A Virtuous Woman as seen in Proverbs 31
By Denise Noe

Much of the last chapter of Proverbs is dedicated to describing the
characteristics of “a virtuous woman.” Verse 10 asks, “Who can find a
virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies.”
It is interesting to examine the qualities that such a woman is said
to possess as well as the affects she is said to have on those around
her.
Verse 27 says a virtuous woman “eateth not the bread of idleness.”
This is a rather arresting admonition in view of the old saying, “A
woman’s work is never done.” That a good woman is said not to be idle
indicates that idleness among women was a fact of life even in the
days in which the Old Testament was written.
However, the virtuous woman of Proverbs 31 is industrious. Verse 19:
“She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.”
Families usually had to make their own clothes and hours of work were
required to keep people adequately clothed. The home was not only a
shelter but a genuine workplace.
The woman praised by Proverbs works diligently to keep her family fed.
Verse 15: “She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to
her household.”
It appears that women in the Old Testament culture were expected to be
responsible for major financial transactions. Verse: 16: “She
considereth a field, and buyeth it.” Verse 24: “She maketh fine linen,
and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.”
A virtuous woman in this Old Testament view is anything but a ditzy
sort and she is also no nag. Verse 26: “She openeth her mouth with
wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.”
Proverbs 31 repeatedly tells us that a good woman is defined largely
by her good works. It warns against placing too much emphasis on a
woman’s looks as Verse 30 states, “beauty is vain.”
The good works of a virtuous woman extend beyond her own family. Verse
20: “She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth
her hands to the needy.”
Virtue leads to welcome rewards, Proverbs 31 strongly indicates. Verse
11: “The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her.” Verse: 28:
“Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he
praiseth her.”
Regardless of whether a person is a believer in the Bible as a
divinely inspired work or not, it is indisputably an extraordinary
book. Parts of it contain much that is wise and perennially relevant
as Proverbs 31 most certainly is.
All too often, we women can become obsessed with our appearance. We
can “eat of the bread of idleness” to the detriment of both ourselves
and our families. We can also use our verbal skills to hurt so we
ought to remind ourselves of the value of a kind tongue.
Thanks to the inventions made by (mostly) men, few women in our modern
industrialized world need work the spindle and the distaff. However,
all of us should recognize the importance of being active and
productive within the home as well as outside of it. We women will do
well to cultivate the characteristics of the virtuous woman as praised
in Proverbs 31. If we do, it is likely we will earn and enjoy the
trust and praise of those close to us just as this Proverbs chapter
promises.