Proverbs 31:13
Proverbs 31:13 in Multiple Translations
She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands.
She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.
She seeketh wool and flax, And worketh willingly with her hands.
She gets wool and linen, working at the business of her hands.
She gets wool and flax, and with her eager hands turns them into clothes.
She seeketh wooll and flaxe, and laboureth cheerefully with her handes.
She hath sought wool and flax, And with delight she worketh [with] her hands.
She seeks wool and flax, and works eagerly with her hands.
She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.
She hath sought wool and flax, and hath wrought by the counsel of her hands.
She finds wool and flax in the market, and she enjoys spinning it to make yarn.
Berean Amplified Bible — Proverbs 31:13
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Proverbs 31:13 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
דָּ֭רְשָׁה
צֶ֣מֶר
וּ/פִשְׁתִּ֑ים
וַ֝/תַּ֗עַשׂ
בְּ/חֵ֣פֶץ
כַּפֶּֽי/הָ
דָּ֭רְשָׁה
dârash
H1875
to seek
V-Qal-Perf-3fs
צֶ֣מֶר
tsemer
H6785
wool
N-ms
וּ/פִשְׁתִּ֑ים
pishteh
H6593
flax
Conj | N-mp
וַ֝/תַּ֗עַשׂ
ʻâsâh
H6213
to make
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3fs
בְּ/חֵ֣פֶץ
chêphets
H2656
pleasure
Prep | N-ms
כַּפֶּֽי/הָ
kaph
H3709
palm
N-fd | Suff
Hebrew Word Study
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Hebrew Word Reference — Proverbs 31:13
דָּ֭רְשָׁה
dârash
H1875
"to seek"
V-Qal-Perf-3fs
To seek or ask is the meaning of this Hebrew word, often used to describe seeking God or worshiping him. It can also mean to investigate or enquire about something.
Definition: 1) to resort to, seek, seek with care, enquire, require 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to resort to, frequent (a place), (tread a place) 1a2) to consult, enquire of, seek 1a2a) of God 1a2b) of heathen gods, necromancers 1a3) to seek deity in prayer and worship 1a3a) God 1a3b) heathen deities 1a4) to seek (with a demand), demand, require 1a5) to investigate, enquire 1a6) to ask for, require, demand 1a7) to practice, study, follow, seek with application 1a8) to seek with care, care for 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to allow oneself to be enquired of, consulted (only of God) 1b2) to be sought, be sought out 1b3) to be required (of blood)
Usage: Occurs in 152 OT verses. KJV: ask, [idiom] at all, care for, [idiom] diligently, inquire, make inquisition, (necro-) mancer, question, require, search, seek (for, out), [idiom] surely. See also: Genesis 9:5; Ezra 10:16; Psalms 9:11.
צֶ֣מֶר
tsemer
H6785
"wool"
N-ms
This Hebrew word refers to wool, like the kind used to make warm clothing, and is also used to describe something white or woolly.
Definition: 1) wool 1a) wool 1b) whiteness (metaph.) 1c) wool (in garments) Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (עֲמַר "wool" H6015)
Usage: Occurs in 16 OT verses. KJV: wool(-len). See also: Leviticus 13:47; Proverbs 31:13; Psalms 147:16.
וּ/פִשְׁתִּ֑ים
pishteh
H6593
"flax"
Conj | N-mp
This Hebrew word refers to flax, a plant used to make linen thread. It is mentioned in Exodus 9 as part of the plague of hail that damaged the flax crops in Egypt. The word is about a natural resource used for clothing.
Definition: 1) flax, linen 1a) fibre used as material for garments
Usage: Occurs in 15 OT verses. KJV: flax, linen. See also: Leviticus 13:47; Proverbs 31:13; Isaiah 19:9.
וַ֝/תַּ֗עַשׂ
ʻâsâh
H6213
"to make"
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3fs
This verb means to make or do something, and is used over 2,600 times in the Bible. It is first used in Genesis 1:7 to describe God's creation of the world and is also used in Exodus 31:5 to describe the work of skilled craftsmen.
