February 9, 2024
Did the Proverbs 31 Woman Work?
Proverbs 31
Lucina Thompson
Big Book Idea
Living wisely—God's way.
Key Verse | Proverbs 31:29
"Many women have done excellently,
but you surpass them all."
Proverbs 31
The Words of King Lemuel
1 The words of King Lemuel. An oracle that his mother taught him:
2
What are you doing, my son?
1
31:2
Hebrew What, my son?
What are you doing, son of my womb?
What are you doing, son of my vows?
3
Do not give your strength to women,
your ways to those who destroy kings.
4
It is not for kings, O Lemuel,
it is not for kings to drink wine,
or for rulers to take strong drink,
5
lest they drink and forget what has been decreed
and pervert the rights of all the afflicted.
6
Give strong drink to the one who is perishing,
and wine to those in bitter distress;
2
31:6
Hebrew those bitter in soul
7
let them drink and forget their poverty
and remember their misery no more.
8
Open your mouth for the mute,
for the rights of all who are destitute.
3
31:8
Hebrew are sons of passing away
9
Open your mouth, judge righteously,
defend the rights of the poor and needy.
The Woman Who Fears the LORD
10
4
31:10
Verses 1031 are an acrostic poem, each verse beginning with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet
An excellent wife who can find?
She is far more precious than jewels.
11
The heart of her husband trusts in her,
and he will have no lack of gain.
12
She does him good, and not harm,
all the days of her life.
13
She seeks wool and flax,
and works with willing hands.
14
She is like the ships of the merchant;
she brings her food from afar.
15
She rises while it is yet night
and provides food for her household
and portions for her maidens.
16
She considers a field and buys it;
with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
17
She dresses herself
5
31:17
Hebrew She girds her loins
with strength
and makes her arms strong.
18
She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.
Her lamp does not go out at night.
19
She puts her hands to the distaff,
and her hands hold the spindle.
20
She opens her hand to the poor
and reaches out her hands to the needy.
21
She is not afraid of snow for her household,
for all her household are clothed in scarlet.
6
31:21
Or in double thickness
22
She makes bed coverings for herself;
her clothing is fine linen and purple.
23
Her husband is known in the gates
when he sits among the elders of the land.
24
She makes linen garments and sells them;
she delivers sashes to the merchant.
25
Strength and dignity are her clothing,
and she laughs at the time to come.
26
She opens her mouth with wisdom,
and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
27
She looks well to the ways of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28
Her children rise up and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
29
“Many women have done excellently,
but you surpass them all.”
30
Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
31
Give her of the fruit of her hands,
and let her works praise her in the gates.
Footnotes
[1] 31:2 Hebrew What, my son?[2] 31:6 Hebrew those bitter in soul
[3] 31:8 Hebrew are sons of passing away
[4] 31:10 Verses 10–31 are an acrostic poem, each verse beginning with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet
[5] 31:17 Hebrew She girds her loins
[6] 31:21 Or in double thickness
Table of Contents
Introduction to Proverbs
Timeline
Author and Date
Proverbs itself mentions Solomon (reigned c. 971–931 B.C.) as author or collector of its contents (1:1; 10:1), including the proverbs copied by Hezekiah’s men (25:1). There are also two batches of sayings from a group called “the wise” (22:17–24:22; 24:23–34), and “oracles” from Agur (30:1–33) and Lemuel (31:1–9). No author is named for the song in praise of the excellent wife that ends the book (31:10–31). Although Proverbs was begun in the time of Solomon, it probably was not in its present form until the time of Hezekiah (reigned c. 715–686 B.C.).
Theme
The goal of the book is stated right at the beginning (1:1–7): to describe what wisdom is and to help God’s people become wise. Wisdom is founded in the “fear of the Lord,” and it enables believers to express their faith in the practical details of everyday life.
Audience
The book is addressed to a young man. The situations he will face while he is young receive much attention. These situations supply concrete examples from which all readers can apply lessons to their own lives. Anyone who is wise and who pays attention will benefit (1:5) from this instruction.
Reading Proverbs
The reader of Proverbs must seek to understand the various types of people the book describes. The most obvious characters in the book are the wise, the fool, and the simple. Proverbs urges its readers to be wise, which means embracing God’s covenant and living out the covenant in everyday situations (compare 2:2; 10:1). The fool is the person who constantly opposes God’s covenant (1:7b). The simple is the person who is not firmly committed, either to wisdom or to folly; he is easily misled (14:15).
