Proverbs 31

CHAPTER 31

Sayings of King Lemuel (31:1–9)

1–9 There are two great lessons in these verses: first, God has placed great value on godly women—in this case, a godly mother; second, authority is to be used to serve others, not oneself.

The only thing known about King Lemuel is his name. His mother tells him not to use his position to indulge himself, either with immoral women or with excessive drinking. Either sin will weaken the king, cloud his judgment, and prevent him from defending the rights of the poor and needy (verses 8–9). Anyone to whom authority has been given must use that authority to serve God and other people. All authority belongs to God (Romans 13:1), and the authority God grants—whether to kings, presidents, parents, or husbands—is the authority to serve (see Mark 10:42–45).

Epilogue: The Wife of Noble Character (31:10–31)

10–29 This final section of the book of Proverbs is an acrostic poem, that is, one in which each verse begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The poem celebrates the character and capability of a godly wife, a wife who can be said to personify wisdom. The poem presents an “ideal wife,” who displays many of the qualities of wisdom that have been mentioned throughout the book.

However, this poem is not meant to provide an exact model for every godly wife. First of all, this wife is married to a wealthy man; she carries on many business activities. Most wives do not find themselves in such a situation. The poem does, however, provide a model for one’s character—not for wives only, but for husbands too! All of us can emulate this woman’s character: her godliness, her devotion to her family, her diligence and industry, her graciousness and dignity, her care for the poor, and her overall example of wise living.

In verse 10, this wise wife is said to be worth more than rubies (see Proverbs 3:15; 8:11); indeed, she is her husband’s crown (see Proverbs 12:4). In verse 12, she is said to bring good to her husband (Proverbs 18:22). Part of that “good” comes from her business abilities, her trading and selling activities (verses 18,24). She reinvests her earnings (verse 16); she looks out for the poor and needy (verse 20). She is skilled in spinning, weaving and sewing (verses 19,22,24). She can laugh at the days to come (verse 25); because she plans ahead, she is free of worry and doesn’t fear the future. She is not only wise herself, but she imparts her wisdom to others (verse 26). No wonder her children bless her! (verse 28). No wonder her husband says to her: “Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all!” (verse 29).

30–31 The poet concludes by reminding us that beauty is fleeting (verse 30). True beauty, on the other hand, is inward; it is the beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight (1 Peter 3:3–5). It is the beauty of one who fears the LORD, a fear that is the basis of all true virtue and wisdom (see Proverbs 1:7; 9:10).

This wife’s beauty, character, and accomplishments deserve praise at the city gate, in the city meeting place. She deserves recognition as an individual in her own right, not just as the wife of her husband.

Verses 10–31 do not give us a full treatise on marriage; there is much left out concerning the relationship between husband and wife.⁷³ Rather, these verses portray what both husband and wife should be like as individuals. True, most husbands will not expect to spin and sew; but in most other matters, these verses give us a picture of both man and woman, created equally in God’s image, who have been called to rule over the earth on God’s apart from God and the Bible, their wives behalf (Genesis 1:27–28). Though written in ancient times, when women were held to be inferior to men, this poem is God’s testimony that women are every bit men’s equals!⁷⁴

Many Christian men today testify that, apart from God and the Bible, their wives (or mothers) have played the most important role in their lives. Second only to choosing Christ, choosing a wife is the most important choice a man will ever make. And it’s the same, of course, for a woman choosing a husband!

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¹ The Hebrew word for “proverb” can also mean “oracle” or “parable”; this explains why some of the proverbs appear as extended discourses (for example, Proverbs Chapters 1–9) rather than short, independent statements.

² For further discussion on the subject of fearing the Lord, see footnote to comment on Genesis 20:813; Deuteronomy 6:1–3 and comment.

³It is important to understand the meaning of the word “fool” as it is used in the Bible: it means someone who is deficient in moral judgment, someone who has trouble distinguishing right from wrong. A “fool” is someone who disregards God’s law, God’s wisdom and discipline (verse 7); a fool, therefore, is ungodly. In many places in Scripture, the word “foolish” is used as a synonym for the word “wicked.” Similarly, the word “wise” is often used as a synonym for “godly.”

⁴ In verse 17, the writer suggests that even birds are smart enough not to fall into traps they have seen being laid. But the wicked end up falling into traps they themselves have laid!

⁵ In poetic and prophetic writing, abstract concepts such as wisdom and folly are often personified for literary effect.

