Who can find a worthy woman? For her price is far above rubies.
The heart of her husband trusts in her. He shall have no lack of gain.
She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life.
She seeks wool and flax, and works eagerly with her hands.
She is like the merchant ships. She brings her bread from afar.
She rises also while it is yet night, gives food to her household, and portions for her servant girls.
She considers a field, and buys it. With the fruit of her hands, she plants a vineyard.
She arms her waist with strength, and makes her arms strong.
She perceives that her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp doesn’t go out by night.
She lays her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle.
She opens her arms to the poor; yes, she extends her hands to the needy.
She is not afraid of the snow for her household; for all her household are clothed with scarlet.
She makes for herself carpets of tapestry. Her clothing is fine linen and purple.
Her husband is respected in the gates, when he sits among the elders of the land.
She makes linen garments and sells them, and delivers sashes to the merchant.
Strength and dignity are her clothing. She laughs at the time to come.
She opens her mouth with wisdom. Kind instruction is on her tongue.
She looks well to the ways of her household, and doesn’t eat the bread of idleness.
Her children rise up and call her blessed. Her husband also praises her:
Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On vv11, 15, 16, 21, 23, 24, 25, 26, 28 He shall not need to use any unlawful means…
He shall not need to use any unlawful means to gain his living.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv10–28 Pro 31:10 Who can find a virtuous woman? for…
Pro 31:10 Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price [is] far above rubies.
Ver. 10. Who can find a virtuous woman?] Good wives are rare commodities, and therefore precious and highly to be prized, even above rubies. The Hebrews put rarum pro charo, as in 1Sa 3:1 Pro 25:7; "Let thy feet be precious in thy neighbour’s house" - that is, let them seldom come there, lest thou become overcheap and undervalued. {a} It is easy to observe that the New Testament affords more store of good women than the Old. When Paul came first to Philippi, few or none came to hear him but women, {Act 6:13} but they drew on their husbands, and it soon became a famous church. What a rare piece was Priscilla, who better instructed Apollos, ventured her life for Paul, {Rom 16:4} and was such a singular help to her husband that she is mentioned before him as the more forward of the two. {Rom 16:3} Like as was also Manoah’s wife, {Jdg 13:24-25} and Nazianzen’s mother. Solomon’s mother was behind none of them, as appears by this poem, either composed by Solomon as a character of her, as some have thought, or else by herself, for his direction in the choice of a good wife, which would be worthy his pains, though he should fetch her as far as men do rubies - procul prae unionibus precium eius. What a way sent Abraham and Isaac for good wives for their sons!
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{a} σπανια σπουδαια. - Arist. Ethic.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv10–28 A virtuous woman, whom he may take to wife.…
A virtuous woman, whom he may take to wife. Such a person is hardly to be found. Compare Ecc 7:28. And here he lays down several characters or qualifications of an excellent wife, which are here delivered in alphabetical order, each verse beginning with a several and the succeeding letter of the Hebrew alphabet; which method is used in some, and but in a few places of Scripture, to oblige us to the more diligent consideration and careful remembrance of them, as things of more than ordinary importance. And such this matter is, partly because the good or bad education even of private families, which depends much upon the mother’s qualifications, hath a mighty influence upon the welfare or misery of commonwealths; and partly because the right education of royal families is in itself a very public blessing, and therefore it is the interest and happiness of whole kingdoms that their kings should have virtuous and pious wives.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Matthew Henry 1710 · Public Domain On v10 This description of the virtuous woman is designed to…
This description of the virtuous woman is designed to show what wives the women should make and what wives the men should choose; it consists of twenty-two verses, each beginning with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet in order, as some of the Psalms, which makes some think it was no part of the lesson which Lemuel's mother taught him, but a poem by itself, written by some other hand, and perhaps had been commonly repeated among the pious Jews, for the ease of which it was made alphabetical. We have the abridgment of it in the New Testament (Ti1 2:9, Ti1 2:10, Pe1 3:1-6), where the duty prescribed to wives agrees with this description of a good wife; and with good reason is so much stress laid upon it, since it contributes as much as any one thing to the keeping up of religion in families, and the entail of it upon posterity, that the mothers be wise and good; and of what consequence it is to the wealth and outward prosperity of a house every one is sensible. He that will thrive must ask his wife leave. Here is,
I. A general enquiry after such a one (Pro 31:10), where observe, 1. The person enquired after, and that is a virtuous woman - a woman of strength (so the word is), though the weaker vessel, yet made strong by wisdom and grace, and the fear of God: it is the same word that is used in the character of good judges (Exo 18:21), that they are able men, men qualified for the business to which they are called, men of truth, fearing God. So it follows, A virtuous woman is a woman of spirit, who has the command of her own spirit and knows how to manage other people's, one that is pious and industrious, and a help meet for a man. In opposition to this strength, we read of the weakness of the heart of an imperious whorish woman, Eze 16:30. A virtuous woman is a woman of resolution, who, having espoused good principles, is firm and steady to them, and will not be frightened with winds and clouds from any part of her duty. 2. The difficulty of meeting with such a one: Who can find her? This intimates that good women are very scarce, and many that seem to be so do not prove so; he that thought he had found a virtuous woman was deceived; Behold, it was Leah, and not the Rachel he expected. But he that designs to marry ought to seek diligently for such a one, to have this principally in his eye, in all his enquiries, and to take heed that he be not biassed by beauty or gaiety, wealth or parentage, dressing well or dancing well; for all these may be and yet the woman not be virtuous, and there is many a woman truly virtuous who yet is not recommended by these advantages. 3. The unspeakable worth of such a one, and the value which he that has such a wife ought to put upon her, showing it by his thankfulness to God and his kindness and respect to her, whom he must never think he can do too much for. Her price is far above rubies, and all the rich ornaments with which vain women adorn themselves. The more rare such good wives are the more they are to be valued.
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II. A particular description of her and of her excellent qualifications.
1. She is very industrious to recommend herself to her husband's esteem and affection. Those that are good really will be good relatively. A good woman, if she be brought into the marriage state, will be a good wife, and make it her business to please her husband, Co1 7:34. Though she is a woman of spirit herself, yet her desire is to her husband, to know his mind, that she may accommodate herself to it, and she is willing that he should rule over her. (1.) She conducts herself so that he may repose an entire confidence in her. He trusts in her chastity, which she never gave him the least occasion to suspect or to entertain any jealousy of; she is not morose and reserved, but modest and grave, and has all the marks of virtue in her countenance and behaviour; her husband knows it, and therefore his heart doth safely trust in her; he is easy, and makes her so. He trusts in her conduct, that she will speak in all companies, and act in all affairs, with prudence and discretion, so as not to occasion him either damage or reproach. He trusts in her fidelity to his interests, and that she will never betray his counsels nor have any interest separate from that of his family. When he goes abroad, to attend the concerns of the public, he can confide in her to order all his affairs at home, as well as if he himself were there. She is a good wife that is fit to be trusted, and he is a good husband that will leave it to such a wife to manage for him. (2.) She contributes so much to his content and satisfaction that he shall have no need of spoil; he needs not be griping and scraping abroad, as those must be whose wives are proud and wasteful at home. She manages his affairs so that he is always before-hand, has such plenty of his own that he is in no temptation to prey upon his neighbours. He thinks himself so happy in her that he envies not those who have most of the wealth of this world; he needs it not, he has enough, having such a wife. Happy the couple that have such a satisfaction as this in each other! (3.) She makes it her constant business to do him good, and is afraid of doing any thing, even through inadvertency, that may turn to his prejudice, Pro 31:12. She shows her love to him, not by a foolish fondness, but by prudent endearments, accommodating herself to his temper, and not crossing him, giving him good words, and not bad ones, no, not when he is out of humour, studying to make him easy, to provide what is fit for him both in health and sickness, and attending him with diligence and tenderness when any thing ails him; nor would she, no, not for the world, wilfully do any thing that might be a damage to his person, family, estate, or reputation. And this is her care all the days of her life; not at first only, or now and then, when she is in a good humour, but perpetually; and she is not weary of the good offices she does him: She does him good, not only all the days of his life, but of her own too; if she survive him, still she is doing him good in her care of his children, his estate, and good name, and all the concerns he left behind him. We read of kindness shown, not only to the living, but to the dead, Rut 2:20. (4.) She adds to his reputation in the world (Pro 31:23): Her husband is known in the gates, known to have a good wife. By his wise counsels, and prudent management of affairs, it appears that he has a discreet companion in his bosom, by conversation with whom he improves himself. By his cheerful countenance and pleasant humour it appears that he has an agreeable wife at home; for many that have not have their tempers strangely soured by it. Nay, by his appearing clean and neat in his dress, every thing about him decent and handsome, yet not gaudy, one may know he has a good wife at home, that takes care of his clothes.
2. She is one that takes pains in the duty of her place and takes pleasure in it. This part of her character is much enlarged upon here. (1.) She hates to sit still and do nothing: She eats not the bread of idleness, Pro 31:27. Though she needs not work for her bread (she has an estate to live upon), yet she will not eat it in idleness, because she knows that we were none of us sent into this world to be idle, that when we have nothing to do the devil will soon find us something to do, and that it is not fit that those who will not labour should eat. Some eat and drink because they can find themselves nothing else to do, and needless visits must be received with fashionable entertainments; these are eating the bread of idleness, which she has no relish for, for she neither gives nor receives idle visits nor idle talk. (2.) She is careful to fill up time, that none of that be lost. When day-light is done, she does not then think it time to lay by her work, as those are forced to do whose business lies abroad in the fields (Psa 104:23), but her business lying within-doors, and her work worth candle-light, with that she lengthens out the day; and her candle goes not out by night, Pro 31:18. It is a mercy to have candle-light to supply the want of day-light, and a duty, having that advantage, to improve it. We say of an elaborate piece, It smells of the lamp. (3.) She rises early, while it is yet night (Pro 31:15), to give her servants their breakfast, that they may be ready to go cheerfully about their work as soon as the day breaks. She is none of those who sit up playing at cards, or dancing, till midnight, till morning, and then lie in bed till noon. No; the virtuous woman loves her business better than her ease or her pleasure, is in care to be found in the way of her duty every hour of the day, and has more true satisfaction in having given meat to her household betimes in the morning than those can have in the money they have won, much more in what they have lost, who sat up all night at play. Those that have a family to take care of should not love their bed too well in a morning. (4.) She applies herself to the business that is proper for her. It is not in a scholar's business, or statesman's business, or husbandman's business, that she employs herself, but in women's business: She seeks wool and flax, where she may have the best of each at the best hand, and cheapest; she has a stock of both by her, and every thing that is necessary to the carrying on both of the woollen and the linen manufacture (Pro 31:13), and with this she does not only set the poor on work, which is a very good office, but does herself work, and work willingly, with her hands; she works with the counsel or delight of her hands (so the word is); she goes about it cheerfully and dexterously, lays not only her hand, but her mind to it, and goes on in it without weariness in well-doing. She lays her own hands to the spindle, or spinning-wheel, and her hands hold the distaff (Pro 31:19), and she does not reckon it either an abridgment of her liberty or a disparagement to her dignity, or at all inconsistent with her repose. The spindle and the distaff are here mentioned as her honour, while the ornaments of the daughters of Zion are reckoned up to their reproach, Isa 2:18, etc. (5.) She does what she does with all her might, and does not trifle in it (Pro 31:17); She girds her loins with strength and strengthens her arms; she does not employ herself in sitting work only, or in that which is only the nice performance of the fingers (there are works that are scarcely one remove from doing nothing); but, if there be occasion, she will go through with work that requires all the strength she has, which she will use as one that knows it is the way to have more.
