Proverbs 31:10-31 – Lemuel’s Wise Woman :: By Mark A. Becker

Proverbs 31:10-31 – Lemuel’s Wise Woman is a precious treasure to be meditated upon by women and men alike. The characteristics and virtues of Lemuel’s Wise Woman are true to life in every generation. Even though some of the tasks and responsibilities of a faithful wife and mother have evolved and changed over time, the essence of the picture that is painted is universal.

The words that are given to us in Proverbs 31:10-31 were evidently uttered by King Lemuel’s astute mother (“King Lemuel,” believed to be King Solomon, and his mother, Bathsheba) and are recorded by King Lemuel in the closing chapter and final verses of the book of Proverbs. This powerful passage concerns a most wonderful and amazing woman who is, among many other attributes, wise, virtuous, and righteous, and should be a prototype for all godly women whom they should seek to emulate.

As is our custom, we will be going through this passage verse by verse and offering commentary on this incredible passage of Scripture, often using modern vernacular with relatable circumstances and conditions common to us today. Since the theme’s purposes and objectives remain universally unchanged, all people everywhere should give their admiration, respect, honor, thankfulness, and applause to all the wonderous, awe-inspiring, trustworthy, wise, humble, selfless, loving, fruitful, and faithful wives and mothers in every age who are truly God’s gift to mankind, as outlined in Proverbs 31:10-31 – Lemuel’s Wise Woman.

“Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.” – Proverbs 31:10

How much more at present is a virtuous woman, whose “price is far above rubies,” needed and valued in our modern societies. While virtuous women were seemingly more plentiful in Lemuel’s day, astonishingly, even then, a truly faithful and virtuous wife and mother was evidently considered sparse to come across.

Notwithstanding this unfortunate commonality experienced in all societies and in every generation, when one does find a virtuous woman, that woman is deemed more valued than rubies and, dare I say the riches of the whole world to a family that so desperately needs her stability, reliability, and unconditional love. This is that rare and treasured woman that is spoken of in this wonderful passage.

“The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.” – Proverbs 31:11

They say that trust is the foundation and cornerstone of any relationship, especially the marriage relationship. When trust is present, along with a mutual love and respect for each other, with a life built upon their collective reverence and love for the Lord God and His Son, Jesus Christ, all else should certainly fall into place.

When it comes to Lemuel’s Wise Woman – a gift from the Lord to her doting husband – since she is a wonderful provider in innumerable unsurpassed ways to her family, her husband has no need of spoil (or private plunder or gain) because she is everything to him!

“She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.” – Proverbs 31:12

A bride that only does good “all the days of her life,” refusing any evil toward her husband or her household, is more than a blessing to her groom – she is the love of his life, as, because of her, he has found great favor of the Lord!

“Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the Lord.” – Proverbs 18:22

Lemuel’s Wise Woman is still in love with her husband, perhaps even growing more in love with him as their relationship has strengthened through the years. She thinks upon him as much as she did when they were courting.

Doubtless, this same strong and growing love is also ever present with him towards her.

“She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.” – Proverbs 31:13

The prudent and wise woman permeates an industrious lifestyle on behalf of her loving family, and she will allow nothing to get in her way. She “worketh willingly with her hands,” never grumbling, never resenting, never desiring for something better – that the grass might be greener on the other side of the fence – but in endless love, she joyfully begins the process for providing for what her family needs by seeking quality “wool and flax” for her upcoming labor or love with the spindle and the distaff.

“She is like the merchants’ ships; she bringeth her food from afar.” – Proverbs 31:14

This beautiful metaphor – that “she is like the merchants’ ships; she bringeth her food from afar” – conveys a motivated heart that will allow nothing to hinder her from fulfilling her loving responsibilities to her household. She is keenly laser-focused on her desire to provide daily sustenance to those dear family members who are dependent upon her, and this begins with her acquiring the groceries, selected with care, for her to prepare.

There is no hint of being overwhelmed or disillusioned with what the Lord has entrusted to her and created her for. In fact, she rejoices with all her heart in her contented God-given role in life!

“She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.” – Proverbs 31:15

The mailman’s motto, “Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds,” is dwarfed in comparison to this wonderful, selfless serving wife and mother who provides not only for her beautiful family but to those servants who serve them. Her maidservants are just as blessed with this godly woman as her family is. In fact, she surely considers her maidservants as vital members of her family.

In today’s modern world, this would be tantamount to a sacrificial, selfless woman who not only provides meals for her family but makes enough to distribute for her neighbors or those in need to enjoy as well. There is always more than enough in the generous hands of a Proverbs 31 woman!

