Proverbs 31:17

17 She girds herself ^[a] with strength and shows that her arms are strong.

Proverbs 31:17 Meaning and Commentary

Proverbs 31:17

She girdeth her loins with strength
Showing her readiness to every good work; and with what cheerfulness, spirit, and resolution, she set about it, and with what dispatch and expedition she performed it: the allusion is to the girding and tucking up of long garments, wore in the eastern countries, when any work was set about in earnest, which required dispatch; see ( Luke 17:8 ) ( 12:35 ) ; the strength of creatures being in their loins, ( Job 40:16 ) ; the loins are sometimes put for strength, as in Plautus ^F18; and the sense is much the same with what follows; and strengtheneth her arms;
does all she finds to do with all her might and main, as the church does; not in her own strength, but in the strength of Christ; to whom she seeks for it, and in whose strength she goes forth about her business; by whom the arms of her hands are made strong, even by the mighty God of Jacob; and because she thus applies to him for it, she is said to do it herself, ( Genesis 49:24 ) ( Philippians 4:13 ) ; here she plays the man, and acts the manly part, ( 1 Corinthians 16:13 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F18 "Lumbos defractos velim", Stichus, Act. 2. Sc. 1. v. 37.

Proverbs 31:17 In-Context

15 She rises while it is still night to provide food for her household and portions for her maidservants.

16 She appraises a field and buys it; from her earnings she plants a vineyard.

17 She girds herself with strength and shows that her arms are strong.

18 She sees that her gain is good, and her lamp is not extinguished at night.

19 She stretches out her hands to the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers.

Footnotes

• [a]. Hebrew She girds her loins