The first nine chapters of Proverbs are “wisdom poems” that urge the reader to pursue wisdom. The main section of Proverbs—the concise, memorable statements of two or three lines—begins in 10:1. Proverbs often seem to be mere observations about life, but their deeper meanings will reveal themselves if the following questions are kept in mind: (1) What virtue does this proverb commend? (2) What vice does it disapprove of? (3) What value does it affirm?
Key Themes
Proverbs offers wisdom on a wide array of topics from daily life: diligence and laziness (6:6–11); friendship (3:27–28; 18:24); speech (10:19–21); marriage (18:22; 19:14); child rearing (22:6); domestic peace (15:17; 17:1); work (11:1); getting along and good manners (23:1–2; 25:16–17; 26:17–19; 27:14); eternity (14:32; 23:17–18); and much more. It shows that “godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come” (1 Tim. 4:8).
- God’s will is intensely practical, applying to every aspect of life. A proper relation to God involves trying hard to understand his truth, and then embracing and obeying that truth.
- A life lived by God’s will is a happy life (3:21–26).
- A life lived by God’s will is a useful life (3:27–28; 12:18, 25).
- A life lived by God’s will does not just happen. One must seek after it (9:1–6).
Outline
- Title, Goal, and Motto (1:1–7)
- A Father’s Invitation to Wisdom (1:8–9:18)
- Proverbs of Solomon (10:1–22:16)
- The Thirty Sayings of “the Wise” (22:17–24:22)
- Further Sayings of “the Wise” (24:23–34)
- Hezekiah’s Collection of Solomonic Proverbs (25:1–29:27)
- The Sayings of Agur (30:1–33)
- The Sayings of King Lemuel (31:1–9)
- An Alphabet of Womanly Excellence (31:10–31)
Fact: Wisdom
Wisdom is a key term in Job, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes. The word can mean “skilled at making sound decisions in life.” Proverbs 9:10 states that “the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom.”
Fact: A different kind of security
A different kind of security. In biblical times, if a person was unable to pay his debt, the consequences could be serious. The whole family could be sold into slavery. If someone put up “security” for another person, he promised to pay that person’s debt if he was unable to do so himself. Proverbs teaches that putting up security for another person is generally unwise, since those who do so risk losing everything if the other person cannot pay his debt (11:15).
Fact: Hezekiah’s contribution to Proverbs
Hezekiah’s contribution to Proverbs. Although most of the Proverbs were collected or written by King Solomon, who reigned from 971–931 B.C., the book of Proverbs did not exist in its present form until the time of King Hezekiah, some 200 years later. Hezekiah and “his men,” probably his scribes, recorded chs. 25–29.
Fact: Rock badgers
Rock badgers are small cliff-dwelling animals closely resembling guinea pigs. They live and forage for food in large groups and are good at hiding. They are best known for posting sentries that alert the group when danger is near. Perhaps it was this mark of wisdom that earned them a mention in Proverbs (30:26).
Fact: The city gate
The city gate was a place where leaders made key decisions (Prov. 31:23; Lam. 5:14). Lot’s presence at the city gate (Gen. 19:1) shows that he had a position of importance in Sodom.
OT Testimony that All Are under Sin (3:9)
| Romans 3 | OT Reference |
|---|---|
| Sinful Condition | |
| v. 10, none is righteous | Ps. 14:3/53:3; Eccles. 7:20 |
| v. 11a, no one understands | Ps. 14:2/53:2 |
| v. 11b, no one seeks for God | Ps. 14:2/53:2 |
| v. 12, all have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one | Ps. 14:3/53:3 |
| Sinful Speech (note progression from throat to tongue to lips) | |
| v. 13a, b, their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive | Ps. 5:10, Septuagint (English, 5:9) |
| v. 13c, the venom of asps is under their lips | Ps. 140:3 |
| v. 14, their mouth is full of curses and bitterness | Ps. 10:7 |
| Sinful Action | |
| v. 15, their feet are swift to shed blood | Prov. 1:16/Isa. 59:7 |
| v. 16, in their paths are ruin and misery | Isa. 59:7 |
| v. 17, and the way of peace they have not known | Isa. 59:8 |
| Summary Statement | |
| v. 18, there is no fear of God before their eyes | Ps. 36:1 |
Prov. 31:4–5 Kings should serve the well-being of their subjects, especially protecting the rights of all the afflicted. They must never allow their judgment to be clouded by wine or strong drink.