⁶ The mockers and fools among the Jews also rejected Jesus; He also stretched out His hand (verse 24) toward the people of Jerusalem, but they would not listen (Matthew 23:37).

⁷ In verse 29, notice that hating knowledge is equivalent to not fearing the Lord. Ultimately, the Lord is the only source of both knowledge and wisdom (see verse 7 and comment).

⁸ In verse 32, the writer says: . . . the complacency of fools will destroy them. This “complacency” is a false sense of security: the fool believes he can do whatever he wants and all will still be well.

⁹ In verse 2, the word heart can mean “mind”; it also can mean one’s soul, one’s total being (see Psalm 4:7–8 and comment).

¹⁰ For further discussion of the relationship between human responsibility and God’s sovereignty, see Exodus 17:10–13; Esther 4:12–14; Jeremiah 18:1–10 and comments.

¹¹ God’s mouth is a figure of speech meaning God’s word. For further discussion on the subject of anthropomorphism in Scripture, see footnotes to comments on Genesis 8:21–22; Exodus 3:7–9.

¹² In biblical times, God’s word came through the actual mouths of His specially anointed servants, His prophets, and His Son. Today those words are preserved for us in the Bible, God’s written word.

¹³ The blessings that come from following God’s word are not only the natural result of a godly life but also the result of God’s supernatural care for His faithful ones (verse 8).

According to verse 7, God is a shield (protector) for those whose walk (behavior) is blameless. Here “blameless” does not mean “sinless”; rather, it refers to people of integrity, those who sincerely seek to do God’s will with all their heart.

¹⁴ There is a work of grace that God does before we are even able to trust Him; by His Spirit He awakens us, He stirs us to turn to Him in trust and faith (see John 3:3,5; Ephesians 2:1–5).

¹⁵ For further discussion concerning what it means to trust in God with all one’s heart, see Genesis 22:15–19; Deuteronomy 6:4–6; 1 Samuel 15:34–35 and comments.

¹⁶ For further discussion of our sinful nature, see Genesis 3:1–13 and comment; General Article: The Fall into Sin.

¹⁷ Here we are talking about knowing God’s “specific will”—such as, who we should marry or what vocation we should pursue. When it comes to God’s “general will,” however, that has already been made known to us; it is written in the Bible.

¹⁸ The firstfruits aren’t related only to crops; in a spiritual sense, they are the best of whatever we have to offer the Lord: our energy, our time, our skills, our possessions.

¹⁹ The suffering of the wicked, however, is a sign not of sonship but of judgment.

²⁰ For further discussion on the subject of discipline and testing, see Exodus 15:25–27 and comment; Word List: Discipline.

²¹ In verse 17, the Hebrew word for peace is “shalom,” which has a broad meaning that includes wellbeing, happiness, wholeness, fullness of life, and prosperity. Indeed, the word prosperity in verse 2is the Hebrew word “shalom.” In the New Testament, the word “peace” has the additional spiritual meaning of peace or reconciliation with God (Romans 5:1). For further discussion, see Word List: Peace.

²² In addition to wisdom, the writer also mentions understanding and knowledge as being instrumental in creation. These three words have distinct meanings, but they are closely related; here they are used poetically as synonyms to describe the means God used to create the universe. We can also understand these three terms to represent the Word of God, which was the main instrument in creation: God spoke, and things came into being (Genesis 1:3,6,9,14,20,24). We further know from the New Testament that Jesus Christ was that Word through whom all things were made (John 1:1–3). We also know that Jesus was the wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 1:24,30). Thus we see the unity between God’s wisdom, His Word, and His Son.

²³ In verse 20, the writer says that the deeps were divided; this most likely means that springs and streams were opened up. The language is figurative and not meant to be taken literally.

²⁴ For further discussion on the subject of testing, see Exodus 15:25–27; Leviticus 26:3 and comments.

²⁵ For a discussion of the way of the righteous and the way of the wicked, see Psalm 1:1–6 and comment.

²⁶ For a discussion of the danger of getting off the right path for even a moment—even in “little things”—see comment on Judges 2:20–23.

²⁷ In verse 22, the health the writer mentions is complete health—physical, mental, and spiritual.

²⁸ For further discussion of the use of the word heart in Scripture, see comment on Psalm 4:7–8 and footnote to comment.

