BIBLIOTHECA SACRA
153 (January-March 1996): 12-231
Copyright © 1996
by
THE WIFE
OF NOBLE CHARACTER
IN PROVERBS 31:10-31
Tom R. Hawkins
Proverbs 31:10-31, the closing pericope of the Book of
Proverbs,
beautifully describes and praises a woman who is said
to be of "noble character" (NIV). However, interpreters differ on
how to
understand this passage. Does the description refer to a
wife and
mother who may have actually lived, or is the passage
describing qualities every woman should aspire to
attain, or is
the
"noble wife" a personification of wisdom, or is she the epitome
of
wisdom?
THE NOBLE WIFE AS A ROLE
MODEL
Proverbs 31:10-31 displays numerous qualities of the noble
wife (lyiHa-tw,xe), including trustworthiness, resourcefulness,
fore-
sight,
industriousness, generosity, domestic and business skills,
and fear
of Yahweh. Her husband's praise at the conclusiof1 of the
poem
includes his evaluation that she surpassed all her contem-
poraries, even others who were described as
"noble" (lyiHa, v. 29).
This means
that the main character of the poem is presented in
superlative
terms regarding her extraordinary character.
While some have elevated her to a type of Christ or the Holy
Spirit, von
Hoffmann views her as a diligent housewife.1 He is
correct in
not ascribing to her any "supernatural" status. How-
ever, his
limiting her to being only a housewife does not ade-
quately explicate either the immediate passage or
its place in the
Book of Proverbs. She is at least a "role model" and in fact seems
to be
more, as will be shown.
Tom R.
Hawkins is president of Restoration in Christ Ministries,
1 J. Chr.
R. von Hofmann, Schriftbeweis (Nördlingen:
C. H. Bed'schen, 1960),404.
The Wife of Noble
Character in Proverbs 31:10-31 13
Because the poem begins with a
rhetorical question about
finding a
wife, some argue that the poem was written as a "para-
digm for a
prospective bride."2 Crook goes even further and sees it
as
"a memorandum from a school answering to the needs of
young women
who will shortly be assuming positions of wealth
and
importance in their communities."3 No evidence has been
found,
however, that such a school ever existed. Whybray
takes a
third option
and says the passage was written from a man's view-
point and
hence is "a handbook for prospective bridegrooms."4
Some of these hypotheses rest
on or would be strengthened by
the
assumption that the poem is related in some way to Proverbs
31:1-9. This connection would logically
make the woman of this
poem the
ideal wife sought by Lemuel. It must be admitted,
how-
ever, that
Proverbs 31 gives no indication that Lemuel did seek
or
was
commanded to seek such. a wife. Further there is no indica-
tion that
the lyiHa-tw,xe
("wife of noble character") was a queen or
was to
become a queen (31:1). Also the husband of Proverbs 31:11,
23, 28 is a nobleman or elder, not a king. In any case it seems
clear, as
Murphy suggests, that the poem "holds out an ideal which
Israelite society held up for the woman herself."5
The word lyiHa has a
number of shades of meaning, including,
among
others, physical strength (Num. 24:18), wealth (Job
perhaps
suggesting wealth attained by one's strength or ability),
and integrity
or strength of character (Gen. 47:6; Exod.
25).6 But what does it convey when used of women in
Ruth
Proverbs 12:4; and 31:10, 29?
The van der
Sluises assert that in view of the occurrence of lyiHa
in
Proverbs 12:4,7 this word should not "be diluted" by
omitting the
idea of
"strength" just because it is used with the word for
"woman" (tw,xe). For
example they argue that the only woman
2 R. B. Y. Scott, The Way of Wisdom in
the Old Testament (
1971),
86.
3 Margaret B. Crook, "The Marriageable Maiden of
Near Eastern Studies 13 (1954): 140.
4 R. N. Whybray, Book of Proverbs,
University Press, 1972), 184.
5 Roland E. Murphy, Wisdom Literature:
Job, Proverbs, Ruth, Canticles. Eccle-
siastes and Esther, Forms of Old
Testament Literature, ed. Rolf Kneirim and Gene
M.
