Proverbs 31:15

Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. The praises of a virtuous woman; forming a Hebrew acrostic. The 22 years begin with the several 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet consecutively; M. Henry calls it, 'a locking-glass for ladies.' Lemuel's "mother" (Proverbs 31:1) suggested the model of "a virtuous woman" - Hebrew, chail: brave, strenuous, good. WHO CAN FIND? - it is a rare treasure (Ecclesiastes 7:28). Verse 11. THE HEART OF HER HUSBAND DOTH SAFELY TRUST IN HER - he can with implicit confidence leave to her the management of his household concerns, and devote himself to his public and weightier duties. Confidence reposed makes good wives the more diligent in their duties. Husband...

Verse Proverbs 31:15. _SHE RISETH ALSO WHILE IT IS YET NIGHT_] 4. She is an economist of _time_; and when the _nights_ are _long_, and the _days short_, her family not only spend a part of the _evening_ after sunset in domestic labour, but they all arise _before daylight_, and prepare the _day's food_, that they may not have their labour interrupted. To those who are going to the _fields_, and to the _flocks_, she gives the food necessary for the day: טרף _teref, prey_, a term taken from _hunting_, the object of which was, the supplying their natural wants: hence applied to _daily food_. Proverbs 30:8. And to the women who are to be employed within, she gives חק _chok_, the _task_ - the _kind_ of work they

A PORTION TO HER MAIDENS - The daily task assigned to each at the same time as the daily food. Compare Proverbs 30:8; Exodus 5:14....

EXPOSITION PROVERBS 31:1 PART VIII. SECOND APPENDIX TO THE SECOND COLLECTION, containing "the words of Lemuel" on the subjects of impurity and intemperance. PROVERBS 31:1 _The_ _superscription. _THE WORDS OF KING LEMUEL, THE PROPHECY WHICH HIS MOTHER TAUGHT HIM. Who is intended by "Lemuel king" is much disputed. Those who connect the following word _massa _("oracle") with the preceding _melek _("king"), translate "King of Massa," as Proverbs 30:1 (where see note). Of the country, or the ki

SHE RISETH ALSO WHILE IT IS YET NIGHT,.... That is, before the ascent of the morning, as Aben Ezra explains it, before break of day; a great while before day, as Christ is said to rise to pray, Mark 1:35; while it was yet dark; so the church here: which shows her affection for her family, her care of her children, and fervent zeal for her husband's interest and good; a different frame of spirit this from that of hers in Song of Solomon 5:2; AND GIVETH MEAT TO HER HOUSEHOLD, AND A PORTION TO HER MAIDENS; in allusion to a daily stated allowance q of food given to such; and spiritually may be meant, by her "household" or family, the same with the family of Christ, that is named of himself, which consists of various persons, fathers, young men, and children; and by her "maidens" the min

VII. THE WORDS OF KING LEMUEL TAUGHT HIM BY HIS MOTHER CHAPTER 31 The Virtuous Woman “The words of King Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him”; this is the superscription of this chapter. Who is King Lemuel? No king by that name is known. We do not hesitate in saying that it is Solomon. It means “unto God” one who is devoted to the Lord. In all probability Solomon's mother called her boy by this name, and here is the record therefore of the instruction given by Solomon's mother. The warning is once more, and that very earnestly (shown by the thrice asked “what?” What shall I say unto you?) against licentiousness, against wine and strong drink. The brief words of the mother's exhortation end with a request to act righteously as king, to stand up for those who are appointed to destruction, to plead the cause of the poor and needy. The final portion of the book of Proverbs is a...

THIRD DIVISION. THE VIRTUOUS WOMAN. Proverbs 31:10. This, the last division of the appendix, is in form an acrostic poem, each verse commencing with a letter of the Heb. alphabet in order. There are several more or less perfect specimens of such literary exercises in the OT_ e.g._ Psalms 111 f., Lamentations 1-4, and especially Psalms 119. Though some of the acrostics may, as their imperfect state suggests, have been early_ e.g._ Nahum 1:2 yet in general they belong to the latest period of OT literature. The ideal mistress of the house is represented as a shrewd manager and business woman, trusted by her husband, praised by her children, obeyed by her servants, caring for the poor, and admired by the people. The only religious note is in...

MEAT. [live] prey. Put by Figure of speech _Synecdoche_ (of Species), App-6, for all kinds of food....

VIII. The Virtuous Woman. Chap. Proverbs 31:10-31 This short Appendix differs from the other Sections of the Book of Proverbs in having one subject throughout, and in being in form acrostic or alphabetical. Each verse begins with a letter, taken in order, of the Hebrew alphabet. There is nothing in the contents of the Section to throw light upon either its age or authorship. The alphabetical arrangement cannot safely be regarded as a proof of a late date of composition. A similar arrangement occurs in several Psalms and in the opening Chapter s of the Book of Lamentations; and some at least of these must be assigned to a comparatively early date. It is more probable that the arrangement in question, belonging as it does for the most part to didactic poems, was a device adopted to assist the memory. (See _The Book of Psalms_, Vol. i. Introd. p. xlviii. in this Series; and Bp

SHE RISETH ALSO WHILE IT IS YET NIGHT— She doth not indulge herself in too much sleep, but is an early riser, before the break of day, to make provision for those who are to go abroad to work in the fields, and to set her maidens their several _tasks_ at home. The reader will observe, that the ideas here refer to those modest and ancient times, when female occupations were far different with those even of highest rank, from such as are usual in modern times. The employments of Penelope, in Homer, are similar to those here referred to; and the following comparison of Virgil will throw some light on the present description: He rose refresh'd impatient from the bed, When half the silent hours of night were fled; What time the frugal and laborious dame, Who plies the distaff, stirs the dying flame; Employs her maidens by the winking light, And to their daily labour adds the night: Thus earni...