Are you looking for a Christian Bible text dedicated to women? Proverbs 31 is the right text, as it is mostly dedicated to women and wives within Christianity.
She is clothed in strength and dignity
Proverbs 31 of the Bible is a precious text dedicated to all mothers, wives and women in general, because it speaks mostly about them.
We know that there are many women who read our comments and articles, so we thought it would be nice to dedicate this article to all of you. We hope you learn a lot about the Bible’ s teachings about women and how they should be interpreted correctly.
Proverbs 31 of the Bible in today’s language
After listening to the text, we recommend that you read it carefully and locate all the verses that generate doubts so that you can find them later in our Bible commentary.
This is the text in the King James Version of the Bible that you can find in any Spanish-speaking country or easily on the Internet. It is a version of the Bible that we recommend having, since its translations are very faithful to the original texts.
Exhortation to a king
1 King Lemuel’s words; the prophecy with which his mother taught him.
2 What, my son? So what, son of my womb?
So what, son of my desires?
3 Do not give women your strength,
Nor your ways to that which destroys kings.
4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine,
Nor of the princes the cider;
5 Lest in drinking they forget the law,
And pervert the right of all the afflicted.
6 Give cider to the faint-hearted,
And wine to those of bitter spirits.
7 Drink, and forget your need,
And of their misery remember no more.
8 Open your mouth for the dumb
At the trial of all the underdogs.
9 Open your mouth, judge righteously,
And he defends the cause of the poor and the needy.
In praise of the virtuous woman
10 A virtuous woman, who can find her?
Because its esteem far surpasses that of precious stones.
11 Her husband’s heart is in her trust,
And it will not be without profit.
12 She gives him good and not evil
Every day of his life.
13 Look for wool and linen,
And he willingly works with his hands.
14 It is like a merchant ship;
Bring your bread from afar.
15 Rises even at night
And gives food to his family
And ration to their maids.
16 Consider the inheritance, and buy it,
And he plants vines from the fruit of his hands.
17 He girdeth up his loins with strength,
And he strains his arms.
18 He sees that his business is going well;
Your lamp does not go out at night.
19 Applies his hand to the spindle,
And his hands to the spinning wheel.
20 He reaches out his hand to the poor,
And he extends his hands to the needy.
21 He is not afraid of snow because of his family,
Because his whole family is dressed in double clothes.
22 She makes tapestries;
Of fine linen and purple is her dress.
23 Her husband is known in the gates,
When he sits with the elders of the land.
24 He makes fabrics, and sells,
And give tapes to the merchant.
25 Strength and honor are his clothing;
And he laughs at what is to come.
26 He opens his mouth with wisdom,
And the law of clemency is in their language.
27 Consider the ways of his house,
And he doesn’t eat bread for nothing.
28 Her children arise and call her blessed;
And her husband also praises her:
29 Many women did good;
But you surpass them all.
30 Grace is deceitful, and beauty is vain;
The woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.
31 Give him of the fruit of his hands,
And praise her at the gates for her deeds.
Explanation and meaning of proverbs 31
As we have warned you, this text was written almost 3000 years ago, so some of what is said must be interpreted from a different perspective and not taken literally.
This is especially true when talking about women, since in those times they were relegated to a secondary role in society and in many occasions subordinated to the power of men.
Having said this, let’s analyze the meaning of Proverbs 31, from which you will surely learn a lot of things.
- Proverbs 31:1-3
The author of this chapter begins by contextualizing the words that will be spoken in it. Thus, he tells us about King Lemuel and the words his mother says to him.
There are no historical records of any king Lemuel in the region of Israel, so he may be an invented character or a nickname for one of the kings of this territory.
The message of this first block of verses is clear: the king must be careful with the lack of control of worldly pleasures, especially those related to women. This should be generalized to all people. A life close to the Lord implies a life full of spirit and far from temptation.
- Proverbs 31:4-7
At this point, the mother talks about another material pleasure that is very present in the world: alcohol. All excesses in this life are bad and, as she says, an exaggerated consumption of wine can lead people astray.
Wine is blessed on several occasions in the Bible, although we must remember that it is for a much more ceremonial purpose and in moderate quantities. Drinking for pleasure should not be the same as consecrating to the Lord.
- Proverbs 31:8-9
Here the proverb takes a turn and instead of continuing to prohibit things, a light is given that should guide the path of all believers. Our mission in the world is to help those in need, to be in solidarity and to judge always from the Word of God and never from selfishness.
These two verses should be engraved in the minds of all Christians and be what we strive for every day. A better world awaits us if we work together and act with the love that Christ showed us.
- Proverbs 31:10-12
From here begins the part of the chapter dedicated to women. Most of the things that are said can also be applied to men, such as those that refer to marriage.
This is what the first three verses of this second part speak of. The wife must be worthy of her husband’s trust, and love must be sincere between them. The same should be said in reverse, becoming in this respect a relationship of equals.
Couples who meet these requirements will have happiness in their lives and a prosperous relationship that will accompany them for years to come. The last verse stresses something important: constancy must be one of the main features of the relationship, and love must be for “all the days of your life”.
- Proverbs 31:13-16
These verses narrate the characteristics of a virtuous wife in the home. It must be active and work for the family unit without feeling that this work is less than any other.
An important point to note here is that this does not mean that the entire burden of household work should fall on the wife’s shoulders. A family does not follow a good course if some of its members are not involved in making it happen.
In Christianity, actions for family welfare are of fundamental importance and should be a priority for everyone.
- Proverbs 31:17-20
Women should never feel weaker than men in a true Christian marriage. Each member of the couple should empower the other and bring out his or her best qualities.
A wife in a good marriage is stronger than anyone else and is able to move the group forward with incredible skill. It is this strength that keeps the family unit together, with an unconditional love that is hard to find elsewhere.
- Proverbs 31:21-23
This verse highlights the ability and skill of a good wife to prepare the household for any adversity while taking care of herself.
This second part of the sentence is very important because if a person does not take care of himself, he will not be able to take care of others with all his strength. The perfect balance between giving to others and taking care of oneself is what makes a wife live happily in her Christian marriage.
- Proverbs 31:24-27
These four verses narrate the need for a Christian woman to have a life outside the family. Having an honest job and socializing with other people are things that every human being should be able to reconcile with their family life.
The Bible already gives the possibility for women to work in 3000-year-old texts and yet today we still see many differences between men and women in this aspect, and the role of women in the world of work is still undervalued by many.
- Proverbs 31:28-29
Within the framework of the family, everyone should love their mother with their heart. She often gives all her strength to her children and husband in a selfless way, and this should be rewarded with the love of the rest of the family.
Giving thanks is an act of vital importance in many situations in life, and in this one it should not be less important.
- Proverbs 31:30-31
These last verses are intended to give advice to all people who are looking for someone to share the rest of their lives with in the union of marriage.
As they say, external beauty is something volatile and should not be the main reason for love between people. The engine of a relationship must be that both have a pure heart and want to live following God’s path together, with a life dedicated to making the world a better place.
Context of Proverbs 31
Proverbs 31 is the 31st chapter of the Old Testament Book of Proverbs in the Bible.
This book is located between the Book of Psalms and Ecclesiastes, all of which are considered wisdom books. This category of biblical books comprises those volumes that seek to teach their readers in a poetic and beautiful way.
So this is what proverbs are: poetic compositions with short ethical or spiritual sentences that aim to educate the faithful about the behavioral guidelines they should follow in order not to stray from God.
It is not known who wrote these texts, although there is a consensus that King Solomon, son of King David, wrote them around 950 BC. The latter wrote much of the Book of Psalms that precedes him.
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