Marriage is a sacred covenant, and the Bible addresses the roles of husbands and wives. Today, we’ll explore what Scripture says about husbands who fall short and God’s plan for restoration.
Also Read: What Does The Bible Say About Bad Influence
What Does The Bible Say About Bad Husbands
Proverbs 18:22
“He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the Lord.”
This verse emphasizes the importance of a good and virtuous wife, highlighting that a husband should cherish and appreciate his spouse as a gift from God. It implies that a bad husband fails to recognize and value the blessings and favor that come with a loving and supportive wife.
1 Peter 3:7
“Husbands, in the same way, be considerate as you live with your wives and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.”
This verse instructs husbands to treat their wives with gentleness, respect, and understanding. It emphasizes the importance of honoring the equal value and significance of both spouses in a marital relationship. A bad husband neglects his role of protecting and caring for his wife, hindering his own spiritual growth and connection with God.
Ephesians 5:25
“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.”
This verse commands husbands to love their wives sacrificially, selflessly, and unconditionally. It draws a parallel between the sacrificial love of Jesus for the church and the love that husbands are expected to have for their wives. A bad husband fails to demonstrate this selfless love and instead prioritizes his own desires and needs above his wife’s well-being.
Colossians 3:19
“Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.”
This verse urges husbands to demonstrate love towards their wives and to avoid treating them harshly. It highlights the importance of kindness, patience, and empathy in a marital relationship. A bad husband disregards these instructions and mistreats his wife through unkindness, harsh words, or abusive behavior.
1 Corinthians 7:3-5
“The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. The wife does not have authority over her own body but yields it to her husband. In the same way, the husband does not have authority over his own body but yields it to his wife. Do not deprive each other except perhaps by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.”
These verses highlight the mutual responsibility of spouses to fulfill each other’s physical needs within a marriage. It emphasizes the importance of sexual intimacy and the need for both partners to prioritize and avoid neglecting each other in this aspect. A bad husband may neglect or mistreat his wife by failing to fulfill his marital duty or by using his authority over his wife’s body in a selfish or manipulative manner.
1 Timothy 5:8
“Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”
This verse emphasizes the responsibility of husbands to provide for their families. It highlights that a husband who neglects his role as a provider and fails to care for his own household is in contradiction to the teachings of the faith. A bad husband neglects his financial or material responsibilities towards his family, causing unnecessary hardship and suffering.
Proverbs 12:4
“A wife of noble character is her husband’s crown, but a disgraceful wife is like decay in his bones.”
This verse contrasts the impact of a virtuous and noble wife with that of a disgraceful and unworthy wife on her husband. It implies that a bad husband may have contributed to his wife’s downfall through negligence, abuse, or infidelity, leading to a deteriorating and unhappy marriage.
Proverbs 21:9
“Better to live on a corner of the roof than share a house with a quarrelsome wife.”
This verse suggests that it is preferable to seek solitude and isolation rather than live in constant strife and contention with a contentious or argumentative wife. It implies that a bad husband may have contributed to the hostility and conflict within the marital relationship through his own behavior or lack of effort to resolve conflicts amicably.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”
This well-known passage describes the attributes of love and serves as a guide for husbands in how they should relate to their wives. A bad husband lacks these qualities of love and fails to cultivate a healthy and nurturing marital relationship.
Proverbs 14:1
“The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down.”
This proverb emphasizes the importance of a wife in building a healthy and harmonious home. It implies that a bad husband’s actions, such as neglect, abuse, or immoral behavior, can lead to the destruction and breakdown of the marital relationship and family unit.
Proverbs 31:11-12
“Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.”
This verse praises the virtuous and trustworthy wife who brings goodness, support, and value to her husband’s life. It implies that a bad husband may have failed to appreciate or acknowledge the positive contributions of his wife, causing resentment and dissatisfaction within the marriage.
1 Corinthians 11:3
“But I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is the man, and the head of Christ is God.”
This verse establishes the biblical hierarchy within a marriage, where the husband is recognized as the head of the household under Christ’s leadership. It implies that a bad husband may misuse or abuse his position of authority, disregarding the biblical principles of servant leadership and mutual submission.
1 Corinthians 11:11-12
“Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes from God.”
