Proverbs 31
BSASBThis final chapter has two parts. First, a king’s mother warns him against women who would ruin him and against drink that clouds judgment, and she urges him to speak up for the helpless. Then comes a poem, with each verse starting with the next letter of the Hebrew alphabet, that portrays a capable, wise, God-fearing wife whose daily work blesses her household and many others.
Proverbs 31:1
Nothing more is known of King Lemuel. What matters is that his words come from his mother, who taught him. She speaks with the weight of a message worth carrying. A godly mother’s instruction is presented here as worthy to stand in Scripture.
BSA: burden (“prophecy, oracle, message from God”): The word marks her counsel as a weighty message, not a casual opinion. taught (“disciplined, instructed”): Her teaching was firm training meant to shape his character, not just friendly advice.
Hebrew: מַשָּׂא (massa, H4853) — “a burden, something lifted up; also an oracle.” The Hebrew word pictures a load to be carried and a solemn message to be delivered. Her words are heavy because they matter.
Proverbs 31:2
She speaks with tender urgency, repeating ‘my son’ three times. He is the child of her own body and the child she prayed for. Because she loves him so much, she is about to say the things he most needs to hear.
BSA: vows (“pledges, promises made to God”): She had made promises to God about this child, so she sees him as a gift to be given back in faithful living.
See also: 1 Samuel 1:11.
Proverbs 31:3
She warns him not to pour his strength into immoral relationships. A king who gives himself to such pleasures is left weak, and his throne suffers with him. A ruler’s private life affects everyone he rules.
BSA: ruin (“destroy, or wipe away”): Unchecked desire does not just embarrass a king; it can wipe out his reign.
See also: 1 Kings 11:1-4.
Proverbs 31:4-5
Rulers must stay clear-headed. Craving strong drink dulls the mind, and a dulled judge forgets the law he is sworn to uphold. The cost falls on the weakest, who depend on a ruler’s sober, fair judgment.
BSA: oppressed (“those afflicted, suffering, or in trouble”): Those already hurting are the first to lose when a ruler’s judgment fails.
See also: Isaiah 5:22-23; Proverbs 20:1.
Proverbs 31:6-7
Here she turns to a different case: someone dying or crushed by grief. Strong drink may dull pain for a time. She is describing mercy toward the suffering, not setting an ideal for daily life. Christians hold varied convictions about alcohol, but the contrast with verses 4-5 is clear.
BSA: bitter (“experiencing emotional pain”): The phrase describes a heart weighed down with sorrow, not merely a sour mood.
Proverbs 31:8-9
The king’s real task is to speak for people who cannot speak for themselves. That includes those with no influence, no money and no lawyer. Righteous judging means a fair hearing for the poor and needy. God’s own heart for the helpless becomes the ruler’s job description.
BSA: voice (“mute, unable to speak, dumb”): It pictures people so powerless that no one will listen, so someone else must speak for them. cause (“judgment, legal suit, plea”): The poor have a real case in court, and the king is to see that it gets heard.
Hebrew: אִלֵּם (illem, H483) — “mute, speechless.” The word is used for someone who cannot speak up. It reminds us that silence is often the mark of the powerless, not of those with nothing to say.
See also: Isaiah 1:17; Psalm 82:3.
Proverbs 31:10
The poem begins by asking where such a woman can be found. The answer is that she is rare and worth more than jewels. Her value lies in strength of character, not in looks or status. The poem treats her as a treasure to be recognized.
BSA: noble character (“strong, capable”): Her excellence is a practical strength that gets things done and carries others.
Hebrew: חַיִל (chayil, H2428) — “strength, valor, capability.” This word is often used of mighty soldiers and armies. Applied to a wife, it says she is a woman of courage and force of character, not just of gentleness.
See also: Ruth 3:11.
Proverbs 31:11-12
Her husband can rest his whole heart on her. He does not have to guard his possessions against her carelessness or unfaithfulness. Her goodness to him is not occasional but lifelong, and it adds to his life instead of draining it.
BSA: trusts (“has complete confidence, faith”): His trust is deep and settled, the kind that lets a man live without worry.
Proverbs 31:13
She chooses her materials with care and then works gladly. Wool and flax were the raw stuff of clothing in her world. She does not drag through her tasks; she enjoys the skill and the good that comes from it.
BSA: eager (“delighted, willing”): She works from pleasure, not grudging duty.
Hebrew: חֵפֶץ (chephets, H2656) — “delight, pleasure, willingness.” The Hebrew says she works with delight of her palms. Her hands take real pleasure in their work.
Proverbs 31:14
Like trading ships that sail far and return loaded, she brings in good things from distant places. She does not limit her household to what is close at hand. She is resourceful and thinks ahead for their good.
BSA: afar (“a distant place, a far country”): She will reach out beyond her own doorstep to supply her family.
Proverbs 31:15
She is up before dawn, feeding her family and giving her servants their share and their work. Her early rising is love in action, and she runs her home fairly and with order.
