31:10–12 This section describes her marriage.
31:10 Who can find. She does exist, but is very hard to find. Cf. 18:22. virtuous. Excellent. See note on 12:4; cf. Ruth 3:11.
31:11 safely trusts her. He does not maintain jealous guard over her or keep his valuables locked up so that she cannot access them as was a common ancient practice in a house of distrust. She demonstrates impeccable loyalty to her husband, and her thrift and industry will add to his wealth.
31:13–24 This section describes her behavior.
31:13 seeks wool and flax. Excellent women gathered the material for making clothes (v. 19).
31:14 like the merchant ships. Excellent women would go far to secure the best food for their families.
31:15 rises while it is yet night. In order to have the food prepared for the family each day, she had to rise before dawn to begin the work, which she would do gladly.
31:16 considers a field. She was resourceful and entrepreneurial in her investing and reinvesting.
31:17 Such women were not soft, but by virtue of rigorous work, strong.
31:18 merchandise is good. That which she produced for the family of clothing, food, and wealth was good and profitable. lamp…night. Lamp is to be understood literally (cf. v. 15). She planted the vineyard during the day (v. 16), and wove late at night (v. 19). She rose early before dawn to prepare the food (v. 15), thus keeping a before-sunrise to after-dark schedule to care for her household, which was the foremost priority of her life (cf. Titus 2:5).
31:19 distaff…spindle. These tools are used to turn wool into thread for making clothing. Cf. Ex. 35:25.
31:20–24 Her activities, driven by the priority of caring for her family, resulted in multiplied fruitfulness for: 1) the poor and needy (v. 20); 2) her own household (v. 21); 3) herself (v. 22); 4) her husband (v. 23); and 5) the merchants (v. 24).
31:21 snow. Snow indicates the cold that occurs in the high altitudes of Palestine. Her labors anticipated her family’s need for warm clothing in such cold places and seasons.
31:22 fine linen and purple. The efforts she makes to honor others are rewarded to her. These silk and purple garments are expensive evidences of the blessings returned to her by God’s grace.
31:23 known in the gates. This woman made a significant contribution to her husband’s position in the community and to his success (vv. 10–12). His domestic comfort promoted his advancement in public honor. A man’s good reputation begins with his home and thus the virtue of his wife (cf 18:22).
31:24 makes…sells them. With all her other responsibilities faithfully discharged, she took time to make items of clothing for the purposes of trade.
31:25–27 This section emphasizes her character.
31:25 Strength and honor. These words describe the character of the woman who fears the LORD. Her inward clothing displays divine wisdom, giving her confidence to face the future with its unexpected challenges.
31:26 opens her mouth…law of kindness. Her teaching of wisdom and the law is tempered with mercy.
31:27 She was a skilled manager of the home. See note on Titus 2:4, 5. bread of idleness. Lit. “eyes looking everywhere” as in the lazy man (cf. 6:6, 9) of whom the same root word is used.
31:28, 29 This section describes her family life.
31:28 rise up…call her blessed. She was greatly respected because she has earned the praise of her family. See note on 29:17. There can be no higher joy for a mother than for her children to grow up to praise her as the source of the wisdom that made them godly. See note on 1 Tim. 2:15.
31:29, 30 you excel them all. This was her husband’s superlative praise (v. 28) which was well-deserved, in which he used the same word for “excellent” found in v. 10.
31:30, 31 This portion summarizes her spiritual life.
31:30 Charm…beauty. True holiness and virtue command permanent respect and affection, far more than charm and beauty of face and form. Cf. 1 Tim. 2:9, 10; 1 Pet. 3:1–6. a woman who fears the LORD. Proverbs ends where it began with a reference to the fear of the LORD. See note on 1:7.
31:31 fruit…works. See vv. 10–29. While she receives material reward (v. 22), the praise and success she labored to bring to her family and community will be her praise. The result of all her efforts is her best eulogy.
