SUBJECT · Complete Bible Study

Wife

The ordinance of marriage was sanctioned in Paradise (Gen. 2:24; This unified study connects 7 installed resource categories without replacing their source records.

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  • Historical Reference: Nave’s Topical Bible — Public domain
  • Historical Reference: Easton’s Bible Dictionary (1897)
  • Historical Reference: topics
  • Historical Reference: concordance
  • Historical Reference: Installed reference work
  • Historical Reference: Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible lexical data / BDB-Strong mapping

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Study overview

Study at a glance

Subject type
Subject
Strong’s
H0802, H7695, G1134, G1135
Hebrew
אִשָּׁה · ʼishshâh
Greek
γυναικεῖος · gynaikeîos

Strong’s and original-language information

Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Lexicon

אִשָּׁה

H0802
Transliteration
ʼishshâh
Pronunciation
ish-shaw'
Language
Hebrew
Indexed occurrences
781

Glosses

(adulter) ess, each, every, female, [idiom] many, [phrase] none, one, [phrase] together, wife, woman. Often unexpressed in English.

Lexicon definition

a woman

Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible lexical data / BDB-Strong mapping

אִשָּׁה

H0802
Transliteration
ʼishshâh
Pronunciation
ish-shaw'
Language
Hebrew
Indexed occurrences
781

Glosses

woman, wife, female, (adulter) ess, each, every, female, [idiom] many, [phrase] none, one, [phrase] together, wife, woman. Often unexpressed in English.

Lexicon definition

a woman

Complete dictionary entries

Easton’s Bible Dictionary (1897)

Wife

The ordinance of marriage was sanctioned in Paradise (Gen. 2:24; Matt. 19:4-6). Monogamy was the original law under which man lived, but polygamy early commenced (Gen. 4:19), and continued to prevail all down through Jewish history. The law of Moses regulated but did not prohibit polygamy. A man might have a plurality of wives, but a wife could have only one husband. A wife's legal rights (Ex. 21:10) and her duties (Prov. 31:10-31; 1 Tim. 5:14) are specified. She could be divorced in special cases (Deut. 22:13-21), but could not divorce her husband. Divorce was restricted by our Lord to the single case of adultery (Matt. 19:3-9). The duties of husbands and wives in their relations to each other are distinctly set forth in the New Testament (1 Cor. 7:2-5; Eph. 5:22-33; Col. 3:18, 19; 1 Pet. 3:1-7).