²⁹ Many kinds of sin promise immediate pleasure, but their harmful consequences come later. This is particularly true of sexual sin; its anticipated pleasure is so great that future consequences are out of sight and out of mind. This is why the writer focuses so much on sexual sin; it is one of the greatest destroyers of life, especially among the young.

³⁰ One might argue: “My wife doesn’t bring me joy.” If this is true, then either the husband or the wife (or both) is falling short of God’s expectations. The solution is to conform one’s life to God’s expectations and not seek a “solution” outside marriage and therefore outside God’s will.

³¹ Often such pledges are made because one desires to help a neighbor or relative who is in debt; but there are other ways to help without putting up security. One should never put himself under obligation to pay another person’s debt; that is folly.

³² For further discussion of slander, see Numbers 12:1; Psalms 12:1–4; 27:12 and comments. For New Testament references concerning how God views slanderers, see Romans 1:29–30; 1 Corinthians 5:1; 6–9–10; Ephesians 4:31.

³³ The use of sequential numbers like six and seven is a common literary device in Hebrew poetry. It indicates that the list which follows is not exhaustive, but is only a sampling; in verse 16, the sampling is of things God hates.

³⁴ Note that there is a difference between shedding blood and shedding innocent blood. The latter is murder (see Exodus 20:13 and comment). The former was often commanded by God as part of His judgment on wicked men or ungodly nations.

³⁵ In verse 31, the word sevenfold symbolizes completeness: the thief must pay back “in full,” in full accordance with the law. According to Exodus 22:1–9, thieves had to pay back no more than fivefold; in most cases, they had to pay back only double.

³⁶ A major part of wisdom is good judgment; judgment is the ability to discern between good and evil and to make wise choices accordingly.

³⁷ One part of wisdom is prudence (verse 5), which together with knowledge and discretion leads to sound judgment (verses 12,14). All of these terms are closely related and are sometimes used as synonyms for wisdom and understanding.

³⁸ In calling Jesus the firstborn over all creation, Paul was referring to Jesus’ preeminence over creation, just as a firstborn son had preeminence over his brothers in biblical times. Paul was not implying that God “gave birth” to Jesus.

³⁹ Those who are already wise need no special invitation to come to Wisdom’s house; they are already there. Mockers and the wicked are not invited, because they wouldn’t come anyway; therefore, only the simple are invited.

⁴⁰ Wisdom and righteousness always go together.

⁴¹ The wiser a man is the more he will desire correction and rebuke. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting. . . (2Timothy 3:16). However, the hardened mocker and the wicked man reject being taught, and it is usually wise to avoid correcting them (see Matthew 7:6).

⁴² Jesus highlighted a similar point in His parable of the wise and foolish builders (Matthew 7:24–27). The two houses they built seemed the same from the outside, but one had no foundation and was destroyed. In the case of the woman Folly, her invitation seems the same as that of Wisdom, but the food she offers results in death (verse 18).

⁴³ Righteousness both delivers from death and leads to life—eternal life with God in heaven.

⁴⁴ For further discussion on the subject of trouble, suffering, and discipline, see Exodus 15:25–27; Psalms 38:1–8,17–22; 44:9–22 and comments.

⁴⁵ In Scripture, the term blameless does not mean “sinless”; it means having integrity, having a sincere heart, having a desire to do what is right.

⁴⁶ Many ordinary families had a servant in biblical times; it was not a luxury, as it is today.

⁴⁷ In most of the Old Testament, the teaching about immortality and eternal life is not fully developed. Such teaching is more clearly presented in the New Testament.

⁴⁸ Moving the boundary stones that determined the boundaries of a person’s property was against God’s law (Deuteronomy 19:14; 27:17).

⁴⁹ For further discussion of atonement, see Leviticus 1:1–4 and comment; Word List: Atonement.

⁵⁰ All authority has been established by God (Romans 13:1)—even the authority of evil kings. However, when kings disobey God and try to force others to do likewise, then the wise man (the godly man) must not appease the king’s wrath but rather he must stand up for God and take the consequences.

⁵¹ It is possible to wink and to purse one’s lips without any evil intent at all; what one’s facial expressions signify depends on the circumstances.

⁵² For further discussion on the subject of divine guidance, see footnote to comment on Exodus 28:15–30; comment on Numbers 9:17–23 and footnote to comment; Psalm 32:8–10 and comment.

