By Alice Mathews
When I began a deep dive into Proverbs 31, I was surprised again and again by what I discovered. I identified five surprises that changed the way I now see this much misunderstood and much maligned passage of Scripture. What a difference these five surprises have made! They’ve tossed in the dustbin the notion that a Christian woman is bound by a narrow and limited life. Instead, they have allowed Proverbs 31 to open wide the possibilities for every woman to live her best life.
Surprise 1: Proverbs 31 is not addressed to women.
When preachers take a congregation through these verses, more often than not, they make the point that the text is for and about women. Most people don’t notice that Proverbs 31 is not addressed to women. The chapter contains advice given to King Lemuel by the queen mother, advice designed to equip the king and other rulers to govern wisely. What did the king need to consider? What could or should he embrace? What should he shun?
In any case, obsession with the wrong kind of women had the power to corrupt a king’s ability to rule and to waste his money. We see the truth of that teaching as we watch Solomon’s seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines “turn his heart after other gods” (1 Kings 11:3-4). So King Lemuel is cautioned against linking up with the wrong kind of women, but note that he is not called to lead a celibate life. Instead, the king is introduced to the right kind of woman, a hayil woman of strength (Proverbs 31:10). Her worth is beyond the value of the most precious gems. A wise man will opt for the right kind of woman, a hayil woman of strength.
Surprise 2: A woman sets the right example for the king.
In Proverbs 31:20, the king learns that a woman of strength will use her resources to help the poor and needy. Thus, a woman models the correct values for the king. So when we read Proverbs 31, we understand that all wise people need the kind of advice King Lemuel was given. This is the practical wisdom that keeps people from making foolish decisions. The chapter as a whole is instructive for all of us, women and men, helping us discover what makes for a truly wise person.
Surprise 3: The book of Proverbs begins and ends with a strong and wise woman.
The opening chapter of Proverbs leads with an admonition to the reader about the fear of the Lord as the beginning of knowledge (1:7). The author then depicts wisdom in the form of a strong woman teaching the fear of the Lord to young men in the marketplace. The book of Proverbs concludes by proclaiming, “A woman who fears the LORD is to be praised” (31:30).
In the first chapter of Proverbs we meet Lady Wisdom crying out in the streets of the city, calling young men to rethink their lives and their choices, and telling them to choose the fear of the Lord (1:29). Chapter 31 ends by putting Lady Wisdom in street clothes—a real woman, showing us what someone looks like who has wisely chosen to fear the Lord.
Surprise 4: Proverbs 31:10-31 is designed to be memorized.
The last twenty-two verses of the chapter form an acrostic: the Hebrew alphabet has twenty-two letters, and there are twenty-two verses in Proverbs 31:10-31. Verse 10 begins with the Hebrew letter for a (aleph), verse 11 begins with the Hebrew form of b (beth), then verse 12 begins with the next letter in the Hebrew alphabet (gimel), and so on through the rest of the verses matched to the letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
So what’s the point of that? In the ancient world, acrostics were used as memory devices. Proverbs 31:10-31 was written as an acrostic poem so that it could be memorized easily. It was designed to be learned by heart. In the process, it would be discussed again and again, and people would grasp its wisdom for living. That was true for God’s people more than two thousand years ago, and it’s true for us today. It’s wisdom all of us need to help us live life wisely.
Surprise 5: It turns out that Proverbs 31:10–31 is a list.
We usually don’t expect stand-alone ideas in a list. But a list can do us a favor in slowing us down, asking us to think more extensively about each idea separate from what precedes or follows it. When it comes to the list that is Proverbs 31:10-31, I could choose to treat it as a quick list, one that simply takes a few moments to read. But when I get down to a serious consideration of these verses, it turns out that no single sermon can grasp and explore this list of verses in one shot.
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Proverbs 31 calls us to make full use of all the gifts God has given us. When we choose to do that, we experience fulfillment, joy, satisfaction, and peace. Celebrate with verve. Then move on. Embrace God’s gifts and calling.
With Proverbs 31 as your guide, you can answer the call to live your best life. Let’s dive into this treasure of Scripture. You may be in for a big surprise when you discover how practical and wonderfully encouraging the wisdom of God can be. Your study may change you and change much you thought you knew about what it means to be a woman of strength.
Excerpted and adapted from Woman of Strength: Living the Best Life Possible for God in This Broken World by Alice Mathews, published by Our Daily Bread Publishing
Read Also:
Woman of Strength: Living the Best Life Possible for God in This Broken World
Proverbs 31 has often been used to push women to do more, be more, and work harder—smarter, faster, better. Many have taken up the challenge with courage and grit . . . and ended up worn out. But, is that what God meant?
In this book, Bible teacher Alice Mathews helps us take a fresh look at this well-known chapter. Through clear teaching, practical insights, and thoughtful questions, you’ll discover what Proverbs 31 reveals—not just about women, but also about men and the heart of God.
Our Daily Bread Ministries in Indonesia is supported by the freewill offering of individuals in Indonesia, who through their gifts enable us to continue to bring the life-changing wisdom of the Bible to many here. We are not funded by any church or organisation.