Prov. 31:6–7 The strong drink would help those in bitter distress to forget their poverty. This is often taken to mean that the king should provide strong drink to those who are perishing or in misery, to relieve their physical pain. But it could also mean that the king should invite these people to a banquet where they can have some innocent fun and forget their troubles for a while.
Prov. 31:1–9 The Sayings of King Lemuel. The word translated “oracle” (v. 1) is the same as in 30:1. As in 30:1, some have preferred to see it as the name for a place called Massa (see note on 30:1–33). No one knows who Lemuel was, or where he was king. Most suppose that he was not an Israelite (which is consistent with the Aramaic spellings for son in 31:2 and kings in v. 3b, and with the absence of Yahweh’s name from all the sayings). Verses 2–9 describe the ideal human king: he is judicious personally (vv. 3–4) so that he may protect others through justice (vv. 5, 9) and compassion (vv. 6–8). This description runs contrary to ordinary experience, where power is often used to benefit the leader rather than those being led. If Lemuel was a ruler from outside Israel, then these verses underscore Proverbs’ teaching that all rulers are called upon to rule justly and are judged accordingly (compare Lady Wisdom’s comments in 8:14–16).
Prov. 31:15 By providing for her household and her maidens before the day begins, the “excellent wife” (v. 10) multiplies the effectiveness of her work. Her planning enables everyone else in her household to be productive throughout the day. She does not lie in bed and wait for servants to attend to her.
Prov. 31:16 She is not confined to the home but is engaged in business. This verse demonstrates remarkable financial independence for a woman in the ancient world. She herself considers a field (indicating wise judgment) and buys it (indicating control of a substantial amount of money).
Prov. 31:18 Profitable indicates that she is able to make money from her labor, which she uses to purchase a field (v. 16) and provide for her household (v. 15).
Prov. 31:23 Gates were the center of civic and economic life in an Israelite city. The leading men gathered there. The wife’s excellent work and noble character have contributed significantly to her husband’s success and reputation when he sits among the elders of the land.
Fact: The city gate
The city gate was a place where leaders made key decisions (Prov. 31:23; Lam. 5:14). Lot’s presence at the city gate (Gen. 19:1) shows that he had a position of importance in Sodom.
Prov. 31:25 Strength and dignity are so much a part of her character and conduct that they seem to be almost like her clothing. She laughs at the future, in contrast with being worried or fearful about it.
Prov. 31:26 The wisdom that God teaches in Proverbs can be well understood by both men and women (compare note on 1:8).
Prov. 31:28–29 In a loving family, the members value each other. Here the children and husband offer their praise. Verse 29 gives the words of the husband, or perhaps of both husband and children.
Prov. 31:30 The mention of a woman who fears the LORD at the end of this long list of excellent qualities brings back the theme of the book of Proverbs stated in 1:7 (see note). It reminds readers that this woman excels in her fear of the Lord. She is a model of the character traits and wisdom taught throughout the book. Inserting “fear of the Lord” at the end of this list is a reminder that this quality is more important than even great skill and talent. A godly woman may well have skill and beauty, but these are of secondary importance to her godliness.
Prov. 31:10–31 An Alphabet of Womanly Excellence. As the ESV footnote to v. 10 explains, this wisdom poem is an acrostic. Each successive verse begins with the next letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The poem begins and ends with mention of the woman’s “excellence” (vv. 10, 29–31). The probable intention of putting this in an acrostic pattern is to show that this woman’s character runs the whole range of excellence. The woman is married, and she is devoted to the well-being of her household (vv. 11–13, 15, 17, 19, 21–22, 25, 27). She contributes financially to her family (vv. 14, 16, 18, 24). At the same time she makes her home the center of ministry by giving generously to the poor (v. 20) and by instructing her children and household workers in true kindness (v. 26). Her husband and children enjoy their lives and honor her for her industry (vv. 11–12, 23, 28–29). This portrait of excellence sets such a high standard that it can be depressing to godly women today until its purpose is understood. First, the woman embodies wisdom in all areas of life. This shows that the teaching of Proverbs is intended for all of God’s people. Second, this profile is an ideal. It is not expected that any one woman will look exactly like this in every way. Rather, it is an example of full-scale virtue and wisdom toward which the faithful are willing to be molded.
