We begin the final section of Chapter 31, and the final chapter of the book of Proverbs. It's unclear whether the mother who was giving advice to her son in the first portion of this chapter is still the person who is speaking. Some Bible scholars say yes, while others think Solomon wrote the passage.
Up until now we've found Solomon speaking about women without virtue. He warned his son against visiting prostitutes and against listening to the smooth words of the adulterous wife. He cautioned against marrying a woman who is argumentative and nagging. He seems to have had a poor opinion of the character of most women, or at least the women of his acquaintance. Those of you who studied Ecclesiastes with us may recall Solomon observing, "I found one upright men among a thousand, but not one upright woman among them all." (Ecclesiastes 7:28) We know Solomon had a thousand wives and concubines, and if he did not find even one of these women to be upright in character, this is probably because he shunned the godly women of his own culture to marry foreign women who worshiped false gods. He was a man unlucky in love, but he only had himself to blame.
Whether Solomon wrote this passage, or whether this is the advice of King Lemuel's mother, it's beneficial for both men and women. Single men can use it as a guidebook for choosing a wife of noble character. Married men can praise their wives for being honorable and industrious like the woman in this chapter. Single women can use this chapter as premarital advice for how to conduct themselves as a wife and mother and career woman in the future. Married women can use it as a checklist to see whether they are adhering to the spirit of this chapter when it comes to behavior in the home and in the workplace. The woman of Chapter 31 is no shrinking violet, no meek and mousy woman who fades into the background. She is confident and courageous. She works both in the home and outside the home. She thinks for herself while at the same time keeping the best interests of her husband and children at heart. She adds to the fine reputation of her husband and helps him to be all he can be. She watches over her children and is aware of everything going on in their lives. She is known and admired in the community. But most of all she fears the Lord and obeys His word.
Most of our Bibles will title this passage "The Wife Of Noble Character" or "The Virtuous Woman". But in the original Hebrew it is "The Woman Of Valor". My thesaurus says valor means "boldness, courage, determination, endurance, enterprise, fearlessness, fortitude, heroism, invincibility, lion-heartedness, power, self-confidence, and spirit". Apparently the early church fathers felt these qualities didn't sound feminine enough for a godly wife, so the word which is otherwise translated "valor" when it's applied to men in the Bible was amended to "virtuous". I believe the Lord said what He meant to say when He called this honorable woman a woman of valor, and that's because it takes courage to be a woman of God. It calls for valor to stand for what is right and to be willing to swim against the stream. We need spiritual muscle to make it in this world, and as we study the woman of valor in Chapter 31 we find she is strong in body and in mind and in spirit.
"A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies." (Proverbs 31:10) This is not the type of woman a man can just bump into anywhere. He has to search for her. He has to carefully consider the qualities of the women he meets or goes out with. He must consult God's will in his choice of wife. As Solomon so wisely advised his son, "A prudent wife is from the Lord". (Proverbs 19:14) A man should prayerfully make certain that the woman he's interested in marrying is the right woman for him according to the will of God.
The author is saying something like this to the young man who is looking for a wife, "A mighty woman of valor is hard to find, and you should be looking for her in the right places. She's worth waiting for. Don't settle for less than God's best for your life. A woman like this will be more valuable to you than all the wealth you could possibly accumulate. She will be a true helpmate and friend."
The woman of Chapter 31 is going to sound a bit like Superwoman to us, but aren't all godly women Superwomen? We aren't perfect, and neither was the woman of Chapter 31, although the author does not point out any of her faults. Her power comes from knowing the Lord, just as ours does. Her confidence comes from knowing God is behind her. We will find her happily laughing at the future without any fear because God also goes before her. In Christ, we can all be women of valor!
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