Proverbs 1
1:1 a 1 Kin. 4:32; Prov. 10:1; 25:1; Eccl. 12:9
1:2 1 understand or discern
1:4 b Prov. 9:4
1:5 c Prov. 9:9
1:5 2 acquire
1:6 d Num. 12:8; Ps. 78:2; Dan. 8:23
1:7 e Job 28:28; Ps. 111:10; Prov. 9:10; 15:33; (Eccl. 12:13)
1:8 f Prov. 4:1
1:9 g Prov. 3:22
1:10 h Gen. 39:7–10; Deut. 13:8; Ps. 50:18; (Eph. 5:11)
1:11 i Prov. 12:6; Jer. 5:26
1:12 j Ps. 28:1
1:12 3 Or the grave
1:13 4 Lit. wealth
1:13 5 plunder
1:15 k Ps. 1:1; Prov. 4:14
1:15 l Ps. 119:101
1:16 m Prov. 6:17, 18; (Is. 59:7); Rom. 3:15
1:17 6 futility
1:17 7 Lit. lord of the wing
1:19 n Prov. 15:27; (1 Tim. 6:10)
1:20 o Prov. 8:1; 9:3; (John 7:37)
1:20 8 in the street
1:21 9 LXX, Syr., Tg. top of the walls; Vg. the head of multitudes
1:22 10 naive
1:22 11 naivete
1:23 p Is. 32:15; Joel 2:28; (John 7:39)
1:24 q Is. 65:12; 66:4; Jer. 7:13; Zech. 7:11
1:25 r Ps. 107:11; Luke 7:30
1:26 s Ps. 2:4
1:27 t (Prov. 10:24, 25)
1:28 u 1 Sam. 8:18; Job 27:9; 35:12; Ps. 18:41; Is. 1:15; Jer. 11:11; 14:12; Ezek. 8:18; Mic. 3:4; Zech. 7:13; (James 4:3)
1:29 v Job 21:14; Prov. 1:22
1:29 w Ps. 119:173
1:30 x Ps. 81:11; Prov. 1:25
1:31 y Job 4:8; Prov. 5:22, 23; 22:8; Is. 3:11; Jer. 6:19
1:32 12 waywardness
1:33 z Prov. 3:24–26
1:33 a Ps. 112:7
1:33 13 at ease
Proverbs 2
2:1 a (Prov. 4:21)
2:4 b (Prov. 3:14)
2:5 c (James 1:5, 6)
2:6 d 1 Kin. 3:9, 12; (Job 32:8; James 1:5)
2:7 e (Ps. 84:11); Prov. 30:5
2:8 f (1 Sam. 2:9); Ps. 66:9
2:11 g Prov. 4:6; 6:22
2:13 h Ps. 82:5; Prov. 4:19; (John 3:19, 20)
2:14 i Prov. 10:23; Jer. 11:15; (Rom. 1:32)
2:15 j Ps. 125:5; (Prov. 21:8)
2:16 k Prov. 5:20; 6:24; 7:5
2:16 l Prov. 5:3
2:18 m Prov. 7:27
2:18 1 sinks
2:19 2 Lit. reach
2:21 n Ps. 37:3
2:22 3 destroyed
2:22 4 land
Proverbs 3
3:1 a Deut. 8:1
3:2 b Ps. 119:165; Prov. 4:10
3:3 c Ex. 13:9; Deut. 6:8; Prov. 6:21
3:3 d Prov. 7:3; Jer. 17:1; (2 Cor. 3:3)
3:4 e 1 Sam. 2:26; Luke 2:52; Rom. 14:18
3:4 1 Lit. good understanding
3:5 f (Ps. 37:3, 5); Prov. 22:19
3:5 g Prov. 23:4; (Jer. 9:23, 24)
3:6 h (1 Chr. 28:9); Prov. 16:3; (Phil. 4:6; James 1:5)
3:6 2 Or make smooth or straight
3:7 i Rom. 12:16
3:8 j Job 21:24
3:8 3 Body, lit. navel
3:8 4 Lit. drink
3:9 k Ex. 22:29; Deut. 26:2; (Mal. 3:10)
3:10 l Deut. 28:8
3:11 m Job 5:17; Ps. 94:12; Heb. 12:5, 6; Rev. 3:19
3:12 n Deut. 8:5; Prov. 13:24
3:13 o Prov. 8:32, 34, 35
3:14 p Job 28:13
3:15 q Matt. 13:44
3:16 r Prov. 8:18; (1 Tim. 4:8)
3:17 s (Matt. 11:29)
3:18 t Gen. 2:9; Prov. 11:30; 13:12; 15:4; Rev. 2:7
3:18 5 hold her fast