3. She is one that makes what she does to turn to a good account, by her prudent management of it. She does not toil all night and catch nothing; no, she herself perceives that her merchandise is good (Pro 31:18); she is sensible that in all her labour there is profit, and that encourages her to go on in it. She perceives that she can make things herself better and cheaper than she can buy them; she finds by observation what branch of her employment brings in the best returns, and to that she applies herself most closely. (1.) She brings in provisions of all things necessary and convenient for her family, Pro 31:14. No merchants' ships, no, not Solomon's navy, ever made a more advantageous return than her employments do. Do they bring in foreign commodities with the effects they export? So does she with the fruit of her labours. What her own ground does not produce she can furnish herself with, if she have occasion for it, by exchanging her own goods for it; and so she brings her food from afar. Not that she values things the more for their being far-fetched, but, if they be ever so far off, if she must have them she knows how to come by them. (2.) She purchases lands, and enlarges the demesne of the family (Pro 31:16): She considers a field, and buys it. She considers what an advantage it will be to the family and what a good account it will turn to, and therefore she buys it; or, rather, though she have ever so much mind to it she will not buy it till she has first considered it, whether it be worth her money, whether she can afford to take so much money out of her stock as must go to purchase it, whether the title be good, whether the ground will answer the character given of it, and whether she has money at command to pay for it. Many have undone themselves by buying without considering; but those who would make advantageous purchases must consider, and then buy. She also plants a vineyard, but it is with the fruit of her hands; she does not take up money, or run into debt, to do it, but she does it with what she can spare out of the gains of her own housewifery. Men should not lay out any thing upon superfluities, till, by the blessing of God upon their industry, they have got before-hand, and can afford it; and then the fruit of the vineyard is likely to be doubly sweet, when it is the fruit of honest industry. (3.) She furnishes her house well and has good clothing for herself and her family (Pro 31:22): She makes herself coverings of tapestry to hang her rooms, and she may be allowed to use them when they are of her own making. Her own clothing is rich and fine: it is silk and purple, according to her place and rank. Though she is not so vain as to spend much time in dressing herself, nor makes the putting on of apparel her adorning, nor values herself upon it, yet she has rich clothes and puts them on well. The senator's robes which her husband wears are of her own spinning, and they look better and wear better than any that are bought. She also gets good warm clothing for her children, and her servants' liveries. She needs not fear the cold of the most pinching winter, for she and her family are well provided with clothes, sufficient to keep out cold, which is the end chiefly to be aimed at in clothing: All her household are clothed in scarlet, strong cloth and fit for winter, and yet rich and making a good appearance. They are all double clothed (so some read it), have change of raiment, a winter suit and a summer suit. (4.) She trades abroad. She makes more than she and her household have occasion for; and therefore, when she has sufficiently stocked her family, she sells fine linen and girdles to the merchants (Pro 31:24), who carry them to Tyre, the mart of the nations, or some other trading city. Those families are likely to thrive that sell more than they buy; as it is well with the kingdom when abundance of its home manufactures are exported. It is no disgrace to those of the best quality to sell what they can spare, nor to deal in trade and send ventures by sea. (5.) She lays up for hereafter: She shall rejoice in time to come, having laid in a good stock for her family, and having good portions for her children. Those that take pains when they are in their prime will have the pleasure and joy of it when they are old, both in reflecting upon it and in reaping the benefit of it.
4. She takes care of her family and all the affairs of it, gives meat to her household (Pro 31:15), to every one his portion of meat in due season, so that none of her servants have reason to complain of being kept short or faring hard. She gives also a portion (an allotment of work, as well as meat) to her maidens; they shall all of them know their business and have their task. She looks well to the ways of her household (Pro 31:27); she inspects the manners of all her servants, that she may check what is amiss among them, and oblige them all to behave properly and do their duty to God and one another, as well as to her; as Job, who put away iniquity far from his tabernacle, and David, who would suffer no wicked thing in his house. She does not intermeddle in the concerns of other people's houses; she thinks it enough for her to look well to her own.
5. She is charitable to the poor, Pro 31:20. She is as intent upon giving as she is upon getting; she often serves the poor with her own hand, and she does if freely, cheerfully, and very liberally, with an out-stretched hand. Nor does she relieve her poor neighbours only, and those that are nigh at hand, but she reaches forth her hands to the needy that are at a distance, seeking opportunities to do good and to communicate, which is as good housewifery as any thing she does.
6. She is discreet and obliging in all her discourse, not talkative, censorious, nor peevish, as some are, that know how to take pains; no, she opens her mouth with wisdom; when she does speak, it is with a great deal of prudence and very much to the purpose; you may perceive by every word she says how much she governs herself by the rules of wisdom. She not only takes prudent measures herself, but gives prudent advice to others; and this not as assuming the authority of a dictator, but with the affection of a friend and an obliging air: In her tongue is the law of kindness; all she says is under the government of that law. The law of love and kindness is written in the heart, but it shows itself in the tongue; if we are kindly affectioned one to another, it will appear by affectionate expression. It is called a law of kindness, because it gives law to others, to all she converses with. Her wisdom and kindness together put a commanding power into all she says; they command respect, they command compliance. How forcible are right words! In her tongue is the law of grace, or mercy (so some read it), understanding it of the word and law of God, which she delights to talk of among her children and servants. She is full of pious religious discourse, and manages it prudently, which shows how full her heart is of another world even when her hands are most busy about this world.
7. That which completes and crowns her character is that she fears the Lord, Pro 31:30. With all those good qualities she lacks not that one thing needful; she is truly pious, and, in all she does, is guided and governed by principles of conscience and a regard to God; this is that which is here preferred far before beauty; that is vain and deceitful; all that are wise and good account it so, and value neither themselves nor others on it. Beauty recommends none to God, nor is it any certain indication of wisdom and goodness, but it has deceived many a man who has made his choice of a wife by it. There may be an impure deformed soul lodged in a comely and beautiful body; nay, many have been exposed by their beauty to such temptations as have been the ruin of their virtue, their honour, and their precious souls. It is a fading thing at the best, and therefore vain and deceitful. A fit of sickness will stain and sully it in a little time; a thousand accidents may blast this flower in its prime; old age will certainly wither it and death and the grave consume it. But the fear of God reigning in the heart is the beauty of the soul; it recommends those that have it to the favour of God, and is, in his sight, of great price; it will last for ever, and bid defiance to death itself, which consumes the beauty of the body, but consummates the beauty of the soul.
III. The happiness of this virtuous woman.
1. She has the comfort and satisfaction of her virtue in her own mind (Pro 31:25): Strength and honour are her clothing, in which she wraps herself, that is, enjoys herself, and in which she appears to the world, and so recommends herself. She enjoys a firmness and constancy of mind, has spirit to bear up under the many crosses and disappointments which even the wise and virtuous must expect to meet with in this world; and this is her clothing, for defence as well as decency. She deals honourably with all, and she has the pleasure of doing so, and shall rejoice in time to come; she shall reflect upon it with comfort, when she comes to be old, that she was not idle or useless when she was young. In the day of death it will be a pleasure to her to think that she has lived to some good purpose. Nay, she shall rejoice in an eternity to come; she shall be recompensed for her goodness with fulness of joy and pleasures for evermore.
2. She is a great blessing to her relations, Pro 31:28. (1.) Her children grow up in her place, and they call her blessed. They give her their good word, they are themselves a commendation to her, and they are ready to give great commendations of her; they pray for her, and bless God that they had such a good mother. It is a debt which they owe her, a part of that honour which the fifth commandment requires to be paid to father and mother; and it is a double honour that is due to a good father and a good mother. (2.) Her husband thinks himself so happy in her that he takes all occasions to speak well of her, as one of the best of women. It is no indecency at all, but a laudable instance of conjugal love, for husbands and wives to give one another their due praises.
3. She gets the good word of all her neighbours, as Ruth did, whom all the city of her people knew to be a virtuous woman, Rut 3:11. Virtue will have its praise, Phi 4:8. A woman that fears the Lord, shall have praise of God (Rom 2:29) and of men too. It is here shown, (1.) That she shall be highly praised (Pro 31:29): Many have done virtuously. Virtuous women, it seems, are precious jewels, but not such rare jewels as was represented Pro 31:10. There have been many, but such a one as this cannot be paralleled. Who can find her equal? She excels them all. Note, Those that are good should aim and covet to excel in virtue. Many daughters, in their father's house, and in the single state, have done virtuously, but a good wife, if she be virtuous, excels them all, and does more good in her place than they can do in theirs. Or, as some explain it, A man cannot have his house so well kept by good daughters, as by a good wife. (2.) That she shall be incontestably praised, without contradiction, Pro 31:31. Some are praised above what is their due, but those that praise her do but give her of the fruit of her hands; they give her that which she has dearly earned and which is justly due to her; she is wronged if she have it not. Note, Those ought to be praised the fruit of whose hands is praise-worthy. The tree is known by its fruits, and therefore, if the fruit be good, the tree must have our good word. If her children be dutiful and respectful to her, and conduct themselves as they ought, they then give her the fruit of her hands; she reaps the benefit of all the care she has taken of them, and thinks herself well paid. Children must thus study to requite their parents, and this is showing piety at home, Ti1 5:4. But, if men be unjust, the thing will speak itself, her own works will praise her in the gates, openly before all the people. [1.] She leaves it to her own works to praise her, and does not court the applause of men. Those are none of the truly virtuous women that love to hear themselves commended. [2.] Her own works will praise her; if her relations and neighbours altogether hold their peace, her good works will proclaim her praise. The widows gave the best encomium of Dorcas when they showed the coats and garments she had made for the poor, Act 9:39. [3.] The least that can be expected from her neighbours is that they should let her own works praise her, and do nothing to hinder them. Those that do that which is good, let them have praise of the same (Rom 13:3) and let us not enviously say, or do, any thing to the diminishing of it, but be provoked by it to a holy emulation. Let none have an ill report from us, that have a good report even of the truth itself. Thus is shut up this looking-glass for ladies, which they are desired to open and dress themselves by; and, if they do so, their adorning will be found to praise, and honour, and glory, at the appearing of Jesus Christ.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708–1710) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv10–28 Who can find a virtuous woman,.... This part of…
Who can find a virtuous woman,.... This part of the chapter is disjoined from the rest in the Septuagint and Arabic versions; and Huetius (t) thinks it is a composition of some other person, and not Lemuel's mother, whose words he supposes end at Pro 31:9; but it is generally thought that what follows to the end of the chapter is a continuance of her words, in which she describes a person as a fit wife for her son. Some think that Bathsheba gave the materials, the sum and substance of this beautiful description, to Solomon; who put it in the artificial form it is, each verse beginning with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet in order till the whole is gone through; though rather it seems to be a composition of Solomon's, describing the character and virtues of his mother Bathsheba. But, be this as it will, the description is drawn up to such a pitch, and wrote in such strong lines, as cannot agree with any of the daughters of fallen Adam, literally understood; not with Bathsheba, the mother of Solomon; nor with the Virgin Mary, as the Papists, who, they fancy, was immaculate and sinless, of which there is no proof; nor indeed with any other; for though some parts of the description may meet in some, and others in others, yet not all in one; wherefore the mystical and spiritual sense of the whole must be sought after. Some by the "virtuous woman" understand the sensitive soul, subject to the understanding and reason, as Gersom; others the Scriptures, as Lyra, which lead to virtue, contain much riches in them, far above rubies; in which men may safely confide as the rule of their faith and practice; and will do them good, and not evil, continually. Others, "Wisdom", who in the beginning of this book is represented as a woman making provision for her household, and said to be more precious than rubies; and is to be understood of Christ; which I should have readily given into, but that this virtuous woman is said to have a husband, Pro 31:11; which cannot agree with Christ, who is himself the husband of his church and people, which church of his, I think, is here meant; nor is this a novel sense of the passage, but what is given by many of the ancient Christian writers, as Ambrose, Bede, and others; and whoever compares Pro 31:28, with Sol 6:8, will easily see the agreement; and will be led to observe that Solomon wrote both, and had a view to one and the same person, the church of Christ, who is often represented by a "woman", Isa 54:1; a woman grown and marriageable, as the Gospel church may be truly said to be, in comparison of the Jewish church, which was the church in infancy; a woman actually married to Christ; a woman fruitful, bringing forth many children to him; a woman beautiful, especially in his eyes, with whom she is the fairest among women; a woman, the weaker vessel, unable to do anything without him, yet everything through him: a "virtuous" one, inviolably chaste in her love and affection to Christ, her husband; steadfast in her adherence, to him by faith, as her Lord and Saviour; incorrupt in doctrine, sincere and spiritual in worship, retaining the purity of discipline, and holiness of life; and holding the mystery of faith in a pure conscience: or a "woman of strength" (u), valour, and courage, as the word signifies, when used of men, Sa1 16:18; The church is militant, has many enemies, and these powerful and mighty, as well as cunning and crafty; yet, with all their power and policy, cannot overcome her; the gates of hell cannot prevail against her; she engages with them all, and is more than a conqueror over them; she is of great spiritual strength, which she, has from Christ, to fight the Lord's battles, to withstand every enemy, to exercise grace, and do every good work; and all her true members persevere to the end: or a "woman of riches" (w); that gets wealth and, riches by her wisdom and prudence, so Aben Ezra; a woman of fortune, as is commonly said: such is the church of Christ, through his unsearchable riches communicated to her; riches of grace she now possesses, and riches of glory she is entitled to. But "who can find" such an one? there is but one to be found (x); though there are many particular churches, there is but one church of the firstborn, consisting of God's elect, of which Christ is the head and husband, Sol 6:9; and there is but one that could find her: even her surety, Saviour, and Redeemer; compare with this Rev 5:3. This supposes her lost, as she was in Adam; Christ's seeking of her, as he did in redemption, and does in effectual calling; and who perfectly knows her, and all her members, and where they are; and whom he finds out, and bestows on them the blessings of grace and goodness;
for her price is far above rubies; showing the value Christ her husband puts upon her, the esteem she is had in by him; who reckons her as his portion and inheritance; as preferable to the purest gold, and choicest silver; as his peculiar treasure; as his jewels, and more valuable than the most precious stones: this appears by his undertaking for her; by doing and suffering what he has on her account; the price he has paid for her is far above rubies; she is bought with a price, but not with corruptible things, as silver and gold, but with the precious blood of Christ; the ransom price paid for her is himself, who is more precious than rubies, and all the things that can be desired, Pe1 1:18.