Source: Easton’s Bible Dictionary (1897) · View data sources

Concordance

Strong's Concordance

Wife

Indexed occurrences: 349

Source: Strong's Concordance · View data sources

All Scripture references728 references

Genesis 139

Genesis 2:18Genesis 2:22Genesis 2:23Genesis 2:24Genesis 2:25Genesis 3:1Genesis 3:2Genesis 3:4Genesis 3:6Genesis 3:8Genesis 3:12Genesis 3:13Genesis 3:15Genesis 3:16Genesis 3:17Genesis 3:20Genesis 3:21Genesis 4:1Genesis 4:17Genesis 4:19Genesis 4:23Genesis 4:25Genesis 6:2Genesis 6:18Genesis 7:2Genesis 7:7Genesis 7:13Genesis 8:16Genesis 8:18Genesis 11:29Genesis 11:31Genesis 12:5Genesis 12:11Genesis 12:12Genesis 12:14Genesis 12:15Genesis 12:17Genesis 12:18Genesis 12:19Genesis 12:20Genesis 13:1Genesis 14:16Genesis 16:1Genesis 16:3Genesis 17:15Genesis 17:19Genesis 18:6Genesis 18:9Genesis 18:10Genesis 18:11Genesis 19:15Genesis 19:16Genesis 19:26Genesis 20:2Genesis 20:3Genesis 20:7Genesis 20:11Genesis 20:12Genesis 20:14Genesis 20:17Genesis 20:18Genesis 21:21Genesis 23:19Genesis 24Genesis 24:3Genesis 24:4Genesis 24:5Genesis 24:7Genesis 24:8Genesis 24:15Genesis 24:36Genesis 24:37Genesis 24:38Genesis 24:39Genesis 24:40Genesis 24:44Genesis 24:51Genesis 24:67Genesis 25:1Genesis 25:10Genesis 25:20Genesis 25:21Genesis 26:7Genesis 26:8Genesis 26:9Genesis 26:10Genesis 26:11Genesis 26:34Genesis 27:46Genesis 28:1Genesis 28:2Genesis 28:6Genesis 28:9Genesis 29Genesis 29:21Genesis 29:28Genesis 29:30Genesis 29:31Genesis 30:4Genesis 30:9Genesis 30:26Genesis 31:14Genesis 31:17Genesis 31:35Genesis 31:50Genesis 32:23Genesis 33:5Genesis 34:4Genesis 34:8Genesis 34:12Genesis 34:21Genesis 34:29Genesis 36:2Genesis 36:6Genesis 36:10Genesis 36:12Genesis 36:13Genesis 36:14Genesis 36:17Genesis 36:18Genesis 36:39Genesis 37:2Genesis 38:6Genesis 38:8Genesis 38:9Genesis 38:12Genesis 38:14Genesis 38:20Genesis 39:7Genesis 39:8Genesis 39:9Genesis 39:19Genesis 41:45Genesis 44:27Genesis 45:19Genesis 46:5Genesis 46:19Genesis 46:26Genesis 49:31

Exodus 36

Leviticus 32

Numbers 36

Deuteronomy 35

Joshua 9

Judges 56

Ruth 14

1 Samuel 47

2 Samuel 40

1 Kings 36

2 Kings 21

1 Chronicles 20

2 Chronicles 18

Ezra 11

Nehemiah 10

Esther 19

Job 8

Psalms 3

Proverbs 26

Ecclesiastes 3

Song of Solomon 3

Isaiah 11

Jeremiah 32

Lamentations 3

Ezekiel 21

Daniel 2

Hosea 4

Amos 2

Micah 1

Nahum 1

Zechariah 7

Malachi 2

Mark 2

Luke 7

John 4

Acts 5

1 Corinthians 1

James 1

Topical Bible

Sources

Ancient Context20 items

Josephus Antiquities Whiston

The Constitution Of The World And The Disposition Of The Elements.

Antiquities Book 1, Chapter 1

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Josephus Antiquities Whiston

Concerning The Posterity Of Adam, And The Ten Generations From Him To The Deluge.

Antiquities Book 1, Chapter 2

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Josephus Antiquities Whiston

Concerning The Flood; And After What Manner Noah Was Saved In An Ark, With His Kindred, And Afterwards Dwelt In The Plain Of Shinar.

Antiquities Book 1, Chapter 3

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Josephus Antiquities Whiston

That When There Was A Famine In Canaan, Abram Went Thence Into Egypt; And After He Had Continued There A While He Returned Back Again.

Antiquities Book 1, Chapter 8

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Josephus Antiquities Whiston

How God Overthrew The Nation Of The Sodomites, Out Of His Wrath Against Them For Their Sins.

Antiquities Book 1, Chapter 11

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Josephus Antiquities Whiston

Concerning Abimelech; And Concerning Ismael The Son Of Abraham; And Concerning The Arabians, Who Were His Posterity.

Antiquities Book 1, Chapter 12

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Josephus Antiquities Whiston

How Isaac Took Rebeka To Wife.

Antiquities Book 1, Chapter 16

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Josephus Antiquities Whiston

Concerning The Sons Of Isaac, Esau And Jacob; Of Their Nativity And Education.

Antiquities Book 1, Chapter 18

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Josephus Antiquities Whiston

Concerning Jacob's Flight Into Mesopotamia, By Reason Of The Fear He Was In Of His Brother.

