Do you know what it means to be a Proverbs 31 woman? I can happily say that I am married to one!
Proverbs 31 is a famous passage – you will hear people extol the virtues of being a ‘Proverbs 31 woman’. With Mother’s Day fast approaching, I found this subject on my mind, and in looking further into it, found something I had never suspected...
Proverbs 31 starts out by stating that these are sayings that King Lemuel was taught by his mother…and while there is some debate on who exactly Lemuel was, it’s pretty clear that he had a wise and caring mother. I assume she was trying to impress upon him what kind of woman she wanted for a daughter-in-law… it might also be assumed that the mother of the King was this kind of woman herself.
But did you know that a lot of biblical experts and scholars (aka - people more qualified than me) suggest that this King Lemuel was actually Solomon? They believe that Lemuel might have been sort of a nickname that his mother gave him. If this proverb did indeed come from Solomon, then he heard these words from his mother Bathsheba...and that puts quite an intriguing spin on this, I think.
You do remember, Bathsheba, don't you? The married woman who went skinny-dipping on her roof where the King (and who knows who else) could see her? The one that so enticed King David that he called her in to him, even though he knew she was married to one of his soldiers? The one who then became pregnant (with Solomon) from this encounter? The encounter that ultimately led to her husband's pre-meditated murder by the King? Yeah, that would be the wise woman Solomon heard this from:
10 Who can find a virtuous and capable wife?
She is more precious than rubies.
11 Her husband can trust her,
and she will greatly enrich his life.
12 She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.
Does that make this proverb any less wise or true? Of course not. Perhaps, it makes it even more wise... That would mean that this woman who, in her youth, made some really bad decisions, and was probably thought and spoken of in terms that were the opposite of the ones used above ('virtuous', 'trust', 'good'), grew into wisdom and recognized the qualities that make for a good wife. In fact, from other places in the bible (read 1 Kings), it appears she became very capable, trusted, and wise as the King's wife.
And it's encouraging, I think, to see the bible take someone that starts out poorly, and ends well. It seems the words in Proverbs 31 would attest to the mother of the King (whether Bathsheba or not), show a wisdom that every son could learn from. Let's see more about what a "Proverbs 31" woman is:
20 She extends a helping hand to the poor
and opens her arms to the needy.
25 She is clothed with strength and dignity,
and she laughs without fear of the future.
26 When she speaks, her words are wise,
and she gives instructions with kindness.
27 She carefully watches everything in her household
and suffers nothing from laziness.
28 Her children stand and bless her.
Her husband praises her:
29 “There are many virtuous and capable women in the world,
but you surpass them all!”
30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last;
but a woman who fears the LORD will be greatly praised.
31 Reward her for all she has done.
Let her deeds publicly declare her praise
Amen to that! May every young man be blessed with such a wife!
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AuthorOne Won One is a pseudonym for a man who explores biblical truths throughout his every day life Archives
November 2020
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