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(t) Demonstrat. Evangel. Prop. 4. p. 234. (u) "mulierem fortem", V. L. Pagninus, Mercerus; "mulierem virtutis", Montanus, Vatablus; "strenuam", Junius & Tremellus, Piscator, Cocceius, Schultens. (w) "Mulierem opum", so Aben Ezra. (x) "Conjux dea contigit uni", Ovid. Metamorph. l. 11. fol. 6. v. ult.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On vv10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 A virtuous woman - Here he lays down several…
A virtuous woman - Here he lays down several qualifications of an excellent wife, which are delivered in alphabetical order, each verse beginning with a several letter of the Hebrew alphabet.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv10–28 Verse 10. Who can find a virtuous woman?] This…
Verse 10. Who can find a virtuous woman?] This and the following verses are acrostic, each beginning with a consecutive letter of the Hebrew alphabet: Pr 31:10, א aleph; Pr 31:11, ב beth; Pr 31:12, ג gimel; and so on to the end of the chapter, the last verse of which has the letter ת tau. From this to the end of the chapter we have the character of a woman of genuine worth laid down; first, in general, Pr 31:10-12; secondly, in its particular or component parts, Pr 31:13-29; and, thirdly, the summing up of the character, Pr 31:30-31.
I. Her general character.
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1. She is a virtuous woman - a woman of power and strength. אשת חיל esheth chayil, a strong or virtuous wife, full of mental energy.
2. She is invaluable; her price is far above rubies-no quantity of precious stones can be equal to her worth.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On vv10, 11, 13, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 26, 27, 28 Pro 31:10. Who can find a virtuous woman? —…
Pro 31:10. Who can find a virtuous woman? — Here he lays down several qualifications of an excellent wife, which are delivered in alphabetical order, each verse beginning with a several letter of the Hebrew alphabet. It may be proper to observe here, that the versions, in general, agree in reading this, a strong woman, the words, אשׁת חיל, being literally, a woman of strength, or firmness: but then it must be observed, that it is equally applicable to strength of body or strength of mind: and therefore may with great propriety be rendered, as in our translation, a virtuous woman, or a woman of a strong, firm, and excellent mind.
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Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On vv10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 See the introduction to Proverbs.
See the introduction to Proverbs.
Rubies - Better, pearls. See the Pro 3:15 note.
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Charles Bridges 1846 · Public Domain On vv10, 11, 13, 28 We now come to the principal part of the…
We now come to the principal part of the chapter. The wise mother of Lemuel had warned her royal son against the seduction of evil women, and its attendant temptations, and given him wholesome rules for government. She now sets before him the full-length portrait of a virtuous woman — that choicest gift, which is emphatically said to be "from the LORD." (Pro 19:14 .) It is an elegant poem of twenty-two verses — like the hundred and nineteenth Psalm, artificially constructed — each verse beginning with one of the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.†1 It describes a wife, a mistress, and a mother. ’All mothers and mistresses should teach the female pupils under their care to read and learn it by heart.’†2 The more deeply it is studied — provided only it be practically studied — the more will its beauty be understood and felt. Genuine simple fact without coloring or pretensions commends the character of our warmest interest.
So rare is this treasure, that the challenge is given — "Who can find a virtuous woman?" (Compare Pro 20:6 .) Abraham sent to a distant land for this inestimable blessing for his beloved son. (Gen 24:3-4 .) Perhaps one reason of the rarity of the gift is, that it is so seldom sought. Too often is the search made for accomplishments, not for virtues; for external and adventitious recommendations, rather than for internal godly worth.
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The inquiry also implies the value of the gift when found. Even Adam’s portion in innocence was not complete, till his bountiful Father "made him a help-meet for him." (Gen 2:18 .) Truly her price is above rubies. No treasure is comparable to her.†3 It is not too much to say with the prince of heathen philosophy — ’If women be good, the half of the commonwealth may be happy where they are.’†4
Footnotes:
†1 Compare also Psa 145:1-21 . The Lamentations of Jeremiah.
†2 Bp. Horne’s Sermon on the Female Character. See the counterpart of "the virtuous man" in the exquisite picture, which the sorrowful patriarch drew of the simple habit and feelings of his own life. Job 29. - 31.
†3 Compare Sir 7:19 ; Sir 25:13-18 .
†4 Arist. Rhet. i. 5. Compare Polit. ii. 9.
Charles Bridges, An Exposition of the Book of Proverbs (1846) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28 Who. The following verses are in alphabetical order. They…
Who. The following verses are in alphabetical order. They contain a grand eulogy of Bethsabee, who repented, or of a perfect matron. (Calmet) --- Such are rare, though they may be found. (Worthington) --- Valiant; industrious. --- Price. Formerly people bought their wives. (Calmet) --- Is. Hebrew, "is far above riches (Protestants; Haydock) or pearls," Lamentations iv. 7.
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On vv10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28 This exquisite picture of a truly lovely wife is…
This exquisite picture of a truly lovely wife is conceived and drawn in accordance with the customs of Eastern nations, but its moral teachings suit all climes. In Hebrew the verses begin with the letters of the Hebrew alphabet in order (compare Introduction to Poetical Books).
Who . . . woman--The question implies that such are rare, though not entirely wanting (compare Pro 18:22; Pro 19:14).
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virtuous--literally, "of strength," that is, moral courage (compare Pro 12:4; Rut 3:11).
her price, &c.--(compare Pro 3:15).
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28 10. We have here one of the most remarkable…
THE MODEL WIFE.
10. We have here one of the most remarkable compositions of the book: an acrostical or alphabetical ode or poem, consisting of twenty-two stanzas or distichs; this being the number of the letters in the Hebrew alphabet. Each distich begins with a letter of the alphabet, in order: the first with א, aleph, the second with ב, beth, the third with ג, gimel, etc. There are a number of these acrostical poems in the Bible: as Psalms 25, 34, 37, 111, 112, 119, 145; Lamentations 1-4, etc.
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From the number of these acrostics, it is inferred that the Hebrews were peculiarly fond of this species of composition. Perhaps this arrangement may have aided the memory, as in the earlier days, when books were rare or unknown, long poems, histories, legal codes, etc., were stored up in the memory and repeated. The whole oral or traditional law of the Jews was said to have been thus preserved in memory from generation to generation till the later periods of their history, when it was committed to writing, and constitutes what is called the Talmud. These acrostical pieces have been of utility to us moderns in assisting our judgment on some points of Hebrew grammar and prosody. They show that the number of letters was not only the same anciently as now, but also that שׁ, shin, and שׂ, sin, (sheen and seen) were then, as at the present, reckoned one letter. As to the prosody, or versification, they exhibit more definitely the character of the Hebrew measures, or verses, showing that, like other nations, the Hebrews used in their poetry verses or lines of different lengths, according to the taste of the writer or the nature of the subject. In this composition the lines, as usually divided, are comparatively short, the alphabetical letters occurring at the beginning of the alternate lines. The lines are not exactly equal, whether measured by words or syllables; but there is in them a general regularity of measure and rhythm. We subjoin, from Muenscher’s translation, three stanzas or distichs, as specimens: —
Who can find a virtuous wife?
For her worth is far above pearls.
The heart of her husband trusteth in her,
And he shall not lack gain.
She will do him good, and not evil,
All the days of her life.
The authorship of this poem is not entirely agreed upon. Some attribute it to Solomon, others to Bathsheba; some to the mother of Lemuel, the queen of Massa, (see introductory remarks to Pro_31:1,) or, at least, as commended to Lemuel by his mother, as a description of the kind of wife she would wish him to seek. The possibility is, that the piece was composed by Lemuel himself, as also the preceding part of the chapter, as the summing up and reducing to artistic form of the instructions received from his mother. This theory agrees better with the first verse of the chapter than any other: “The words of… Lemuel… that his mother taught him;” but is not without its difficulties.
This beautiful composition has always been justly admired. The old commentators go into raptures over it. One calls it “The golden A, B, C’s for wives;” another, “The looking-glass for ladies… by which they should dress themselves;” “A song… both beautiful and noble,” etc.
Some are of the opinion that this poem is a distinct composition, nowise related to the preceding verses. The Septuagint gives it as a part of chapter Pro_29:27, and places the proverbs of Agur and Lemuel in chapter 24. It does not partake of the linguistic idioms of “the words of Lemuel.”
10. Who can find a virtuous woman — This translation is unhappy.
First, the word “virtuous,” whatever may have been its original sense, now lost, according to its common modern use, as applied to woman, does not convey the idea of the original: for אשׁת חיל, (esheth hhayil,) does not mean a chaste woman. Chaste the woman is who here sits for her picture; but this is a matter of course, and is quietly assumed, not only here, but throughout the whole piece. There is a beauty in this fact. It would have been a poor compliment to a noble-minded. God-fearing Hebrew lady, as it is to a Christian, to say that she was a chaste woman. She is in this respect not only above reproach and above suspicion, but her character forbids the matter to be raised as a subject of thought. It is not mentioned or alluded to. We have scarcely any English word that conveys the exact and full force of the original hhayil. The versions generally render it by strength, or some equivalent — that is, a strong wife. The Septuagint has ανδρειαν — manly, brave, courageous; the Vulgate, followed by the Douay, valiant, which is not a bad rendering. Stuart translates, “a woman of energy,”
which comes as near the idea as any other one word. The original involves the notion of strength, force, energy, ability, capability, bravery, valour, (with such modification as female character would imply,) every element fitting her for her station, and those in a high degree. It embraces the physical, intellectual, and moral: a woman capable of doing, being, and enduring all that pertains to a wife, and that in an heroic manner: not the wife of a person in lowly station, but in the higher walks of society — the wife of a magistrate or prince.
Secondly, the translation is rather too literal to convey what we conceive to be the meaning and force of the original sentence. The interrogative form in our language implies a negation: “Who can find?” equivalent to, no one can find. This would be horrible, if we were to take virtuous, here, in our modern sense, as applied to a woman. The writer evidently intended no such disparagement of woman in general; not even if we tone down the implied answer into, such a one can scarcely be found. The true link will appear by a very slight change, abundantly warranted by the Hebrew idiom — Who will find (me) a suitable wife? which again is equal to, “O that I might find,” etc. It is the expression of an ardent desire to find a wife of superior excellences, rather than a reflection on the sex and a note of despair. The Hebrew scholar need scarcely be reminded of the frequent use of the particle מי, (mi,) as expressing a wish or desire. (See Gesenius under the word.) The following is a free translation according to the sense: —
O that I might find a brave wife!
For her value is far beyond that of pearls!
This makes a proper introduction to the particulars that follow. The common version does not.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 10. Who can find] It is no easy thing…
10. Who can find] It is no easy thing to do.
a virtuous woman] The R.V. follows the order of the Heb.: A virtuous woman who can find?, giving emphasis by the arrangement of the words to the subject of the whole Section.
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virtuous] Lit. a woman of might, or power, or capacity; γυναῖκα ἀνδρείαν, LXX; mulierem fortem, Vulg. The conditions of woman’s life and her social position in those times and countries must be borne in mind. Comp. Pro_18:22; Pro_19:14. The rendering virtuous is retained in R.V., and no better English representative of the Heb. word could probably be found. But virtuous must here be understood, not in the restricted sense which, in this connection, it has come to have in our language (though in that sense the phrase appears to be used in Pro_12:4, and perhaps in Rth_3:11), but in the wider sense of “all virtuous living” (Collect for All Saints’ Day), or of “all virtues” (Collect for Quinquagesima Sunday). The idea of capacity (comp. men of capacity, Gen_47:6, where the Heb. word is the same) is involved in the description which follows. Our English word honest (=honourable, as in Rom_12:17) has in like manner come to have a restricted meaning, as it is now commonly used.
rubies] See Pro_3:15 note.
