Chapter Text
The Sayings of King Lemuel
The Virtuous Woman
Summary
The virtuous woman is described in an acrostic poem spanning the entire Hebrew alphabet. She is trustworthy, industrious, and generous, rising before dawn to provide for her household. She considers a field and buys it, plants a vineyard with the fruit of her hands.
She stretches out her hand to the poor, clothes her household in scarlet, and is not afraid of the snow. Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also praises her. Favour is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman that fears the Lord shall be praised.
Meaning
This famous passage celebrates the woman of noble character as the embodiment of all the wisdom taught throughout the book. She is not merely domestic but entrepreneurial, charitable, and spiritually grounded.
The closing declaration that charm is deceptive and beauty fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised, ties this portrait back to the book's foundational principle. The fear of the Lord, introduced in chapter one, is the crown of the virtuous woman and the summation of all wisdom.
Background
The acrostic structure, with each verse beginning with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet, was a literary device signifying completeness and artistic mastery. It also aided memorization in an oral culture.
This passage has been read at Sabbath tables in Jewish homes for centuries. It serves as both a tribute to faithful women and an allegorical picture of Wisdom herself, bringing the book of Proverbs to its fitting conclusion.
Chapter Outline
- vv. 1-2A Mother's Address to King Lemuel
- vv. 3-7Warnings Against Lust and Drunkenness
- vv. 8-9The Royal Duty of Justice
- vv. 10-12The Virtuous Woman's Worth and Trust
- vv. 13-19Her Industry and Provision
- vv. 20-27Her Compassion, Strength, and Wisdom
- vv. 28-31Her Praise and the Fear of the LORD
Key Verses
“Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.”— 31:10
The opening line of the famous acrostic poem celebrating the woman of valor (eshet chayil), establishing her incomparable worth and introducing one of Scripture's most beloved portraits of godly womanhood.
“Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.”— 31:25
A striking metaphor capturing the inner character of the virtuous woman — her moral fortitude and dignity are not external adornments but the very garments of her soul, granting her confidence about the future.
“Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.”— 31:30
The theological climax of the poem and of Proverbs as a whole, returning to the book's central theme (1:7) that the fear of the LORD is the foundation of true worth, eclipsing fleeting external charms.
“Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction.”— 31:8
A foundational biblical mandate for advocacy on behalf of the voiceless and vulnerable, frequently cited in Christian social ethics and pro-life teaching.
People & Places
People
- King Lemuel — An otherwise unknown king whose mother's instruction forms the chapter; some Jewish tradition identifies him with Solomon.
- Lemuel's mother — The unnamed queen mother whose prophetic counsel to her royal son comprises verses 1-9.
Devotional
Proverbs 31 offers two portraits worth carrying into ordinary days. The first, a mother's plea to her son, reminds us that leadership begins with self-mastery — guarding our appetites so we can speak for those who cannot speak for themselves (vv. 8-9). Advocacy flows from sobriety of soul.
The second portrait, the woman of valor, is not a checklist to crush us but a celebration of faithfulness lived out in fields, looms, kitchens, and conversations. Her secret is hidden in verse 30: she fears the LORD. Character outlasts beauty; quiet diligence is its own reward.
Literary Style
Wisdom literature in two distinct units: a brief royal instruction (vv. 1-9) and a famous acrostic poem (vv. 10-31) in which each verse begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The poem employs vivid imagery, synonymous parallelism, and an inclusio framing the woman's worth.