Proverbs 31:28 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:

NIV: Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:

NASB: Her children rise up and bless her; Her husband also, and he praises her, saying:

CSB: Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also praises her:

NLT: Her children stand and bless her. Her husband praises her:

KJV: Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.

NKJV: Her children rise up and call her blessed; Her husband also, and he praises her:

Pursuing godly wisdom (Proverbs 1:7–8; 3:5–8) does not always bring a person fame. However, it is much more likely to bring someone good reputation (Proverbs 3:4, 35). An excellent woman (Proverbs 31:10) earns the respect and praise of her children and her husband. To bless a person is to say good things about that person. An excellent mother may receive compliments from her children about her love for them, her hard work on their behalf, or her caring attitude (Proverbs 31:21–25). Most importantly, they will appreciate her devotion to the Lord (Proverbs 31:26).

Naturally, a woman who exhibits the traits of this passage should expect her husband to show his appreciation. He is likely to tell others how fortunate he is to be married to her. An important way for him to reflect this appreciation is with fidelity: with no eyes nor desire for another woman (Proverbs 5:15–18). As far as he is concerned, he is married to the best woman on earth. He may echo the words of Solomon, "You are altogether beautiful, my love; there is no flaw in you" (Song of Solomon 4:7). Or he may use the phrasing given in the next verse (Proverbs 31:29).

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.

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.

Proverbs chapter 31 comes after a long list of Solomon's teachings (Proverbs 25—29) and the words of Agur (Proverbs 30). This final section is connected to two women: the mother of King Lemuel and the ideal of a godly, "excellent" wife. Themes found in this passage are reflected in other lessons from the book of Proverbs. Of note, commendable traits such as business savvy, strength, and wisdom are explicitly associated with women, despite being stereotypically considered masculine. The content after verse 10 is explicitly structured as a poem.

Proverbs is best understood in context with the books of Ecclesiastes and Job. In Proverbs, “wisdom” is given in short, simple, general terms. Ecclesiastes represents wisdom based on observation and experience. This often shows how the general principles of the book of Proverbs don’t apply in absolutely every circumstance. Job represents wisdom based on the experience of suffering and injustice. All three come to the conclusion that God does indeed know best, and the most sensible course of action is to follow His will.