Tucker (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1981),82.
6 For an examination of this and
other shades of meaning or this often-used word
in the
Old Testament see Tom R. Hawkins, "The Meaning and Function of Proverbs
31:10-31
in the Book of Proverbs" (Ph.D. diss., Dallas
Theological Seminary, 1995),
62-76.
7 "An excellent wife [lyiH-tw,xe] is the crown of her husband
but she who shames
him is as
rottenness in his bones."
14 BIBLIOTHECA SACRA / January-March 1996
outside
Proverbs of whom the word lyiHa is used is Ruth (Ruth
whom Boaz
acknowledged as "a woman of strength who knew
how to
achieve the object she pursued. She is a woman who pur-
posefully,
forcefully knew how to shape the circumstances to suit
her
needs."8
Furthermore they claim that the woman of
Proverbs 31:10-31
is viewed
in her role "as a woman of strength, a woman with
might; and
somewhat of that strong, self-assured and purposeful I
action sounds
throughout the whole song."9 They see this impres-
sion
confirmed by others mentioned in the poem, such as her hus-
band and
children, who focus on her. She is the one whose actions
are
characterized by such words as "rewards, searches, brings,
makes,
arises, gives, thinks, takes, plants, girds, strengthens,
tastes,
stretches out, understands, spreads out, is not afraid,
makes,
sells, gives, opens, considers, eats, excels."10 They find
additional
evidence of her strength in the descriptions in verses
17 and 19-20, all of which radiate "strength" and
"self-assurance"
and
indicate an almost "aggressive" approach to life.11 While
the
meaning of lyiHa is
broader than "strength" alone, the point is well
taken that
physical strength and strength of character are both ev-
ident in the
poem and should not be omitted from an understand-
ing of the
lyiha-tw,xe.
The strength of her character
and her capabilities are in fact
the
opposite of the woman lacking in character who is a problem to
her
husband (Prov. 12:4b). Instead the lyiHa-tw,xe is a woman "who is
capable of
managing a fortune."12 McCreesh
notes, "She appears
to be
completely self-sufficient, rather wealthy, and also spends
herself and
her resources totally for others."13 Camp says this.
woman and
Eve in Genesis "provide literary models for women
idealized, as
creative, authoritative individuals, very much in
league with
men for the well-being of the world in which they
lived
(though not, primarily, for its perpetuation through repro-
duction), but not defined by or d pendent on them."14
8 Hanneke van der
Sluis-van der Kors and Douwe van der Sluis. "De deugdelijke
huisvrouw in opspraak:
een interpretatie van spreuken 31: 10-31," Schrift
69 (1980):
94.
9 Ibid.
10 Ibid., 95.
11 Ibid., 96.
12 Ibid., 96.
13 Thomas P. McCreesh,
"Wisdom as ire: Proverbs 31:10-31," Revue Biblique
92
(1985): 28.
14 Claudia Camp, Wisdom and the Feminine in
the Book of Proverbs (
Almond,
1985),83.
The Wife of Noble Character in Proverbs 31:10-31 15
While the woman in Proverbs
31:10-31 is depicted as having
a
certain degree of financial security, every attribute of character
mentioned in the
poem can be true of those without the wealth she
seemingly
enjoys. Character traits such as trustworthiness (v.
11), industriousness (vv. 11, 13, 15, 17-20, 24, 27), wise
speech (v.
26a), and faithful instruction (v. 26b) all rise out of her
"fear of
Yahweh" (v. 30) and are not related to economic means. In
fact
neither the
possession of great wealth nor the lack of it excludes
one from
emulating the qualities of this outstanding woman.
All the favorable feminine
imagery in the Book of Proverbs
reaches a
climax in the final poem. The noble woman is the
summation of all
that has been said about the good woman or
wife. She
is the ultimate role model after whom any woman in
any era or
culture can pattern her life if she desires to live ac-
cording to the
principles of wisdom and the fear of Yahweh.