VIII. The Virtuous Woman. Chap. Pro_31:10-31
This short Appendix differs from the other Sections of the Book of Proverbs in having one subject throughout, and in being in form acrostic or alphabetical. Each verse begins with a letter, taken in order, of the Hebrew alphabet. There is nothing in the contents of the Section to throw light upon either its age or authorship. The alphabetical arrangement cannot safely be regarded as a proof of a late date of composition. A similar arrangement occurs in several Psalms and in the opening chapters of the Book of Lamentations; and some at least of these must be assigned to a comparatively early date. It is more probable that the arrangement in question, belonging as it does for the most part to didactic poems, was a device adopted to assist the memory. (See The Book of Psalms, Vol. i. Introd. p. xlviii. in this Series; and Bp Perowne on Psa_25:1.)
The LXX reverse the order of two letters of the Hebrew alphabet here. The same two letters are transposed in the Hebrew in three (chaps, 2, 3, 4) out of the four alphabetical poems in the Book of Lamentations. See Comm. on that Book in this Series. Introd. pp. 354, 5.
The picture here drawn of woman in her proper sphere of home, as a wife and a mother and the mistress of a household, stands out in bright relief against the dark sketches of woman degraded by impurity, or marred by imperfections, which are to be found in earlier chapters of this Book (Pro_2:16-20; Pro_5:1-23; Proverbs 7; Pro_22:14; Pro_23:27-28, and Pro_11:22; Pro_19:13; Pro_21:19). Corruptio optimi pessima. We have here woman occupying and adorning her rightful place, elevated by anticipation to the high estate to which the Gospel of Christ has restored her. It is an expansion of the earlier proverb: “Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the Lord” (Pro_18:22).
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 20, 21, 23, 25, 26 APPENDIX (c).—THE PRAISE OF A GOOD WIFE. (Pro_31:10, sqq.)
APPENDIX (c).—THE PRAISE OF A GOOD WIFE. (Pro_31:10, sqq.)
This is written in the form of an acrostic, the twenty-two verses composing it each commencing with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet. This may have been done, as in the case of several of the psalms, which are of a didactic character (e.g., 25, 34, 37, 119), to render it more easy for committal to memory. By some writers the acrostic form has been supposed to argue a late date for the poem, but there is no evidence for this. One psalm, at all events, of which there seems no reason to doubt the Davidic authorship—the 9th—is cast in this form.
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(10) Who can find a virtuous woman?—Various mystical interpretations of the person here implied have been held at different times. She has been supposed to signify the Law, the Church, the Holy Spirit.
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The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv10–28 Vers. 10-31. Part IX THIRD APPENDIX TO THE SECOND…
Vers. 10-31. Part IX THIRD APPENDIX TO THE SECOND COLLECTION. This section contains an ode in praise of the virtuous woman, derived from a different source from that of the words of Agur, and belonging to a different age (see Introduction). It is an acrostic; that is, each verse begins with one of the twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet, arranged in the usual order. We may compare this mashal with the alphabetical psalms, "Psalmi abcedarii," which are, more or less, of similar structure, but of which one only, the hundred and nineteenth, is so marked in the English versions. Other examples are Ps 9, 10, 25, 34, 37, 111, 112, 145; also La 1, 2, and 3. One object of this artificial construction was to render the matter easier to commit to memory. The spiritual expositors see in this description of the virtuous woman a prophetic representation of the Church of Christ in her truth and purity and influence. Thus Bode: "Hic sapientissimus regum Salomon laudes sanctae Ecclesiae versibus paucis sed plenissima veritate depingit.... Cujus (carminis) ordine perfectissimo alphabeti typice innuitur, quam plenissime hic vel animae cujusque fidelis, vel totius sanctae Ecclesiae, quae ex omnibus electis animabus una perficitur Catholica, virtutes ac praemia describantur.
ALEPH. Who can find a virtuous woman? The expression, ishshah chayil, "woman of force," has occurred in Pro_12:4 (where see note). Mulierem fortem, St. Jerome terms her; gunaika andreian is the rendering of the LXX, which places this section as the end of the whole Book of Proverbs. The expression combines the ideas of moral goodness and bodily vigour and activity. It is useless to try to fix the character upon any particular person. The representation is that of an ideal woman the perfect housewife, the chaste helpmate of her husband, upright, God-fearing, economical, wise. See an anticipation of this character; (Pro_18:22 Pro_19:14) and a very different view. (Ecc_7:26) It is very remarkable to meet with such a delineation of woman in the East, where the female generally occupies a most degraded position, and is cut off from all sphere of activity and administration. To paint such a portrait needed inspiration of some sort. Such a one is hard to find. Her price is far above rubies; or, pearls. (see on Pro_20:15 and Pro_3:15) Septuagint, "Such a one is more valuable than precious stones." There may be allusion to the custom of giving treasure in exchange for a wife, purchasing her, as it were, from her friends. (comp. Hos_3:2) At any rate, few only are privileged to meet with this excellent wife, and her worth cannot be estimated by any material object, however costly. St. Jerome, with a slight difference in the reading, has, Procul, et de ultimis finibus pretium ejus. You may go to the ends of the earth to find her equal in value.
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Vers. 10-31. The typical woman.
I HER SPHERE. This is domestic.
1. In marriage. The typical woman is a wife and mother, not a St. Agnes, the mystical bride of Christ, nor even a Virgin Mary. We see her in Sarah, in Naomi, in Hannah, in Eunice. There is invaluable service for the world which only women who are free from the ties of home can accomplish; there is a noble mission for single women. But there is nothing in Scripture, reason, or conscience to suggest that virginity is more holy than marriage, that the maiden is more saintly than the matron.
2. In the work of the home. Moreover, for unmarried women household cares and quiet home duties usually have the first call. Some women may be called to more public positions. A queen may adorn a throne. A Florence Nightingale may live as an angel of mercy to the suffering. But these are exceptional persons. Every Jewess was not a Deborah, and even the martial prophetess, unlike her French counterpart, Joan of Are, was "a mother in Israel.
3. Therefore with domestic responsibility. The typical woman will be judged primarily in regard to domestic duties. The true wife is the helpmeet of her husband. Her first aim will be to "do him good" (ver. 12). If she falls here, her public service is of little account.
II HER CHARACTER. This is described in a graphic picture of her life a picture which is in striking contrast to the ignorance, the indolence, the inanity of an Oriental harem. Observe its chief features.
1. Trustworthiness. The true wife is her husband"s confidant. She must be worthy of confidence by icing
a. faithful,
b. sympathetic,
c. intelligent.
2. Industry. Nothing can be more foolish than the notion that a "lady" should have no occupation. The ideal woman rises early and busies herself with many affairs. In old days, when the spinning was done at home and most of the family garments were made by the women of the house, the clothing of husband and children bore testimony to the industry of the wife. Machinery has destroyed this antique picture. Yet the spirit of it remains. The true wife still finds an abundance of domestic occupations.
3. Thrift. The wife of the Proverbs is quite a business woman, selling the superfluous work of her hands to merchants, and buying land with the proceeds. Yet by her foresight she provides warm clothing for the winter, and therefore she can afford to laugh when the snow cometh.
4. Strength. "She girdeth her loins with strength." The physical education of women is just now receiving especial attention, and rightly so. It is a woman"s duty to be strong, if by means of wholesome food and exercise she can conquer weakness. No doubt the ailments of many women spring from lassitude, indolence, and self-surrender. But eve, when bodily trailty cannot be conquered, strength of soul may be attained.
5. Charity. The strong and thristy with might be hard, cold, and selfish. But the true woman "stretcheth out her hand to the poor" (ver. 20).
6. Gracious speech. So energetic a woman might still be thought somewhat unlovable if we had not this final trait: "in her tongue is the law of kindness" (ver. 26). How much may the tone of a woman"s conversation do to keep peace in a household, and shed over it a spirit of love and gentleness!
7. True religion. This is the root of the matter. The typical woman "feareth the Lord" (ver. 30).
III HER REWARD.
1. In her influence. "Her husband is known in the gates." She helps him to honour. Herself too busy in the private sphere to take her part directly in public life, yet indirectly she is a great force in the large world through her influence over her husband.
2. In the success of her energies. We have here a picture of a wife in affluence not of a poor domestic drudge in the squalor of abject poverty. Nevertheless, the prosperity of the home largely depends upon her. Her thoughtfulness, energy, careful oversight of others and kindness of heart and words, are the chief causes of the welfare of her happy, comfortable home.
3. In the honour of her family. "Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her" (ver. 28). Surely this is a better reward than public fame.
4. Continued influence. This true woman deserves to have "the fruit of her hands." If she is to be spoken of "in the gates," it should be in praise of her domestic duties, which cannot but be known to her neighbours, however modest and retiring her manners may be.
Vers. 10-31. The virtuous housewife.
I HER INFLUENCE IN THE SPHERE OF HOME. (Vers. 10-22)
1. Her exceeding worth. (Vers. 10-12) A costly treasure not everywhere to be found; no commonplace blessing: an ornament and a joy above all that earth affords of rare and beautiful. A treasure on which the heart of the possessor ever dwells with delight. "Continual comfort in a face, The lineaments of gospel books." She is the rich source of revenue to her husband in all good things. "All other goods by fortune"s hand are given; A wife is the peculiar gift of Heaven. (Pope.) "If women be good," said Aristotle, "the half of the commonwealth may be happy where they are." "The greatest gift of God is a pious, amiable spouse, who fears God, loves his house, and with whom one can live in perfect confidence" (Luther).
2. The picture of her domestic industry. (Vers. 13- 22) It is an antique picture, the form and colouring derived from ancient custom; but the general moral effect is true for all times. The traits of the housewifely character are:
(1) The personal example of diligence. She is seen from day to day spinning at her loom, the chief occupation of women in ancient times. She is an early riser (ver. 15).
(2) Her unrelaxing energy. (Ver. 17) She has no idle hour; her rest is in change of occupation.
(3) Her personal attention to business. (Vers. 16, 18) Whether examining land with a view to invest her savings in purchase and cultivation, or inspecting goods, her mind is in all she does She is not slothful in business, but glowing In spirit, and all that she does is done with heart.
(4) Her benevolence. Her thrift is not of the odious form which begins and ends with home, and breeds a sordid miserliness out of hard won gains. Her open hand outstretched to the poor (ver. 20) is one of the most winning traits in the picture. She has no lack of good herself, and always something over for the needy.
(5) Her care both for comfort and for ornament. (Vers. 21, 22) Both the very spheres of woman"s activity. But she observes their true order. Her first thought is for the health of her household; she provides the warm "double garments" against the winter"s snow. Her leisure is occupied with those fine works of artistic needlework by which elegance and beauty are contributed to the scene of home. Refinement adorning comfort, this is the true relation. In finery without solid use and comfort there is no beauty nor worth.
II FURTHER TRAITS AND DETAILS OF THE PICTURE, (Vers. 23-31)
1. She reflects consideration on her husband. Her thrift makes him rich; her noble character gives him additional title to respect. His personality derives weight from the possession of such a treasure, the devotion of such a heart. Her business capacity, her energy, and the quiet dignity of her life and bearing; the mingled sense and shrewdness, charm and grace of her conversation (vers. 24-27); are all a source of fame, of noble self-complacency, of just confidence to the man who is blessed to call her "mine.
2. Her life and work earn for her perpetual thanks and benedictions. (Vers. 28, 29) Her children, as they grow up, bless her for the inestimable boon of a mother"s care and love. She has revealed to them God; and never can they cease to believe in goodness so long as they recollect her. She basks in the sunshine of a husband"s constant approved. "Best of wives!" "Noblest of women!" is the thought ever in his heart, often on his lips.
3. It is religion which gives enduring worth and immortality to character, (vers. 30, 31) Beauty is a failing charm or a deception of the senses. But religious principle gives a spiritual beauty to the plainest exterior. Being and doing from religious motives, to religious ends, this is a sowing for eternal fruits. And the works of love for God"s sake and man"s fill the air with fragrance to the latest end of time, and are found unto praise, honour, and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ. J.
