1The words of king Lemuel; the oracle which his mother taught him. 2"Oh, my son! Oh, son of my womb! Oh, son of my vows! 3Don't give your strength to women, nor your ways to that which destroys kings. 4It is not for kings, Lemuel; it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes to say, 'Where is strong drink?' 5lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the justice due to anyone who is afflicted. 6Give strong drink to him who is ready to perish; and wine to the bitter in soul: 7Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more. 8Open your mouth for the mute, in the cause of all who are left desolate. 9Open your mouth, judge righteously, and serve justice to the poor and needy." 10Who can find a worthy woman? For her price is far above rubies. 11The heart of her husband trusts in her. He shall have no lack of gain. 12She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life. 13She seeks wool and flax, and works eagerly with her hands. 14She is like the merchant ships. She brings her bread from afar. 15She rises also while it is yet night, gives food to her household, and portions for her servant girls. 16She considers a field, and buys it. With the fruit of her hands, she plants a vineyard. 17She arms her waist with strength, and makes her arms strong. 18She perceives that her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp doesn't go out by night. 19She lays her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle. 20She opens her arms to the poor; yes, she extends her hands to the needy. 21She is not afraid of the snow for her household; for all her household are clothed with scarlet. 22She makes for herself carpets of tapestry. Her clothing is fine linen and purple. 23Her husband is respected in the gates, when he sits among the elders of the land. 24She makes linen garments and sells them, and delivers sashes to the merchant. 25Strength and dignity are her clothing. She laughs at the time to come. 26She opens her mouth with wisdom. Faithful instruction is on her tongue. 27She looks well to the ways of her household, and doesn't eat the bread of idleness. 28Her children rise up and call her blessed. Her husband also praises her: 29"Many women do noble things, but you excel them all." 30Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain; but a woman who fears Yahweh, she shall be praised. 31Give her of the fruit of her hands! Let her works praise her in the gates!
The Book ofProverbs 31Chapter XXXI 31
· 31 verses · 4 minute read
About this chapter
Proverbs 31 — The Woman of Virtue
Proverbs 31 closes with one of Scripture's most powerful portraits of womanhood — the eshet chayil, the "woman of virtue" or, more literally, "woman of warrior strength." The term chayil appears elsewhere to describe soldiers and heroes; here it captures the moral and spiritual fortitude of a woman. The passage is an acrostic, with each verse beginning with successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet — a mark of careful composition, not restrictive sexism. Contrary to surface readings, this is no portrait of a submissive housewife: she acquires land, conducts business, manufactures goods, clothes herself in strength, laughs at the future, and opens her mouth with wisdom. Her husband and children praise her, yet the climax arrives at verse 30 — "a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised." Beauty fades; the fear of the Lord endures. The chapter opens with counsel that the mother of King Lemuel gave her son: do not surrender yourself to wine, do not withhold justice from the afflicted. It closes by exalting the woman who embodies all of this. Proverbs 31 is not a restrictive manual; it is a declaration that a woman who fears the Lord is God's strength made flesh.
Attributed to Lemuel, whose identity remains uncertain—possibly a symbolic name. The passage of the virtuous woman (verses 10–31) forms a distinct alphabetic acrostic.
Read this to understand that Scripture celebrates feminine strength—not passivity—and that the fear of the Lord is the only foundation that endures.
Key verses in Proverbs 31
Proverbs 31:25 · High comfortProverbs 31:9Proverbs 31:30
Explore each verse of Proverbs 31
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