THE NOBLE WIFE AS
THE EPITOME OF WISDOM
As the climactic culmination of
the good woman/wife motif
portrayed
throughout the Book of Proverbs, how is the lyiHa-tw,xe of
31:10-31 related to the theme of wisdom? More specifically, as
the
main
character of the final poem in Proverbs, which forms an in-
clusio with
Proverbs 1-9, is she related in any way to the figure of
Lady Wisdom in those opening
chapters?
Hermanson
maintains that the author of Proverbs is teach-
ing wisdom
through the entire book by contrasting two kinds of
people under
the figure of the wise and the foolish woman. He sees
the woman
of folly as the unfaithful wife and the noble wife in
31:10-31 as the faithful one. Hermanson
identifies the skillful
woman with
wisdom and the unfaithful wife with folly.15 These
two
figures in Proverbs 1-9 become "representative examples of
wisdom and
folly through implied comparison." In his view
31:10-31 becomes the climactic personification of wisdom. 16
Hermanson argues
that since 31:10-31 is never referred to as
a
pattern for the New Testament role of woman or, wife, the early
church
"did not see its value for women" and did hot believe the
passage is
primarily pointing out qualities a woman should
have.17 But
this argument from silence overlooks the obviously
feminine
qualities referred to in the passage, such as the three
references to the
woman's husband. While the noble woman may
15 Hermanson called her a
"prostitute," but the better te1m is "adulteress"
(Michael
R. Hermanson, "The Personification of Wisdom in
Proverbs 31:10-31"
[Th.M. thesis, Dallas Theological Seminary, 1983],40).
16 Ibid., 42.
17 Ibid., 44.
16 BIBLIOTHECA SACRA
/ January-March 1996
not
necessarily have referred to a specific (unnamed) individ-
ual, the
passage, as already suggested, does seem to depict a typi-
cal
industrious and noble woman. Although the cumulative effect
of all
the activities of this industrious woman may seem over-
whelming, what
is said of her could be true of a particular indi-
vidual. What
she is represented as doing is possible for an actual
woman of the
first millennium B.C. In this sense her existence is
historically
plausible.
Numerous verbal repetitions
describe both Lady Wisdom in
chapters 1-9
and the noble wife of the final poem, thus suggesting,
as some
argue, that 31:10-311 depicts a personification of wisdom.
One such parallel relates to I the value of "finding"
both wisdom
and the
noble woman. Proverbs
Wisdom, "for he who finds me finds life, and obtains favor
from
the
Lord." Likewise 31:10 asks the rhetorical question about who
can find
this "wife of noble character," whose value is "far above
jewels."
Proverbs
also being
"more precious than jewels."18 Thus the search for
wisdom and
for the noble wife, are both worth the time and effort.
Other possible parallels 1 are
found in wisdom's bringing fa-
vor and a
good name to those who embrace her (3:4) Just as the no-
ble wife
brings good to her husband all the days of her life (31:12),
enabling him to
enjoy respect among the elders in "the gates" of
the city
(31:23).19 Wisdom brings a profitable yield (
while the
noble wife too sees that her trading is profitable (31:18).
Wisdom and the noble woman both have maids (9:3; 31:15) who do
their
bidding. Furthermore their character each earns a well-de-
served
reward. Wisdom's "reward" to those who "embrace" her is
better than
fine gold or choice silver (
slightly
different sense, the I noble wife is "rewarded" by praise
from her
children, husband, I and the entire community (31:31).
Wisdom and the noble wife are also both found at the city gates.
Wisdom calls there for followers to come after her (
while the
noble wife there rt1ceives well-earned praise for all her
works
(31:31). The speech of the noble woman is also filled with
"wisdom" and
"faithful" instruction (31:26), which loosely echo
the
character of Lady Wisdom seen in 8:11-12 and 9:6.
Finally, wisdom is inseparable from the "fear of
Yahweh"
(
wisdom (
those who
embrace her to understand the "fear of Yahweh" (2:5).
18 Job
28:18 uses the same word in describing the price of wisdom.
19
Proverbs 31:23 says that one of the "good" things he enjoys is
respect in "the
gates."