Vers. 10-31. Christian womanhood.
If Solomon did write these words, we need not he surprised that he speaks of the rarity of the ideal woman; for she is hardly to be found in a crowded harem. It is the Christian home that contains her. We look at
I HER CHARACTERISTICS. And these are:
1. Piety. "She feareth the Lord" (ver. 30). She has within her the spirit of reverence, and the life she lives is one in which worship and the study of the will of God have no small share. She has a seat and is at home in the sanctuary; she is also constant and earnest in the quiet chamber of devotion; she knows well that the happiness of her home and the well being of her household depend upon the favour of the heavenly Father.
2. Purity. She is a "virtuous woman" (ver. 10). She gives her whole heart to her husband, and enjoys his full confidence (ver. 11).
3. Industry. The writer dwells upon the labours she puts forth for the sake of her husband and her household.
4. Wisdom. (Ver. 26) Her conversation is far removed from mere idle gossip or the vanities of an empty curiosity. She is familiar with "the Law of the Lord;" she knows what is the secret of lasting happiness. She can guide her sons and daughters in the way of life; and she instills her heaven born wisdom into minds that welcome it and will never lose it.
5. Kindness. "The law of kindness is on her lips." She is one that does not rule by the "constant droppings" of censure, hut by the never-failing stream of gentleness and encouragement. Love, not fear, is the sceptre which she holds, and is the source of her strength.
6. Beneficence. (Ver. 20).
II HER REWARD.
1. Affection and honour on the part of those who are nearest to her. Her husband trusts and praises her (ver. 28), and her children "rise up and call her blessed.
2. Strength and dignity in her home. She is "clothed upon with" the tributes woven by love and esteem. Her influence is felt much oftener than it is recognized, and long after her face and her voice are no longer seen and heard.
3. Security against future want. She "laugheth at the time to come," while those who lack her prudence and her skill have reason to shrink from the thought of it.
4. The prosperity of her relatives. Her husband, relieved of care and worry at home, is able to do his proper work, and succeeds in his sphere (ver. 23).
III HER COMMONNESS IN THE KINGDOM OF CHRIST. It might be difficult to find "the virtuous woman" in the land and the time when Lemuet dwelt (ver. 10); but she may be found today in any number of Christian homes. Holding the faith of Jesus Christ, governed by his principles, living his life, animated by his Spirit, fulfilling his law of love, the wife and mother is to be seen taking an honored place, filling her home with the sweet fragrance of purity and affection, exerting her benign and gracious influence on her husband and her children. You have not to take a long journey to reach her, nor to take much pains to find her; she is at home in "the castle of the noble, in the mansion of the wealthy, and in the cottage of the poor and the lowly.
1. Let us freely acknowledge our great indebtedness to her. Those who have had the priceless advantage of a mother possessed of the Christian virtues and graces have more to thank God for than if they had inherited a titled name or an ample fortune.
2. If it be open to us, let us join her ranks. To be a woman living under the commanding influence of Christian principle, breathing a Christian spirit, and shedding a Christian influence in the home in which we live, what is there, this side the gate of heaven, that any human spirit could more wisely wish to be? To be such is to be doing a most excellent work of God; it is to be filling a most honourable and useful sphere. C.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain On vv10, 28 Who can find a virtuous woman?
Pro_31:10-27
Who can find a virtuous woman?
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for her price is far above rubies.
The prophecy of Lemuels mother
There was never yet a woman who did not wish to have some part in the choice of her sons wife; and the mother of king Lemuel was no exception to the rule. She knew the kind of woman that would make him happy, and she contrived, by some means, to instil the knowledge into the heart of her son. It is a fact, which should ever be before the minds of mothers, that their sons are naturally disposed to love and revere them. This should make all mothers walk warily, and lead them to the source of every good, so that, having sat at the Masters feet and learned of Him, they may go back to their children with His Spirit shining through their eyes, and guiding alike their thoughts, emotions, and actions. The question with which this panegyric begins is rather a startling one. Who can find a virtuous woman? Were good women scarce then? and are they rare now? Devoted women, unselfish women, domesticated women, are not too easily discovered. Where a womans heart is true, and her hands are gentle, where her voice is kind and her eyes far-seeing, where she lives not to herself nor to the world, but to the little circle whose happiness she makes, or to the God who has chosen her lot, there is the virtuous woman of whom the wise man spoke. Nothing so damps the ardour and joy of a man or his children as an incompetent, faulty woman at the head of the household; and nothing can be a greater source of strength than the woman who gives an impulse to all that is good and right, and checks the evil by a significant look or a softly-spoken word. Good women are wanted everywhere. (A Womans Sermon to Women.)
Womans work
The figures of women which pass across the pages of the Old Testament have so much nobility and so much character that even the slight sketches of them in the Bible have always impressed the imagination, and awakened the art of mankind. There is that in the New Testament woman which, in the past, has lifted womanhood into the worship of the world, and in the present has been the foundation of all that has been given to her, and of all that she has won for herself. In this chapter is the image of the perfect wife, done in poetry. The woman here has the attributes of wisdom, for strength and honour clothe her, and her future is secured by it. Her common speech is full of it, and the wisdom of speech is love. So wise is she that trust is safe in her. Her wisdom wins love for her; her children bless her, and her husband praises her. She is the active manager of business as well as of the household. She has her own prosperity, her own work in life; and her charities, which are many, are her own. This is the Jewish ideal of womanhood, yet the Jew of the Old Testament fails to find any ideal for womanhood beyond wifehood and motherhood. Only portions of this belong to the notions which women have in England of wifehood and home. Each class of society--according to the amount of money it can allot to the household--has its own separate ideal of the function of wives and mothers. In every case loveliness and loving-kindness and wisdom and the making of the beautiful, and the adornment of life should be by women combined with work. There is an inexhaustible capacity in women for this twofold life, and for complete success in it; but the idea of it is not as yet justly conceived, and there is no steady education for it. A thousand prejudices stand in the way of such a conception, and of the individual and free effort that it needs. The working class girls find their work so heavy and so long, that they have not strength of body or leisure of soul to learn what belongs to wifehood and motherhood, There is scarcely any class so neglected, so overworked, so put upon by others, so worn out before they are thirty years old. But there are thousands of women who can never marry and never have a home. If they cannot be mothers, let them have the means to be eager, living, and active women, able to work for one another, and for the world; able to invent new work and new spheres of work, fitted for womanhoods special aims and powers, and for the advance of the cause of humanity. This earth should be a fitting place and home for humanity. It is not that now, and one of the reasons, and it may be the most important of them all, is the imprisonment of the energy of womanhood, both by men and by themselves, in a narrow individualism. (Stopford A. Brooke, LL.D.)
The model woman
The chief points commended in the description may be impressed if we deal with womans love, work, care, charity, speech, and praise.
I. Her love. Shown not in professions and demonstration of affection merely, but in trying to occupy faithfully her place. It is far better to show love than merely to speak it. So God wants to see our love to Him in its signs.
II. Her work. Kinds of work for women differ according to their condition in society; but every woman should have her work. A womans work is first the feeding and tending of her household; beyond this she may be able to work so as to earn. Show how much there is that young women can do towards a living in these days. All should try to be independent.
III. Her care. In the ruling of her household; finding for each member work, food, and appropriate clothing. Watching that nothing is either wasted or lost, and everything made the best of.
IV. Her charity. Caring for the poor, and distributing of her abundance to them. How important, as an example to the children, is a generous, charitable mother!
V. Her speech. Always prudent and kindly. Never gossiping, never slandering, never hasty or passionate. Ever firm but gentle. See how often otherwise good characters are spoiled by the unbridled tongue.
VI. Her praise.. It comes from her husband, from her children, and even from her God. Supreme love to God, which is religion, is that which generates, animates, and adorns all other virtues of character. (Robert Tuck, B.A.)
The worth and work of woman
By a virtuous woman is meant one who is characterised by a number of positive virtues and excellences, and chiefly by piety, or the fear and love of God. Illustrate this subject by the life of Carmen Sylva, Queen of Roumania.
I. The worth of woman. Far above rubies. Let a man ask himself what would be the worth to his heart, to his home, to his children, to society, of such a woman as is described here--the ideal woman of Gods Word, the woman that every woman would be if she only feared God, loved His Word, imbibed His Spirit, and moulded her character upon His most blessed teachings.
1. Consider the worth of such a woman as a daughter. This is the first relationship in life woman is called to fulfil. Who can estimate her worth to her parents, or to her brothers and sisters? She is not wilful, headstrong, passionate, selfish; but humble, respectful, dutiful, affectionate. The foundation of true womanly worth is piety, the fear and love of God. Without true religion the character has no basis. Where that is found we may expect all the virtues to flourish into beauty.
2. The worth of such a woman as a wife. Here is an elaborate description of her housewifely care and prudence, and industry, and economy, and the blessed effects of all this on the happiness of her husbands heart and home, and on his character, reputation, and prosperity. Oh, that young men would look for piety in their wives! Nothing like that to govern their tongues, and to sweeten their tempers, and to make them amiable, pure, and true.
II. The work of woman. Home is her sphere, and her work is to make home happy. Some women think their work is to reform and regenerate the world. So it is, but the proper sphere for their reforming work is not in the publicities of the world, but in the privacies of the home, in their little childrens nurseries, and by the side of the domestic hearth. I hold the worth of unmarried women in high esteem. They are of the greatest value to society, and especially to the Church of God. No single woman need pine in ennui for want of useful occupation. (Richard Glarer.)
Far above rubies
The Bible, which is the great reservoir of the rights of man is also the storehouse of the rights of woman. Womans Magna Charta is the Word of God. It teaches us to honour woman; it warns every man that if he degrades woman he degrades himself, and that everywhere man rises as he lifts woman up. This text is a womans estimate of what woman should be. All the parts that women have contributed to the Bible are poems; this is no exception.
I. The domestic qualities of woman. The question of the text is indeed a warning that the kind of woman about to be described is a model not always attained. It is not every woman whose price is far above rubies. In ancient times the women made the garments which their husbands wore. We call the unmarried woman a spinster; and the word wife means a weaver. It is the woman who keeps the house together. This is the description which a woman gives of a womans domestic qualities. She must be wife, she must be lady, she must be housekeeper.
II. The personal qualities of the model woman. It is said that she is strong. As far as her strength is the result of careful and conscientious attention to the laws of health, it deserves to be described as a virtue, and a virtue that ought to be cultivated. If the future race of men is to be strong, the present race of women must first he strong. Then she is industrious. She not only saves the money others have entrusted her with, and uses it well, but she uses her own energy until she sells her own merchandise, and her industry increases her possessions till they become such that the watch-lamp has to be lighted that at night they may be secure. Strong and industrious, she could afford to be generous. But though she is generous, she is provident. She is also elegant, a lover of beauty Ruskin says, A womans first duty is to please, and a woman who does not please has missed her end in life. She is beautiful in her speech. She should take an interest in everything that interests every man in the house. She is kind, but orderly. She keeps discipline.
III. Look at her reward. Her husband praiseth her. Her children call her blessed. The sweetest, daintiest, purest blossoms of a womans heart will only flourish when she is praised by him she loves best. This is the true reward of the true woman. Her character is the secret of her power and her reward. (W. J. Woods, B.A.)
A virtuous woman
1. The person inquired after. A virtuous woman is a woman of strength. Though the weaker vessel, yet made strong by wisdom and grace and the fear of God. A woman of spirit, who has the command of her own spirit, and knows how to manage other peoples, one that is pious and industrious, and a helpmeet for a man. A woman of resolution.
2. The difficulty of meeting such an one. Good women are very scarce, and many that seem to be so do not prove so.
3. The unspeakable value of such an one, and the value which he that hath such a wife ought to put upon her, showing it by his thankfulness to God, and his kindness and respect to her, whom he must never think he can do too much for. (Matthew Henry.)
Religion for every day--Our wives
To the young womanhood it may be said--Your capability to fulfil the offices of womanhood will be proportioned to your worth of character, and to the use you have made, or are prepared to make, of your opportunities. Earnestness of life is the only passport to satisfaction in life.
I. As a wife, realise your individual responsibility. The husband is the head of the household; but a wifes position does not imply inferiority. She is her husbands companion in life and for life, to be regarded by him as his equal. The husband is the bread-winner, the wife is the bread-keeper and distributor. In all the affairs of domestic life the wife should maintain her position and influence. She should insure her authority by proving her ability to do what the office of a wife demands. Never for a moment permit your husband to feel that he may not trust the concerns of home to your care. Act in such a way that instinctively he will know his property, his honour, his happiness, are safe in your hands.
