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Selected Verse: Proverbs 12:4 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Pr 12:4	Strong Concordance	A virtuous [02428] woman [0802] is a crown [05850] to her husband [01167]: but she that maketh ashamed [0954] is as rottenness [07538] in his bones [06106].
	King James	A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband: but she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his bones.

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
A virtuous woman--in the wide sense of well-disposed to all moral duties (Pro 31:10). maketh ashamed--that is, by misconduct. rottenness--an incurable evil.

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

A virtuous woman--in the wide sense of well-disposed to all moral duties (Pro 31:10).

maketh ashamed--that is, by misconduct.

rottenness--an incurable evil.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
Virtuous - The word implies the virtue of earnestness, or strength of character, rather than of simple chastity. A crown - With the Jews the sign, not of kingly power only, but also of joy and gladness. Compare Sol 3:11.

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]
We now place together Pro 12:4-12. One proverb concerning the house-wife forms the beginning of this group, and four regarding the management of the house and business form the conclusion. 4 A good brave wife is the crown of her husband, But as rottenness in his bones is one that causeth shame. As Pro 11:16 says of אושׁת חן, the pleasant wife (חן = χάρις), that she obtaineth honour, so this proverb of אושׁת חיל, the good wife (חיל = ἀρετή, virtus), that she raises her husband to higher honour: she is for his self-consciousness στέφανος καυχήσεως (Th1 2:19), and is also to him such a crown of honour before the world (cf. Pro 31:23). On the contrary, a מבישׁה, conducting herself shamefully (cf. regarding the double meaning of this Mishle word, which only here occurs in the fem., at Pro 10:5), is to her husband instar cariei in ossibus. רקב (רקב, Pro 10:7) denotes both the caries and the worm-hole (cf. Job 41:19, עץ רקּבון, worm-eaten wood). Like as the caries slowly but continuously increases, till at last the part of the body which the bone bears and the whole life of the man falls to ruin; so an unhappy marriage gnaws at the marrow of life, it destroys the happiness of life, disturbs the pursuit, undermines the life of the husband.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband - אשת חיל esheth chayil, a strong woman. Our word virtue (virtus) is derived from vir, a man; and as man is the noblest of God's creatures, virtue expresses what is becoming to man; what is noble, courageous, and dignified: and as vir, a man, comes from vis, power or strength; so it implies what is strong and vigorous in principle: and as in uncivilized life strength and courage were considered the very highest, because apparently the most necessary, of all virtues; hence the term itself might have become the denomination of all excellent moral qualities; and is now applied to whatever constitutes the system of morality and moral duties. In some parts of the world, however, where arts and sciences have made little progress, strength is one of the first qualifications of a wife, where the labors of the field are appointed to them. It is not an uncommon sight in different parts of Africa, to see the wives (queens) of the kings and chiefs going out in the morning to the plantations, with their mattock in their hand, and their youngest child on their back; and when arrived at the ground, lay the young prince or princess upon the earth, which when weary of lying on one side, will roll itself on the other, and thus continue during the course of the day, without uttering a single whimper, except at the intervals in which its mother gives it suck; she being employed all the while in such labor as we in Europe generally assign to our horses. In these cases, the strong wife is the highest acquisition; and is a crown to her husband, though he be king of Bonny or Calabar. It is certain that in ancient times the women in Judea did some of the severest work in the fields, such as drawing water from the wells, and watering the flocks, etc. On this account, I think, the words may be taken literally; and especially when we add another consideration, that a woman healthy, and of good muscular powers, is the most likely to produce and properly rear up a healthy offspring; and children of this kind are a crown to their parents. Is as rottenness in his bones - Does not this refer to a woman irregular in her manners, who by her incontinence not only maketh her husband ashamed, but contracts and communicates such diseases as bring rottenness into the bones? I think so. And I think this was the view taken of the text by Coverdale, who translates thus: "A stedfast woman is a crowne unto her hussbonde: but she that behaveth herself unhonestly is a corruption in his bones."