Antiquities Book 1, Chapter 19

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Josephus Antiquities Whiston

How Isaac Died, And Was Buried In Hebron.

Antiquities Book 1, Chapter 22

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Josephus Antiquities Whiston

Concerning The Signal Chastity Of Joseph.

Antiquities Book 2, Chapter 4

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Josephus Antiquities Whiston

Concerning The Afflictions That Befell The Hebrews In Egypt, During Four Hundred Years. 16

Antiquities Book 2, Chapter 9

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Josephus Antiquities Whiston

Several Laws.

Antiquities Book 3, Chapter 12

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Josephus Antiquities Whiston

Concerning Balaam The Prophet And What Kind Of Man He Was.

Antiquities Book 4, Chapter 6

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Josephus Antiquities Whiston

The Polity Settled By Moses; And How He Disappeared From Among Mankind.

Antiquities Book 4, Chapter 8

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Josephus Antiquities Whiston

How, After The Death Of Joshua Their Commander, The Israelites Transgressed The Laws Of Their Country, And Experienced Great Afflictions; And When There Was A Sedition Arisen, The Tribe Of Benjamin Was Destroyed Excepting Only Six Hundred Men.

Antiquities Book 5, Chapter 2

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Josephus Antiquities Whiston

Concerning The Fortitude Of Samson, And What Mischiefs He Brought Upon The Philistines.

Antiquities Book 5, Chapter 8

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Josephus Antiquities Whiston

How Under Eli's Government Of The Israelites Booz Married Ruth, From Whom Came Obed The Grandfather Of David.

Antiquities Book 5, Chapter 9

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Josephus Antiquities Whiston

Herein Is Declared What Befell The Sons Of Eli, The Ark, And The People And How Eli Himself Died Miserably.

Antiquities Book 5, Chapter 11

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Josephus Antiquities Whiston

How David, Upon Saul's Laying Snares For Him, Did Yet Escape The Dangers He Was In By The Affection And Care Of Jonathan And The Contrivances Of His Wife Michal: And How He Came To Samuel The Prophet.

Antiquities Book 6, Chapter 11

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Related UNLEARN Content29 items

Case File

10 Characteristics of a Godly Wife | Let's Talk Biblical

What does the Bible say about being a godly wife? In this episode we unpacks 10 characteristics of a godly wife. Whether you're preparing for marriage, growing in your role as a wife,…

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Case File

How to be A Virtuous Woman

Is the Proverbs 31 woman an impossible standard? For many women, the description of the "Virtuous Woman" feels less like an inspiration and more like an exhausting checklist. We’ve b…

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Topic

WIFE

Nave’s Topical Bible references for WIFE.

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Dictionary

Adultery

Conjugal infidelity. An adulterer was a man who had illicit intercourse with a married or a betrothed woman, and such a woman was an adulteress. Intercourse between a married man and an unmarried woman was fornication. Adultery was regarded as a great social wrong, as well as a great sin. The Mosaic law (Num. 5:11-31) prescribed that the suspected wife should be tried by the ordeal of the "water of jealousy." There is, however, no recorded instance of the application of this law. In subsequent times the Rabbis made various regulations with the view of discovering the guilty party, and of bringing about a divorce. It has been inferred from John 8:1-11 that this sin became very common during the age preceding the destruction of Jerusalem. Idolatry, covetousness, and apostasy are spoken of as adultery spiritually (Jer. 3:6, 8, 9; Ezek. 16:32; Hos. 1:2:3; Rev. 2:22). An apostate church is an adulteress (Isa. 1:21; Ezek. 23:4, 7, 37), and the Jews are styled "an adulterous generation" (Matt. 12:39). (Comp. Rev. 12.)