II. Cultivate all womanly excellences. Strengthen and enlarge the best side of life, by developing everything in you that is good. There are certain virtues essential to the ideal wife. Be thoughtful. Be industrious. Be restful. Be loving. A sublime self-forgetfulness lies at the bottom of every noble life, and of every great service wrought for human good. Homely and commonplace as this ideal may seem, it will demand all your resources. What has been urged cannot be attained without time, judgment, care, patience, and the constant aid of Divine grace in adaptation. (George Bainton.)
A noble womans picture of true womanhood
I. Mark her conduct as a wife. Here is inviolable faithfulness. The husband trusts her character and her management. Here is practical affection. Genuine wifely love seeks the good of her husband, is constant as nature. Here is elevating influence. Her words have inspired her husband with honourable ambitions, and her diligence and frugality have contributed the means by which to reach his lofty aims. Here is merit acknowledged. There are men who are incapable of appreciating the character or reciprocating the love of a noble wife. Blessed is the man who has found s wife approaching this ideal!
II. Her management as a mistress. Notice her industry. Diligence in useful pursuits should be the grand lesson in all female education.
III. Her blessedness as a mother. In the spirit, the character, and the lives of her children she meets with an ample reward for all her self-denying efforts to make them good and happy. Her childrens lives are a grateful acknowledgment of all her kindness, and in their spirit and conversation she reaps a rich harvest of delight.
IV. Her generosity as a neighbour. Her sympathies are not confined to the domestic sphere. They overflow the boundary of family life--they go forth into the neighbourhood.
V. Her excellence as an individual. She was vigorous in body; elegant in her dress; dignified and cheerful in her bearing; devout and honoured in her religion. Religion was the spirit of her character, the germ from which grew all the fruits of her noble life. (Homilist.)
The virtuous woman as a wife
She is a wife. The modern conception of a woman as an independent person, standing alone, engaged in her own business or profession, and complete in her isolated life, is not to be looked for in the Book of Proverbs. It is the creation of accidental circumstances. However necessary it may be in a country where the women are largely in excess of the men, it cannot be regarded as final or satisfactory. In the beginning it was not so, neither will it be so in the end. If men and women are to abide in strength and to develop the many sides of their nature, they must be united. It is not good for man to be alone; nor is it good for woman to be alone. There are some passages in the New Testament which seem to invalidate this truth. The advocates of celibacy appeal to the example of Christ and to the express words of St. Paul. But the New Testament, as our Lord Himself expressly declares, does not abrogate the eternal law which was from the beginning. And if He Himself abstained from marriage, and if St. Paul seems to approve of such an abstention, we must seek for the explanation in certain exceptional and temporary circumstances; for it is precisely to Christ Himself in the first instance, and to His great apostle in the second, that we owe our loftiest and grandest conceptions of marriage. There was no room for a personal marriage in the life of Him who was to be the Bridegroom of His Church; and St. Paul distinctly implies that the pressing troubles and anxieties of his own life, and the constant wearing labours which were required of the Gentile apostle, formed the reason why it was better for him, and for such as he, to remain single. At any rate the virtuous woman of the Proverbs is a wife; and the first thing to observe is the part she plays in relation to her husband. She is his stay and confidence. (R. F. Horton, D.D.)
The excellent woman
In this final chapter of Proverbs we have celebrated in poetic numbers the wife and mother in practical life. Each age has its own ideal. Study this ideal in outline and in detail. Strength, energy, activity, is here the main thought. Foresight, industry, and business capacity are desired. A virtuous woman is a woman with virtue; that is vim, strength. The virtuous woman is virile without being masculine. The virtuous woman, whose price is above rubies, is, like the ideal man, to walk after the law of God in every footstep of life, as well as in every lengthened path of continued duty. Love to God creates a holy ambition. It spurs her on to be what Jehovah intended our first mother to be--a true helpmeet. Full of the detail of daily industry and household management, she is yet far-sighted. Methodical, wise-hearted, kindly in discipline, her household moves like the order of the heavenly bodies. Womans strength may be in her tongue, even more than in her arms and hands. This edged tool, growing sharper by constant use, must be consecrated, else it will kill more than cure. The secret and spring of such a character as that of the virtuous woman is the fear of the Lord. This fear--reverence mingled with love--is a well-spring of life. Watered by this stream, all fair flowers of grace, and fruits of character grow. (W. E. Griffis.)
The excellent woman
Three things concerning woman as she is portrayed in the Proverbs.
1. Her power both for good and evil is emphasised. She is recognised as important in the social structure.
2. Her position, as portrayed here, gives us a high estimate of the life of the Jews as a nation. You can always tell a nations character from the character of its women.
3. The Jewish woman was a wife and mother. She took the place God made for her, and filled it excellently; and in that for any one in any place lies the highest success in life.
I. The virtue most dealt with here is industry. Look at this model woman, accepting with a cheerful and masterly mind the place God has given her, bound to do her best to satisfy its conditions, and so destined to genuine content. To work is Gods intention for us, and if we have any thought of wishing to live for Him, work will not be to us an episode so disagreeable that we are to escape from it as soon as possible, but rather that for which we are made and that in which we ought to be most at home.
II. The model woman is efficient in the management of her household. The word virtuous refers not so much to purity as to adaptation to the place where God has put her. The meaning is, Who can find a capable woman? Her capability is shown in her addressing herself in strength to the exigencies of her place. It requires wisdom to do anything well. The ideal woman uses her good sense to advantage in the management of the home. Nothing is more worthy of ones most acute thought than the inconspicuous duties of the home.
III. This ideal woman is full of enterprise. There is something very homely and natural in this portrait of the thrifty housewife turning an honest penny when occasion offers. This is the overflow of her exuberant interest in the prosperity of her household. Her business enterprise is not a sign of her seeking new interests outside of the home, but on the contrary a sign of her greater devotion to it. Home over everything, everything for the home, is her idea.
IV. The ideal woman is sympathetic. She does not forget the poor. Her vigorous mind does not make her a hard, calculating person of business. She is still a woman, full of sympathy for the unfortunate, ready to help the unsuccessful. Back of the calculating mind lies the warm, throbbing heart, thrilled with the highest emotions.
V. The ideal woman is wise of speech. She is the counsellor of the household, giving good advice and teaching them that kindness which is lifes truest wisdom. The easy running of home affairs makes a great difference in the happiness of every one. Home is where the character of the children is being formed. The widest empire does not offer a more dignified throne for the exercise of high wisdom than the mothers seat in the home. The results of such a good womans life are visible. She has a happy husband. She has appreciative children. She has a good name. May God give to many a girlish heart a new dream--not of fair, but of good women, that shall reproduce itself in a strong, gentle, wise life. (D. J. Burrell.)
A helpful wife
Writing of the greatness of Mr. D. L. Moody, Professor Drummond says: If you were to ask Mr. Moody--which it would never occur to you to do--what, apart from the inspirations of his personal faith, was the secret of his success, of his happiness and usefulness in life, he would assuredly answer, Mrs. Moody.
An industrious wife
Mrs. Henry Clay, the wife of the celebrated American statesman, during her husbands long and frequent absences from home at the seat of government, used to take the reins into her own hands at the farm. She made a practical study of agriculture, oversaw the overseer, and became an oracle among the farmers of the neighbourhood. Preparatory to Mr. Clays departure from home, she invariably received from him a handsome cheque, which she as regularly restored to him upon his return, with the laconic remark that she found no use for it! (J. B. F. Tinling.)
A good wife
A good story is told of the famous plaid, without which Blackie was rarely seen. One day, at Dr. Donald Macleods house, he said, When I was a poor man, and my wife and I had our difficulties, she one day drew my attention to the threadbare character of my coat, and asked me to order a new one. I told her I could not afford it just then, when she went, like a noble woman, and put her own plaid shawl on my shoulders, and I have worn a plaid ever since in memory of her loving deed! (Memoir of J. Stuart Blackie.)
And worketh willingly with her hands.
Beautiful hands
As a young friend was standing with us noticing the pedestrians on the sidewalk, a very stylish young lady passed us. What beautiful hands Miss--has! exclaimed our friend. What makes them beautiful? Why, they are small, white, soft, and exquisitely shaped. Is that all that constitutes the beauty of the hand? Is not something more to be included in your catalogue of beauty? What more would you have? Are they charitable hands? Have they ever fed the poor? Have they ever carried the necessities of life to the widow and the orphan? Has their soft touch ever smoothed the irritation of sickness and the agonies of pain? Axe they useful hands? Have they been taught that the world is not a playground, or a theatre of display, or a mere lounging-place? Do those delicate hands ever labour? Are they ever employed about the domestic duties of life? Are they modest hands? Will they perform their charities or their duties without vanity? Or do they pander to the pride of their owner by their delicacy and beauty? Are they humble hands? Will their owner extend them to grasp the hand of that old schoolfellow who now must earn her living by her labour? Are they holy hands? Are they ever clasped in prayer or elevated in praise? (Christian Treasury.)
She layeth her hands to the spindle.--
Homely attainments
There is a trite but apposite moral in the anecdote told of James I on having a girl presented to him who was represented as an English prodigy because she was deeply learned. The person who introduced her boasted of her proficiency in ancient languages. I can assure your Majesty, said he, that she can both speak and write Latin, Greek, and Hebrew. These are rare attainments for a damsel, said James; but pray tell me, can she spin?
She maketh herself coverings of tapestry.--
Needlework
Whenever (said Dr. Johnson), whenever chance brings within my observation a knot of young ladies busy at their needles, I consider myself as in the school of virtue; and though I have no extraordinary skill in plain work or embroidery, I look upon their operations with as much satisfaction as their governess, because I regard them as providing a security against the most dangerous insnarers of the soul, by enabling them to exclude idleness from their solitary moments, and, with idleness, her attendant train of passions, fancies, chimeras, fears, sorrows, and desires.
She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.--
The nobility of womanhood
1. Tact is evidently the characteristic of one who openeth her mouth with wisdom. She is not one whose garrulity proves the truth of the proverb, In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin, for she has sufficient sense of the seriousness of life to avoid utterances which are idle and thoughtless. Her words are the dictates of that wisdom, the beginning of which is the fear of the Lord. Nor does she merely speak wise words, but, with true wisdom, she recognises that there is a time to speak and a time to be silent, so that her reproofs and encouragements live long in grateful memories.
2. But authority is quite as important as tact, and this is characteristic of one who has a law in her lips. Suppleness in management is of little value unless there be strength behind it. God never meant that women should be always yielding to other peoples opinions, or that they should be swayed hither and thither by every passing breeze of emotion. As much as men they need firmness, the royal power of rule, for in the home, in the sick-room, and in the class they have a veritable kingdom in which to exercise authority for God.
3. It must not be forgotten, however, that the authority here spoken of is the law of kindness. Such, in the highest sense, is the authority of Christ over His people. The noblest rule requires, not the display of force, nor the terrors of foolish threats, nor the countermining of a suspicious nature, but the law of kindness, which is obeyed because it evidently springs from love and is enforced by love. Gentlest influences are by no means the feeblest. The spring crocus can be crushed by a stone, but, unlike it, the crocus can push its way up through the stiff, hard soil, until it basks in the sunshine. The light of the sun does not make noise enough to disturb an insects sleep, but it can waken a whole world to duty. Those who have been able to win or to retain the affection and trust of others exercise a power which angels might desire. (A. Rowland, LL.B.)
A soothing voice
Yes, we agree with that old poet who said that a low, soft voice was an excellent thing in woman. Indeed, we feel inclined to go much further than he has on the subject, and call it one of her crowning charms. How often the spell of beauty is rudely broken by coarse, loud talking! How often you are irresistibly drawn to a plain, unassuming woman whose soft, silvery tone renders her positively attractive. In the social circle how pleasant it is to hear a woman talk in that low key which always characterises the true lady. In the sanctuary of home, how such a voice soothes the fretful child and cheers the weary husband! (C. Lamb.)
The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary 1892 · Public Domain On v10 Pro_31:10. Virtuous. Literally “a woman of power.” Rubies, rather…
CRITICAL NOTES.—
Pro_31:10. Virtuous. Literally “a woman of power.” Rubies, rather “pearls.”
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Pro_31:11. He shall have no need, etc. Rather, “He shall not fail of spoil.” “Strictly, ‘the spoils of war,’ a strong expression to denote his rich profit.” (Zöckler.)
