A Little Chauvinism

(Pro 31:11 KJV) The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.

Today I notice two differences in translation between the KJV and NASB.  One goes in favor of each.  The first is the word “need” (2637) of the KJV which is “lack” in the NASB.  The NASB comes closer.  It would not be much of an issue if the KJV were not closer with its use of “spoil” (7998).  The word has the idea of going out and plundering.  It is a warrior word for a barbaric time.  Maybe that is why the NASB translates it here and “spoil” at 57 other places.

I think the idea here is that the way a wife handles the material goods of a family has something to say about how the husband goes about finding the money needed to support them.  We don’t literally go raiding with swords and torches any more.  We do have what we call “corporate raiders” who do the same type of thing.  We have people in business who use shady tactics to get rich.  More common we have men going out and working longer hours than they need in order to pay for all the unnecessary goods that the woman desires.  Of course the man might desire them also.

So?  This is a call to stewardship and priorities.  It is a call to budget and stay within your budget.  As is often the case the women are called on to civilize the men in their lives.  If the women give up then the men are lost.