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Dictionary

Bath-sheba

Daughter of the oath, or of seven, called also Bath-shu'a (1 Chr. 3:5), was the daughter of Eliam (2 Sam. 11:3) or Ammiel (1 Chr. 3:5), and wife of Uriah the Hittite. David committed adultery with her (2 Sam. 11:4, 5; Ps. 51:1). The child born in adultery died (2 Sam. 12:15-19). After her husband was slain (11:15) she was married to David (11:27), and became the mother of Solomon (12:24; 1 Kings 1:11; 2:13). She took a prominent part in securing the succession of Solomon to the throne (1 Kings 1:11, 16-21).

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Betroth

To promise "by one's truth." Men and women were betrothed when they were engaged to be married. This usually took place a year or more before marriage. From the time of betrothal the woman was regarded as the lawful wife of the man to whom she was betrothed (Deut. 28:30; Judg. 14:2, 8; Matt. 1:18-21). The term is figuratively employed of the spiritual connection between God and his people (Hos. 2:19, 20).

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Concubine

In the Bible denotes a female conjugally united to a man, but in a relation inferior to that of a wife. Among the early Jews, from various causes, the difference between a wife and a concubine was less marked than it would be amongst us. The concubine was a wife of secondary rank. There are various laws recorded providing for their protection (Ex. 21:7; Deut. 21:10-14), and setting limits to the relation they sustained to the household to which they belonged (Gen. 21:14; 25:6). They had no authority in the family, nor could they share in the household government. The immediate cause of concubinage might be gathered from the conjugal histories of Abraham and Jacob (Gen. 16;30). But in process of time the custom of concubinage degenerated, and laws were made to restrain and regulate it (Ex. 21:7-9). Christianity has restored the sacred institution of marriage to its original character, and concubinage is ranked with the sins of fornication and adultery (Matt. 19:5-9; 1 Cor. 7:2).

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Dictionary

Dowry

(mohar; i.e., price paid for a wife, Gen. 34:12; Ex. 22:17; 1 Sam. 18:25), a nuptial present; some gift, as a sum of money, which the bridegroom offers to the father of his bride as a satisfaction before he can receive her. Jacob had no dowry to give for his wife, but he gave his services (Gen. 29:18; 30:20; 34:12).

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Dictionary

Eth-baal

With Baal, a king of Sidon (B.C. 940-908), father of Jezebel, who was the wife of Ahab (1 Kings 16:31). He is said to have been also a priest of Astarte, whose worship was closely allied to that of Baal, and this may account for his daughter's zeal in promoting idolatry in Israel. This marriage of Ahab was most fatal to both Israel and Judah. Dido, the founder of Carthage, was his granddaughter.

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Ethiopian woman

The wife of Moses (Num. 12:1). It is supposed that Zipporah, Moses' first wife (Ex. 2:21), was now dead. His marriage of this "woman" descended from Ham gave offence to Aaron and Miriam.

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Fever

(Deut. 28:22; Matt. 8:14; Mark 1:30; John 4:52; Acts 28:8), a burning heat, as the word so rendered denotes, which attends all febrile attacks. In all Eastern countries such diseases are very common. Peter's wife's mother is said to have suffered from a "great fever" (Luke 4:38), an instance of Luke's professional exactitude in describing disease. He adopts here the technical medical distinction, as in those times fevers were divided into the "great" and the "less."

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Help-meet

(Heb. ezer ke-negdo; i.e., "a help as his counterpart" = a help suitable to him), a wife (Gen. 2:18-20).

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Herod Philip I.

(Mark 6:17), the son of Herod the Great by Mariamne, the daughter of Simon, the high priest. He is distinguished from another Philip called "the tetrarch." He lived at Rome as a private person with his wife Herodias and his daughter Salome.

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Herodias

(Matt. 14:3-11; Mark 6:17-28; Luke 3:19), the daughter of Aristobulus and Bernice. While residing at Rome with her husband Herod Philip I. and her daughter, Herod Antipas fell in with her during one of his journeys to that city. She consented to leave her husband and become his wife. Some time after, Herod met John the Baptist, who boldly declared the marriage to be unlawful. For this he was "cast into prison," in the castle probably of Machaerus (q.v.), and was there subsequently beheaded.