The Wife of Noble Character in Proverbs 31:10-31 17
In the climax of the poem that concludes the book the basis of
all
the noble
woman's character traits and works of her hands for
which she is
praised is her "fear of Yahweh" (31:30).20
McCreesh sees
these parallels as supporting the idea that the
woman of
31:10-31 is a personification of wisdom.
Do not the two portraits
complement one another? The portrait of
Wisdom inviting those who heed
her call to make their home with
her in
chapter 9 is completed by the portrait of he woman settled
down with
her own in chapter 31. And the security and peace
promised by
Wisdom in
portrait in
chapter 9 is that of Wisdom searching for companions,
the
portrait of chapter 31 must symbolize Wisdom finally settled
down with
her own.21
The picture given in 31:10-31,
according to McCreesh, pro-
vides
support for his view that because wisdoms personified in
chapters 1-9
and the noble wife in chapter 31 is described in simi-
lar terms,
she also is the personification of wisdom.22
On the other hand, though
verbal and other similarities be-
tween these
two outstanding female figures appear at opposite
ends of the
book, rather profound differences do exist. While
Lady Wisdom is never clearly pictured as a wife or a mother in
Proverbs 1-9, the noble woman is obviously both. Her role as a
mother,
though not strongly emphasized, is reflected in 31:28.23
The figure of Lady Wisdom seems
to be something of a com-
posite, that
is, she seems to be presented as a preacher (feminine)
in
feminine) in
8:4-11. She is also said to be seeking followers in
9:3-6 (and perhaps by implication in
the
Proverbs 31 woman is too busy in her productivity to seek after
followers. She
sews (vv. 13, 19, 22), cooks (v. 15 , gets up before
daylight (v.
15), provides food for her family (v. 15), buys fields
(v. 16), plants vineyards (vv. 16-17), engages in trading (v.
18),
shares goods
with the poor (v. 20), clothes her family in the finest
of warm
clothing (v. 21), makes retail goods and turns a profit (v.
24). She "provides for the various needs of her husband,
children,
and
servants" (vv. 15, 21, 27).24
20 Most of these suggestions on
the comparison of Lady Wisdom and the lyiHa-tw,xe
are found
in McCreesh, "Wisdom as Wife," 41-43.
21 Ibid..
30, It could be questioned, however, that his phrase" make their home with
her in
chapter 9" is an accurate portrayal of her invitation to a meal.
22 Ibid.,
44.
23 In addition several verses
could be viewed as allusions t her activities as a
mother(vv.
15,21,27).
24
lical
Theology of the Old Testament, ed. Roy B. Zuck (Chicago: l11oody, 1991),237.
18 BIBLIOTHECA SACRA
/ January-March 1996
Zuck points
out that Since the noble wife "speaks" with
dom (v.
26), it makes no sense to equate Lady Wisdom with her
and thus
have "Wisdom speaking with wisdom." It therefore
seems better
to see the Proverbs 31 noble woman as a "wise”
woman, not
wisdom personified."25 This finds further support,
according to Zuck, in verse 30. As 1:7 and
the fear
of the Lord is the foundational essence of wisdom. The
noble woman,
then, as one who fears the Lord, is most certainly a
wise woman.
She represents the epitome of all that Lady Wisdom
teaches.
She is a model or example of a
wise woman. In contrast to a fool-
ish, adulterous woman (2: 6-19;
is
faithful to her family and is therefore praised (31:30-31) by her
children and
her husband (v. 28) and the public (v. 31). As a wise
woman, she
is in contrast to "woman Folly" (
a personification
of wisdom , the woman in 31:10-31 IS an embodi-
ment or model of wisdom, woman who
is wise because she is liv-
ing skillfully.26
Rather than limiting the woman
in 31:10-31 to simply a per-
sonification of
wisdom, Garrett, Ringgren, and Wolters
see her
as both
personification and the presentation of an ideal woman.27
She is "wisdom in action" and "her deeds are the
practical and
concrete
incarnation of what 't means to be wise."28 The advan-
tage of
this view is that it see the obvious references to both
dom and
the womanly role model. Only in this way is it possible
to do
"justice to the everyday and down-to-earth character of the
Valiant Woman's mighty deeds as manager of a large estate."29
Manifesting many of the traits
of wisdom, the lyiHa-tw,xe is simi-
lar in
many ways to Lady Wisdom. The latter, however, is de-
picted much
more as a figure through whom the concept of wisdom
can be
vocalized while the Woman in Proverbs 31 is clearly a
woman doing
what women do, though admittedly idealized. Her
activities in
real life represent concrete applications of the
dom that
Lady Wisdom personifies.
