CHAPTER XXXI _The words and prophecy of King Lemuel, and what his mother_ _taught him_, 1, 2. _Debauchery and much wine to be avoided_, 3-7. _How kings should administer justice_, 8, 9. _The praise of a virtuous woman and good housewife, in her_ _economy, prudence, watchfulness, and assiduity... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 31:2. _WHAT, MY SON?_] The Chaldee בר _bar_ is used twice in this verse, instead of the Hebrew בן _ben_, son. This verse is very elliptical; and commentators, according to their different tastes, have inserted _words_, indeed some of them a whole _sentence_, to make up the sense. Perh... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 31:3. _GIVE NOT THY STRENGTH_] Do not waste thy substance on _women_. In such intercourse the _strength_ of _body, soul_ and _substance_ is destroyed. Such connections are those _which destroy_ _kings_, מלכין melachin, the _Chaldee_ termination instead of the _Hebrew_.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 31:4. IT IS _NOT FOR KINGS - TO DRINK WINE_] An intemperate man is ill fit to hold the reins of government.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 31:5. _LEST THEY DRINK, AND FORGET THE LAW_] When they should be administering justice, they are found incapable of it; or, if they go into the judgment-seat, may pervert justice.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 31:6. _GIVE STRONG DRINK UNTO HIM THAT IS READY TO PERISH_] We have already seen, that inebriating drinks were mercifully given to condemned criminals, to render them less sensible of the torture they endured in dying. This is what was offered to our Lord; but he refused it. Psalms 10... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 31:8. _OPEN THY MOUTH FOR THE DUMB_] For such accused persons as have no counsellors, and cannot plead for themselves. _ARE APPOINTED TO DESTRUCTION._] בני חלוף _beney chaloph_, variously translated, _children of passage _- indigent travellers; _children of desolation_ - those who ha... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 31:10. _WHO CAN FIND A VIRTUOUS WOMAN?_] This and the following verses are _acrostic_, each beginning with a consecutive letter of the _Hebrew alphabet_: Proverbs 31:10, א aleph; Proverbs 31:11, ב beth; Proverbs 31:12, ג gimel; and so on to the end of the chapter, the last verse of w... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 31:11. _THE HEART OF HER HUSBAND_] 3. She is an _unspotted_ wife. _The heart of her husband doth_ _safely trust in her_ - he knows she will take care that a proper provision is made for his household, and will not _waste_ any thing. He _has no need for spoil_ - he is not obliged to g... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 31:12. _SHE WILL DO HIM GOOD_] 4. She has her husband's happiness in view constantly. She recompenses all his _kindness_ to her in _beneficent acts_. For _kind_ _words_ she returns _kind deeds_. 1) Her _good_ is _unmixed_; she will _do him good_, and _not evil_. 2) _Her good_ is no... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 31:13. _SHE SEEKETH WOOD AND FLAX, AND WORKETH WILLINGLY, C._] II. This is the _second_ part of her character, giving the _particulars_ of which it is composed. 1. She did not buy _ready woven cloth_: she procured the _raw_ _material_, if _wool_, most probably from her own _flocks_... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 31:14. _SHE IS LIKE THE MERCHANTS' SHIPS_] 3. She acts like merchants. If she buy any thing for her household, she sells sufficient of her _own manufactures_ to pay for it; if she _imports_, she _exports_: and she sends articles of her own manufacturing or produce to distant countrie... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 31:15. _SHE RISETH ALSO WHILE IT IS YET NIGHT_] 4. She is an economist of _time_; and when the _nights_ are _long_, and the _days short_, her family not only spend a part of the _evening_ after sunset in domestic labour, but they all arise _before daylight_, and prepare the _day's f... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 31:16. _SHE CONSIDERETH A FIELD AND BUYETH IT_] 5. She provides for the growing wants of her family. More land will shortly be needed, for the family is growing up; and having _seen a field_ contiguous to her own, which was on sale, she estimates its worth, and purchases it a good ba... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 31:17. _SHE GIRDETH HER LOINS WITH STRENGTH_] 7. She takes care of her own health and strength, not only by means of useful labour, but by healthy exercise. She avoids what might enervate her body, or soften her mind-she is ever active, and _girt_ ready for every necessary exercise.