Definition: : make(OBJECT) 1) to do, fashion, accomplish, make 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to do, work, make, produce 1a1a) to do 1a1b) to work 1a1c) to deal (with) 1a1d) to act, act with effect, effect 1a2) to make 1a2a) to make 1a2b) to produce 1a2c) to prepare 1a2d) to make (an offering) 1a2e) to attend to, put in order 1a2f) to observe, celebrate 1a2g) to acquire (property) 1a2h) to appoint, ordain, institute 1a2i) to bring about 1a2j) to use 1a2k) to spend, pass 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be done 1b2) to be made 1b3) to be produced 1b4) to be offered 1b5) to be observed 1b6) to be used 1c) (Pual) to be made
Usage: Occurs in 2286 OT verses. KJV: accomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, [idiom] certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, [phrase] displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in) execute(-ion), exercise, fashion, [phrase] feast, (fight-) ing man, [phrase] finish, fit, fly, follow, fulfill, furnish, gather, get, go about, govern, grant, great, [phrase] hinder, hold (a feast), [idiom] indeed, [phrase] be industrious, [phrase] journey, keep, labour, maintain, make, be meet, observe, be occupied, offer, [phrase] officer, pare, bring (come) to pass, perform, pracise, prepare, procure, provide, put, requite, [idiom] sacrifice, serve, set, shew, [idiom] sin, spend, [idiom] surely, take, [idiom] thoroughly, trim, [idiom] very, [phrase] vex, be (warr-) ior, work(-man), yield, use. See also: Genesis 1:7; Genesis 34:19; Exodus 18:24.
בְּ/חֵ֣פֶץ
chêphets
H2656
"pleasure"
Prep | N-ms
This word refers to pleasure or delight, often describing something that brings joy or happiness. In the Bible, it can also mean a valuable thing or a desire, like in Psalm 1.
Definition: 1) delight, pleasure 1a) delight 1b) desire, longing 1c) the good pleasure 1d) that in which one takes delight
Usage: Occurs in 38 OT verses. KJV: acceptable, delight(-some), desire, things desired, matter, pleasant(-ure), purpose, willingly. See also: 1 Samuel 15:22; Ecclesiastes 3:1; Psalms 1:2.
כַּפֶּֽי/הָ
kaph
H3709
"palm"
N-fd | Suff
In the Bible, this word refers to the palm of the hand, like in Exodus 29 where it describes the priest's hands being filled with offerings. It can also symbolize power or strength, like in Psalm 16. It's about the hand or its shape.
Definition: : palm/hand 1) palm, hand, sole, palm of the hand, hollow or flat of the hand 1a) palm, hollow or flat of the hand 1b) power 1c) sole (of the foot) 1d) hollow, objects, bending objects, bent objects 1d1) of thigh-joint 1d2) pan, vessel (as hollow) 1d3) hollow (of sling) 1d4) hand-shaped branches or fronds (of palm trees) 1d5) handles (as bent)
Usage: Occurs in 180 OT verses. KJV: branch, [phrase] foot, hand((-ful), -dle, (-led)), hollow, middle, palm, paw, power, sole, spoon. See also: Genesis 8:9; 2 Chronicles 6:13; Psalms 7:4.
Study Notes — Proverbs 31:13
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Proverbs 31:13 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Proverbs 31:13
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Proverbs 31:13
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Proverbs 31:13
- Trapp's Commentary on Proverbs 31:13
- Ellicott's Commentary on Proverbs 31:13
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Proverbs 31:13
- Cambridge Bible on Proverbs 31:13
- Barnes' Notes on Proverbs 31:13
- Whedon's Commentary on Proverbs 31:13
- Sermons on Proverbs 31:13
Context — The Virtues of a Noble Woman
11The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he lacks nothing of value.
12She brings him good and not harm all the days of her life.
13She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands.