This verse highlights the interdependence and equal value of both men and women in God’s creation. It implies that a bad husband fails to recognize and honor the equal worth and significance of his wife, leading to a toxic and imbalanced relationship.
1 Peter 3:1-2
“Wives, in the same way, submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives when they see the purity and reverence of your lives.”
This verse encourages wives to exhibit godly behavior, even towards unbelieving husbands, in the hope that they may be influenced and won over by the wives’ example. It implies that a bad husband may resist or ignore the positive influence and testimony of his wife, hindering spiritual growth and harmony within the marriage.
1 Peter 3:8-9
“Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.”
This passage instructs believers, including husbands, to practice unity, sympathy, love, compassion, and humility towards one another. It implies that a bad husband may engage in unloving and hurtful behavior, responding to conflict or disagreement with further harm rather than seeking reconciliation and restoration.
Galatians 5:22-23
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things, there is no law.”
This verse lists the fruits of the Holy Spirit, which should be evident in the lives of believers, including husbands. It implies that a bad husband may lack these qualities, displaying behaviors in contrast to the characteristics of love, gentleness, and self-control.
1 John 4:20-21
“Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.”
This passage emphasizes the inseparable connection between loving God and loving others. It implies that a bad husband who fails to love and respect his wife contradicts his claim of loving God, revealing a lack of genuine faith and obedience.
Proverbs 19:14
“Houses and wealth are inherited from parents, but a prudent wife is from the Lord.”
This proverb recognizes that a wife with wisdom, discernment, and good judgment is a precious gift from God. It implies that a bad husband may overlook or disregard the valuable qualities that his wife possesses, leading to an unappreciative and unfulfilling marital relationship.
1 Corinthians 16:14
“Do everything in love.”
This simple yet powerful statement encourages believers to approach all aspects of life, including marriage, with love as the guiding principle. It implies that a bad husband may fail to demonstrate love in his actions, decisions, and interactions with his wife, resulting in a strained and unloving relationship.
Proverbs 31:28
“Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:”
This verse highlights the virtue and honor of a godly wife, recognized and appreciated not only by her children but also by her husband. It implies that a bad husband may fail to acknowledge and commend the positive contributions, sacrifices, and character of his wife, contributing to feelings of unimportance and undervaluation.
Ephesians 4:32
“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
This verse urges believers, including husbands, to exhibit kindness, compassion, and forgiveness towards one another. It implies that a bad husband may harbor resentment, hold grudges, or refuse to forgive his wife, fostering a hostile and unforgiving environment within the marriage.
Proverbs 21:19
“Better to live in a desert than with a quarrelsome and nagging wife.”
This proverb suggests that it is preferable to live in a desolate and isolated place rather than endure constant disputes and the nagging of a difficult wife. It implies that a bad husband may contribute to the contentious and disharmonious atmosphere within the marital relationship through his own behavior or lack of effort to establish peace and unity.
1 Timothy 3:2-5
“Now the overseer is to be above reproach, faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him, and he must do so in a manner worthy of full respect. (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?)”
These verses outline the qualities and responsibilities of a leader in the church, which can be applied to the role of a husband as the leader in the family. It implies that a bad husband may exhibit the opposite characteristics, such as being quarrelsome, uncontrolled, or neglectful in managing his family, which can negatively impact his spiritual leadership and credibility.
Proverbs 27:15-16
“A quarrelsome wife is like the dripping of a leaky roof in a rainstorm; restraining her is like restraining the wind or grasping oil with the hand.”
This proverb vividly portrays the relentless annoyance and frustration caused by a contentious and argumentative wife. It implies that a bad husband may contribute to the constant quarrels and arguments within the marriage through his own behavior or unwillingness to address and resolve conflicts effectively.
Malachi 2:15
“Has not the one God made you? You belong to him in body and spirit. And what does the one God seek? Godly offspring. So be on your guard, and do not be unfaithful to the wife of your youth.”
This verse emphasizes the covenant and sacred nature of marriage, warning husbands against infidelity and unfaithfulness, which can undermine the purpose of marriage in raising godly children. It implies that a bad husband may betray the trust and commitment of his wife by engaging in extramarital affairs or breaking his marital vows.