Prov. 31:31 The wife’s works are known and appreciated in the gates (compare v. 23), and therefore throughout the town. Give her of the fruit of her hands means that she should be given some personal reward for her excellent work. let her works praise her. The excellent character and work of such a woman calls for public honor.
OT Testimony that All Are under Sin (3:9)
| Romans 3 | OT Reference |
|---|---|
| Sinful Condition | |
| v. 10, none is righteous | Ps. 14:3/53:3; Eccles. 7:20 |
| v. 11a, no one understands | Ps. 14:2/53:2 |
| v. 11b, no one seeks for God | Ps. 14:2/53:2 |
| v. 12, all have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one | Ps. 14:3/53:3 |
| Sinful Speech (note progression from throat to tongue to lips) | |
| v. 13a, b, their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive | Ps. 5:10, Septuagint (English, 5:9) |
| v. 13c, the venom of asps is under their lips | Ps. 140:3 |
| v. 14, their mouth is full of curses and bitterness | Ps. 10:7 |
| Sinful Action | |
| v. 15, their feet are swift to shed blood | Prov. 1:16/Isa. 59:7 |
| v. 16, in their paths are ruin and misery | Isa. 59:7 |
| v. 17, and the way of peace they have not known | Isa. 59:8 |
| Summary Statement | |
| v. 18, there is no fear of God before their eyes | Ps. 36:1 |
Introduction to Proverbs
Timeline
Author and Date
Proverbs itself mentions Solomon (reigned c. 971–931 B.C.) as author or collector of its contents (1:1; 10:1), including the proverbs copied by Hezekiah’s men (25:1). There are also two batches of sayings from a group called “the wise” (22:17–24:22; 24:23–34), and “oracles” from Agur (30:1–33) and Lemuel (31:1–9). No author is named for the song in praise of the excellent wife that ends the book (31:10–31). Although Proverbs was begun in the time of Solomon, it probably was not in its present form until the time of Hezekiah (reigned c. 715–686 B.C.).
Theme
The goal of the book is stated right at the beginning (1:1–7): to describe what wisdom is and to help God’s people become wise. Wisdom is founded in the “fear of the Lord,” and it enables believers to express their faith in the practical details of everyday life.
Audience
The book is addressed to a young man. The situations he will face while he is young receive much attention. These situations supply concrete examples from which all readers can apply lessons to their own lives. Anyone who is wise and who pays attention will benefit (1:5) from this instruction.
Reading Proverbs
The reader of Proverbs must seek to understand the various types of people the book describes. The most obvious characters in the book are the wise, the fool, and the simple. Proverbs urges its readers to be wise, which means embracing God’s covenant and living out the covenant in everyday situations (compare 2:2; 10:1). The fool is the person who constantly opposes God’s covenant (1:7b). The simple is the person who is not firmly committed, either to wisdom or to folly; he is easily misled (14:15).
The first nine chapters of Proverbs are “wisdom poems” that urge the reader to pursue wisdom. The main section of Proverbs—the concise, memorable statements of two or three lines—begins in 10:1. Proverbs often seem to be mere observations about life, but their deeper meanings will reveal themselves if the following questions are kept in mind: (1) What virtue does this proverb commend? (2) What vice does it disapprove of? (3) What value does it affirm?
Key Themes
Proverbs offers wisdom on a wide array of topics from daily life: diligence and laziness (6:6–11); friendship (3:27–28; 18:24); speech (10:19–21); marriage (18:22; 19:14); child rearing (22:6); domestic peace (15:17; 17:1); work (11:1); getting along and good manners (23:1–2; 25:16–17; 26:17–19; 27:14); eternity (14:32; 23:17–18); and much more. It shows that “godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come” (1 Tim. 4:8).
- God’s will is intensely practical, applying to every aspect of life. A proper relation to God involves trying hard to understand his truth, and then embracing and obeying that truth.
- A life lived by God’s will is a happy life (3:21–26).
