Wives from the Word: A Bible Study Series

For many years now, I have been searching the scriptures for marriages. Of course, we know about Sarah and Abraham. We know about Ruth and Boaz, Esther and King Xerxes, David and Bathsheba. Maybe we remember Hannah and Elkanah or even the unnamed wives—like Job’s, or Lot’s, or Phineas’?

But why are they there? Of the millions of marriages that took place throughout the time of the Bible, God chose only a handful to tell us about. Take David for instance. Scripture records the names of at least 8 of his wives, yet God only shares the details with us of three. Would it not seem that if God chose to include these stories, there must be something for us to notice?

The beginning of a marriage Bible Study

Some years back, I began pondering these questions. I asked the Lord. I made notes and paused when I got to stories about a married couple. Sometimes I’d get nothing, and I’d leave it for another time to revisit. Other times, revelation flooded and suddenly I understood something I’d never seen before. With so many of these stories, there were moments when I asked him, and he spoke, and I was only his instrument to write and put into words what I saw. It is the beauty of the Word of God. And the wonder of our Lord—that he is living. That his word is living. That the Holy Spirit really does bring the word to life in time of need. Eventually, I began organizing some of these revelations and writing them out as articles. Currently, there are more than 20 marriages that I have studied, pondered, and written about (only on my laptop at the moment, but hopefully, to be shared here soon.)

But what about the husbands?

In each of these marriages, I chose to focus on the wives alone, to see what we could learn from each of these women in their various marriage circumstances. That is not to say their husbands didn’t have egregious sins—many of them did. This is not to say we, as women, can’t learn from observing the shortcomings and failures of men—of course, we can. But in these articles, I chose only to look at the wife’s response and what we can learn from them. (There are other places I’ve written about marriage in general and helps in early marriage)

“But what about David’s sin?” “But what about Nabal’s foolish heart?” “But what about Samson’s disobedience? These are all valid questions, for the sins of these men were deep, and as we will discuss, our sins often do affect the lives of those around us.

But I hear the Lord’s call to Peter, “What is that to you, you follow me.” And so for these articles, this is where I choose to begin and to focus. Even if you are married to a fool—or your husband has a foolish moment—how should we respond? As the Lord’s servants, as Christian women, wives, and wives-to-be, what can we learn from those who went before us in the Bible?

These studies (which will be shared as individual articles, all linked from this page) are the result of many years of searching and studying the topic of marriage, and the specific marriages in the Bible. It is the gleanings that came in years of informal marriage counseling, of fellowshipping with brothers and sisters, struggling through these very things in relationships. It is also a representation of gleanings and lessons learned within my own marriage; words the Lord has spoken to me, examples he has held before me to notice. It is my attempt, by God’s help, to “pass along the things I’ve learned by grace” (to quote a dear older brother.)

It is not an exhaustive study of marriage by any means, nor is it a thorough study of every couple in the Bible. It is still very much in draft form as I share it here. But hopefully, as we consider these examples that God set before us, we will be challenged to love our God more deeply, to serve our husbands more fully, to bless and not to curse, to overcome evil with good. To submit with joy. To trust with expectation. To give ourselves to prayer. And to wholly lean upon the strength of our God for every circumstance that we encounter in our marriages. He is worthy of this.

May the Lord bless you as you read along and study his word—

Katherine 

One further note about our Wives from the Word study:

The following list of marriages is in random order, shared mostly according to the articles/studies I have finished first. If it’s on this list, I have something written that I will eventually share here. I will continue to add more couples (as the Lord gives light and understanding) and fill in with links to separate pages, (as time allows). Eventually, I hope to study through many of the wives listed in this list with a group of local sisters, adding additional insights gleaned through fellowship. I share this here as a springboard for anyone who may want to do the same.    

Of course, there are several in this list who are not actual wives. Likely, Sarah would be horrified that I listed Hagar as a wife. Yet scripture, just like real life, is quite messy when it comes to relationships (and sometimes concubines are listed as wives, sometimes not). Still, the fact that they shared houses or beds with the men listed, seems to give us a close enough idea of marriage to be worth pondering. These are noted with an ** next to their name.

Also, to be straight right from the beginning, my husband has read all of these. We’re on the same team. He is a man of God, and we have served together in ministry for many years. Have we had moments to fight through, to pray through, to travail for each other, to wait for God to work in the other? Yes. And I’m sure he has had plenty with me. I don’t think you can do twenty years of marriage without having days of wrestling with the Lord for your spouse. Without wrestling with the Lord for your own heart to love your spouse. But these are tiny wrestlings. And what I’ve found, is that if you’re faithful to wrestle regularly with the Lord through the tiny wrestlings, He will keep you. He will keep your spouse. I’m so grateful for my husband. I truly believe that marriage, done well, in the Lord–is one of the greatest gifts the Lord has given us to experience while we’re here on earth.   

Job’s Wife: When Your Husband is Called to Suffer

Achsah (The Wife of Othniel): When You Long for More

Esther (the wife of Xerxes): When You’re Deeply Burdened

Sarah (the wife of Abraham): When God’s Promise is Delayed

Hagar (The Wife* of Abraham): When You’ve Been Left All Alone  (or you feel alone–and your husband is oblivious)

Delilah (The Wife* of Sampson): When You Long to Change Your Husband (and the Power of our Words) (part 1)

Lot’s Wife: When You Don’t Want to Go

Rebekah (the wife of Isaac): When the future is unknown // When a hard decision awaits

Michal (the wife of David): When your husband is praised/rejected (part 1)

Abigail (the wife of David): When your husband is praised/rejected (part 2)

Delilah (the wife* of Sampson): When you don’t understand your husband’s convictions (part 2)

Huldah (the wife of Shallum): When your gift has been hidden for so long

Eve (the wife of Adam): When your husband is away

Leah (the wife of Jacob): When you feel unloved

Abigail (the wife of Nabal): When you’re married to a fool

Abigail (the wife of David): When your husband is about to do something he shouldn’t

Saphira (the wife of Ananias): When your husband asks you to sin

Vashti (The wife of Xerxes): When it’s OK not to submit

Ruth (the wife of Boaz): When you must trust another for help

Beth Sheba (the wife of Uriah): When we long to be noticed

Hannah (the wife of Elkanah): When your husband doesn’t understand

Phineas’ Wife: When your husband is evil

Eunice (the wife of Timothy’s Dad): When you’re married to an unbeliever

Priscilla (the wife of Aquilla): When your spiritual gifting exceeds your husband

Elizabeth (the wife of Zechariah): When your husband is under discipline

Mary (the wife of Joseph):

Please follow and like us: