What is a Proverbs 31 woman, and is it possible for girls to be one today? The thirty first chapter of Proverbs paints the image of a great woman, the very best example of a virtuous wife and mother. This final chapter of Proverbs echoes Proverbs 1:7 — “fear of the Lord is the start of data.”
The term “Proverbs 31 woman” refers to an outline of a great and virtuous woman present in the Book of Proverbs, specifically in Chapter 31:10-31. This passage is usually cited as a regular of feminine virtue and is taken into account a model for girls’s behavior following the virtues taught in Christianity.
“Who can discover a virtuous woman? for her price is way above rubies. 11 The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, in order that he shall haven’t any need of spoil. 12 She will do him good and never evil all of the days of her life. 13 She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly along with her hands. 14 She is just like the merchants’ ships; she bringeth her food from afar. 15 She riseth also while it’s yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens. 16 She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard. 17 She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms. 18 She perceiveth that her merchandise is nice: her candle goeth not out by night. 19 She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff. 20 She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy. 21 She is just not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet. 22 She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple. 23 Her husband is thought within the gates, when he sitteth among the many elders of the land. 24 She maketh fantastic linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant. 25 Strength and honour are her clothing; and he or she shall rejoice in time to come back. 26 She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. 27 She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. 28 Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. 29 Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest all of them. 30 Favour is deceitful, and wonder is vain: but a lady that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised. 31 Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her within the gates.” – Proverbs 31:10-31
Commentary from the ESV Study Bible regarding Proverbs 31 tells us that the best woman is virtuous, strong, and selfless. She doesn’t wait to be served but rises early, even before sunrise, to delegate tasks and have interaction in business.
She possesses “a spread of manual, business, administrative, and interpersonal skills.” This woman “opens her hand to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy” (v.20). She is loving and dignified, and her virtues increase her husband’s status: “Her husband is thought within the gates when he sits among the many elders of the land” (v.23).
She is sharp but honest, engaged in business for the good thing about her household. Above all, she fears the Lord, for “a lady who fears the Lord is to be praised.”
Read the total Bible commentary on Proverbs chapter 31 from Matthew Henry.
Characteristics of a Proverbs 31 Woman
The Proverbs 31 woman is described as a lady of noble character, often portrayed as a wife and mother. Some of the important thing characteristics and qualities attributed to her within the passage include:
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Trustworthiness: She is a lady who could be trusted by her husband, and he has full confidence in her.
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Industriousness: She is a tough employee, diligent in her responsibilities, and never idle. She is usually depicted as being involved in various economic activities, including investing in fields, making garments, and trading.
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Wisdom: She is thought for her wisdom and common sense, making smart decisions in her each day life.
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Compassion: She is thought for her compassion and kindness, each inside her family and towards others.
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Strength and dignity: She is described as strong, not only physically but in addition in character. She carries herself with dignity and honor.
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Resourcefulness: She is expert in managing her household, providing for her family, and being prepared for the long run.
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Fear of the Lord: The passage concludes by saying that her value is just not just in her external qualities but in addition in her reverence for God.
These words describe “a woman who honors God by looking for Him in every little thing she does and trusting Him wholeheartedly along with her life. She has a heart of reverence that overflows into a lifetime of spiritual maturity and wisdom.”
She is just not born this fashion; she gets there by a means of refinement, which is a piece of the Holy Spirit. A lady who yearns to please God strives to be like this ideal example, but with the understanding that each Christian is a piece in progress, brought “to completion within the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6).
Who Can Be a Proverbs Woman?
One reason a lady might skip past Proverbs 31 is that not all women marry, and never all who marry develop into parents. Should an single woman or a wife with no children still aspire to the qualities of a Proverbs 31 woman?
Marriage is an especially intimate relationship, yet elements of an intimate relationship aren’t mentioned by the author on this piece of wisdom literature. His best concern has to do with the girl’s character and the way she interacts with people.
The author is hopeful that the young men of his community will search out this kind of wife and that the young girls will aspire to her ideal. But even in the event that they never marry, every female who sincerely loves the Lord is developing the characteristics of a Proverbs 31 woman.
At persistently and in lots of locations all over the world (even now), professing faith in Christ has been dangerous for girls. They have had to actually love the Lord as a way to endure the ridicule and isolation they often face(d).
One historian wrote that, in his opinion, the church was attended by the “silly and mean and silly,” and “disproportionately populated by women.” Certainly, the church attracted individuals who needed to be cared for — sheltering vulnerable people has at all times been a function of the church.
But it took great courage to be a Christian woman. For one thing, a lot of them attended Christian fellowship without their husbands; they “often converted to Christianity while their male relatives remained pagans, lest they lose their senatorial status.”
One might argue that any woman with a sincere Christian faith is well on her approach to becoming the best example of Proverbs 31.
Women as Leaders
Another reason there have been more females than males in the primary fellowship was that the church “repudiated” the “practice of exposing unwanted female infants — abandoning them to certain death.”
Statistics alone make sure that women needed to be leaders, perhaps accountable for “organizing and hosting” the Lord’s Supper and other meetings, which provided “natural opportunities for women to serve and even lead.”
Men and girls prayed and sang together, and girls sometimes led the hymns. As seen in Acts 18:26, where Priscilla was involved in discipleship, educated female participants in Christian fellowship “read and interpreted Scripture.”
A lady boasting the aforementioned characteristics was one who lived out the values of service, humility, and charity taught by Christ. In fact, women were central to the charitable work and organization of the church from the very start.
Christ and the Church because the Proverbs 31 Wife
Proverbs 31 describes a great woman, but in addition the best bride: The church. “God created marriage to be a metaphor of Christ’s relationship to the church,” wrote John Piper.
As such, the selfless, hard-working, considerate, pleasing woman of this Old Testament passage represents everyone who makes up the body of the Christian church. “The union of man and woman in marriage” comprises “a truth about Christ and the church,” which is that “God ordained a everlasting union between His Son and the church.”
Marriage between a person and a lady should reflect this: The man is the pinnacle, giving his life for the girl; the girl submits to the person who lays his life down for her. “Human marriage is the copy, not the unique” (Piper).
Taken as a metaphor, Proverbs 31 is just not simply describing wives and moms, but in addition husbands and fathers, single men and girls, couples without children, and people who have survived their spouses.
Anyone who calls himself or herself a Christian is a bride of Christ through the Spirit, which unites the worldwide church. Each person and every fellowship have responsibilities equivalent to spreading the great status of the bridegroom (v.23) and caring for the poor (v.20).
Chad Ashby comments: “The church should be characterised by […] single-hearted devotion to her Bridegroom,” which is embodied by the Proverbs 31 woman. “After all, John Gill reiterates, she is ‘a lady actually married to Christ.’”
Final Words from the New Testament
“Let your adorning be the hidden person of the center with the imperishable fantastic thing about a mild and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight could be very precious. For that is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves” (1 Peter 3:4-5).
God wants his bride to like him, to undergo him, after which he’ll give his bride discernment. He will increase her courage and soften her heart, so she is disposed to present generously; to act charitably.
He will make sure that when “she opens her mouth with wisdom, […] the teaching of kindness is on her tongue” (v.26). His bride is his treasure. We, the church, are his bride.
For further reading:
How Did Jesus Treat Women within the Bible?
How the Women within the Bible Were Revered, Respected, and Diverse
What Does it Mean to be a Daughter of Christ?
Should Women Be Pastors?
What Is the Biblical Definition of Marriage?
A Metaphor of Christ and the Church
Who Needs to Hear Proverbs 31 the Most?
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