Proverbs 21:19
New International Version
Better to live in a desert than with a quarrelsome and nagging wife.

New Living Translation
It’s better to live alone in the desert than with a quarrelsome, complaining wife.

English Standard Version
It is better to live in a desert land than with a quarrelsome and fretful woman.

Berean Standard Bible
Better to live in the desert than with a contentious and ill-tempered wife.

King James Bible
It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and an angry woman.

New King James Version
Better to dwell in the wilderness, Than with a contentious and angry woman.

New American Standard Bible
It is better to live in a desert land Than with a contentious and irritating woman.

NASB 1995
It is better to live in a desert land Than with a contentious and vexing woman.

NASB 1977
It is better to live in a desert land, Than with a contentious and vexing woman.

Legacy Standard Bible
It is better to live in a desert land Than with a contentious and vexing woman.

Amplified Bible
It is better to dwell in a desert land Than with a contentious and troublesome woman.

Christian Standard Bible
Better to live in a wilderness than with a nagging and hot-tempered wife.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Better to live in a wilderness than with a nagging and hot-tempered wife.

American Standard Version
It is better to dwell in a desert land, Than with a contentious and fretful woman.

Contemporary English Version
It's better out in the desert than at home with a nagging, complaining wife.

English Revised Version
It is better to dwell in a desert land, than with a contentious and fretful woman.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Better to live in a desert than with a quarreling and angry woman.

Good News Translation
Better to live out in the desert than with a nagging, complaining wife.

International Standard Version
It's better to live in the wilderness than to live with a contentious and irritable woman.

Majority Standard Bible
Better to live in the desert than with a contentious and ill-tempered wife.

NET Bible
It is better to live in a desert land than with a quarrelsome and easily-provoked woman.

New Heart English Bible
It is better to dwell in a desert land, than with a contentious and fretful woman.

Webster's Bible Translation
It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and an angry woman.

World English Bible
It is better to dwell in a desert land, than with a contentious and fretful woman.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Better to dwell in a wilderness land, "" Than [with] a woman of contentions and anger.

Young's Literal Translation
Better to dwell in a wilderness land, Than with a woman of contentions and anger.

Smith's Literal Translation
Good to dwell in the land of the desert rather than with a woman of contentions and anger.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
It is better to dwell in a wilderness, than with a quarrelsome and passionate woman.

Catholic Public Domain Version
It is better to live in a deserted land, than with a quarrelsome and emotional woman.

New American Bible
It is better to dwell in a wilderness than with a quarrelsome wife and trouble.

New Revised Standard Version
It is better to live in a desert land than with a contentious and fretful wife.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
It is better to dwell in the wilderness than with a quarrelsome and an angry wife.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Better to stay in the land of the wilderness than to dwell with a contentious and angry woman.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
It is better to dwell in a desert land, Than with a contentious and fretful woman.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
It is better to dwell in a wilderness than with a quarrelsome and talkative and passionate woman.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The King's Heart
18The wicked become a ransom for the righteous, and the faithless for the upright. 19Better to live in the desert than with a contentious and ill-tempered wife. 20Precious treasures and oil are in the dwelling of the wise, but a foolish man consumes them.…

Cross References
Proverbs 19:13
A foolish son is his father’s ruin, and a quarrelsome wife is like a constant dripping.

Proverbs 27:15
A constant dripping on a rainy day and a contentious woman are alike—

Ecclesiastes 7:26
And I find more bitter than death the woman who is a snare, whose heart is a net, and whose hands are chains. The man who pleases God escapes her, but the sinner is ensnared.

Proverbs 25:24
Better to live on a corner of the roof than to share a house with a quarrelsome wife.

Proverbs 12:4
A wife of noble character is her husband’s crown, but she who causes shame is like decay in his bones.

1 Peter 3:7
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.

Ephesians 5:22-24
Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. / 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. / Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.

Colossians 3:19
Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.

1 Corinthians 7:10-11
To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband. / But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife.

1 Timothy 2:11-12
A woman must learn in quietness and full submissiveness. / I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; she is to remain quiet.

Genesis 2:18
The LORD God also said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make for him a suitable helper.”

Genesis 3:16
To the woman He said: “I will sharply increase your pain in childbirth; in pain you will bring forth children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.”