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Dictionary

Jealousy offering

The name of the offering the husband was to bring when he charged his wife with adultery (Num. 5:11-15).

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Jealousy, Waters of

Water which the suspected wife was required to drink, so that the result might prove her guilt or innocence (Num. 5:12-17, 27). We have no record of this form of trial having been actually resorted to.

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Jealousy

Suspicion of a wife's purity, one of the strongest passions (Num. 5:14; Prov. 6:34; Cant. 8:6); also an intense interest for another's honour or prosperity (Ps. 79:5; 1 Cor. 10:22; Zech. 1:14).

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Jewess

A woman of Hebrew birth, as Eunice, the mother of Timothy (Acts 16:1; 2 Tim. 1:5), and Drusilla (Acts 24:24), wife of Felix, and daughter of Herod Agrippa I.

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Mahalath

A lute; lyre. (1.) The daughter of Ishmael, and third wife of Esau (Gen. 28:9); called also Bashemath (Gen. 36:3). (2.) The daughter of Jerimoth, who was one of David's sons. She was one of Rehoboam's wives (2 Chr. 11:18).

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Meshullemeth

Friend, the wife of Manasseh, and the mother of Amon (2 Kings 21:19), Kings of Judah.

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Naaman

Pleasantness, a Syrian, the commander of the armies of Benhadad II. in the time of Joram, king of Israel. He was afflicted with leprosy; and when the little Hebrew slave-girl that waited on his wife told her of a prophet in Samaria who could cure her master, he obtained a letter from Benhadad and proceeded with it to Joram. The king of Israel suspected in this some evil design against him, and rent his clothes. Elisha the prophet hearing of this, sent for Naaman, and the strange interview which took place is recorded in 2 Kings 5. The narrative contains all that is known of the Syrian commander. He was cured of his leprosy by dipping himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of Elisha. His cure is alluded to by our Lord (Luke 4:27).

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Nobleman

(Gr. basilikos, i.e., "king's man"), an officer of state (John 4:49) in the service of Herod Antipas. He is supposed to have been the Chuza, Herod's steward, whose wife was one of those women who "ministered unto the Lord of their substance" (Luke 8:3). This officer came to Jesus at Cana and besought him to go down to Capernaum and heal his son, who lay there at the point of death. Our Lord sent him away with the joyful assurance that his son was alive.

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Persecution

The first great persecution for religious opinion of which we have any record was that which broke out against the worshippers of God among the Jews in the days of Ahab, when that king, at the instigation of his wife Jezebel, "a woman in whom, with the reckless and licentious habits of an Oriental queen, were united the fiercest and sternest qualities inherent in the old Semitic race", sought in the most relentless manner to extirpate the worship of Yahweh and substitute in its place the worship of Ashtoreth and Baal. Ahab's example in this respect was followed by Manasseh, who "shed innocent blood very much, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another" (2 Kings 21:16; comp. 24:4). In all ages, in one form or another, the people of God have had to suffer persecution. In its earliest history the Christian church passed through many bloody persecutions. Of subsequent centuries in our own and in other lands the same sad record may be made. Christians are forbidden to seek the propagation of the gospel by force (Matt. 7:1; Luke 9:54-56; Rom. 14:4; James 4:11, 12). The words of Ps. 7:13, "He ordaineth his arrows against the persecutors," ought rather to be, as in the Revised Version, "He maketh his arrows fiery [shafts]."

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Phalti

Deliverance of the Lord, the son of Laish of Gallim (1 Sam. 25:44)= Phaltiel (2 Sam. 3:15). Michal, David's wife, was given to him.

