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Proverbs 31 wife/woman?
Can some one give me the low down on what this is?
I'm with holding my judgement until I hear more about what it *really* means.
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Proverbs 31 wife/woman?
Verse from the Bible:
Description of a Worthy Woman
10 An excellent wife, who can find?
For her worth is far above jewels.
11 The heart of her husband trusts in her,
And he will have no lack of gain.
12 She does him good and not evil
All the days of her life.
13 She looks for wool and flax
And works with her hands in delight.
14 She is like merchant ships;
She brings her food from afar.
15 She rises also while it is still night
And gives food to her household
And portions to her maidens.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
From her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She girds herself with strength
And makes her arms strong.
18 She senses that her gain is good;
Her lamp does not go out at night.
19 She stretches out her hands to the distaff,
And her hands grasp the spindle.
20 She extends her hand to the poor,
And she stretches out her hands to the needy.
21 She is not afraid of the snow for her household,
For all her household are clothed with scarlet.
22 She makes coverings for herself;
Her clothing is fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is known in the gates,
When he sits among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them,
And supplies belts to the tradesmen.
25 Strength and dignity are her clothing,
And she smiles at the future.
26 She opens her mouth in wisdom,
And the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
27 She looks well to the ways of her household,
And does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children rise up and bless her;
Her husband also, and he praises her, saying:
29 ?Many daughters have done nobly,
But you excel them all.?
30 Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain,
But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.
31 Give her the product of her hands,
And let her works praise her in the gates.
So I guess a Proverbs 31 woman would be someone who uses the woman described here as a model
And keep in mind this is what she does over the course of her lifetime, not that she has to do all of this every year of her life in order to be "worthy."
ETA: Rach - I know folks who take it to the extreme, so that's why I threw in that it's over a lifetime.
Yes, and I also wanted to add that I love how this shows a woman as a business person, a decision maker, out in the world and doing good at home and in public.
Agreed. She is very well-rounded!
Rach03k, that description is much better than the one I found when I googled.
ETA: added the ones I found last night, something just rubs me wrong about a some of the wording on a few of them. That's what I asked.
1. Faith - A Virtuous Woman serves God with all of her heart, mind, and soul. She seeks His will for her life and follows His ways. (Proverbs 31: 26, Proverbs 31: 29 ? 31, Matthew 22: 37, John 14: 15, Psalm 119: 15
2. Marriage ? A Virtuous Woman respects her husband. She does him good all the days of her life. She is trustworthy and a helpmeet. (Proverbs 31: 11- 12, Proverbs 31: 23, Proverbs 31: 28, 1 Peter 3, Ephesians 5, Genesis2: 18)
3. Mothering - A Virtuous Woman teaches her children the ways of her Father in heaven. She nurtures her children with the love of Christ, disciplines them with care and wisdom, and trains them in the way they should go. (Proverbs 31: 28, Proverbs 31: 26, Proverbs 22: 6, Deuteronomy 6, Luke 18: 16)
4. Health ? A Virtuous Woman cares for her body. She prepares healthy food for her family. (Proverbs 31: 14 ? 15, Proverbs 31: 17, 1 Corinthians 6: 19, Genesis 1: 29, Daniel 1, Leviticus 11)
5. Service - A Virtuous Woman serves her husband, her family, her friends, and her neighbors with a gentle and loving spirit. She is charitable. (Proverbs 31: 12, Proverbs 31: 15, Proverbs 31: 20, 1 Corinthians 13: 13)
6. Finances - A Virtuous Woman seeks her husband?s approval before making purchases and spends money wisely. She is careful to purchase quality items which her family needs. (Proverbs 31: 14, Proverbs 31: 16, Proverbs 31: 18, 1 Timothy 6: 10, Ephesians 5: 23, Deuteronomy 14: 22, Numbers 18: 26)
7. Industry ? A Virtuous Woman works willingly with her hands. She sings praises to God and does not grumble while completing her tasks. (Proverbs 31: 13, Proverbs 31: 16, Proverbs 31: 24, Proverbs 31: 31, Philippians 2: 14)
8. Homemaking ? A Virtuous Woman is a homemaker. She creates an inviting atmosphere of warmth and love for her family and guests. She uses hospitality to minister to those around her. (Proverbs 31: 15, Proverbs 31: 20 ? 22, Proverbs 31: 27, Titus 2: 5, 1 Peter 4: 9, Hebrews 13: 2)
9. Time - A Virtuous Woman uses her time wisely. She works diligently to complete her daily tasks. She does not spend time dwelling on those things that do not please the Lord. (Proverbs 31: 13, Proverbs 31: 19, Proverbs 31: 27, Ecclesiastes 3, Proverbs 16: 9, Philippians 4:8 )
10. Beauty ? A Virtuous Woman is a woman of worth and beauty. She has the inner beauty that only comes from Christ. She uses her creativity and sense of style to create beauty in her life and the lives of her loved ones. (Proverbs 31: 10Proverbs 31: 21 ? 22, Proverbs 31: 24 -25, Isaiah 61: 10, 1 Timothy 2: 9, 1 Peter 3: 1 ? 6)
That interpretation would make me side-eye as well. I can't sew, so I guess I can't be one. hmph.
lol, no joke!
and rach03's description is directly quoted, the one you posted is someone's interpretation. i always think going straight to the source is best
and heck to the no, i can't sew either!
Interesting. I would say the one above almost directly contradicts the actual passage from the Bible, which seems to discuss a woman that is transacting business on her own. Not that I think a "virtuous woman" doesn't ever discuss finances with her husband, but I think this interpretation you posted has kind of spun their own biases into the text.
Maybe this interpretation will make you feel better about it. In Judaism, the woman described in Proverbs 31 is called the Woman of Valor (Eshet Chayil, in Hebrew).
In Judaism, rabbinical commentators say that the poem is allegorical and refers not to an individual woman but to the shechinah (Divine presence), Shabbat, Torah, wisdom, and the soul.
There is also a midrash (stories ancient rabbis wrote to fill in the holes in the Bible to explain what the Bible doesn't) that attributes this poem to Abraham as a eulogy to his wife Sarah.
I 100% disagree with the interpretation that was posted here, especially #6. But I'm not a Christian and I respond to Proverbs 31 from a different belief system.
However, I love this part of scripture very much!