Proverbs 31:22-31

TEXT Proverbs 31:22-31

22.

She maketh for herself carpets of tapestry;

Her clothing is fine linen and purple.

23.

Her husband is known in the gates,

When he sitteth among the elders of the land.

24.

She maketh linen garments and selleth them,

And delivereth girdles to the merchant.

25.

Strength and dignity are her clothing;

And she laugheth at the time to come.

26.

She openeth her mouth with wisdom;

And the law of kindness is on her tongue.

27.

She looketh well to the ways of her household,

And eateth not the bread of idleness.

28.

Her children rise up, and call her blessed;

Her husband also, and he praiseth her saying:

29.

Many daughters have done worthily,

But thou excellest them all.

30.

Grace is deceitful, and beauty is vain;

But a woman that feareth Jehovah, she shall be praised.

31.

Give her of the fruit of her hands;

And let her works praise her in the gates.

STUDY QUESTIONS OVER 31:22-31

1.

What kind of man did the virtuous woman marry (Proverbs 31:22)?

2.

Why would she work (making and selling things) when her husband was one of the leaders of the city (Proverbs 31:24)?

3.

Why does she laugh at the time to come (Proverbs 31:25)?

4.

Why give special attention to her speech in Proverbs 31:26?

5.

What is meant by the ways of her husband (Proverbs 31:27)?

6.

How long has it been since you praised your wife (or been praised by your husband if you are a woman) (Proverbs 31:28)?

7.

She has excelled whom (Proverbs 31:29)?

8.

What is grace in Proverbs 31:30?

9.

Why is beauty vain (Proverbs 31:30)?

10.

What is meant by in the gates in Proverbs 31:31?

PARAPHRASE OF 31:22-31

22-24.

She also upholsters with finest tapestry; her own clothing is beautifully madea purple gown of pure linen. Her husband is well known, for he sits in the council chamber with the other civic leaders. She makes belted linen garments to sell to the merchants.

25-29.

She is a woman of strength and dignity, and has no fear of old age. When she speaks, her words are wise, and kindness is the rule for everything she says. She watches carefully all that goes on throughout her household, and is never lazy. Her children stand and bless her; so does her husband. He praises her with these words: There are many fine women in the world, but you are the best of them all!

30, 31.

Charm can be deceptive and beauty doesn-'t last, but a woman who fears and reverences God shall be greatly praised. Praise her for the many fine things she does. These good deeds of hers shall bring her honor and recognition from even the leaders of the nation.

COMMENTS ON 31:22-31

Proverbs 31:22. The virtuous woman continues to be described in her relationship to different aspects of life. This verse shows that she likes nice things (Carpets of tapestry) and is gifted at making them. She not only likes outdoor work (she planteth a vineyardProverbs 31:16) but indoor work (needlework) as well. But she doesn-'t go overboard on making nice thingsshe doesn-'t neglect her family making them. Our verse also shows that this healthy, hardworking woman also likes to look nice (her clothing is fine linen and purple). Her wearing purple and fine linen shows that the family was not poor (compare Luke 16:19).

Proverbs 31:23. And what about her husband? Is he a lazy, no-good type of man? No, she was married to a prominent man, a successful man, one of the rulers of the land. Instead of a courthouse where legal transactions were recorded, their legal business was transacted in the city gates in the presence of the elders: Ruth 4:11; Deuteronomy 25:5-10. He was one of them.

Proverbs 31:24. Reference has already been made to her business enterprises: see Proverbs 31:16; Proverbs 31:18-19.

Proverbs 31:25. Clothes, we are told, express the person. In this sense this woman is expressed by two qualities: strength and dignity. These two qualities are evident in all that has been said of her. This -laughing at the future-' is of course not to be understood as expressive of a presumptuous self-confidence, but only of a consciousness of having all appropriate and possible preparation and competence for the future (Lange).

Proverbs 31:26. Special mention is here made of her speech habits. An idle woman will often get herself into tongue-trouble: Withal they learn also to be idle, going about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not (1 Timothy 5:13). The busy, useful life lived by Proverbs-' virtuous woman would help keep her from the above. Titus 2:3 instructs womanhood to be not slanderers. This will be foreign to the virtuous woman, for she is both wise and kind in her speech. When she speaks, it is wisdom that comes forth, and the law of kindness governs her lips also.

Proverbs 31:27. Her thorough care of her household is again emphasized (we might say in contrast with those women who are neglectful of their households, not seeing that they have proper meals, not seeing that their clothing is in good order, not keeping up the house, etc.). And her busyness in their behalf is again emphasized (we might say in contrast with those women who are lazy, sleeping in far beyond the proper time to get up, and then not working with diligence after they get up).

Proverbs 31:28. And her household notices her care of them and her work in their behalf, and she is greatly appreciated. Her husband does not overlook her good life and work, but he praiseth her (to herself, privately, to others upon appropriate occasion, and to God who gave her to him). And he teaches the children to appreciate her many efforts too, and the longer they live and the older they get, the more they rise up and call her blessed, making Mother one of the sweetest and dearest words in all the world to them. Mother and goodness and Mother and love go together in their minds. You men have good wives, tell them so, and you children who have good mothers, tell them so.

Proverbs 31:29. Many daughters means many women (or many daughters of men). Yes, the husband admits that there are many women who have done worthily, but to him his own is the very best of all! And isn-'t this the way it should be? Thinking of her in this way, he will be happy and satisfied with her. He will not be thinking of other women nor leaving her for them.

Proverbs 31:30. He realizes that others may have grace, and others may display beauty, but it is better to be married to a woman who feareth Jehovah. Such a woman as he has will be praised, but to fall for the grace of the other woman will be found to be deceitful, and he will see how empty (vain) her beauty can be when she lacks the important qualities of womanhood. Oh, that all women realized how deceitful grace can be and how vain mere physical beauty is! Concerning elegance of shape, symmetry of features, dignity of mien, and beauty of countenance, Clarke says, Sickness impairs them, suffering deranges them, and death destroys them.

Proverbs 31:31. Psalms 128:1-2 speaks of the righteous person getting to eat the product of one's hands: Blessed is every one that feareth Jehovah, That walketh in his ways. For thou shalt eat the labor of thy hands. God's final message concerning her to us is that we should give her what she deserves, what she has rightfully earned, especially praise and public recognition (in the gates). Let us listen to Clarke in his rather eloquent close: Let what she has done be spoken of for a memorial to her; let her bright example be held forth in the most public places. Let it be set before the eyes of every female, particularly of every wife, and especially of every mother; and let them learn from this exemplar what men have a right to expect in their wives, the mistresses of their families and the mothers of their children.

TEST QUESTIONS OVER 31:22-31

1.

What new thoughts concerning the virtuous woman are found in Proverbs 31:22?

2.

Tell of her husband (Proverbs 31:23).

3.

What items did she make to sell (Proverbs 31:24)?

4.

What two qualities stand out in her (Proverbs 31:25)?

5.

How is her speech described (Proverbs 31:26)?

6.

What does Proverbs 31:27 re-emphasize concerning this good woman?

7.

Besides the satisfaction that she receives from a job well done, what does Proverbs 31:28 tell us of her reward?

8.

How does her husband express his feelings concerning her great worth (Proverbs 31:29)?

9.

Proverbs 31:30 says, ........ is deceitful, and ......... is vain.

10.

What is God's final message concerning her to us (Proverbs 31:31)? NOTE: Noticeable Groupings within a chapter are found only in those Chapter s made up of 1-verse sayings (Chapter s 10-29).