Chapter Overview
Summary
Proverbs 31 closes the book with TWO final sections: (1) the WORDS OF LEMUEL (vv. 1–9) — maternal-royal-instruction from an otherwise-unknown king's mother (LEMUEL may be a title meaning 'belonging to God' or a North-Arabian royal-designation); (2) the ESHET CHAYIL acrostic (vv. 10–31) — the 'woman of valor' — a 22-verse alphabetic-acrostic (aleph-taw) celebrating the ideal-wife. Jewish tradition reads Eshet Chayil every Friday-night at the Sabbath-table in honor of the household matriarch. The Song-of-Solomon-sequel reading sees the Eshet Chayil as an allegory of Wisdom herself (tying the book-end back to Lady-Wisdom of chapter 9).
Notable Variants
31:1–9 Lemuel's royal-instruction from his mother; 31:10–31 ESHET CHAYIL ('woman of valor') alphabetic-acrostic — the book's climactic-portrait; LXX re-orders (31:1–9 follows 30:1–14 in LXX), but 31:10–31 closes the book in both traditions.
Structural Notes
MT Prov 31 = LXX Prov 31 (final position preserved for Eshet Chayil). 31 verses: Lemuel (1–9) + Eshet Chayil acrostic (10–31).
The words of King Lemuel — an oracle that his mother taught him.
'The words of King Lemuel. An oracle that his mother taught him' tracks MT. LEMUEL — 'belonging-to-God.' Possibly a title for Solomon (Jewish tradition) or a foreign-king (LXX and Aquila). The unique-feature: this is the ONLY BIBLICAL-INSTRUCTION attributed to a MOTHER-TEACHING-HER-ROYAL-SON. Timothy's mother-grandmother teaching (2 Tim 1:5, 3:15) extends maternal-theological-training tradition.
What, my son? What, son of my womb? What, son of my vows?
'What are you doing, my son? What are you doing, son of my womb? What are you doing, son of my vows?' tracks MT. Triple-addressing opening — maternal-intensity.
Do not give your strength to women, nor your ways to those who destroy kings.
'Do not give your strength to women, your ways to those who destroy kings' tracks MT. KINGS-DESTROYED-BY-WOMEN — Solomon's-own-biography (1 Kings 11) illustrates.
It is not for kings, Lemuel — not for kings to drink wine, nor for rulers to crave strong drink,
'It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, or for rulers to take strong drink' tracks MT. ANTI-ROYAL-DRUNKENNESS — 1 Timothy 3:3 (bishop 'not a drunkard') extends.
lest they drink and forget what has been decreed and twist the rights of all the afflicted.
'Lest they drink and forget what has been decreed and pervert the rights of all the afflicted' tracks MT.
Give strong drink to the one who is perishing and wine to the bitter of soul.
'Give strong drink to the one who is perishing, and wine to those in bitter distress' tracks MT. WINE-FOR-PAIN — medical / palliative-use. Some read Matthew 27:34's offer of 'wine mixed with gall' to Jesus as a (refused) palliative that this proverb endorses.
Let him drink and forget his destitution and remember his misery no more.
'Let them drink and forget their poverty and remember their misery no more' tracks MT.
Open your mouth for the voiceless — for the rights of all who are destitute.
'Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute' tracks MT. OPEN-YOUR-MOUTH-FOR-THE-MUTE. One of the strongest OT advocacy-texts. Advocacy-for-the-voiceless ethic. James 1:27, Galatians 2:10 extend.
Open your mouth, judge with righteousness, and defend the rights of the poor and needy.
'Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy' tracks MT. End-of-Lemuel's-mother's-instruction. The Eshet Chayil acrostic begins at v. 10.
A woman of strength — who can find her? Her worth is far beyond jewels.
ALEPH. 'An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels' tracks MT. ESHET CHAYIL ACROSTIC BEGINS. 'Woman of valor' (eshet chayil / gunaika andreian — LXX's 'manly/courageous woman'). The rarity-rhetorical-question parallels Prov 20:6's 'faithful man who can find.' Ruth is called eshet chayil at Ruth 3:11 (the only other OT use).