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826

A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband - אשת חיל esheth chayil, a strong woman. Our word virtue (virtus) is derived from vir, a man; and as man is the noblest of God's creatures, virtue expresses what is becoming to man; what is noble, courageous, and dignified: and as vir, a man, comes from vis, power or strength; so it implies what is strong and vigorous in principle: and as in uncivilized life strength and courage were considered the very highest, because apparently the most necessary, of all virtues; hence the term itself might have become the denomination of all excellent moral qualities; and is now applied to whatever constitutes the system of morality and moral duties. In some parts of the world, however, where arts and sciences have made little progress, strength is one of the first qualifications of a wife, where the labors of the field are appointed to them. It is not an uncommon sight in different parts of Africa, to see the wives (queens) of the kings and chiefs going out in the morning to the plantations, with their mattock in their hand, and their youngest child on their back; and when arrived at the ground, lay the young prince or princess upon the earth, which when weary of lying on one side, will roll itself on the other, and thus continue during the course of the day, without uttering a single whimper, except at the intervals in which its mother gives it suck; she being employed all the while in such labor as we in Europe generally assign to our horses. In these cases, the strong wife is the highest acquisition; and is a crown to her husband, though he be king of Bonny or Calabar. It is certain that in ancient times the women in Judea did some of the severest work in the fields, such as drawing water from the wells, and watering the flocks, etc. On this account, I think, the words may be taken literally; and especially when we add another consideration, that a woman healthy, and of good muscular powers, is the most likely to produce and properly rear up a healthy offspring; and children of this kind are a crown to their parents.

Is as rottenness in his bones - Does not this refer to a woman irregular in her manners, who by her incontinence not only maketh her husband ashamed, but contracts and communicates such diseases as bring rottenness into the bones? I think so. And I think this was the view taken of the text by Coverdale, who translates thus: "A stedfast woman is a crowne unto her hussbonde: but she that behaveth herself unhonestly is a corruption in his bones."

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¹⁰ Who can find [04672] a virtuous [02428] woman [0802]? for her price [04377] is far [07350] above rubies [06443].

¹¹ Go forth [03318], O ye daughters [01323] of Zion [06726], and behold [07200] king [04428] Solomon [08010] with the crown [05850] wherewith his mother [0517] crowned [05849] him in the day [03117] of his espousals [02861], and in the day [03117] of the gladness [08057] of his heart [03820].

¹⁹ Out of his mouth [06310] go [01980] burning lamps [03940], and sparks [03590] of fire [0784] leap out [04422].

⁷ The memory [02143] of the just [06662] is blessed [01293]: but the name [08034] of the wicked [07563] shall rot [07537].

⁵ He that gathereth [0103] in summer [07019] is a wise [07919] son [01121]: but he that sleepeth [07290] in harvest [07105] is a son [01121] that causeth shame [0954].

²³ Her husband [01167] is known [03045] in the gates [08179], when he sitteth [03427] among the elders [02205] of the land [0776].

¹⁹ For [1063] what [5101] is our [2257] hope [1680], or [2228] joy [5479], or [2228] crown [4735] of rejoicing [2746]? [2228] Are not [3780] even [2532] ye [5210] in the presence [1715] of our [2257] Lord [2962] Jesus [2424] Christ [5547] at [1722] his [846] coming [3952]?

¹⁶ A gracious [02580] woman [0802] retaineth [08551] honour [03519]: and strong [06184] men retain [08551] riches [06239].

⁴ A virtuous [02428] woman [0802] is a crown [05850] to her husband [01167]: but she that maketh ashamed [0954] is as rottenness [07538] in his bones [06106].
⁵ The thoughts [04284] of the righteous [06662] are right [04941]: but the counsels [08458] of the wicked [07563] are deceit [04820].
⁶ The words [01697] of the wicked [07563] are to lie in wait [0693] for blood [01818]: but the mouth [06310] of the upright [03477] shall deliver [05337] them.
⁷ The wicked [07563] are overthrown [02015], and are not: but the house [01004] of the righteous [06662] shall stand [05975].
⁸ A man [0376] shall be commended [01984] according [06310] to his wisdom [07922]: but he that is of a perverse [05753] heart [03820] shall be despised [0937].
⁹ He that is despised [07034], and hath a servant [05650], is better [02896] than he that honoureth [03513] himself, and lacketh [02638] bread [03899].
¹⁰ A righteous [06662] man regardeth [03045] the life [05315] of his beast [0929]: but the tender mercies [07356] of the wicked [07563] are cruel [0394].
¹¹ He that tilleth [05647] his land [0127] shall be satisfied [07646] with bread [03899]: but he that followeth [07291] vain [07386] persons is void [02638] of understanding [03820].
¹² The wicked [07563] desireth [02530] the net [04685] of evil [07451] men: but the root [08328] of the righteous [06662] yieldeth [05414] fruit.