Proverbs 31
Proverbs 31 is the last chapter of Proverbs. Verses 1-9 are the advice King Lemuel's mother gave him about women, wine and justice for the poor, and verses 10-31 are a poem about the virtuous woman, whose "price is far above rubies," ending with the line that "a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised."
Proverbs 31 (KJV)
The words of King Lemuel's mother v. 1-3
1The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him.
2What, my son? and what, the son of my womb? and what, the son of my vows?
3Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings.
It is not for kings to drink wine v. 4-7
4It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink:
5Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted.
6Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts.
7Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.
Open thy mouth for the poor and needy v. 8-9
8Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction.
9Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.
Who can find a virtuous woman? v. 10-12
10Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.
11The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.
12She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.
The work of her hands v. 13-27
13She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.
14She is like the merchants’ ships; she bringeth her food from afar.
15She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.
16She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.
17She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.
18She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night.
19She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.
20She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.
21She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet.
22She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple.
23Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.
24She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.
25Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.
26She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.
27She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.
She shall be praised v. 28-31
28Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.
29Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.
30Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.
31Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.
What Proverbs 31 means
The chapter opens with a mother teaching her son. Verse 1 calls it the prophecy that his mother taught him, and she speaks with feeling: my son, the son of my womb, the son of my vows. Her first warnings are about the things that undo rulers: giving his strength to women, and drinking. Wine and strong drink make a king forget the law and pervert the judgment of the afflicted, so she tells him to leave them to the perishing and the heavy-hearted.
Her last charge in verses 8-9 is the heart of her advice: "Open thy mouth for the dumb," judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy. A king's power is for those who cannot speak for themselves.
Verse 10 begins a new poem: "Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies." The word virtuous carries the sense of strength and worth. Her husband trusts her completely, and she does him good all the days of her life.
Verses 13-27 show her at work, and the list is busy and practical. She works wool and flax, brings food from afar like the merchants' ships, rises while it is yet night, buys a field and plants a vineyard, keeps her candle burning, sells fine linen and girdles, and stretches out her hand to the poor. Her household is not afraid of the snow, because they are clothed with scarlet. She speaks with wisdom, and in her tongue is the law of kindness.
Verses 28-31 are the praise. Her children call her blessed and her husband praises her. Then comes the line the whole poem builds to: "Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised." Proverbs began by saying that the fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, and it ends with a portrait of that fear lived out.
Background and context
Verse 1 calls these the words of king Lemuel, which his mother taught him. Lemuel is named only here and in verse 4, and the Bible does not say who he was. Some Jewish tradition identifies him with Solomon, but this is not stated in the text.
Verses 10-31 are an acrostic in Hebrew: each of the 22 verses begins with the next letter of the Hebrew alphabet, from aleph to tav. It may be a separate poem from Lemuel's mother's words, and readers differ on whether she is the speaker of both parts.
Many readers take the virtuous woman as a portrait of godly character to aim at, not a checklist one woman must meet in a single day. Some also see her as Wisdom pictured as a woman, which Proverbs does in its early chapters.
Key verses
Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction.
Proverbs 31:8 · KJV
Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.
Proverbs 31:10 · KJV
Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.
Proverbs 31:30 · KJV
Cross references
- Proverbs 12:4 "A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband."A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband: but she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his bones.
- Ruth 3:11 Boaz tells Ruth that all the city knows she is a virtuous woman.And now, my daughter, fear not; I will do to thee all that thou requirest: for all the city of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman.
- Proverbs 18:22 Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing.Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD.
- Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; the book ends where it began.The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
- Proverbs 20:1 Wine is a mocker, echoing Lemuel's mother's warning.Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.
- 1 Peter 3:3-4 True adorning is the hidden man of the heart, like verse 30's warning about beauty.Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.
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Common questions
Who wrote Proverbs 31?
Verse 1 says these are the words of king Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him. Who Lemuel was is unknown; some Jewish tradition identifies him with Solomon, but the text does not say so.
What does Proverbs 31 say about a virtuous woman?
That she is rare and worth more than rubies, that her husband trusts her, that she works hard, trades wisely, cares for the poor and speaks with kindness, and that her real praise comes from fearing the LORD.
What is the main point of Proverbs 31:30?
That charm and beauty do not last or reveal character, but "a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised."
Is Proverbs 31 an acrostic?
Yes. In Hebrew, verses 10-31 form an acrostic: each of the 22 verses starts with the next letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The pattern is lost in English translation.
What did King Lemuel's mother tell him?
To keep his strength from women who destroy kings, to stay away from wine and strong drink so he does not pervert justice, and to open his mouth for the poor and needy.
The 52-Week Family Bible Trivia & Study Book
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