The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will not lack gain.
BETH. 'The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain' tracks MT.
She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.
GIMEL. 'She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life' tracks MT.
She seeks out wool and flax and works with willing hands.
DALETH. 'She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands' tracks MT. PRODUCTIVE-HANDS.
She is like merchant ships; she brings her food from far away.
HE. 'She is like the ships of the merchant; she brings her food from afar' tracks MT. MERCHANT-SHIP imagery — internationally-sourced household-supply.
She rises while it is still night and provides food for her household and portions for her servant girls.
WAW. 'She rises while it is yet night and provides food for her household and portions for her maidens' tracks MT. Night-rising — providing-for-household-and-servants.
She evaluates a field and acquires it; from the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
ZAYIN. 'She considers a field and buys it; with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard' tracks MT. ESHET-CHAYIL AS BUSINESSWOMAN — property-buying and vineyard-planting.
She girds her waist with strength and makes her arms powerful.
HETH. 'She dresses herself with strength and makes her arms strong' tracks MT.
She tastes that her profit is good; her lamp does not go out at night.
TETH. 'She perceives that her merchandise is profitable; her lamp does not go out at night' tracks MT.
She puts her hands to the distaff, and her fingers grasp the spindle.
YOD. 'She puts her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle' tracks MT.
She opens her hand to the poor and reaches out her arms to the needy.
KAPH. 'She opens her hand to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy' tracks MT. POOR-AND-NEEDY care — mirroring v. 9's advocacy-teaching.
She does not fear the snow for her household, for her entire household is clothed in scarlet.
LAMEDH. 'She is not afraid of snow for her household, for all her household are clothed in scarlet' tracks MT.
She makes bed coverings for herself; her clothing is fine linen and purple.
MEM. 'She makes bed coverings for herself; her clothing is fine linen and purple' tracks MT. FINE-LINEN-AND-PURPLE — royal / luxurious-garment imagery. Revelation 19:8's 'fine linen, bright and pure' for the Bride-of-the-Lamb extends.
Her husband is known at the city gates when he sits among the elders of the land.
NUN. 'Her husband is known in the gates when he sits among the elders of the land' tracks MT. KNOWN-IN-THE-GATES — the husband's civic-honor derived from the wife's excellence.
She makes linen garments and sells them; she supplies sashes to the merchants.
SAMEKH. 'She makes linen garments and sells them; she delivers sashes to the merchant' tracks MT.
Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the days to come.
AYIN. 'Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come' tracks MT. STRENGTH-AND-DIGNITY clothing — character-as-garment. Laugh-at-future — confidence-in-preparation.
She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the instruction of faithful love is on her tongue.
PE. 'She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue' tracks MT. WISDOM-SPEECH. Her mouth echoes Lady Wisdom (Prov 1:20, 8:1–12).
She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.
TSADHE. 'She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness' tracks MT.
Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband, and he praises her:
QOPH. 'Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her' tracks MT. CHILDREN-BLESSING-THEIR-MOTHER. Luke 1:48 Magnificat ('all generations will call me blessed') echoes.
'Many women have done valiantly, but you surpass them all.'
RESH. 'Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all' tracks MT.
Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the LORD — she will be praised.
SHIN/SIN. 'Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised' tracks MT. FEAR-THE-LORD-WOMAN celebrated. 1 Peter 3:3–4 ('let your adorning not be external … but the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit') extends the interior-beauty ethic.
Give her the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her at the gates.
TAW. 'Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates' tracks MT. THE PSALTER-OF-PROVERBS' CLOSING VERSE. The book that-began-with-fear-of-the-LORD (1:7) ends with a woman-who-fears-the-LORD (31:30) publicly-praised-at-the-gates. Her works-praise-her — anticipating James 2:18 ('I will show you my faith by my works').