One of the questions faced by
the writer or final editor of
Proverbs was how best to impress indelibly on his readers a
poetic;
25 Ibid.
(italics his).
26 Ibid.,
237-38.
27 Duane A. Garrett Proverbs, New
American Commentary (
1993), 249; Helmer Ringgren,
Artur Weiser, and Walther Zimmerli, Sprüche,
Prediger, Das Hohe Lied, Klagelieder, Das Buch Esther {Göttingen: Vandenhoeck
& Ruprecht, 1980),121; and AI Wolters,"Sopîyyâ (Prov
31:27) as Hymnic Participle
and Play
on Sophia," Journal of Biblical Literature 104 (1985): 581.
28 Wolters, “Sopîyyâ (Prov 31:27) as Hymnic Participle
and Play on Sophia," 581.
29 Ibid.,
581-82.
The Wife of Noble Character in Proverbs 31:10-31 19
ideal of
wisdom. It is nothing short of a brilliant stroke to delay
his most
convincing portrait of how to live wisely until the very
end of the
book. He then pulled together the major themes and
motifs about women
and concretized the concept of wisdom into a
final,
summarizing statement by giving a word picture of a
woman who
embodies the essence of what it means to live wisely.
Though she represents wisdom in a female form, the character
traits she
demonstrates serve as examples to both men and
women.
Neither wisdom nor folly is limited to a single gender.
THE APPLICATION OF PROVERBS 31:10-31 TO TODAY
Throughout the Book of Proverbs
women are neither ignored
nor
treated as inferior to men; in fact the climactic conclusion
found in
31:10-31 elevates womanhood to a position of supreme
honor. The
status accorded the lyiHa-tw,xe in this passage was not
granted
because of birth or riches but was earned through indus-
trious
productivity and diligent application of the principles of
wisdom based
on the fear of Yahweh.
The noble woman presents an
image of superior achievement
in every
area of life. In an era in which industry is discouraged
by
emphasis on rights over responsibilities, get-rich-quick
schemes, and
preoccupation with goods acquired on credit, the
lyiHa-tw,xe models an industrious and
productive lifestyle that con-
tributes to the
prosperity of the home and of society at large. In
keeping with
descriptions throughout the Book of Proverbs, this
culminating
picture reinforces the thought that anyone whose
character,
commitment, godliness, and productivity replicate the
qualities of
this woman has learned to live wisely.
Following the rhetorical
question "who can find?" the poem
describes the
noble woman as gaining the full confidence of her
husband. Such
a relationship of trust is possible in a marriage in
which each
mate loves the other in a way that consistently benefits
the other
person. While 31: 11-12 focuses on the trustworthiness of
the wife,
the husband has a similar responsibility to seek to de-
velop the
character qualities described in this acrostic poem.
The poem effectively portrays
that the noble wife had a strong
work ethic
and willingly carried her share of the household's
work.
Although she was privileged to have servants, she did not
use them
as an opportunity for laziness. She remained in com-
plete
oversight of all activities in her household (v. 27), even ris-
ing before
dawn to involve herself personally in the allotting of
food for
the day (v. 15). She did not seem to allow for an idle mo-
ment. The
help of her servants enabled her to expand her horizons
and spread
her energies further afield in providing for the
needs
20 BIBLIOTHECA
SACRA/January-March 1996
of her
household. She did not look for an easy way out but instead
did what
was necessary to ensure that her activities manifested
the best
quality, whether in the food she secured for the table (v.
14), the clothing she made herself and her family (vv. 21-22),
or
the
garments she sold to the merchants (v. 24).
