1 Lemuel’s lesson of chastity and temperance. 6 The afflicted are to be comforted and defended. 10 The praise and properties of a good wife.
The Words of King Lemuel
Pro 31:1 The sayings of King Lemuel—an inspired utterance his mother taught him. Lemuel. The verse reads literally, “The words of Lemuel, king, a prophecy [or, if the word is left untranslated, “of Massa”], which his mother taught him.” For “Massa” see on ch. 30:1. This chapter is closer in style and spirit to the rest of the book of Proverbs than is ch. 30, and there are those who think that Solomon wrote it. They regard Lemuel as another name for Solomon. However, this cannot be established, nor is a knowledge of the precise authorship important. The words are inspired and full of valuable counsel. The LXX has the following introduction to this new section, “My words have been spoken by God—the oracular answer of a king, whom his mother instructed.”
Pro 31:2 Listen, my son! Listen, son of my womb! Listen, my son, the answer to my prayers!
Pro 31:3 Do not spend your strength on women, your vigor on those who ruin kings.
Pro 31:4 It is not for kings, Lemuel— it is not for kings to drink wine, not for rulers to crave beer,
Indulging in intoxicating liquor can do much harm, even when imbibed by ordinary men. When rulers become subject to the slavery of alcohol, the damage done to them as individuals is greatly multiplied in the damage done to their subjects because of their irresponsible rule.
Pro 31:5 lest they drink and forget what has been decreed, and deprive all the oppressed of their rights.
The dulling of the sensibilities and the increase in selfish desires caused by liquor make a ruler likely to ignore justice and to decide according to his own interests, thus bringing hardship upon those whom he dislikes and upon the suffering poor.
Pro 31:6 Let beer be for those who are perishing, wine for those who are in anguish!
Without the knowledge of narcotics possessed by medical men today, the ancients had often only various mixtures of intoxicating drinks and preparations of narcotic herbs with which to dull the pains of fatal illness. Those who were crucified in the time of Christ were offered a mixture of vinegar and gall. Our Lord refused to drink the mixture. He desired a clear mind to resist the temptation of Satan and to keep strong His faith in God (see Matt. 27:34; DA 746, 754, 755).
Pro 31:7 Let them drink and forget their poverty and remember their misery no more.
Pro 31:8 Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute.
Those in dire difficulty, who cannot speak for themselves in the courts, whether because of poverty or the antagonism of the rulers of the country, need the aid of good men who can speak for them (see Job 29:12).
Pro 31:9 Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.
The next 22 verses are in the form of a skillful acrostic built around the Hebrew alphabet of 22 letters.
The Woman Who Fears the Lord
Pro 31:10 A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies.
A number of the psalms are similarly constructed (Ps. 9; 10; 25; 34; 37; 111; 112; 119; 145). The “virtuous woman” is literally “a woman of power.” The LXX has gunaika andreian, literally, “a masculine woman,” meaning that she is strong, vigorous, and possesses excellent qualities. The Hebrew words may be interpreted as meaning, “a woman of firm character.”
Pro 31:11 Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value.
Pro 31:12 She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.
Sometimes a woman grows weary of welldoing. Perhaps her husband has failed to praise her good works or has seemed to have more interest in her as a provident housekeeper than as a companion (see v. 28), and so she becomes slack and careless, or hard and overbearing.
Pro 31:13 She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands.
The busy wife takes a real pleasure in her efficiency. She goes out of her way to get materials to work upon that will be of benefit to her family.
Pro 31:14 She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar.
The same keenness to buy only the best and for the lowest price is still to be seen in womankind. It will make women walk or ride for miles to obtain some advantage over nearer markets. Also, they like to bring surprise items to the table— food from afar.
Pro 31:15 She gets up while it is still night; she provides food for her family and portions for her female servants.
The good woman would appoint the day’s work for her servant girls at the same early hour, thus training them to be as diligent as herself. Pro 31:16 She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
Money earned is used to make wise purchases of land, and the land is improved by clearing it and planting it with vines. Thus, her original profit is put to work in order that she may earn still more profit; yet no one suffers. Her gain is not another’s loss. She is producing new wealth by her good management.
Pro 31:17 She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks
The woman’s vigorous health and muscular strength are increased by her constant activity.
Pro 31:18 She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night.
By investigation she makes sure that her activities are profitable.
The lamp burned all night in a well-ordered Eastern home and was extinguished only in times of calamity (see Job 18:6; Prov. 13:9; Jer. 25:10).
Pro 31:19 In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
The word occurs only here and more probably applies to the distaff, to which the woman would stretch out her hands as she spun the thread from the bunch of flax or wool tied to the distaff. What she would hold is more probably the spindle, which caused the filaments to twist into a thread. Distaff. Heb. pelek, more exactly, “the spindle.” Pro 31:20 She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy.
The kind of efficiency here pictured sometimes results in a complete lack of sympathy for the less skillful poor; but this good woman has a thought for them (see ch. 19:17). No doubt some of her prosperity is due to her care for the poor and the consequent blessing and approval of God (see ch. 22:9).
Pro 31:21 When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
Snow falls in small quantities at some time during most of the winters in many parts of Palestine, and warm clothes are highly desirable.
Pro 31:22 She makes coverings for her bed; she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
Probably the highly favored garments sold by the Phoenicians.
Pro 31:23 Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.
To be known in the gates, recognized and greeted by the elders of the city, was a desirable honor. The good repute of his wife and the wealth she helped to create would do much to elevate a man in the eyes of his fellows (see ch. 12:4).
Pro 31:24 She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes.
By exchanging such products with the Phoenician traders, the wife could wear such luxuries as purple garments without being extravagant (see v. 22).
Pro 31:25 She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.
The capable wife and mother carries herself in the conscious dignity of proved ability. She laughs at the future because she has made ample provision for it.
Pro 31:26 She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
A woman who spends much time in gossip can never perform the many useful actions that fill this woman’s hours. Her kindness is evident from her voice, whose soothing tones do much to keep quiet order in her household.
Pro 31:27 She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.
Pro 31:28 Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:
It is a rich reward to a mother when her children give public testimony to her loving and efficient care. Husbands can never give too much sincere praise to the one who spends her days in constant activity to make a good home.
Pro 31:29 “Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.”
The testimony of the husband.
Pro 31:30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
Charm and beauty in themselves are of little value. Some who possess loveliness of form and face prove unlovely in the stress of daily life. Beauty earns the praise of the unthinking, but the only woman of true worth is the one who fears the Lord. She alone has true beauty and charm. The fear of the Lord enters every worthy aspect of human life and personality.
Pro 31:31 Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.
For men who cannot read the heart, the only sure way to estimate the quality of another is to study the fruit of the life as revealed in the works. In the gates of the city, where judgments are made concerning all who live within the walls, the works of the virtuous woman speak for her, and she needs no other advocate. She will enjoy forever the sweet fruits of her unselfish toil and her good example.