3:19 u Ps. 104:24; Prov. 8:27
3:20 v Gen. 7
:11
3:23 w (Ps. 37:24; 91:11, 12); Prov. 10:9
3:25 x Ps. 91:5; 1 Pet. 3:14
3:27 y Rom. 13:7; (Gal. 6:10)
3:27 6 Lit. its owners
3:28 z Lev. 19:13; Deut. 24:15
3:30 a Prov. 26:17; (Rom. 12:18)
3:31 b Ps. 37:1; Prov. 24:1
3:32 c Ps. 25:14
3:33 d Lev. 26:14, 16; Deut. 11:28; Zech. 5:3, 4; Mal. 2:2
3:33 e Job 8:6; Ps. 1:3
3:34 f James 4:6; 1 Pet. 5:5
Proverbs 4
4:1 a Ps. 34:11; Prov. 1:8
4:3 b 1 Chr. 29:1
4:4 c 1 Chr. 28:9; Eph. 6:4
4:4 d Prov. 7:2
4:5 e Prov. 2:2, 3
4:6 f 2 Thess. 2:10
4:7 g Prov. 3:13, 14; Matt. 13:44
4:8 h 1 Sam. 2:30
4:9 i Prov. 3:22
4:10 j Prov. 3:2
4:11 k 1 Sam. 12:23
4:12 l Job 18:7; Ps. 18:36
4:12 m (Ps. 91:11); Prov. 3:23
4:14 n Ps. 1:1; Prov. 1:15
4:16 o Ps. 36:4; Mic. 2:1
4:16 1 Lit. robbed
4:18 p Is. 26:7; Matt. 5:14, 45; Phil. 2:15
4:18 q 2 Sam. 23:4
4:18 2 Lit. light
4:19 r 1 Sam. 2:9; (Job 18:5, 6); Prov. 2:13; (Is. 59:9, 10; Jer. 23:12); John 12:35
4:23 s (Matt. 12:34; 15:18, 19; Mark 7:21; Luke 6:45)
4:24 3 devious
4:26 t Prov. 5:21; Heb. 12:13
Proverbs 5
5:1 1 Lit. Bow
5:2 a Mal. 2:7
5:2 2 appreciate good judgment
5:3 b Prov. 2:16
5:3 c Ps. 55:21
5:3 3 Lit. a strange
5:5 d Prov. 7:27
5:5 4 Or Sheol
5:9 5 vigor
5:10 6 Lit. strength
5:16 7 Channels
5:18 e Deut. 24:5; Eccl. 9:9; Mal. 2:14
5:19 f Song 2:9
5:19 8 Lit. intoxicated
5:20 g Prov. 2:16
5:21 h 2 Chr. 16:9; Job 31:4; 34:21; Prov. 15:3; Jer. 16:17; 32:19; Hos. 7:2; Heb. 4:13
5:21 9 observes, lit. weighs
5:22 i Num. 32:23; Ps. 9:5; Prov. 1:31; Is. 3:11
5:23 j Job 4:21
Proverbs 6
6:1 a Prov. 11:15
6:1 1 guaranty or collateral
6:1 2 Lit. struck
6:4 b Ps. 132:4
6:5 3 One who catches birds in a trap or snare
6:6 c Job 12:7
6:7 4 Lit. leader
6:8 5 Lit. bread
6:9 d Prov. 24:33, 34
6:9 6 Lit. lie down
6:11 e Prov. 10:4
6:13 f Job 15:12; Ps. 35:19; Prov. 10:10
6:13 7 gives signals, lit. scrapes
6:14 g Prov. 3:29; Mic. 2:1
6:14 h Prov. 6:19
6:15 i Prov. 24:22; Is. 30:13; 1 Thess. 5:3
6:15 j Jer. 19:11
6:15 k 2 Chr. 36:16
6:16 8 Lit. His soul
6:17 l Ps. 101:5; Prov. 21:4
6:17 m Ps. 120:2; Prov. 12:22
6:17 n Deut. 19:10; Prov. 28:17; Is. 1:15
6:17 9 Lit. Haughty eyes
6:18 o Gen. 6:5; Ps. 36:4; Prov. 24:2; Jer. 18:18; Mark 14:1, 43–46
6:18 p 2 Kin. 5:20–27; Is. 59:7; Rom. 3:15
6:19 q Ps. 27:12; Prov. 19:5, 9; Matt. 26:59–66
6:19 r Prov. 6:14; 1 Cor. 1:11–13; (Jude 3, 4, 16–19)
6:20 s Eph. 6:1
6:21 t Prov. 3:3
6:22 u (Prov. 3:23)
6:22 v Prov. 2:11
6:22 10 Lit. it
6:23 w Ps. 19:8; 2 Pet. 1:19
6:24 x Prov. 2:16