Her priorities were thus
devoted to the good of her husband
and her
household. She also sought to help the needs of the poor in
her
community (v. 20). In addition she ran a profitable home-
based
business (vv. 17-18), selling garments she made to in-
crease the
income of the household (v. 24). She knew how to oper-
ate in the
business world, selecting raw materials (v. 13), invest-
ing in
property that would yield a profitable return, and selling
finished
products (vv. 16, 24).
Collins calls her a
"capable wife" whose character makes her
"no mere homebody but an efficient
businesswoman" as well. He
correctly
insists that if this passage teaches anything about the
role of
women, "it is that they can exercise responsibility quite as
widely and
efficiently as their male counterparts."30
Such industrious productivity on the part of the lyiHa-tw,xe reaped
many
benefits for her husband, her family, and herself. They all
were able
to enjoy quality provisions (v. 21) as well as financial
and
emotional security concerning whatever the future might
bring (vv.
21, 25). With his wife providing such apt leadership
over the
affairs of the household, her husband was able to direct
his
energies toward the leadership needs of the community, where
he too
was well respected (v. 23). Obviously both members of this
couple were
committed to deep-seated character qualities en-
abling them
to excel in their individual areas. In addition to the
wife's
unfailing devotion to the needs of her husband and family
and
generosity to the poor, the poem specifically mentions the
kindness and
wisdom with which she spoke (v. 26). The founda-
tion from
which these qualities arise is given in the grand cli-
max of the
pericope as her "fear of Yahweh" (v. 30).
The end result
is that
this woman and her works are praised by all whom her life
touches: her
children, her husband (vv. 28-29), and her commu-
nity (v.
31).
In spite of the great beauty of
this portrayal of the ideal woman
and the
honor given her, this passage is nevertheless often viewed
by modern
women as a harsh yardstick by which to measure their
shortcomings. Many
cringe at the mere mention of this woman.
Therefore it is important to put into perspective certain
aspects of
the poem's
message.
30 John J. Collins, Proverbs,
Ecclesiastes, Knox Preaching Guides (
1980), 69-70.
The Wife of Noble Character in Proverbs
31:10-31 21
First, no young bride can
possibly fulfill all that is pictured
in this
poem before developing the maturity that comes only with
time. This
portrait looks at the finished product, not at a young
woman
entering marriage. It reflects the cumulative effect of a
life lived
wisely. At any given point in life a person can only
seek to
move in the direction this superb and' energetic woman
has laid
out for all to follow. She serves as d kind of pictorial
mentor of the
"ultimate" wife just as the qualities listed for church
leaders in 1
Timothy 3 and Titus 1 describe the direction and fo-
cus a
man's life should take if he aspires to be a church leader.
A second area in which
perspective is needed is in seeing the
complementary roles
of the husband and wife. At first glance it
might be
easy to conclude from this passage that the woman is the
dominant figure
who is the major provider for the family. What
must be
remembered is that the purpose of the poem is to focus on
the role
of the wife, not that of the husband. The portrayal of this
woman is in
no way inconsistent with the New Testament princi-
ple of the
husband being the head of the wife (Eph.
band's role
and daily activities were depicted to the same extent
as the
wife's in this poem, she could still be seen as fitting under
his
leadership and loving authority.
In an age when women often tend
to feel demeaned, Proverbs
31:10-31 provides a liberating concept of marriage with both hus-
band and
wife making a valuable contribution to the family. The
poem
presents a picture in which the lyiHa-tw,xe is no
slave to her hus-
band but
has ample opportunities to develop her own potential. She
is
involved in the textile industry, agriculture, real estate, and
household
management while her husband takes a place in what
might be
called "politics" in the modern era. Their lives are not
lived
totally separate, however. They are partners in marriage.
Modern couples could benefit by a careful examination of the in-
( teraction
between spouses suggested in this acrostic poem.
Like some recurring refrain in
a musical masterpiece, in the midst
of this
paean the ideal woman's husband is mentioned directly or
by
implication five times. She is said to be his most precious pos-
session:
"If 'you can find a truly good wife, she is worth more than
precious
gems" (
his needs
and giving him grounds for trusting her. …(Prov.