Pro_31:15. This probably signifies the appointed task for the day.
Pro_31:21. Scarlet. Delitzsch and Zöckler retain this reading; the former remarks that, “as high-coloured, it appears dignified as well as preserves warmth.”
Pro_31:22. Coverings, rather “coverlets,” as in chap. Pro_7:16, “a part of the furniture of the bed.”
Pro_31:25. She shall rejoice. Rather, “She laugheth at the future,” i.e., she is not afraid of it, being fully prepared for all emergencies.
Pro_31:26. Law of kindness. Delitzsch reads “Amiable instruction.”
Pro_31:30. Favour, i.e., “outward grace.” Vain, or “a breath.”
MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.—Pro_31:10-31
A MODEL MATRON
This picture of a faithful and kindly wife, mother, and mistress is here placed before the youthful monarch as the ideal woman whom he is to seek with all diligence, because she is well worth any pains to secure, and with much discrimination, because she is a rarity, and because there are many imitations of the real gem which look very much like it before they are tested. This beautiful picture is held to his view as the master holds some grand conception on canvas before his pupil, in order that he may acquire a distaste for all that comes short of it. This portrait may have been drawn by the mother of Lemuel; in any case we may safely conclude that she was such a woman herself, and if it came from another hand it is, probably, her likeness drawn from life. We notice—
I. The prominent features of her character.
1. Her energy. There seems to be within her a spring of unfailing activity, and the completion of one task is immediately followed by the beginning of another. In her home she is astir before the dawn, and when her domestic duties are completed she gives her mind to the transaction of business without—to the best market in which to sell her goods, and to buy all that she needs for the supply of her household. We cannot conceive of this energetic spirit in a frail and sickly body—she must have been physically healthy and strong, and we may give her credit for having been observant of the laws of God in this respect as in higher matters, and be sure that she avoided whatever might weaken her body or deaden her intellect. This being the case, her constant activity would be a pleasure, and would in itself contribute to the maintenance of her bodily strength.
2. Her capability. She was not only a great worker, but there was wisdom behind the work—a brain directing the hands. There are many people always busy, who yet accomplish but little, because their activity is not wisely directed—indeed, energetic action without wisdom to guide it, may be most disastrous in its effects. There is an abundance of power in the locomotive, but if it is set in motion and left free from wise control, it works ill instead of good. But this woman’s intellectual capacity equalled her active energy. She was a good judge of the merchandise that she had to sell, and knew the value of the land that she bought. She was methodical, and so able to arrange the employments of all the household so that no confusion should arise, and she could also show them with her own hands how to perform their work, for “she layeth her hands to the spindle,” and so follows up her precept by example. Her capacity also manifested itself in her forethought—in keeping her supply well ahead of her demand.
3. Her loving tenderness. She might have been all that we have thus far painted her, and yet not have made a happy home. If she had been nothing more she might have been feared, and in some measure respected, but she would not have been loved. Just as energy may be dangerous without wisdom to guide it, so such capable energy may be repellent without love to soften it. But her uncommon endowments and attainments did not make her impatient with her inferiors, and she was not so absorbed in providing for those at home as to forget the poor outside. Her commands were given in a winning tone, and her corrections in a loving spirit. She was more apt to instruct than to reprove, and doubtless acted upon the principle that the “way to make people better is to make the best of them.”
II. The root of all these excellencies. Although it is not absolutely stated, it is implied that godliness was the source of this symmetrical character—that it was the fear of the Lord which enabled her to keep so even a balance of virtues as to stand forth a perfect pattern to the women of every age and nation. The fear of God had given her a right conception of her duties towards all mankind, and especially of the sacred nature of her relationships as wife and mother. She fully entered into the Divine idea of marriage, and this made her the true helpmeet of her husband, and in regard to each son and daughter she heard the voice of her God saying, “Take this child and nurse it for me.” She knew that faithfulness in all things was expected of a servant of God, and that true godliness consists not so much in the things done as in the spirit in which they are performed. In the spirit of George Herbert she could say—
“Teach me, my God and King,
In all things Thee to see;
And what I do in anything
To do it as for Thee.
“All may of Thee partake;
Nothing can be so mean
Which with this tincture (for Thy sake)
Will not grow bright and clean.
“This is the famous stone
That turneth all to gold;
For that which God doth touch and own
Cannot for less be told.”
And thus living every day and always in conscious fellowship with the Unseen, she would be too conscious of her own shortcomings to be anything but tender towards the failings of others, and would not forget that she owed all her success in life to the blessing of the Lord, and held all her material good in stewardship for His service.
III. The blessed results of all. She had an abundant and lasting reward. Her husband’s trust in her was undimmed by a single shadow; whatever position she was called upon to sustain he felt fully confident that she was equal to it, and that everything that he possessed—from his reputation to his purse—was not only safe in her hands, but had increased in worth through his connection with her. Her words of loving counsel, and her useful and benevolent life, were not lost upon her children, but as good seed sown in good ground brought forth an abundant harvest in their filial reverence and noble deeds. And this family blessedness was not a thing that could be hid, but, like a candle of the Lord in a world of much moral darkness, it shed its light all around, and blessed and stimulated others to fear God, and so to serve their generation.
OUTLINES AND SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS
Pro_31:12. The manner of some is to do good with the one hand, and with the evil of the other to spoil it: whereby they still remain to be evil wives. Others will do good while the fit lasteth, but they are weary of well-doing; whereas a good wife indeed will do good to her husband all the days of her life. It is not said of his life, but of hers. For though he be dead, she will do him good while she liveth, by doing good to his children, to his friends, to his memory.—Jermin.
Pro_31:16. Some consider but they buy not; some buy but they consider not; some consider and buy, but they plant not; some consider and buy and plant; but it is with the rapine of their hands, not the fruit of their hands. That field is well bought, where wisdom considereth what is bought, where ability buyeth that which hath been considered, where care planteth that which hath been bought, and where honesty giveth a blessing to that which hath been planted.—Jermin.
Pro_31:20. She doth not only open her hand, but stretcheth it (if I may so make use of the word), as if she would hold more to give the poor if she could.… And as if one hand were not enough for her it is said she reacheth forth her hands; and if she had more than two no doubt she would reach them all forth to the poor.—Jermin.
Pro_31:22. It is precisely such a woman who should wear such garments. The silk hangs all the more gracefully on her person that it was wound and spun by her own hands … This matron is not limited to silk and purple; strength and honour are her clothing too. She may safely wear elegant garments, who in character and bearing is elegant without their aid. If honour be your clothing, the suit will last a life-time, but if clothing be your honour, it will soon be worn threadbare.—Arnot.
Pro_31:26. There be many false keys which open the mouths of many, as rashness, and choler, and pride, and folly, and the like. But there is one right key, and that is wisdom. That it is which makes a virtuous woman courteous to all, a flatterer to none, a tale-bearer to none: that it is which maketh her to be familiar with a few, to be just and true with every one: that it is which maketh her respectful to her husband, lovingly grave to her children, awfully grave to her servants; dutiful to her superiors, affable with her equals, friendly to her neighbours, and not disdainful to her inferiors: that it is which maketh her slow to speak, quiet in speaking, profitable by speaking.—Jermin.
Pro_31:29. By the benefit of a better nature, or civil education, or for the praise of men, or for a quiet life, sure it is that all unsanctified women, though never so well qualified, have failed, both quoad fontem, et quoad finem, for want of faith for the principle, and God’s glory for the aim of their virtuous actions. And, therefore, though they may be praiseworthy, yet they are far short of this gracious matron.… “Better is pale gold than glittering copper.” (Bernard.) Say the world what it will, a drachm of holiness is worth a pound of good nature.—Trapp.
Pro_31:30-31. The lessons end where they began. Obedience is traced up to faith.… As we traverse the various phases of her character, we seem to be making our way over a well-watered and fruitful region, until we reach at last the fountain of its fertility.… Near the base of a mountain range, early in the morning of the day and the spring of the year, you may have seen, in your solitary walk, a pillar of cloud, pure and white, rising from the earth to heaven. In the calm air its slender stem rises straight like a tree, and like a tree spreads out its lofty summit. Like an angel tree in white, and not like an earthly thing, it stands before you. You approach the spot and discover the cause of the vision. A well of water from warm depths bursts through the surface there, and this is the morning incense which it sends right upward to the throne. But the water is not all thus exhaled. A pure stream flows over the well’s rocky edge, and trickles along the surface, a river in miniature, marked on both sides by verdure, while the barrenness of winter lies on the other portions of the field.… Such are the two outgoings of a believer’s life. Upward rises the soul in direct devotion; but not the less on that account does the life flow out along the surface of the world, leaving its mark in blessings behind it wherever it goes. You caught the spring by surprise at dawn, and saw incense ascending. At mid-day, when the sun was up, it rose unseen.… Thus is it in the experience of living Christians in the world.… The upright pillar is seldom visible, but the horizontal stream is seen and felt to be a refreshment to all within its reach.—Arnot.
The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary (gen. ed. Joseph S. Exell; Funk & Wagnalls, c. 1892) — public domain (pre-1929). A full-Bible homiletical/sermon-outline anthology covering 65 of 66 books (2 John is absent from the source module). Text from a community e-Sword module.
Alexander MacLaren 1905 · Public Domain On v10 Pro 31:10 - Pro 31:31.
Proverbs
PORTRAIT OF A MATRON
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Pro 31:10 - Pro 31:31.
This description of a good ‘house-mother’ attests the honourable position of woman in Israel. It would have been impossible in Eastern countries, where she was regarded only as a plaything and a better sort of slave. The picture is about equally far removed from old-world and from modern ideas of her place. This ‘virtuous woman’ is neither a doll nor a graduate nor a public character. Her kingdom is the home. Her works ‘praise her in the gates’; but it is her husband, and not she, that ‘sits’ there among the elders. There is no sentiment or light of wedded love in the picture. It is neither the ideal woman nor wife that is painted, but the ideal head of a household, on whose management, as much as on her husband’s work, its well-being depends.
There is plenty of room for modern ideals by the side of this old one, but they are very incomplete without it. If we take the ‘oracle which his mother taught’ King Lemuel to include this picture, the artist is a woman, and her motive may be to sketch the sort of wife her son should choose. In any case, it is significant that the book which began with the magnificent picture of Wisdom as a fair woman, and hung beside it the ugly likeness of Folly, should end with this charming portrait. It is an acrostic, and the fetters of alphabetic sequence are not favourable to progress or continuity of thought.
But I venture to suggest a certain advance in the representation which removes the apparent disjointed character and needless repetition. There are, first, three verses forming a kind of prologue or introduction {Pro 31:10 - Pro 31:12}. Then follows the picture proper, which is brought into unity if we suppose that it describes the growing material success of the diligent housekeeper, beginning with her own willing work, and gradually extending till she and her family are well to do and among the magnates of her town {Pro 31:13 - Pro 31:29}, Then follow two verses of epilogue or conclusion {Pro 31:30 - Pro 31:31}.
The rendering ‘virtuous’ is unsatisfactory; for what is meant is not moral excellence, either in the wider sense or in the narrower to which, in reference to woman, that great word has been unfortunately narrowed. Our colloquialism ‘a woman of faculty’ would fairly convey the idea, which is that of ability and general capacity. We have said that there was no light of wedded love in the picture. That is true of the main body of it; but no deeper, terser expression of the inmost blessedness of happy marriage was ever spoken than in the quiet words, ‘The heart of her husband trusteth in her,’ with the repose of satisfaction, with the tranquillity of perfect assurance. The bond uniting husband and wife in a true marriage is not unlike that uniting us with God. Happy are they who by their trust in one another and the peaceful joys which it brings are led to united trust in a yet deeper love, mirrored to them in their own! True, the picture here is mainly that of confidence that the wife is no squanderer of her husband’s goods, but the sweet thought goes far beyond the immediate application. So with the other general feature in Pro 31:12. A true wife is a fountain of good, and good only, all the days of her life-ay, and beyond them too, when her remembrance shines like the calm west after a cloudless sunset. This being, as it were, the overture, next follows the main body of the piece.
It starts with a description of diligence in a comparatively humble sphere. Note that in Pro 31:13 the woman is working alone. She toils ‘willingly,’ or, as the literal rendering is, ‘with the pleasure of her hands.’ There is no profit in unwilling work. Love makes toil delightful, and delighted toil is successful. Throughout its pages the Bible reverences diligence. It is the condition of prosperity in material and spiritual things. Vainly do men and women try to dodge the law which makes the ‘sweat of the brow’ the indispensable requisite for ‘eating bread.’ When commerce becomes speculation, which is the polite name for gambling, which, again, is a synonym for stealing, it may yield much more dainty fare than bread to some for a time, but is sure to bring want sooner or later to individuals and communities. The foundation of this good woman’s fortune was that she worked with a will. There is no other foundation, either for fortune or any other good, or for self-respect, or for progress in knowledge or goodness or religion.
