Chapter 31

1 Lemuel’s lesson of chastity and temperance. 6 The afflicted are to be comforted and defended. 10 The praise and properties of a good wife.

1. Lemuel. The verse reads literally, “The words of Lemuel, king, a prophecy [or, if the word is left untranslated, “of Massa”], which his mother taught him.” For “Massa” see on ch. 30:1. This chapter is closer in style and spirit to the rest of the book of Proverbs than is ch. 30, and there are those who think that Solomon wrote it. They regard Lemuel as another name for Solomon. However, this cannot be established, nor is a knowledge of the precise authorship important. The words are inspired and full of valuable counsel. The LXX has the following introduction to this new section, “My words have been spoken by God—the oracular answer of a king, whom his mother instructed.”

2. What, my son? The question seems to be, “What shall I tell you?” “What counsel shall I give?”

3. That which destroyeth. This may be understood as “them that destroy kings,” thus making the whole verse a warning against unchastity.

4. For kings. Indulging in intoxicating liquor can do much harm, even when imbibed by ordinary men. When rulers become subject to the slavery of alcohol, the damage done to them as individuals is greatly multiplied in the damage done to their subjects as a result of their irresponsible rule.

5. Forget the law. The dulling of the sensibilities and the increase in selfish desires caused by liquor make a ruler likely to ignore justice and to decide according to his own interests, thus bringing hardship upon those whom he dislikes and upon the suffering poor.

6. Give strong drink. Compare Prov. 20:1; 23:29–35; see on Deut. 14:26.

Ready to perish. Without the knowledge of narcotics possessed by medical men today, the ancients had often only various mixtures of intoxicating drinks and preparations of narcotic herbs with which to dull the pains of fatal illness. Those who were crucified in the time of Christ were offered a mixture of vinegar and gall. Our Lord refused to drink the mixture. He desired a clear mind to resist the temptation of Satan and to keep strong His faith in God (see Matt. 27:34; DA 746, 754, 755).

8. Appointed to destruction. Those in dire difficulty, who cannot speak for themselves in the courts, whether because of poverty or the antagonism of the rulers of the country, need the aid of good men who can speak for them (see Job 29:12).

9. Plead the cause. Compare Prov. 21:13; Zech. 7:9; 8:16.

10. A virtuous woman. The next 22 verses are in the form of a skillful acrostic built around the Hebrew alphabet of 22 letters. Verse 10 begins with the first letter, v. 11 with the second, etc. A number of the psalms are similarly constructed (Ps. 9; 10; 25; 34; 37; 111; 112; 119; 145).

The “virtuous woman” is literally “a woman of power.” The LXX has gunaika andreian, literally, “a masculine woman,” meaning that she is strong, vigorous, and possesses excellent qualities. The Hebrew words may be interpreted as meaning, “a woman of firm character.”

12. All the days. Sometimes a woman grows weary of welldoing. Perhaps her husband has failed to praise her good works, or has seemed to have more interest in her as a provident housekeeper than as a companion (see v. 28), and so she becomes slack and careless, or hard and overbearing.

13. She seeketh wool. The busy wife takes a real pleasure in her efficiency. She goes out of her way to get materials to work upon that will be of benefit to her family.

14. Food from afar. The same keenness to buy only the best and for the lowest price is still to be seen in womankind. It will make women walk or ride for miles to obtain some advantage over nearer markets. Also they like to bring surprise items to the table—food from afar.

15. Yet night. The good woman would appoint the day’s work for her servant girls at the same early hour, thus training them to be as diligent as herself.

16. Considereth a field. Money earned is used to make wise purchases of land, and the land is improved by clearing it and planting it with vines. Thus her original profit is put to work in order that she may earn still more profit; yet no one suffers. Her gain is not another’s loss. She is producing new wealth by her good management.

17. Girdeth her loins. The figure is probably that of girding up the robe to leave oneself free for active work. The woman’s vigorous health and muscular strength are increased by her constant activity.

18. She perceiveth. By investigation she makes sure that her activities are profitable.

Goeth not out. The lamp burned all night in a well-ordered Eastern home and was extinguished only in times of calamity (see Job 18:6; Prov. 13:9; Jer. 25:10).

19. Spindle. Heb. kishor. The word occurs only here and more probably applies to the distaff, to which the woman would stretch out her hands as she spun the thread from the bunch of flax or wool tied to the distaff. What she would hold is more probably the spindle, which caused the filaments to twist into a thread.

Distaff. Heb. pelek, more exactly, “the spindle.”

20. To the poor. The kind of efficiency here pictured sometimes results in a complete lack of sympathy for the less skillful poor; but this good woman has a thought for them (see ch. 19:17). No doubt some of her prosperity is due to her care for the poor and the consequent blessing and approval of God (see ch. 22:9).

21. Snow. Snow falls in small quantities at some time during most of the winters in many parts of Palestine, and warm clothes are highly desirable.

22. Silk. Rather, “fine white linen.”

Purple. Probably the highly favored garments sold by the Phoenicians.

23. In the gates. To be known in the gates, recognized and greeted by the elders of the city, was a desirable honor. The good repute of his wife and the wealth she helped to create would do much to elevate a man in the eyes of his fellows (see ch. 12:4).

24. Fine linen. Probably “linen garments,” and the “girdles,” the richly embroidered linen girdles which the rich wore in place of the commoner leather belts. By exchanging such products with the Phoenician traders, the wife could wear such luxuries as purple garments without being extravagant (see v. 22).

25. Strength and honour. The capable wife and mother carries herself in the conscious dignity of proved ability. She laughs at the future because she has made ample provision for it.

26. Wisdom. A woman who spends much time in gossip can never perform the many useful actions that fill this woman’s hours. Her kindness is evident from her voice, whose soothing tones do much to keep quiet order in her household.

27. Bread of idleness. Compare 2 Thess. 3:10.

28. Call her blessed. It is a rich reward to a mother when her children give public testimony to her loving and efficient care. Husbands can never give too much sincere praise to the one who spends her days in constant activity to make a good home.

29. Thou excellest. The testimony of the husband.

30. Beauty is vain. Charm and beauty in themselves are of little value. Some who possess loveliness of form and face prove unlovely in the stress of daily life. Beauty earns the praise of the unthinking, but the only woman of true worth is the one who fears the Lord. She alone has true beauty and charm. The fear of the Lord enters into every worthy aspect of human life and personality.

31. Her own works. For men who cannot read the heart, the only sure way to estimate the quality of another is to study the fruit of the life as revealed in the works. In the gates of the city, where judgments are made concerning all who live within the walls, the works of the virtuous woman speak for her and she needs no other advocate. She will enjoy forever the sweet fruits of her unselfish toil and her good example.

Ellen G. White comments

4, 5 Te 53

11, 12  MH 359

13   AH 91

13–17Ed 217

19   AH 91

20   Ed 217

21   CG 420; MH 288; ML 145

26   AH 87, 345, 434; ML 114, 178; 6T 69; 7T 50; 9T 41

26, 28, 29        MH 359

27   Ed 217

28   AH 250, 534; GW 206; ML 197

30, 31  Ed 217