6:25 y Matt. 5:28
6:26 z Prov. 29:3
6:26 a Gen. 39:14
6:26 b Ezek. 13:18
6:26 11 Wife of another, lit. a man’s wife
6:31 c Ex. 22:1–4
6:32 d Prov. 7:7
6:34 e Prov. 27:4; Song 8:6
6:35 12 Lit. lift up the face of any
Proverbs 7
7:1 a Prov. 2:1
7:2 b Lev. 18:5; Prov. 4:4; (Is. 55:3)
7:2 c Deut. 32:10; Ps. 17:8; Zech. 2:8
7:3 d Deut. 6:8; Prov. 6:21
7:5 e Prov. 2:16; 5:3
7:7 f (Prov. 6:32; 9:4, 16)
7:7 1 Lit. sons
7:7 2 lacking
7:9 g Job 24:15
7:11 h Prov. 9:13; 1 Tim. 5:13
7:11 i Titus 2:5
7:13 3 shameless
7:16 j Is. 19:9; Ezek. 27:7
7:19 4 Lit. the man
7:20 5 Lit. in his hand
7:20 6 at the full moon
7:21 k Prov. 5:3
7:21 l Ps. 12:2
7:21 7 By the greatness of her words
7:21 8 compelled
7:22 9 LXX, Syr., Tg. as a dog to bonds; Vg. as a lamb … to bonds
7:22 10 shackles
7:23 m Eccl. 9:12
7:23 11 Lit. is for
7:26 n Neh. 13:26
7:27 o Prov. 2:18; 5:5; 9:18; (1 Cor. 6:9, 10; Rev. 22:15)
7:27 12 Or Sheol
Proverbs 8
8:1 a Prov. 1:20, 21; 9:3; (1 Cor. 1:24)
8:2 1 Lit. heights
8:5 2 naive
8:6 b Prov. 22:20
8:11 c Job 28:15; Ps. 19:10; 119:127; Prov. 3:14, 15; 4:5, 7; 16:16
8:13 d Prov. 3:7; 16:6
8:13 e 1 Sam. 2:3; (Prov. 16:17, 18; Is. 13:11)
8:13 f Prov. 4:24
8:14 g Eccl. 7:19; 9:16
8:15 h 2 Chr. 1:10; Prov. 29:4; Dan. 2:21; (Matt. 28:18); Rom. 13:1
8:16 3 MT, Syr., Tg., Vg. righteousness; LXX, Bg., some mss. and editions earth
8:17 i 1 Sam. 2:30; (Ps. 91:14); Prov. 4:6; (John 14:21)
8:17 j Prov. 2:4, 5; John 7:37; James 1:5
8:18 k Prov. 3:16; (Matt. 6:33)
8:20 4 walk about on
8:22 l Job 28:26–28; Ps. 104:24; Prov. 3:19; (John 1:1)
8:23 m (Ps. 2:6)
8:25 n Job 15:7, 8
8:26 5 outer places
8:26 6 Lit. beginning of the dust
8:29 o Gen. 1:9, 10; Job 38:8–11; Ps. 33:7; 104:9; Jer. 5:22
8:29 p Job 28:4, 6; Ps. 104:5
8:30 q (John 1:1–3, 18)
8:30 r (Matt. 3:17)
8:30 7 A Jewish tradition one brought up
8:31 s Ps. 16:3; John 13:1
8:32 t Ps. 119:1, 2; 128:1; Prov. 29:18; Luke 11:28
8:34 u Prov. 3:13, 18
8:35 v Prov. 3:4; 12:2; (John 17:3)
8:36 w Prov. 20:2
Proverbs 9
9:1 a (Matt. 16:18; 1 Cor. 3:9, 10; Eph. 2:20–22; 1 Pet. 2:5)
9:2 b Matt. 22:4
9:2 c Prov. 23:30
9:2 1 arranged
9:4 d Ps. 19:7
9:5 e Song 5:1; Is. 55:1; (John 6:27)
9:8 f Prov. 15:12; Matt. 7:6
9:8 g Ps. 141:5; Prov. 10:8
9:9 h (Matt. 13:12)
9:10 i Job 28:28; Ps. 111:10; Prov. 1:7
9:11 j Prov. 3:2, 16
9:12 k Job 35:6, 7; Prov. 16:26
9:13 l Prov. 7:11
9:13 2 boisterous
9:14 m Prov. 9:3
9:16 n Prov. 7:7, 8
9:16 3 naive
9:17 o Prov. 20:17
9:18 p Prov. 2:18; 7:27
