6, Deut 21:10, 11, 12, 13, 14, %Jdg 14:2; %Jdg 14:3, Rth 4:10, 1Sa 18:20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26,, 27, 28, 29; 1Sa 25:39, 2Sa 3:12, 13, 14, 15, 16, Ecc 9:9, Song 4:9, Hos 12:12, %Mat 19:5; %Mat 19:10, Joh 2:1, *1Co 7:2; *1Co 7:39; 1Co 14:35 note. **2Co 6:14, +**Heb 13:4.
and. *Pro 3:4; *Pro 8:35, Gen 24:44.
Cross reference study for Hebrews 13:4 from The Ultimate Cross Reference Treasury:
Heb 13:4 Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.
Hebrews 13:4
Marriage. or, Let marriage. The Greek construction may properly read as a command. Gr. gamos (S# G1062, Mat 22:2). T423. *Gen 1:27; *Gen 1:28; *Gen 2:18, 19, 20, 21, 22; *Gen 2:24; Gen 12:15; Gen 12:17; Gen 20:7; Gen 20:9, Lev 21:13, 14, 15, 2Ki 22:14, Psa 68:6; Psa 107:41, 42, Pro 5:15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23; Pro 18:22, Isa 8:3, *Mat 8:14; *Mat 19:3, 4, 5, 6, Luk 20:34, Joh 2:1, 2, 1Co 7:2, etc., 1Co 7:28; 1Co 7:38; 1Co 9:5, Eph 5:31, 1Ti 3:2; 1Ti 3:4; 1Ti 3:12; *1Ti 4:1, 2, 3; 1Ti 5:14, 15, Tit 1:6.
honourable. Gr. timios [(S# G5093), valuable, that is, (objectively) costly, or (subjectively) honored, esteemed, or (figuratively) beloved (Strong): Rendered (1) precious: 1Co 3:12, Jas 5:7, 1Pe 1:19, 2Pe 1:4, Rev 17:4; Rev 18:12 a, Rev 18:16; Rev 21:19, (2) most precious: Rev 18:12 b. Rev 21:11, (3) more precious: 1Pe 1:7, (4) dear: Act 20:24, (5) honourable: Heb 13:4, (6) had in reputation: Act 5:34]. Premarital sexual relations of any kind are a dishonor to the sanctity of marriage and are forbidden by Scripture. Gen 2:18, Rth 4:10, *Pro 18:22, Isa 62:5 note. *Mal 2:14; *Mal 2:15, Mat 19:5, *Joh 2:1; Joh 2:2, Act 5:34 g. 1Co 7:1; *1Co 7:2; 1Co 7:8; 1Co 7:26, 27; 1Co 7:32, 33; 1Co 7:38; +*1Co 7:39; *1Co 9:5, *Eph 5:23, 1Th 4:4, 1Ti 3:2; 1Ti 3:12; 1Ti 4:3.
in all. Gr. En pasin: or, in all respects, as in 1Ti 3:11; 2Ti 4:5; Tit 2:9; Col 1:18; Php 4:12, If as A.V., the more natural expression would be para pasin, as Mat 19:26; Mat 26:8; Rom 2:13; 2Th 1:6; Jas 1:27. En pasin in all things appears in this chapter, Heb 13:18 (Vincent). *FS171B, +Gen 24:10. There is therefore no basis in Scripture for the practice of forbidding marriage to clergy! In fact, such a practice is condemned by Scripture as heresy, as a departure from the faith or apostasy, and a doctrine of demons in 1Ti 4:3. **Mat 8:14, *1Co 7:2, 1Th 4:6.
and the bed. or, and let the bed. Gr. koitē [(S# G2845), a couch; by extension cohabitation; by implication the male sperm (Strong): Rendered (1) bed: Luk 11:7, Heb 13:4, (2) conceived: Rom 9:10, (3) chambering: Rom 13:13]. As a command, this asserts the Biblical requirement of holiness and chastity by forbidding any sexual contact or relations of persons before marriage, which would be a defilement of the marriage bed involving fornication or adultery (Mat 19:9, 1Th 4:3 note). See on Heb 12:16, Lev 15:18; Lev 15:24; *Lev 21:1; Lev 21:7; Lev 21:10; Lev 21:13, Rom 13:13, +**1Co 6:9, *Gal 5:19; *Gal 5:21, Eph 5:5, *Col 3:5; *Col 3:6, Rev 22:15.
undefiled. Gr. amiantos (S# G283, Heb 7:26), unsoiled, that is, (figuratively) pure (Strong). Rom 13:13, Jas 1:27.
but. or, for. T405, Heb 12:16, Gen 34:7; *Gen 39:9, Lev 20:10, Num 25:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, *Pro 2:18; Pro 2:19; Pro 5:3, 4; Pro 5:8, 9, 10, 11, 12; Pro 6:26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34; Pro 7:22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27; Pro 9:16, 17, 18; Pro 29:3, Ecc 7:26, Jer 5:7, 8, 9; Jer 23:14, 15, Hos 4:11, +*Mal 3:5, +Act 15:20, Rom 1:27, +*1Co 5:10; 1Co 5:11; +**1Co 6:9; 1Co 6:10; 1Co 10:8, *Gal 5:19, 20, 21, *Eph 5:5; Eph 5:6, *1Ti 4:3, 2Pe 2:14, +*Jud 1:7, +*Rev 21:8; *Rev 22:15.