“She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.” – Proverbs 31:16

Though many of us are familiar with gardening, we tend to garden for our pleasure, while Lemuel’s Wise Woman does it out of necessity in providing for her family. This industrious woman scopes the possibilities, and through the resources that she has earned for the family, she purchases land and “with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.”

In Biblical days, a fruitful vineyard was often associated with the Lord’s blessings and divine provisions upon those who own the vineyard, and a fruitful vine is given to those who love, revere, and serve the Lord with a faithful heart.

Jesus used the metaphor of a vine and its fruitful branches to link Himself with His beloved servants who are fruitful and faithful for the ministry He has entrusted them with in John 15: The Divine Vine, just as Lemuel’s Wise Woman is fruitful and faithful to her beloved family!

“She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.” – Proverbs 31:17

This wonderful wife and mother is no wimp! She is strong physically, mentally, and spiritually, carrying more than her weight in gold for her family, as she has her husband and children in her precious thoughts and in her heartfelt motives at all times.

Her strength is not limited to her strength physically, mentally, and spiritually, as her might also lies in her strength of character and morality. She is the epitome of one whose strength is derived from the Lord to carry out her moral accountability to her God and her devoted responsibilities to her loving and adoring family.

Most wonderfully, her strength and dedicated virtues will often be passed down to her beloved offspring for the next generation to appreciate.

“She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night.” – Proverbs 31:18

Not only is her day stacked to the hilt, but our amazing Proverbs 31 woman also finds time in the night to provide for her family by preparing her wares for the marketplace. Is there no end to her thoughtfulness and diligence in providing for her family?

Not with this awesome woman! Her sights are set high, and her goals will absolutely be attained through her strength in the Lord and her persistent desire to make the life of her family better.

“She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.” – Proverbs 31:19

Hard at work while her family sleeps in comfort for all she has provided them throughout the day, she continues to confound the reader with her boundless energy and steadfast mission of exceeding all expectations.

Nothing will stand in her way when it comes to her family and their wellbeing, as “she [attentively] layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff,” spinning those fibers she acquired earlier into yarn for clothing and other essential household items.

“She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.” – Proverbs 31:20

Without question, some of those wares and merchandise she prepared for the marketplace to subsidize the family’s income are received gratefully by the poor who so desperately require provisions for their own basic needs in their lives, but lack the resources to do so for themselves.

As noted above, when in the process of making meals for the family and others in her household, she surely prepared more than enough so that she could also bless those same disadvantaged people that would have received her clothing and wares with very appreciated meals. While clothing and feeding the poor and needy, obviously in the precious Name of the Lord, she fulfills the second greatest commandment.

Jesus said, in referencing Leviticus 19:18…

“And the second [greatest commandment] is… Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” – Matthew 22:39

“She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet.” – Proverbs 31:21

Her efforts from the spindle and distaff to create yarn for beautiful clothing bear precious fruit for her family on those cold, frigid days and nights in the winter season. Her family will lack no provisions for every aspect of their lives if she has anything to say about it!

Biblically, being “clothed with scarlet” is generally symbolic for wealth, power, and status, but, in our context, it apparently signifies that the family is “well dressed” for the weather, and they all look very nice. Not only is her family warm for the winter weather, the entire family is also very well attired from her persistent labor, and she does it all for her fervent love of “her household.”

Apart from her love for the Lord, her family is always on her mind!

“She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple.” – Proverbs 31:22

The “coverings of tapestry” indicate that our incredible woman produces her own bed coverings for the family’s nighttime rest.

Once her family is taken care of, she somehow finds the time for herself and her own attire, as her own clothing is “silk (or linen) and purple.”

Symbolically, in Biblical times, the color purple would represent royalty, majesty, wealth, prosperity, and luxury. Surely our Proverbs 31 woman in all of her ways represents majesty in her sincere walk with her Lord and unconditional love for her family, and her adoring family would, in return, regard her with veneration, as royalty in their midst.

Beyond doubt, Lemuel’s Wise Woman is not at all interested in pleasing the world with her attire and looks, as she is humble and meek by nature.

She does, however, desire to please her husband and family by looking respectable in public, being highly revered among the people who have heard of and have experienced firsthand her endearing ways and commendable character, as she is representing her beloved household when she is out and about. She also aspires to be well dressed at home for her family and is highly regarded and exalted in the eyes of her doting family she loves and provides for.

She is not playacting, and she does not put on a show for others. Yet she does look the part of a wonderfully wise and prudent woman. What you see is definitely what you will get with a Proverbs 31 woman!

“Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.” – Proverbs 31:23

In Biblical days, distinguished men would gather at the gates of the city to address issues within their community – civil government affairs, legal transactions, judicial disputes with their renderings, etc. – similar in scope to our city councils and courts of today. The husband of the wise Proverbs 31 woman is highly esteemed with a prominent position within his community.