14She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar. 15She rises while it is still night to provide food for her household and portions for her maidservants.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Titus 2:5 | to be self-controlled, pure, managers of their households, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be discredited. |
| 2 | 1 Timothy 5:10 | and well known for good deeds such as bringing up children, entertaining strangers, washing the feet of the saints, imparting relief to the afflicted, and devoting herself to every good work. |
| 3 | 2 Thessalonians 3:10–12 | For even while we were with you, we gave you this command: “If anyone is unwilling to work, he shall not eat.” Yet we hear that some of you are leading undisciplined lives and accomplishing nothing but being busybodies. We command and urge such people by our Lord Jesus Christ to begin working quietly to earn their own living. |
| 4 | Acts 9:39–40 | So Peter got up and went with them. On his arrival, they took him to the upper room. All the widows stood around him, weeping and showing him the tunics and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them. Then Peter sent them all out of the room. He knelt down and prayed, and turning toward her body, he said, “Tabitha, get up!” She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter, she sat up. |
| 5 | Genesis 18:6–8 | So Abraham hurried into the tent and said to Sarah, “Quick! Prepare three seahs of fine flour, knead it, and bake some bread.” Meanwhile, Abraham ran to the herd, selected a tender and choice calf, and gave it to a servant, who hurried to prepare it. Then Abraham brought curds and milk and the calf that had been prepared, and he set them before the men and stood by them under the tree as they ate. |
| 6 | Ruth 2:23 | So Ruth stayed close to the servant girls of Boaz to glean grain until the barley and wheat harvests were finished. And she lived with her mother-in-law. |
| 7 | Genesis 24:13–14 | Here I am, standing beside the spring, and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water. Now may it happen that the girl to whom I say, ‘Please let down your jar that I may drink,’ and who responds, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels as well’—let her be the one You have appointed for Your servant Isaac. By this I will know that You have shown kindness to my master.” |
| 8 | Ruth 2:2–3 | And Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, “Please let me go into the fields and glean heads of grain after someone in whose sight I may find favor.” “Go ahead, my daughter,” Naomi replied. So Ruth departed and went out into the field and gleaned after the harvesters. And she happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was from the clan of Elimelech. |
| 9 | Genesis 24:18–20 | “Drink, my lord,” she replied, and she quickly lowered her jar to her hands and gave him a drink. After she had given him a drink, she said, “I will also draw water for your camels, until they have had enough to drink.” And she quickly emptied her jar into the trough and ran back to the well to draw water, until she had drawn water for all his camels. |
| 10 | Isaiah 32:9–11 | Stand up, you complacent women; listen to me. Give ear to my word, you overconfident daughters. In a little more than a year you will tremble, O secure ones. For the grape harvest will fail and the fruit harvest will not arrive. Shudder, you ladies of leisure; tremble, you daughters of complacency. Strip yourselves bare and put sackcloth around your waists. |
Proverbs 31:13 Summary
[This verse shows us that the virtuous woman is a hard worker who takes care of her family's needs. She chooses the materials she needs, like wool and flax, and works with eager hands to provide for them. This is an example of how we can trust in God's provision, as seen in Psalm 37:3-7, and also work diligently to care for our loved ones, as encouraged in 1 Timothy 5:8. By following her example, we can learn to be diligent and selfless in our own work and service to others, as seen in Colossians 3:23-24.]
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean for the virtuous woman to select wool and flax?
The selection of wool and flax represents her diligence in providing for her family's needs, as seen in Proverbs 31:13, and is reminiscent of the biblical values of hard work and self-sufficiency found in Proverbs 10:4-5 and 2 Thessalonians 3:10-12.
Why does the Bible emphasize the importance of eager hands in this verse?
The emphasis on eager hands in Proverbs 31:13 highlights the virtuous woman's willingness to work diligently and serve her family, as also seen in Titus 2:4-5, where women are encouraged to be workers at home and kind to their families.
How does this verse relate to the broader theme of biblical womanhood?
Proverbs 31:13 contributes to the biblical portrait of a virtuous woman, who is characterized by her love for her family, her diligence in work, and her trust in God, as seen in verses like Proverbs 31:11-12 and Ephesians 5:22-24.
What can we learn from the virtuous woman's example in this verse?
We can learn the value of hard work, diligence, and selflessness from the virtuous woman's example in Proverbs 31:13, and apply these principles to our own lives, as encouraged in Colossians 3:23-24 and 1 Corinthians 10:31.
Reflection Questions
- What are some ways I can apply the principle of eager hands to my own life and work?
- How can I balance the desire to provide for my family's needs with the need to trust in God's provision, as seen in Matthew 6:25-34 and Philippians 4:19?
- In what ways can I demonstrate my love and care for my family through diligent work and selfless service, as encouraged in 1 Timothy 5:8 and Titus 2:4-5?
- What are some practical steps I can take to cultivate a spirit of diligence and hard work in my own life, as seen in Proverbs 6:6-11 and 2 Thessalonians 3:10-12?
