Chapter
Verse

Proverbs 31:19

ESV She puts her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle.
NIV In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
NASB She stretches out her hands to the distaff, And her hands grasp the spindle.
CSB She extends her hands to the spinning staff, and her hands hold the spindle.
NLT Her hands are busy spinning thread, her fingers twisting fiber.
KJV She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.
NKJV She stretches out her hands to the distaff, And her hand holds the spindle.

What does Proverbs 31:19 mean?

This famous passage depicts the traits of a rare, godly, valuable wife (Proverbs 31:10). Some of those traits, such as business sense (Proverbs 31:18) and strength (Proverbs 31:17), are stereotypically considered "masculine," yet are applied here to females. These are positive traits for all people, but they are especially relevant for a godly wife. This verse is another reference to productivity and hard work (Proverbs 31:15).

An earlier verse mentioned spinning flax and wool (Proverbs 31:13). The "distaff" is a tool used to hold unspun fibers. The "spindle" is where the material is stretched and rotated into thread.

The New Testament depicts a woman who exhibits this aspect of the "excellent wife:" Dorcas, a resident of Joppa. The book of Acts notes "she was full of good works and acts of charity" (Acts 9:36). When she died, the believers prepared her body and laid it in an upper room. When they heard the apostle Peter was in town, two of the men took him to the upper room, where all the widows were weeping. They showed Peter tunics and other garments that Dorcas had made for them. Peter put everyone outside, raised Dorcas from the dead, and then called the saints and widows to see her (Acts 9:37–41).
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Context Summary
Proverbs 31:10–31 is from an unidentified author. This famous passage describes various virtues and attitudes of a godly, excellent woman. Just like the deeply faithful man (Proverbs 20:6), such a woman is uncommon. She stands in vivid contrast to the adulterers and fools often described in Proverbs. Her life is marked by integrity, honor, trust, productivity, common sense, practical love, and hard work. Those strengths last much longer than appearances. The verses of this section form an "acrostic:" each begins with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet.
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Chapter Summary
This final chapter fits well with the rest of the book of Proverbs. It reiterates subjects found elsewhere in these lessons. Of note is that the entire chapter is connected to godly women. Topics include the importance of godly parenting, morality, righteous treatment of the needy, justice, and diligence. The first section are the words of King Lemuel's mother. The last is the famous depiction of an "excellent wife," exhibiting ideal traits of diligence, godliness, and competence. That description is arranged as acrostic poem: each verse begins with a consecutive letter of the Hebrew alphabet.
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