whoremongers. or, fornicators. Gr. pornos (S# G4205, 1Co 5:9). Heb 12:16, +*Lev 21:7, Heb 12:16, +**Act 15:20, *1Co 5:9; +1Co 5:10; 1Co 5:11; +**1Co 6:9; 1Co 6:18, +*2Co 12:21, Eph 5:5, +*1Th 4:3; 1Th 4:6, 1Ti 1:10, 2Pe 2:10, Rev 2:14; +**Rev 21:8; Rev 22:15.
and adulterers. Gr. moichos (S# G3432), a (male) paramour; figuratively apostate (Strong). +*Exo 20:14, Lev 18:20; +*Lev 21:7; Lev 21:13; Lev **21:14 note, Num 5:16; Num 5:18, Deut 22:22, 2Sa 11:27, Job 24:15; +*Job 31:1; Job 31:11; Job 31:12, Psa 50:18, Pro 6:32, *Jer 5:7; Jer 23:10, Eze 18:6; Eze 22:11, Mar 10:11, Luk 18:11 g. Joh 4:18, +**1Co 6:9 g. Jas 4:4 g.
God will judge. or, God is judging (LNT). Note the present tense (LNT, fn g). FS121C2D2, +Gen 15:14, God emphatically and repeatedly threatens severe punishment for sexual sin, including the sin of “living together” and “sleeping together” without the benefit of marriage. Vincent observes “Note the emphatic position of o theos. He will judge and condemn infractions of the marriage-bond, however social sentiment may condone them.” Psa 50:16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, Pro 5:11; Pro 5:22, Ecc 12:13, 14, +*Mal 3:5, +*Rom 1:26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 32, 1Co 5:13, *2Co 5:10, *Eph 5:6, *Col 3:5; Col 3:6, +*1Th 4:6.
Cross Reference study for Leviticus 21:13, 14 from The Ultimate Cross Reference Treasury:
Lev 21:13 And he shall take a wife in her virginity.
Lev 21:14 A widow, or a divorced woman, or profane, or an harlot, these shall he not take: but he shall take a virgin of his own people to wife.
Leviticus 21:13
take a wife. +**Lev 21:7, Eze 44:22, 2Co 11:2, 1Ti 3:11, Heb 13:4, Rev 14:4.
virginity. *S# H1331. Deut 22:14, 15; Deut 22:17; Deut 22:20, Jdg 11:37, 38, *Eze 23:3; *Eze 23:8, For *S# H1330, see Gen 24:16, For *S# H5959, almah, see +Gen 24:43.
Leviticus 21:14
a widow. +**Lev 21:7, Except she were the widow of his predecessor, which some gather from Eze 44:22, But that place speaks only of the common priest, not of the high priest (Matthew Poole).
or a divorced woman. Deut 24:2, *Eze 44:22, **Mat 19:3 note, Mat 19:9 note. Tit 1:6.
or profane. S# H2491. Lev 21:7, Gen 49:4 (S# H2490, in reference to sexual defilement or incest). **Pro 7:26, Isa 53:5 h (wounded or pierced through).
or an harlot. +*Heb 13:4.
these he shall not take. 1Ti 3:11.
but he shall. Tit 1:6.
take a virgin. *S# H1330, +Gen 24:16, Song 6:9, Eze 16:8, Hos 2:7, 2Co 11:2, Eph 5:27.
of his own people. i.e., either (1) Of his own tribe, which is confuted by the examples of holy men; see 2Ch 22:11; or, (2) Of the seed of Israel, as it is explained in Eze 44:22 (Matthew Poole). In context, these restrictions apply specifically to the high priest in Israel. But under grace in the New Testament we are still absolutely called to holiness (**Heb 12:14), and are accounted “priests and kings” (1Pe 2:9, Rev 1:6), a position Israel lost when they rejected Jesus Christ as their Messiah (Mat 21:43; Mic 5:3). Therefore, in terms of taking a wife (Lev 21:13), God’s stated preference is that a wife (1) have been found faithful in all things (1Ti 3:11), (2) surely not a whoremonger (fornicator, having willfully—Heb 10:26 note with Deut 22:25, 26, 27, 28, 29— engaged in promiscuity or premarital sexual relations, +*Heb 13:4), nor (3) a divorced woman (here at Lev 21:14). Jesus in His teaching does not allow for divorce (Mat 19:6), but in mercy Jesus grants an exception for fornication (Mat 19:9). Paul provides another exception which is granted: when an unbelieving spouse secures a divorce from the innocent believing spouse, the believing spouse is permitted to remarry, “only in the Lord,” thus must only marry a genuine Bible-believing Christian, not someone who is unsaved (1Co 7:15; 1Co 7:39); it is possible that if a believing spouse suffered a divorce to escape physical abuse, and is thus the innocent party of a divorce, that such a person is permitted likewise to remarry, but only in the Lord. Ideally, however, a never-married single believer would in almost all cases best be advised to seek to marry a believer who is likewise single, who has never been married. Scripture surely does not permit believers to marry unbelievers (**2Co 6:14, 15, 16, 17, 18). Num 12:1, Ezr 10:18.