Gill's Exposition on Proverbs 31:13
She seeketh wool and flax,.... To get them, in order to spin them, and work them up into garments; she stays not till they are brought to her, and she is pressed to take them; but she seeks after
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Proverbs 31:13
Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. The praises of a virtuous woman; forming a Hebrew acrostic. The 22 years begin with the several 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet consecutively; M.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Proverbs 31:13
She seeketh wool and flax, that she may find employment for her servants, and not suffer them to spend all their time unprofitably in ease and idleness. Worketh willingly with her hands; she encourageth them to work by her example; which was a common practice among princesses in those first and purest ages of the world. Not that it is the duty of kings and queens to use manual or mechanical operations, but that it is the duty of all persons, the greatest not excepted, to improve all their talents, and particularly their time, which is one of the noblest of them, one way or other to the service of that God to whom they must give an account, and to the good of that community to which they are related and obliged.
Trapp's Commentary on Proverbs 31:13
Proverbs 31:13 She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.Ver. 13. She seeketh wool and flax.] This was held no shame for Solomon’ s wife. Augustus Caesar taught his daughters to spin and card; he wore no garments but what his wife and daughters made him. The like is reported of Charles the Great. Spinster, they say, is a term given the greatest women in our law. Rebecca was a dainty cook; so was Tamar, David’ s daughter. By Mohammed’ s law, the grand Turk himself must be of some trade. And worketh willingly with her hands.] As if her hands did desire to do what she put them to do, for so the original soundeth: "She worketh with the will of her hands." The Vulgate render it, "with the counsel of her hands," as if her hands were oculatae. She discreetly and cheerfully rids her work - with fervour and forecast.
Ellicott's Commentary on Proverbs 31:13
(13) And worketh willingly with her hands.—Literally, with the pleasure or willingness of her hands; they, as it were, catch her willing spirit.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Proverbs 31:13
Verse 13. She seeketh wood and flax, and worketh willingly, c.] II. This is the second part of her character, giving the particulars of which it is composed. 1. She did not buy ready woven cloth: she procured the raw material, if wool, most probably from her own flocks if flax, most probably from her own fields. 2. Here she manufactured; for she worketh willingly with her hands. And all her labour is a cheerful service; her will, her heart, is in it. It needs no arguments to prove that women, even of the highest ranks, among the Greeks, Romans, and Israelites, worked with their hands at every kind of occupation necessary for the support of the family. This kind of employment was not peculiar to the virtuous woman in the text.
Cambridge Bible on Proverbs 31:13
13. seeketh] Some would render, applies herself to, busies herself about. The LXX. have draws out; μηρυομένη.
Barnes' Notes on Proverbs 31:13
Worketh willingly with her hands - Or, worketh with willing hands. The stress laid upon the industrial habits of Israelite matrons may perhaps belong to a time when, as under the monarchy of Judah, those habits were passing away.
Whedon's Commentary on Proverbs 31:13
12, 13. She will do him good — This is a continuation of the thought in the latter part of the preceding verse. So far the terms are general. The speaker now descends to particulars.
Sermons on Proverbs 31:13
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
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What Wilt Thou Have Me to Do?-What Shall We Do?-What Must I Do? by W.J. Erdman | W.J. Erdman preaches about the importance of asking the question 'What shall I do?' in the right way, emphasizing the need for repentance and belief in Jesus as the work of God. He |
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The Service of Women by John Nelson Darby | John Nelson Darby emphasizes the vital role of women in the church, highlighting their service through acts of kindness, hospitality, and support for the afflicted, as outlined in |
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Epistle 321 by George Fox | George Fox emphasizes the significance of good works in the life of a believer, illustrating that Christ gave Himself to redeem us and purify a people zealous for good deeds. He re |
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2 Timothy 3:1-7 by St. John Chrysostom | John Chrysostom preaches about the signs of the last days, warning of perilous times when people will be consumed by self-love, covetousness, boasting, pride, blasphemy, disobedien |
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Are You Ready for a Relationship? by Paul Washer | In this sermon, the speaker discusses the impact of media and video games on our perception of reality. He highlights how the constant bombardment of fantastical images and experie |
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(2006 Conference) 5.a Right Attitude to Money by Zac Poonen | This sermon emphasizes the importance of being faithful with money, avoiding extremes of poverty or excessive wealth, and recognizing that money should not rule over our lives. It |
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One Lion; Two Lions; No Lion at All by C.H. Spurgeon | C.H. Spurgeon addresses the issue of slothfulness, using the metaphor of lions to illustrate the excuses people make to avoid taking action, particularly in their spiritual lives. |