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Queen

No explicit mention of queens is made till we read of the "queen of Sheba." The wives of the kings of Israel are not so designated. In Ps. 45:9, the Hebrew for "queen" is not malkah, one actually ruling like the Queen of Sheba, but shegal, which simply means the king's wife. In 1 Kings 11:19, Pharaoh's wife is called "the queen," but the Hebrew word so rendered (g'birah) is simply a title of honour, denoting a royal lady, used sometimes for "queen-mother" (1 Kings 15:13; 2 Chron. 15:16). In Cant. 6:8, 9, the king's wives are styled "queens" (Heb. melakhoth). In the New Testament we read of the "queen of the south", i.e., Southern Arabia, Sheba (Matt. 12:42; Luke 11:31) and the "queen of the Ethiopians" (Acts 8:27), Candace.

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Rechabites

The descendants of Rechab through Jonadab or Jehonadab. They belonged to the Kenites, who accompanied the children of Israel into Palestine, and dwelt among them. Moses married a Kenite wife (Judg. 1:16), and Jael was the wife of "Heber the Kenite" (4:17). Saul also showed kindness to the Kenites (1 Sam. 15:6). The main body of the Kenites dwelt in cities, and adopted settled habits of life (30:29); but Jehonadab forbade his descendants to drink wine or to live in cities. They were commanded to lead always a nomad life. They adhered to the law laid down by Jonadab, and were noted for their fidelity to the old-established custom of their family in the days of Jeremiah (35); and this feature of their character is referred to by the prophet for the purpose of giving point to his own exhortation. They are referred to in Neh. 3:14 and 1 Chr. 2:55. Dr. Wolff (1839) found in Arabia, near Mecca, a tribe claiming to be descendants of Jehonadab; and recently a Bedouin tribe has been found near the Dead Sea who also profess to be descendants of the same Kenite chief.

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Spouse

(Cant. 4:8-12; Hos. 4:13, 14) may denote either husband or wife, but in the Scriptures it denotes only the latter.

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Wife

The ordinance of marriage was sanctioned in Paradise (Gen. 2:24; Matt. 19:4-6). Monogamy was the original law under which man lived, but polygamy early commenced (Gen. 4:19), and continued to prevail all down through Jewish history. The law of Moses regulated but did not prohibit polygamy. A man might have a plurality of wives, but a wife could have only one husband. A wife's legal rights (Ex. 21:10) and her duties (Prov. 31:10-31; 1 Tim. 5:14) are specified. She could be divorced in special cases (Deut. 22:13-21), but could not divorce her husband. Divorce was restricted by our Lord to the single case of adultery (Matt. 19:3-9). The duties of husbands and wives in their relations to each other are distinctly set forth in the New Testament (1 Cor. 7:2-5; Eph. 5:22-33; Col. 3:18, 19; 1 Pet. 3:1-7).

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Woman

Was "taken out of man" (Gen. 2:23), and therefore the man has the preeminence. "The head of the woman is the man;" but yet honour is to be shown to the wife, "as unto the weaker vessel" (1 Cor. 11:3, 8, 9; 1 Pet. 3:7). Several women are mentioned in Scripture as having been endowed with prophetic gifts, as Miriam (Ex. 15:20), Deborah (Judg. 4:4, 5), Huldah (2 Kings 22:14), Noadiah (Neh. 6:14), Anna (Luke 2:36, 37), and the daughters of Philip the evangelist (Acts 21:8, 9). Women are forbidden to teach publicly (1 Cor. 14:34, 35; 1 Tim. 2:11, 12). Among the Hebrews it devolved upon women to prepare the meals for the household (Gen. 18:6; 2 Sam. 13:8), to attend to the work of spinning (Ex. 35:26; Prov. 31:19), and making clothes (1 Sam. 2:19; Prov. 31:21), to bring water from the well (Gen. 24:15; 1 Sam. 9:11), and to care for the flocks (Gen. 29:6; Ex. 2:16). The word "woman," as used in Matt. 15:28, John 2:4 and 20:13, 15, implies tenderness and courtesy and not disrespect. Only where revelation is known has woman her due place of honour assigned to her.

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