We will often find an honored man among society who has by his side a wise, loving, caring, nurturing, and faithful wife he can absolutely count on. “The woman behind the man,” and “Behind every great man is a great woman,” are vastly appropriate maxims that we use in our day.

What a blessing and joy she is to her husband – a grateful and appreciative man who is privileged to call her his bride!

“She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.” – Proverbs 31:24

The meticulous process of weaving yarn into fabrics was highly valued and prized in Biblical times, and this skill is also included in the countless abilities and talents of our endearing Proverbs 31 woman!

Not only supporting her family at home, this amazing woman is also industrious outside of the home, as we have already seen, in providing increased provisions for her loving family throughout each day. She never seems to rest in her drive to provide.

The parallels with wise women today that may find themselves needing to work outside of the home and still care for their families in the home, as only Proverbs 31 women can, are striking; we lift them up in prayer and salute them for their courage and their devotion to their loved ones.

The endurance of these remarkable women is breathtaking and should be admired by all who witness their selfless commitments to their families in all that they do, with the many sacrifices they make, and the many different hats they wear.

“Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.” – Proverbs 31:25

When it comes to “attire” that matters, Proverbs 31 women are ornated with the Lord’s strength and His honor in their lives, as well as being showered with strength and honor from the families they love, cherish, and selflessly serve.

“Strength and honor” are her metaphoric clothing, visible for all to see, and that “strength and honor” will symbolically clothe her wherever she is and in every situation she encounters.

She shall surely “rejoice in time to come” when she receives those many treasures in heaven, crowns, and rewards she has honorably secured at The Bema Seat Judgment of Christ!

“She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.” – Proverbs 31:26

“When EF Hutton talks, people listen,” has nothing on Lemuel’s Wise Woman!

Her mouth only speaks righteousness and peace derived from the Lord’s wisdom that inhabits her spirit and soul. There is no foul tongue in her mouth, no perverseness from her lips, and her tongue only releases that which a godly woman should speak.

Her words may be few, but those few extraordinarily learned and benevolent words she does utter are hearkened and gladly received by all who are privileged to hear her communications of enchanting wisdom and prudence!

“She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.” – Proverbs 31:27

Our virtuous woman loves and adores her family and continues to love and serve them daily. Her efforts are not in vain, and the undying appreciation and gratitude she receives from her household will never waver or fade away.

In ancient times, the children’s education was provided by and entrusted to each family unit in their own homes, often by the mother (Proverbs 1:8-9, 6:20-23, et al.). Yet it was supposed to be a tandem between the father and mother, and in godly families, this was the case. Very importantly, the children’s spiritual upbringing in the Lord was also a very high priority at home (Deuteronomy 6:6-7, 2 Timothy 1:5, et al.).

Lemuel’s Wise Woman certainly took on these very important responsibilities as well, as she “looketh well to the ways of her household and eateth not the bread of idleness,” and was very successful in the proper upbringing and education of her children founded upon the Word of God. Our faithful woman never rests and never ceases to amaze!

Unfortunately, today, government-run schools are nothing more than indoctrination centers of everything evil that rebels against our Creator and His revealed Word. We, sadly, have no choice but to urgently recommend that parents get their children out of these bastions of wickedness and into an alternative education, if at all possible.

We highly praise all the wonderful godly mothers and fathers who teach and personally give their children a solid education today at home, including and especially their spiritual education founded upon the Word of God. We also commend those godly parents who, if they are unable to homeschool, seek out a good Christian education for their children from a trusted and respected Christian institution or trusted and reputable charter school.

Finally, we give a shout out to those wonderful Christian educators who truly know the Lord and teach those children under their care an exceptionally beneficial education founded upon our Lord Jesus Christ and His Word! Well done!

“Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.” – Proverbs 31:28

Is this not the envy of all familial households? To have a wise, wonderful, righteous, and sacrificially serving mother and wife who truly loves, cares, and provides for her family is truly a gift from God!

Is this not also the aspiration of all godly wives and mothers to have the utmost respect, thankfulness, honor, praise, and immense gratitude for all they do for the families they cherish, receiving adoration and endless love from their thankful children and adoring husbands, all of which can only result in blessings without number from the Lord upon the entire family? Of course it is.

As we have already observed, this wise woman also loves and serves the Lord along with her precious family, so she should be certain that she will get the praise of our Lord and Savior when the time comes and He says to her…

“Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.” – Matthew 25:21, 23

And she will indeed enter into her Lord’s joy and rest for all she did for Him and those He entrusted to her.

“Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.” – Proverbs 31:29

The husband of a Proverbs 31 woman immerses his beloved wife with a compliment and his sincere belief that his wife surpasses all other women, even those that would have the warranted accolades from their own husbands. To him, she is the capstone of all virtuous women. In his eyes, she is the wonder of all women everywhere, the epitome of what a godly woman should be, and he cherishes her more than all the treasures on Earth combined.

His love for her is boundless, as it should be, because, apart from his love for the Lord, she means everything to him!

“Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.” – Proverbs 31:30

Lemuel’s Wise Woman looks and plays the part of the wonderful wife and mother that she is, and therefore cares about her appearance in representing her family, as we saw above.

However, she and her family also understand that favor (or the form and appearance of a woman or man) is fleeting and the beauty of a young woman is vain (or ultimately worthless and useless vanity) due to the Second Law of Thermodynamics, or Entropy, what we know to be the curse that fell upon creation and all men and women at The Fall. Hence, vanity over physical appearances that are fleeting in our fallen world is not in her or her family’s vocabulary.

This Proverbs 31 woman truly fears (or reverences) the Lord and will not only be praised continually by her family but will be mightily praised by the Lord Himself when she comes into His presence after a fulfilling life of doing those things that please the Lord in taking care of her precious family and others.

“Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.” – Proverbs 31:31

This precious woman will receive the good reward from all her many endeavors to serve, please, comfort, edify, encourage, and love that which the Lord has put into her care, namely her beloved family.

The rewards she deserves for her selfless commitment to her family will include a praise to all who admire her for everything she does and says and the godly example to others that she humbly exemplifies in living her life in this temporal world.

When she transcends this world into the heavenly, she will find her rewards, crowns, and treasures in heaven are secure in the God she loved and served, and for all that she has selflessly accomplished on behalf of her family and her sincere love and service for others in the glorious Name of the Lord.

Her treasures in heaven, crowns, and rewards will be many!

A Succinct Rendering for Memorization of the Wise and Loving Proverbs 31 Woman

Putting a few of the verses together, we offer this succinct Biblical overview of the Proverbs 31 woman that might be easy to memorize for those women who truly seek and eagerly desire to be a type of Lemuel’s Wise Woman in their own lives and the men that love and adore them:

“Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her… She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life…

“She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy…

“She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her…

“Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised… Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.” – Proverbs 31:10-11a, 12, 20, 26-28, 30, 25

Oh, that all women would seek to be like Lemuel’s Wise Woman, giving of themselves in every way to their beloved husbands and offspring, and loving the Lord with their whole heart and being! Women truly are the divinely given spiritual glue that holds the godly family together. The godly woman is dearly loved by those who need her and cherish her the most – the people whom the Lord has gifted her to love, nurture, and encourage.

On a personal note, I have been privileged to personally witness what a Proverbs 31 woman truly looks like, five times over. My wife Nancy and our three daughters – Trinity, Autumn, and Alicea – and my sister, Diane, all exhibit the godly characteristics found in Proverbs 31:10-31; that of wisdom, industrious labors of love, caring and affectionate to all, enthusiastic dedication to and endless love of family, loving and serving others, and loving devotion and service to Jesus Christ their Lord and Savior in each of their own lives. What more could a husband, dad, and brother desire for his lovely ladies? Are they perfect? Of course not. But neither is Lemuel’s Wise Woman if she is human!

All believers have an innate sin-nature that is at war with our spirits (Galatians 5:16-18), and that will not be totally reconciled until our deaths or the resurrection/rapture of the church. Until then, we grow each and every day to eventually be conformed to the image of Christ (Romans 8:28-29).

Nancy, Trinity, Autumn, Alicea, and Diane, thank you from the bottom of my heart for being the wise, loving, nurturing, righteous, godly, servant-minded women that you are. I thank and praise our Lord daily for gifting me with the wonderful present of you all.

One can only wonder what kind of world we would live in if there were at least one Proverbs 31 woman, wife, and/or mother within each family household on Earth. Dare I say the dreadful human situation and experience, with our inherent sin-natures in a cursed world, would be at least lessened.

My prayer is that more families will find themselves in the presence of their own precious, treasured, and appreciated wife and mother – a godly woman who is without comparison and deeply revered, loved, and cherished by her husband and children. Of course, the success of the family always begins with and is dependent upon our gracious and loving Lord and Savior Jesus Christ being at the center, focus, and foundation of all that a godly family is and does for His Salvation Kingdom!

May we all keep Answering the Call of The Great Commission, and giving an answer to every man and woman who so desperately needs Jesus and asks us, “Why Am I Here and What Is It All About?”

Love, grace, mercy, and shalom in Messiah Yeshua, and Maranatha!

***

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