Proverbs 31:24

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 31:24. _SHE MAKETH FINE LINEN, AND SELLETH_ IT] 15. She is _here_ remarkable for carrying on a traffic of _splendid_ and _ornamental dresses_, or _habits_, as she is, Proverbs 31:13, for "a coarser manufacture," The סדון _sidon_ is supposed to come from [Arabic] in Arabic; and to signify a kind of _loose inner garment,_ _shirt, chemise_, or _fine muslin covering_. Some of these are so exceedingly fine, like the _abrooam_, that when spread on the grass, they are scarcely discernible. Some such garments as these are still worn by _ladies_ in _India_ and in _China_, and are so _thin_ and _transparent_, that every part of the body may be seen through them. I have many representations of per

FINE LINEN - Not the same word as in Proverbs 31:22 note; it describes a made-up garment Isaiah 3:23. MERCHANT - literally, “Canaanite,” i. e., the Phoenician merchant....

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 MAKETH FINE LINEN, AND SELLETH [IT],.... She not only seeks wool and flax, and spins it, but makes it up into fine linen, which she disposes of to advantage to herself and family. Kimchi says y, the word signifies coverings for the night, as well as day he seems to design linen sheets: the Arabic version adds, and "sells it to the inhabitants of Bosra." This, in the mystic sense, may signify either the good works the church does, and which she proposes as a pattern and example to her members; or divine instruction, as others, the preaching of the Gospel, and the truths of it; which she sells, and others buy, though both without money and without price; for, as she freely receives, she freely gives: or the righteousness of Christ, which is called fine linen and white raiment; which, properly speaking, is made by Christ, and sold by him, or bought of him, as before, without money; see...

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...

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

DELIVERETH GIRDLES UNTO THE MERCHANT— Herodotus, it seems, thought that the carrying on of commerce by the Egyptian women was a _curiosity_ which deserved to be inserted in his history: it can hardly be thought an impropriety to take notice of this circumstance in a work calculated for the illustration of the Scriptures, and especially in a country where the _women_ indeed _spin,_ but the _men_ not only buy and sell, but weave, and do almost every thing else relative to our manufactures. The commerce mentioned by Herodotus is lost, according to Maillet, from among the women of Egypt in general, being only retained by the Arabs of that country who live in the mountains. The Arabian historians say, that the women used to deal in buying and selling of things woven of silk, gold, and silver, of pure silk, of cotton, of cotton and thread, or simple linen-cloth, whether made in the country or...

TEXT Proverbs 31:22-31 22. She maketh for herself carpets of tapestry; Her clothing is fine linen and purple. 23. Her husband is known in the gates, When he sitteth among the elders of the land. 24. She maketh linen garments and selleth them, And delivereth girdles to the merchant. 25. Strength and dignity are her clothing; And she laugheth at the time to come. 26. She openeth her mouth with wisdom; And the law of kindness is on her tongue. 27. She looketh well to the ways of her household, And eateth not the bread of idleness. 28. Her children rise up, and call her blessed; Her husband also, and he praiseth her saying: 29. Many daughters have done worthily, But thou excellest them all. 30. Grace is deceitful, and beauty is v