31:11). She efficiently cares
for and establishes a good relation-
ship with
their children: "Her children stand' up and bless her"
(
his
unstinted praise: "There are many fine women in the world
but you
are the best of them all" (
31 Robina
Drakeford and John W. Drakeford,
In Praise of Women: A Christian
Approach to Love, Marriage and Equality (San
Francisco: Harper & Row, 1980),
26.
22 BIBLIOTHECA SACRA
/ January-March 1996
Third, while the woman of noble character is seen as expand-
ing her
horizons beyond her home, all her outside business en-
deavors are
focused on meeting the needs of her family, and her
generating extra
income is carried on from a home base.
In a modern society that has
tried to declare marriage and the
family
useless relics of bygone days tied to irrelevant customs,
Proverbs 31:10-31 stands like a literary Statue of Liberty welcom-
ing all
who have tried the sociological jargon about loose com-
mitment and
easy divorce and found it wanting. By contrast, the
lyiHa-tw,xe models faithfulness to her
marriage vows and the family
unit. Her
commitment to purity of life and morals contrasts with
the loose
living of the adulteress and the prostitute. As a role
model for
the modern age, the Proverbs 31 woman is "liberated"
in the
good sense of that word and is a model of the kind of person,
man or
woman, whose character forms the foundation stone of
any
healthy society.
Just as Proverbs 9 brings
together the matter of choice before
each person
in regard to Lady Wisdom and Dame Folly, so the
final
picture of the lyiHa-tw,xe as the
epitome of wisdom presents a
personal choice
for readers to become actively involved in deter-
mining the
direction of their lives, seeking a quality of life that is
positive,
uplifting, and beneficial rather than drifting through
life as a
spectator. To be equipped for the demands of normal life
(31:21), as well as the uncertainties of the future (v. 25)
every per-
son, male
and female, needs wisdom. The qualities wisdom im-
parts
benefit all mankind. It is a tragedy that so many have
stumbled
through life, despising those attributes or being unwill-
ing to pay
the price to obtain them.
The lyiHa-tw,xe is a
concrete word picture of all that it means to
live
wisely. She exemplifies wisdom in her life by her proper
alignment of
values. She does not follow the world's standards of
feminine
achievement focused on physical beauty and womanly
charm.
Instead she has chosen to anchor her life on the "fear of
Yahweh" (v. 30), the true
basis of all wisdom. One cannot em-
brace true
wisdom without entering into a personal relationship
with God.
With this as her foundation the
noble wife further demon-
strates wisdom
in ordering other priorities in her life. Her mar-
riage vows
are not taken lightly, but she consistently and dili-
gently
applies herself to meeting, the needs of her husband and her
household in the
best way possible. Her genuine concern for oth-
ers does
not end with her family, however, as she also reaches out ,
in
generosity to the poor (v. 20) and speaks with kindness (v. 26),
indicating the
value she places on human life and relationships.
Her disciplined, industrious
lifestyle shows foresight, effi-
The Wife of Noble Character in Proverbs 31:10-31 23
ciency, and
resourcefulness, all evidences of the application of
wisdom in her
life. She has prepared for the worst of winter
weather and
other unforeseen contingencies (Vv. 21, 25). She uses
her time
wisely, and she diligently oversees her household af-
fairs in an
orderly manner (v. 27). She demonstrates business
acumen and
makes wise decisions (vv. 16, 18). Wisdom has be-
come so
much a part of her life that it is naturally expressed in her
speech (v.
26).
Lady Wisdom in chapters 1-9,
and the wife of noble charac-
ter as the
epitome of wisdom, in Proverbs 31:10-31, are looking for
followers m any
age or society. They are female mentors to be
held up to
all young women and men as worthy of emulation. In a
society that
honors and highly pays sports and entertainment fig-
ures, a
tremendous need exists to hold up a new kind of model.
This noble woman demonstrates that a proper spiritual orienta-
tion and
the arrangement of one's life under the "fear of the Lord"
is the
only way to reach one's "full potential" as wise created be-
ings made
to live free of slavery and yet under divine authority.
This
material is cited with gracious permission from:
www.dts.edu
Please report any errors to Ted
Hildebrandt at: