Reference: Wife
Easton
The ordinance of marriage was sanctioned in Paradise (Ge 2:24; Mt 19:4-6). Monogamy was the original law under which man lived, but polygamy early commenced (Ge 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 (Pr 31:10-31; 1Ti 5:14) are specified. She could be divorced in special cases (De 22:13-21), but could not divorce her husband. Divorce was restricted by our Lord to the single case of adultery (Mt 19:3-9). The duties of husbands and wives in their relations to each other are distinctly set forth in the New Testament (1Co 7:2-5; Eph 5:22-33; Col 3:18-19; 1Pe 3:1-7).
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And the Pharisees came to Him, tempting Him, and saying to Him; Is it lawful for a man to send away his wife for any cause? And He responding said to them, Have you not read, that the one having made them from the beginning made them male and female?
And He responding said to them, Have you not read, that the one having made them from the beginning made them male and female? And He said, On account of this a man shall leave father and mother, and cleave unto his wife; and they two shall be one flesh.
And He said, On account of this a man shall leave father and mother, and cleave unto his wife; and they two shall be one flesh. So they are no longer two, but one flesh: therefore what God joined together, let no man separate.
So they are no longer two, but one flesh: therefore what God joined together, let no man separate. They say to Him, Then why did Moses command to give a book of divorcement, and to send her away? read more. He says to them, Moses on account of the hardness of your heart permitted you to send away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so. But I say unto you, That whosoever may send away his wife, not for fornication, and may marry another, commits adultery.
but on account of fornication, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband. Let the husband give to the wife that which is due, and likewise the wife also to the husband. read more. The wife has not the authority over her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband has not the authority over his own body, but the wife. Do not defraud one another, unless it may be with consent for a time, that you may give attention to prayer, and again come together, in order that Satan may not tempt you on account of your incontinency.
Wives, be submissive to your own husbands, as to the Lord, because the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ is also the head of the church, being himself the saviour of the body. read more. But as the church is submissive to Christ, so also let the wives be to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives with divine love, as Christ also loved the church with divine love, and gave himself for her; in order that he might sanctify her, having purified her by the washing of water through the word, in order that he might present to himself the glorious church, having not spot or wrinkle or any of such things; but that she might be holy and blameless. So the husbands ought to love their own wives with divine love as their own bodies. The one loving his own wife is loving himself: for no one ever yet hated his own flesh; but he nourishes and cherishes it, as Christ also the church; because we are members of his body: on account of this a man shall leave his father and mother and cleave unto his wife: and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak in reference to Christ and the church. Moreover you also each one thus love his own wife with divine love as himself; and that the wife also reverence the husband.
Ye wives, submit to your husbands as is becoming in the Lord. Ye husbands, love your wives with divine love, and be not harsh towards them.
Hastings
Smith
Wife.
[MARRIAGE]
See Marriage