Then her horizon widened, and she saw a way of increasing her store. ‘She is like the merchants’ ships; she bringeth her food from afar.’ She looks afield, and sees opportunities for profitable exchange. Promptly she avails herself of these, and is at work while it is yet dark. She has a household now, and does not neglect their comfort, any more than she does their employment. Their food and their tasks are both set them in the early morning, and their mistress is up as soon as they. Her toil brings in wealth, and so Pro 31:16 shows another step in advance. ‘She considereth a field, and buyeth it,’ and has made money enough to stock it with vines, and so add a new source of revenue, and acquire a new position as owning land.
But prosperity does not make her relax her efforts so we are told again in Pro 31:17 - Pro 31:19 of her abridging the hours of sleep, and toiling with wool and flax, which would be useless tautology if there were not some new circumstances to account for the repetition. Encouraged by success, she ‘girdeth her loins with strength,’ and, since she sees that ‘her merchandise is profitable,’ she is the more induced to labour. She still works with her own hands {Pro 31:19}. But the hands that are busy with distaff and spindle are also stretched out with alms in the open palm, and are extended in readiness to help the needy. A woman made unfeeling by wealth is a monster. Prosperity often leads men to niggardliness in charitable gifts; but if it does the same for a woman, it is doubly cursed. Pity and charity have their home in women’s hearts. If they are so busy holding the distaff or the pen that they become hard and insensible to the cry of misery, they have lost their glory.
Then follow a series of verses describing how increased wealth brings good to her household and herself. The advantages are of a purely material sort, Her children are ‘clothed with scarlet,’ which was not only the name of the dye, but of the stuff. Evidently thick material only was dyed of that hue, and so was fit for winter clothing, even if the weather was so severe for Palestine that snow fell. Her house was furnished with ‘carpets,’ or rather ‘cushions’ or ‘pillows,’ which are more important pieces of furniture where people recline on divans than where they sit on chairs. Her own costume is that of a rich woman. ‘Purple and fine linen’ are tokens of wealth, and she is woman enough to like to wear these. There is nothing unbecoming in assuming the style of living appropriate to one’s position. Her children and herself thus share in the advantages of her industry; and the husband, who does not appear to have much business of his own, gets his share in that he sits among the wealthy and honoured inhabitants of the town, ‘in the gates,’ the chief place of meeting for business and gossip.
Pro 31:24 recurs to the subject of the woman’s diligence. She has got into a ‘shipping business,’ making for the export trade with the ‘merchants’-literally, ‘Canaanites’ or Phoenicians, the great traders of the East, from whom, no doubt, she got the ‘purple’ of her clothing in exchange for her manufacture. But she had a better dress than any woven in looms or bought with goods. ‘Strength and dignity’ clothe her. ‘She laugheth at the time to come’; that is, she is able to look forward without dread of poverty, because she has realised a competent sum. Such looking forward may be like that of the rich man in the parable, a piece of presumption, but it may also be compatible with devout recognition of God’s providence. As in Pro 31:20, beneficence was coupled with diligence, so in Pro 31:26 gentler qualities are blended with strength and dignity, and calm anticipation of the future.
A glimpse into ‘the very pulse’ of the woman’s nature is given. A true woman’s strength is always gentle, and her dignity attractive and gracious. Prosperity has not turned her head. ‘Wisdom,’ the heaven-descended virgin, the deep music of whose call we heard sounding in the earlier chapters of Proverbs, dwells with this very practical woman. The collocation points the lesson that heavenly Wisdom has a field for its display in the common duties of a busy life, does not dwell in hermitages, or cloisters, or studies, but may guide and inspire a careful housekeeper in her task of wisely keeping her husband’s goods together. The old legend of the descending deity who took service as a goat-herd, is true of the heavenly Wisdom, which will come and live in kitchens and shops.
But the ideal woman has not only wisdom in act and word, but ‘the law of kindness is on her tongue.’ Prosperity should not rob her of her gracious demeanour. Her words should be glowing with the calm flame of love which stoops to lowly and undeserving objects. If wealth leads to presumptuous reckoning on the future, and because we have ‘much goods laid up for many years,’ we see no other use of leisure than to eat and drink and be merry, we fatally mistake our happiness and our duty. But if gentle compassion and helpfulness are on our lips and in our hearts and deeds, prosperity will be blessed.
Nor does this ideal woman relax in her diligence, though she has prospered. Pro 31:27 seems very needless repetition of what has been abundantly said already, unless we suppose, as before, new circumstances to account for the reintroduction of a former characteristic. These are, as it seems to me, the increased wealth of the heroine, which might have led her to relax her watchfulness. Some slacking off might have been expected and excused; but at the end, as at the beginning, she looks after her household and is herself diligent. The picture refers only to outward things. But we may remember that the same law applies to all, and that any good, either of worldly wealth or of intellectual, moral, or religious kind, is only preserved by the continuous exercise of the same energies which won it at first.
Pro 31:28 - Pro 31:29 give the eulogium pronounced by children and husband. The former ‘rise up’ as in reverence; the latter declares her superiority to all women, with the hyperbolical language natural to love. Happy the man who, after long years of wedded life, can repeat the estimate of his early love with the calm certitude born of experience!
The epilogue in Pro 31:30 - Pro 31:31 is not the continuation of the husband’s speech. It at once points the lesson from the whole picture for King Lemuel, and unveils the root of the excellences described. Beauty is skin deep. Let young men look deeper than a fair face. Let young women seek for that beauty which does not fade. The fear of the Lord lies at the bottom of all goodness that will last through the tear and wear of wedded life, and of all domestic diligence which is not mere sordid selfishness or slavish toil. The narrow arena of domestic life affords a fit theatre for the exercise of the highest gifts and graces; and the woman who has made a home bright, and has won and kept a husband’s love and children’s reverence, may let who will grasp at the more conspicuous prizes which women are so eager after nowadays. She has chosen the better part, which shall not be taken from her. She shall receive ‘of the fruit of her hands’ both now and hereafter, if the fear of the Lord has been the root from which that fruit has grown; and ‘her works shall praise her in the gate,’ though she sits quietly in her home. It is well when our deeds are the trumpeters of our fame, and when to tell them is to praise us.
The whole passage is the hallowing of domestic life, a directory for wives and mothers, a beautiful ideal of how noble a thing a busy mother’s life may be, an exhibition to young men of what they should seek, and of young women of what they should aim at. It were well for the next generation if the young women of this one were as solicitous to make cages as nets, to cultivate qualities which would keep love in the home as to cultivate attractions which lure him to their feet.
Alexander MacLaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture (1904–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
C. I. Scofield 1917 · Public Domain On v11 (See Scofield "Psa 2:12").
trust
(See Scofield "Psa 2:12").
The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Paul E. Kretzmann 1924 · Public Domain On v10 The ABC of the Virtuous Woman
The ABC of the Virtuous Woman
v. 10. Who can find a virtuous woman? the emphatic question pointing to the meaning: How splendid it would be for every man to have such a wife! For her price is far above rubies, beyond the worth of pearls and all treasures of the home, in so far as they pertain to this life.
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v. 11. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, he may rely absolutely upon her prudence and skill in the home, so that he shall have no need of spoil, he shall not fail of gain, since she watches over the income of the family.
v. 12. She will do him good, in a constant show of affection, and not evil all the days of her life, her love not being subject to moods. Her diligence, wisdom, and shrewdness are now portrayed.
v. 13. She seeketh wool and flax, or linen, busying herself with these materials in order to produce garments, and worketh willingly with her hands, taking pleasure in performing the work which every day offers.
v. 14. She is like the merchants’ ships, in selling her products and obtaining new ware and gain; she bringeth her food from afar, providing all the necessities of the house in ample time.
v. 15. She riseth also while it is yet night, she is up and at her work before daylight, and giveth meat to her household, distributing food to all its members, for an early breakfast, and a portion to her maidens, so that the meals are ready at a certain time and no time is lost.
v. 16. She considereth a field, carefully contemplating its worth for purchase, and buyeth it, since her thrift has enabled her to lay aside the purchase money, with the fruit of her hands, with the money she has earned by her own labor, she planteth a vineyard, investing her money wisely.
v. 17. She girdeth her loins with strength, showing vigor in every undertaking, and strengtheneth her arms, both her diligence and the energy displayed by her increasing continually.
v. 18. She perceiveth that her merchandise is good, she is aware that her gain is regular, a fact which spurs her on to renewed effort; her candle goeth not out by night, if necessary she will work far into the night in order to accomplish her purpose.
v. 19. She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff, she uses the spinning-wheel in the proper and effective manner, she lacks neither the skill nor the willingness to work with her own hands. At the same time, it is not selfishness or avarice which inspires the virtuous woman.
v. 20. She stretcheth out her hand to the poor, spreading out both hands with gifts for the unfortunate; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy, always ready to help such as are truly in need.
v. 21. She is not afraid of the snow for her household, having used the proper foresight, she need not fear the cold of winter for those dependent upon her; for all her household are clothed with scarlet, heavy woolen material, both warm and of prosperous appearance.
v. 22. She maketh herself coverings of tapestry, coverlets and hangings to decorate her home; her clothing is silk and purple, made of fine Egyptian byssus and of cloth dyed with reddish-purple from Phoenicia. Moreover, her influence extends beyond the confines of her home.
v. 23. Her husband is known in the gates, where the most influential citizens were wont to assemble, when he sitteth among the elders of the land, an important and famous personage.
v. 24. She maketh fine linen, shirts and underclothes, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant, literally, to the Canaanite, for the Phoenician merchants were the most prominent at that time.
v. 25. Strength and honor are her clothing, making her independent of all petty annoyances and worries and permitting her to look into the future with simple confidence; and she shall rejoice In time to come, not in foolish self-confidence, but in the consciousness of having made the best possible preparations for the maintenance of herself and her household.
v. 26. She openeth her mouth with wisdom, for that is all her heart knows; and in her tongue is the law of kindness, her speech is altogether amiable and full of love.
v. 27. She looketh well to the ways of her household, wisely arranging and superintending the work of all the servants, and eateth not the bread of idleness, being busy both in superintending and in joining hands with the rest in working.
v. 28. Her children arise up, wherever they present themselves, and call her blessed, praising the mother to whom they owe so much; her husband also, and he praiseth her, in the words now quoted,
v. 29. Many daughters have done virtuously, many women have shown virtue, Rth 4:11, but thou excellest them all. The author now gives a summary of his remarks.
v. 30. Favor, that is, grace acquired and shown by a woman, is deceitful, it has no real, lasting value, and beauty is vain, it is a breath, a vanity, it is no measure of a woman’s real worth; but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised, that is the highest praise which can be bestowed upon a woman at any time.
v. 31. Give her of the fruit of her hands, namely, the praise which she so richly deserves; and let her own works praise her in the gates, that is, in the place where the elders, the representatives of the people, assemble, the foremost men of the nation acknowledging such a woman’s excellency. This hymn, called the ABC of a virtuous woman, on account of the fact that it is an acrostic in the original Hebrew, each succeeding verse beginning with the next letter of the Hebrew alphabet, is well worthy to be memorized by every Christian woman, and especially every Christian wife, as containing the ideal of the Lord Himself.
Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv10, 13, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28 Who can find a capable wife?
Who can find a capable wife?
The writer asks a question to show that he is beginning a new section. AT: "Not many men can find a capable wife." or "Not many men can find a wife who is able to do many things well." (See: Rhetorical Question)
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Her value is far more than jewels
"She is more precious than jewels"
he will never be poor
This litotes can be stated positively. AT: "he will always have what he needs" (See: Litotes)
translationWords
heart
trust
evil
life
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv10, 13, 16, 19, 22, 25, 28 31:10-31 Proverbs ends with a powerful poem celebrating the…
31:10-31 Proverbs ends with a powerful poem celebrating the virtuous wife. The poem’s acrostic arrangement gives an impression of completeness and provides the student with an aid for learning.
31:10-12 No one can find a virtuous and capable wife without God’s help (18:22). Such a woman, like wisdom, is more precious than rubies (cp. 3:15).
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.