⁵³ A crucible is a heat-resistant container used for melting and purifying metals.

⁵⁴ Keep in mind that slander can consist of either truth or falsehood. Any statement that is designed to undermine or discredit a person behind his back is slander—whether true or false.

⁵⁵ For further discussion on the subject of gossip, criticism and slander, see Numbers 11:1–3; 12:1; Psalms 12:1–4; 27:12 and comments.

⁵⁶ It is possible to have disagreements and debates without quarreling or interpersonal conflict. The goal is to debate the issue, not the person.

⁵⁷ The name of the Lord is equivalent to the Lord Himself; His name represents who He is, His nature and His attributes. For further discussion, see Psalm 5:11–12and comment.

⁵⁸ Sometimes it is hard for an outside observer to tell the difference between a gift and a bribe; the difference depends on the motivation of the giver and the circumstances of the gift. A bribe always involves “bending the rules” and unfairly or illegally promoting one’s own self-interest.

⁵⁹ With God, it is never “too late.” He can break into anyone’s life at any age and give that person a new heart and a new life. But the duty of parents is to do all they can, with God’s help, to ensure that their child starts out in life on the path of wisdom and godliness.

⁶⁰ As with many other “promises” in the Old Testament, the statement that our children will not turn from God should not be understood as an absolute promise; rather, it is an expectation. Our children are not robots; it is possible for them to “turn away” or to backslide. Most promises in Scripture are contingent upon our faith and our obedience to God’s commands, and that applies to our children as well.

⁶¹ For a discussion of “Original Sin” and our sinful nature, see Genesis 3:1–13 and comment; General Article: The Fall into Sin.

⁶² We must not associate with wrongdoers as equals or partners; not only will their wrong attitudes “rub off” on us, but our witness to Christ will be compromised by our association with them (2 Corinthians 6:14–18). However, it is necessary to be kind to such people and to encourage them to turn to Christ.

⁶³ The Bible does not support rebellion (or revolution), even against evil kings and rulers. Christians are not to take the law into their own hands; instead they are to rely on God to change their situation—to change the king’s heart (Proverbs 21:1).

⁶⁴ We must keep in mind that in all these references to “fools” in the book of Proverbs, the word fool means someone who is “foolish” in a moral sense—in other words, someone who is unrighteous or ungodly.

⁶⁵ For the use of the word heart in Scripture, see footnote to comment on Psalm 4:7–8.

⁶⁶ In verse 4, the Hebrew word for law is “torah,” which means instruction. It can refer to the law of Moses or to the instructions of wisdom; since the instructions of wisdom are based on the law of Moses, both meanings are applicable.

⁶⁷ Notice that throughout Scripture, and especially in the book of Proverbs, the righteous person has a number of characteristics that always go together: he or she seeks God, keeps His law, follows justice, works diligently, speaks truthfully, gives generously, and looks out for the poor. This is the way of God, the way of wisdom, the way of blessing. The way of the wicked is the opposite in every respect (see Psalm 1:1–6 and comment).

⁶⁸ In Scripture, the word blameless does not mean “sinless”; rather, it means being a godly, upright person who loves the Lord and sincerely seeks to do His will.

⁶⁹ At the end of verse 4, Agur mentions God’s son. Some Bible scholars understand this “son” to be Israel (Exodus 4:22–23; Hosea 11:1); others believe that Agur was referring to God’s word or, prophetically, to Jesus.

⁷⁰ In a more wonderful and fuller way, God has now revealed Himself to us through His Son Jesus (see Hebrews 1:1–3).

⁷¹ The Apostle Paul learned to be content whether he was living in plenty or in want (Philippians 4:12). He wrote: . . . godliness with contentment is great gain (1 Timothy 6:6).

⁷² The use of the numbers three and then four is for poetic effect (see Proverbs 6:16).

⁷³ For a fuller discussion of the marriage relationship, see Ephesians 5:21–33; General Article: Christian Marriage, in The Applied New Testament Commentary.

⁷⁴Men and women are equal before God. However, God has assigned to them distinct roles in this life. Though they may differ, these roles are of equal value and importance to God.

Many Christians today still regard a wife as somehow “beneath” her husband; they believe she should simply stay at home and take care of the family. But this poem presents a different picture of a wife, the picture of an accomplished business woman who contributes to her family’s prosperity and to her husband’s reputation. Surely God wants to use all of a woman’s potential gifts to build His church.