Some Clarity (A Necessary Rewind)
The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. Proverbs 31:11 NASB
Trusts – What does it mean to “trust” your wife? How will that turn out to be prosperous for the husband?
In the past we examined the Hebrew word bāṭaḥ in the context of the ‘ezer kenegdo, God’s design for women of valor.[1] We discovered that women are intended to play the role of relationship manager in marriage. They are hard-wired to direct the couple within the parameters of God’s instructions. While this sounds controversial to most men who have been taught to view women as “helpers,” our investigation demonstrates that the role of the ‘ezer kenegdo is far more powerful and more empowering than the typical Church dogma allows. But that theological shift might still leave us wondering, “Just how am I supposed to relate to my wife?” David Lambert offers another look at this critical Hebrew word that helps husbands understand how the relationship is supposed to work.
Before we turn to Lambert’s suggestion, let’s review the etymological background of bāṭaḥ:
This is one of two words used in the ot to express trust or reliance upon, the other being ḥāsâ (q.v.). There is no clear cognate in the other Semitic languages although KB sees a connection with Arabic baṭaḥa “to be stretched out, taut” (cf. especially the VII stem). The basic idea would then have to do with firmness or solidity. Be that as it may, in Hebrew, bāṭaḥ expresses that sense of well-being and security which results from having something or someone in whom to place confidence. It is significant that the LXX never translates this word with πιστευω“believe in” but with ελπιζω “to hope,” in the positive sense “to rely on God” or πειφομαι “to be persuaded,” for the negative notion for relying on what turns out to be deceptive. [2]
It’s important to note that this is principally a Hebrew word, not borrowed from other languages. It’s equally important to note that the basic meaning is about something that provides security. Now we can entertain Lambert’s suggestion that bāṭaḥ should be understood as reliance. What this means is that “trust” in my wife includes depending on her, being confident in her, believing in her, banking on her, and knowing that she has my back. In other words, my wife is my place of refuge, my safety net, the one who is most like God for me. What that means for me as a husband is that my behaviors need to be based on, and reflect, these attributes of reliance. In the end, this woman is my stronghold. Without her, life is just too risky. And as long as I think and act accordingly, my life with her will be the best thing that could ever happen to me.
Topical Index: bāṭaḥ, trust, rely, ‘ezer kenegdo, David Lambert, Proverbs 31:11
[1] See my book, Guardian Angel.
[2] Oswalt, J. N. (1999). 233 בָּטַח. In R. L. Harris, G. L. Archer, Jr. & B. K. Waltke (Eds.), Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (R. L. Harris, G. L. Archer, Jr. & B. K. Waltke, Ed.) (electronic ed.) (101). Chicago: Moody Press.