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 31:18. _SHE PERCEIVETH THAT HER MERCHANDISE_ IS _GOOD_] 8. She takes care to manufacture the _best articles_ of the kind, and to lay on a _reasonable price_ that she may secure a _ready sale_. Her _goods_ are in high repute, and she knows she can _sell_ as much as she can _make_. And... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 31:19. _SHE LAYETH HER HANDS TO THE SPINDLE_] 10. She gives an example of _skill_ and _industry_ to her household. She takes the _distaff_, that on which the _wool_ or _flax_ was _rolled_; and the _spindle_, that by _twisting_ of which she _twisted_ _the thread_ with the _right hand... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 31:20. _SHE STRETCHETH OUT HER HAND TO THE POOR_] 11. She is truly charitable. She knows that in _every portion_ of a man's _gain_ God requires a _lot for the poor_; and if this is not given, God's blessing is not in the rest. And she is not contented to give common alms. While with... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 31:21. _SHE IS NOT AFRAID OF THE SNOW_] 12. She is not anxious relative to the health and comfort of her family in the winter season, having provided _clothes sufficient_ for each in the cold weather, in addition to those which they wore in the warm season. _FOR ALL HER HOUSEHOLD_... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 31:22. _SHE MAKETH HERSELF COVERINGS OF TAPESTRY_] 13. She is not regardless either of her own person, or of the decent, proper appearance of her presses and wardrobe. She has coverings or carpeting for her _guests to sit upon_; she has also tapestry, מרבדים _marbaddim_, either tape... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 31:23. _HER HUSBAND IS KNOWN IN THE GATES_] 14. She is a loving wife, and feels for the _respectability_ and _honour_ of her husband. He is an _elder_ among his people, and he sits as a _magistrate_ in the _gate_. He is respected not only on account of the _neatness_ and _cleanliness... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 31:24. _SHE MAKETH FINE LINEN, AND SELLETH_ IT] 15. She is _here_ remarkable for carrying on a traffic of _splendid_ and _ornamental dresses_, or _habits_, as she is, Proverbs 31:13, for "a coarser manufacture," The סדון _sidon_ is supposed to come from [Arabic] in Arabic; and to si... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 31:25. _STRENGTH AND HONOUR_ ARE _HER CLOTHING_] 16. All the articles manufactured by herself or under her care have a double perfection: 1). They are _strong_. 2) They are _elegant;_ _Strength and honour are her clothing_; and on account of this _she_ _shall rejoice in time to com... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 31:26. _SHE OPENETH HER MOUTH WITH WISDOM_] 17. He comes now to the _moral management_ of her family. 1) She is _wise_ and _intelligent_; she has not neglected the cultivation of her _mind_. 2) She is amiable in her carriage, full of good nature, well tempered, and conciliating in... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 31:27. _SHE LOOKETH WELL TO THE WAYS OF HER HOUSEHOLD_] 18. She is a _moral_ manager: she takes care that all shall behave themselves well; that none of them shall keep bad company or contract vicious habits. A religious industry, or an industrious religion, is the law of her house.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 31:28. _HER CHILDREN ARISE UP, AND CALL HER BLESSED_] 20. She considers a _good education_ next to _Divine influence_; and she knows also that if she train up a child in the way he should go, when he is old he will not depart from it. 1) Her children are _well bred_; they _rise up_... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 31:29. _MANY DAUGHTERS HAVE DONE VIRTUOUSLY_] This is undoubtedly the speech of the husband, giving testimony to the excellence of his wife: "Her husband also, and he praiseth her, _saying_, 'many daughters,' _women_, 'have done virtuously,' with due propriety as wives, mistresses, a... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 31:30. _FAVOUR_ IS _DECEITFUL, AND BEAUTY_ IS _VAIN, C._] III. Here is the _summing up_ of the character. 1. _Favour_, חן chen, grace of manner may be _deceitful_, many a _fair appearance_ of this kind is _put on, assumed_ for certain secular or more unworthy purposes it is learned... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 31:31. _GIVE HER OF THE FRUIT OF HER HANDS_] This may be a _prayer_. May she long enjoy the fruit of her labours! May she see her children's children, and peace upon Israel! _AND LET HER OWN WORKS PRAISE HER IN THE GATES._] Let what she has done be spoken of for a memorial of her; le... [ Continue Reading ]