- A life lived by God’s will is a useful life (3:27–28; 12:18, 25).
- A life lived by God’s will does not just happen. One must seek after it (9:1–6).
Outline
- Title, Goal, and Motto (1:1–7)
- A Father’s Invitation to Wisdom (1:8–9:18)
- Proverbs of Solomon (10:1–22:16)
- The Thirty Sayings of “the Wise” (22:17–24:22)
- Further Sayings of “the Wise” (24:23–34)
- Hezekiah’s Collection of Solomonic Proverbs (25:1–29:27)
- The Sayings of Agur (30:1–33)
- The Sayings of King Lemuel (31:1–9)
- An Alphabet of Womanly Excellence (31:10–31)
Fact: Wisdom
Wisdom is a key term in Job, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes. The word can mean “skilled at making sound decisions in life.” Proverbs 9:10 states that “the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom.”
Fact: A different kind of security
A different kind of security. In biblical times, if a person was unable to pay his debt, the consequences could be serious. The whole family could be sold into slavery. If someone put up “security” for another person, he promised to pay that person’s debt if he was unable to do so himself. Proverbs teaches that putting up security for another person is generally unwise, since those who do so risk losing everything if the other person cannot pay his debt (11:15).
Fact: Hezekiah’s contribution to Proverbs
Hezekiah’s contribution to Proverbs. Although most of the Proverbs were collected or written by King Solomon, who reigned from 971–931 B.C., the book of Proverbs did not exist in its present form until the time of King Hezekiah, some 200 years later. Hezekiah and “his men,” probably his scribes, recorded chs. 25–29.
Fact: Rock badgers
Rock badgers are small cliff-dwelling animals closely resembling guinea pigs. They live and forage for food in large groups and are good at hiding. They are best known for posting sentries that alert the group when danger is near. Perhaps it was this mark of wisdom that earned them a mention in Proverbs (30:26).
S3:030 Proverbs 31
Listen NowDive Deeper | Proverbs 31
I grew up hearing my mother often quote an old saying: "A man can work from sun to sun, but a woman's work is never done." As I became a wife and mother myself, I found this saying to be TRUE. Many credit that quote to Jean Little, but after our reading today, it looks to me like she ripped it straight from the verses of Proverbs 31.
What do we see and learn from the "Proverbs 31 woman"? Without a doubt, this lady WORKS at everything she does. God created work for humans in the garden (Genesis 2:15). Work is vital in a healthy, God-honoring life, so this woman's work is good and normative. She's not a workaholic, but rather is laser-focused on three key areas: family, profession, and community.
- Family work begins and ends with her closest relationships. This woman's family is her number one goal, paying great dividends. Her husband considers her priceless, and she ALWAYS does good on his behalf. Her children bless her (yes, moms of teens, it IS possible), so imagine it. If you're leading a family, you know strong marriages and great kids don't just happen. They take work.
- Professional work involves running successful businesses. This lady is a fashion designer (making fabric and clothing) and farmer (specializing in food and wine). She provides for her family and workers and plows her earnings back into future profitable endeavors.
- Community work capitalizes on her time, talent, and treasure. She is an advocate for the less fortunate with whom she crosses paths. Her earnings are shared with these people, and doing so brings her joy.
How does this woman do it all (a question many women ask today)? She isn't a "Super Woman," but her success lies in this simple yet profound truth: she "fears the Lord" and lets God's wisdom be her guide.
Wherever you are in life, whether working as a single guy/gal, a parent raising kids, or a corporate mover and shaker, follow the Lord in all you do so it will go well with you!
This month's memory verse
Yahweh! The Lord! The God of compassion and mercy! I am slow to anger and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness.
– Exodus 34:6b
Discussion Questions
1. Have you set hard boundaries on the work a woman can do? Does that line up with what you read in this passage? Based on this reading, would you change anything about what you have thought?
2. How have you thought about the work women in your life do? If you have never thanked your mother, wife, or coworker, take time now to do so in a text, email, or phone call. Be specific about what she does.
3. What value do you attribute to the women who work in your life? Do your actions match your words?
4. Regardless of your gender, God has direction for you regarding the work you do. Read these two passages and note what principles can be applied to your work life: Colossians 3:23 and 2 Thessalonians 3:10-13.
Respond to Today's Passage
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