9:18 4 Or Sheol
Proverbs 10
10:1 a Prov. 1:1; 25:1
10:1 b Prov. 15:20; 17:21, 25; 19:13; 29:3, 15
10:2 c Ps. 49:7; Prov. 11:4; 21:6; Ezek. 7:19; (Luke 12:19, 20)
10:2 d Dan. 4:27
10:3 e Ps. 34:9, 10; 37:25; Prov. 28:25; (Matt. 6:33)
10:4 f Prov. 19:15
10:4 g Prov. 12:24; 13:4; 21:5
10:5 h Prov. 6:8
10:5 i Prov. 19:26
10:7 j Ps. 112:6; Eccl. 8:10
10:8 k Prov. 10:10
10:8 1 Lit. the foolish of lips
10:8 2 be thrust down or ruined
&
nbsp; 10:9 l (Ps. 23:4; Prov. 3:23; 28:18; Is. 33:15, 16)
10:12 m Prov. 17:9; (1 Cor. 13:4–7; James 5:20); 1 Pet. 4:8
10:13 n Prov. 26:3
10:13 3 Lit. lacks heart
10:14 o Prov. 18:7
10:15 p Job 31:24; Ps. 52:7; Prov. 18:11; (1 Tim. 6:17)
10:16 q Prov. 6:23
10:17 4 leads
10:18 r Prov. 26:24
10:18 s Ps. 15:3; 101:5
10:19 t Job 11:2; (Prov. 18:21); Eccl. 5:3
10:19 u Prov. 17:27; (James 1:19; 3:2)
10:21 5 Lit. heart
10:22 v Gen. 24:35; 26:12; Deut. 8:18; Ps. 37:22; Prov. 8:21
10:23 w Prov. 2:14; 15:21
10:24 x Job 15:21; Prov. 1:27; Is. 66:4
10:24 y Ps. 145:19; Prov. 15:8; Matt. 5:6; (1 John 5:14, 15)
10:25 z Ps. 37:9, 10
10:25 a Ps. 15:5; Prov. 12:3; Matt. 7:24, 25
10:27 b Prov. 9:11
10:27 c Job 15:32
10:28 d Job 8:13
10:29 e Ps. 1:6
10:30 f Ps. 37:22; Prov. 2:21
10:30 6 land
10:31 g Ps. 37:30; Prov. 10:13
Proverbs 11
11:1 a Lev. 19:35, 36; Deut. 25:13–16; Prov. 20:10, 23; Mic. 6:11
11:1 1 deceptive
11:1 2 Lit. perfect stone
11:2 b Prov. 16:18; 18:12; 29:23
11:3 c Prov. 13:6
11:4 d Prov. 10:2; Ezek. 7:19; Zeph. 1:18
11:4 e Gen. 7:1
11:5 f Prov. 5:22
11:5 3 Or make smooth or straight
11:7 g Prov. 10:28
11:8 h Prov. 21:18
11:10 i Prov. 28:12
11:11 j Prov. 14:34
11:12 4 Lit. lacks heart
11:13 k Lev. 19:16; Prov. 20:19; 1 Tim. 5:13
11:13 l Prov. 19:11
11:14 m 1 Kin. 12:1
11:15 n Prov. 6:1, 2
11:15 5 guaranty
11:15 6 those pledging guaranty, lit. those who strike hands
11:17 o (Matt. 5:7; 25:34–36)
11:18 p Hos. 10:12; (Gal. 6:8, 9); James 3:18
11:19 q Prov. 10:16; 12:28
11:19 r Prov. 21:16; (Rom. 6:23; James 1:15)
11:21 s Prov. 16:5
11:21 t Ps. 112:2; Prov. 14:26
11:21 7 Lit. hand to hand
11:22 8 taste
11:23 u Prov. 10:28; Rom. 2:8, 9
11:24 v Ps. 112:9; Prov. 13:7; 19:17
11:25 w Prov. 3:9, 10; (2 Cor. 9:6, 7)
11:25 x (Matt. 5:7)
11:26 y Amos 8:5, 6
11:26 z Job 29:13
11:27 a Esth. 7:10; Ps. 7:15, 16; 57:6
11:27 9 Lit. seeks
11:28 b Job 31:24
11:28 c Ps. 1:3; Jer. 17:8
11:29 d Eccl. 5:16
11:29 e Prov. 14:19
11:30 f Prov. 14:25; (Dan. 12:3; 1 Cor. 9:19–22; James 5:20)
The MacArthur Study Bible, NKJV Page 308