Dwelling with a Contentious Woman - Proverbs 21:19

In the book of Proverbs Solomon said, “the wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous, and the transgressor for the upright”, and in chapter twenty-one and verse nineteen of Proverbs Solomon said, “it is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious … woman” where we read,

It is better to dwell in the wilderness,

than with a contentious and an angry woman.

The verse begins, “It is better to dwell in the wilderness, ...” Solomon began with the words, “it is better to dwell” or “it exists to a greater degree good, pleasant, agreeable and excellent to live, abide and remain” “in the wilderness” which means “within a dry and desert land” than the following. Solomon shared how it was more agreeable and excellent to live in a dry desert than the following. 

The verse goes on to say, “... than with a contentious and an angry woman.” Solomon added the words, “than with a contentious” or “compared to living alongside a strife-filled, brawling” “and an angry woman” which means “and a female human being who is wrath and fury filled”. Solomon said it was more excellent to live in a dry desert location compared to dwelling alongside a wrath and fury filled “woman”.

When we think through the words in this verse, we learn about Solomon's idea concerning living with a wrath and fury filled woman. Solomon had seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines, so he was well versed on their behavior. (See 1 Kings 11:3) God knows the temperament of all people, and whether they are women or men, He is able to save and rescue them from their angry behavior when they surrender their lives to His Son Jesus who died on the cross for the sins of all mankind. When we yield to Jesus, not only will He forgive our sins and grant us everlasting life, but He will teach us how to live among “contentious” people and to keep ourselves from becoming difficult to live with ourselves. 

Next time Solomon says, “there is treasure to be desired … in the dwelling of the wise”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".