1 Samuel 25:24-25
She fell at his feet and said, “My lord, may the blame be on me alone, but please let your servant speak to you; hear the words of your servant. / My lord should pay no attention to this scoundrel Nabal, for he lives up to his name: His name means Fool, and folly accompanies him. I, your servant, did not see my lord’s young men whom you sent.

1 Kings 21:25
(Surely there was never one like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the sight of the LORD, incited by his wife Jezebel.

Matthew 5:31-32
It has also been said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’ / But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, brings adultery upon her. And he who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.


Treasury of Scripture

It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and an angry woman.

better

Proverbs 21:9
It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman in a wide house.

Psalm 55:6,7
And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest…

Psalm 120:5,6
Woe is me, that I sojourn in Mesech, that I dwell in the tents of Kedar! …

wilderness or the land of the desert

Jump to Previous
Anger Angry Better Bitter-Tongued Contentions Contentious Desert Dwell Ill-Tempered Irritable Live Quarrelsome Vexing Waste Wife Wilderness
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Anger Angry Better Bitter-Tongued Contentions Contentious Desert Dwell Ill-Tempered Irritable Live Quarrelsome Vexing Waste Wife Wilderness
Proverbs 21
1. The king's heart in the hand of the Lord














Better to live
The phrase "better to live" suggests a comparison of life choices, emphasizing the importance of peace and contentment over material or relational circumstances. The Hebrew root for "better" is "טוֹב" (tov), which conveys goodness, welfare, and prosperity. This word is often used in the Old Testament to describe what is desirable or beneficial. The implication here is that a life of simplicity and solitude, even in harsh conditions, is preferable to one filled with strife.

in the desert
The "desert" or "wilderness" in Hebrew is "מִדְבָּר" (midbar), a place often associated with desolation, barrenness, and hardship. Historically, the desert was a place of testing and purification for the Israelites, as seen in their 40-year journey. It symbolizes a place of solitude and reflection, where one can escape the chaos and find peace. The desert, despite its harshness, offers a stark contrast to the turmoil of a contentious relationship.

than with a contentious
The word "contentious" comes from the Hebrew "מִדְיָנִים" (midyanim), which means strife or quarrels. This term is used to describe a person who is prone to arguments and disputes. In the biblical context, contentiousness disrupts harmony and creates an environment of constant tension. The wisdom literature of the Bible often warns against such behavior, highlighting the value of peace and unity.

and ill-tempered
"Ill-tempered" is translated from the Hebrew "כַּעַס" (ka'as), meaning anger or vexation. This word describes a state of emotional turmoil that can lead to destructive behavior. In the biblical narrative, anger is frequently cautioned against, as it can lead to sin and broken relationships. The emphasis here is on the destructive nature of unchecked emotions and the importance of self-control.

wife
The term "wife" in Hebrew is "אִשָּׁה" (ishah), which refers to a woman in the context of marriage. In the biblical framework, marriage is a covenant relationship designed for mutual support, love, and companionship. The mention of a "contentious and ill-tempered wife" serves as a cautionary note about the potential for discord within this sacred bond. It underscores the importance of choosing a partner who embodies the virtues of patience, kindness, and peace.

Verse 19. - A variant of ver. 9. Here, instead of the "corner of the roof," we have a wilderness, a desert land, as the refuge to which the persecuted man must flee. Than with a contentious and an angry (fretful) woman. So the Vulgate. But it seems better, with many modern commentators, to take וָכָעַם, not as another epithet, but as equivalent to "and vexation," i.e. a quarrelsome wife, and the vexation that accompanies such an infliction. The LXX. adds a word to the text, as being at the root of the matter, "Than with a quarrelsome, talkative, and passionate woman."

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Better
ט֗וֹב (ṭō·wḇ)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 2896: Pleasant, agreeable, good

to live
שֶׁ֥בֶת (še·ḇeṯ)
Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 3427: To sit down, to dwell, to remain, to settle, to marry

in the desert
בְּאֶֽרֶץ־ (bə·’e·reṣ-)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 776: Earth, land

than with a contentious
מִדְיָנִ֣ים (miḏ·yā·nîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 4066: A contest, quarrel

and ill-tempered
וָכָֽעַס׃ (wā·ḵā·‘as)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3708: Vexation, anger

wife.
מֵאֵ֖שֶׁת (mê·’ê·šeṯ)
Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 802: Woman, wife, female


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OT Poetry: Proverbs 21:19 It is better to dwell (Prov. Pro Pr)
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