The Meaning of Proverbs 21:9 Explained

Proverbs 21:9

KJV: It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman in a wide house.

YLT: Better to sit on a corner of the roof, Than with a woman of contentions and a house of company.

Darby: It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop, than with a contentious woman, and a house in common.

ASV: It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop, Than with a contentious woman in a wide house.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

[It is] better  to dwell  in a corner  of the housetop,  than with a brawling  woman  in a wide  house. 

What does Proverbs 21:9 Mean?

Verse Meaning

This proverb makes sense if we keep in mind that roofs in the ancient Near East were flat and people used them as patios. It is better to live alone outside, exposed to the elements, than in the sheltered, comfortable interior of one"s house if one has to share the inside with a scolding woman. Spartan conditions with peace are better than physical comforts with strife.

Chapter Summary: Proverbs 21

1  The king's heart in the hand of the Lord

What do the individual words in Proverbs 21:9 mean?

Better to dwell in a corner of a housetop Than with a woman contentious and in a house shared
ט֗וֹב לָשֶׁ֥בֶת עַל־ פִּנַּת־ גָּ֑ג מֵאֵ֥שֶׁת מִ֝דְיָנִ֗ים וּבֵ֥ית חָֽבֶר

ט֗וֹב  Better 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: טָבַב 
Sense: good, pleasant, agreeable.
לָשֶׁ֥בֶת  to  dwell 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: יָשַׁב 
Sense: to dwell, remain, sit, abide.
פִּנַּת־  a  corner 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: פִּנָּה  
Sense: corner.
גָּ֑ג  of  a  housetop 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: גָּג  
Sense: roof, top, housetop.
מֵאֵ֥שֶׁת  Than  with  a  woman 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: אִשָּׁה  
Sense: woman, wife, female.
מִ֝דְיָנִ֗ים  contentious 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: מָדֹון  
Sense: strife, contention.
וּבֵ֥ית  and  in  a  house 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
חָֽבֶר  shared 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֶבֶר  
Sense: association, company, band.