BSA: portions (“tasks, assignments”): The word can mean both food and the day’s work, so she supplies her helpers with both.
Proverbs 31:16
She does not rush into a purchase. She weighs the field first, then buys it, and pays for a vineyard out of what she herself has earned. Her work grows into lasting wealth that blesses the household.
BSA: appraises (“considers, looks at carefully”): She thinks the matter through before she acts. earnings (“the fruit of her hands, profit”): The money comes straight from her own labor, and the same phrase returns in verse 31.
Hebrew: זָמְמָה (zamemah, H2161) — “she considers, plans, devises.” The word describes careful planning. She acts on a thought-out purpose, not on impulse.
Proverbs 31:17
She gets ready for work like someone tucking up a robe and tying it at the waist. Her arms are strong for the job. The verse speaks of energy and readiness to take on hard tasks.
BSA: girds (“binds, wraps”): It pictures a belt drawn tight so the robe cannot get in the way of work.
Hebrew: חָגְרָה (chagerah, H2296) — “she girds, she binds on.” The word is used of tying on a belt. Here she girds herself with strength as another person might gird on a tool or a weapon.
Proverbs 31:18
She is pleased with the results of her labor, because her work is good and it pays. Her lamp burning late shows her diligence. Nor is she shaken in the dark times; she is prepared for them.
BSA: gain (“merchandise, profit”): It is the return on her goods and her labor, which she sees is sound. lamp (“candle, light”): A lamp kept burning stands for a household that is not left in the dark.
Proverbs 31:19
She spins thread by hand, with the distaff holding the fiber and the spindle twisting it. This is quiet, steady work that is easy to overlook, yet it clothes her family and supplies what she sells. Faithful small tasks add up.
BSA: spindle (“a rod for twisting thread”): It is the simple tool that turns raw fiber into usable thread.
Proverbs 31:20
Her busy hands are also open hands. After caring for her own family, she reaches out to the poor and needy. Her industry has a purpose beyond herself, and her giving is generous.
BSA: opens (“stretches out, spreads forth”): She does more than hand over a coin; she stretches out toward the person in need.
Hebrew: כַּפָּהּ (kappah, H3709) — “her palm, her open hand.” The Hebrew speaks of her palm. The picture is of a hand held open and extended, giving freely.
See also: Proverbs 19:17; Deuteronomy 15:11.
Proverbs 31:21
Winter does not frighten her. She has prepared warm clothing for everyone in the home. Her fearlessness comes from forethought, because she planned ahead long before the cold came.
BSA: scarlet (“deep red, crimson”): Dyed cloth of rich color suggests clothing that is both warm and of good quality.
Proverbs 31:22
She does not neglect her own comfort and dignity. Her bed is well covered and her clothes are of the finest cloth and color. Her good management has brought real prosperity, and she enjoys it with thanks.
BSA: purple (“dyed, royal”): Purple cloth was costly, so it points to dignity and success.
Proverbs 31:23
Her husband is respected where the town’s leaders meet to decide cases. His good name owes much to her. A well-ordered home frees him to serve the community, and her work supports his.
BSA: gate (“public place, town entrance”): The gate was the town’s meeting place, where business and judgment happened. elders (“old, wise men”): They were the respected leaders of the community.
See also: Ruth 4:1-2.
Proverbs 31:24
Her skill reaches beyond her household. She makes garments and sashes and sells them to traders. Her work meets real needs in the wider community, and she earns a reputation for quality.
BSA: sashes (“belts, cloth bands”): These were useful, everyday items that merchants were glad to buy. merchants (“Canaanite, merchant”): The Hebrew word often meant ‘Canaanite’ because the Canaanites were known as traders.
Hebrew: כְּנַעֲנִי (kena’ani, H3669) — “Canaanite; also merchant, trader.” Because Canaanites were famous traders, their name came to mean ‘merchant’ in Hebrew.
Proverbs 31:25
Her real clothing is character: strength and honor. Because of that, she faces the future without dread. She is not naive about hard days, but she trusts God and has prepared well, so she can laugh.
BSA: laugh (“rejoice, smile”): Her calm is a cheerful confidence, not tense endurance.
Hebrew: וַתִּשְׂחַק (vattischaq, H7832) — “and she laughs.” The verb is the ordinary word for laughing. She meets the unknown with a laugh instead of anxiety.
See also: Matthew 6:34.
Proverbs 31:26
Her words match her work. She speaks with wisdom, and her teaching is shaped by kindness. Her advice helps because it is both sound and loving.
BSA: faithful (“kind, merciful”): The word carries loving-kindness and loyalty, so her teaching is warm as well as true. instruction (“law, guidance”): She teaches what is right, in the way of God’s own instruction.
Proverbs 31:27
She keeps careful watch over everything that goes on in her home and does not live off others’ work. She is both alert and busy. Her family is cared for because she pays attention.
BSA: idleness (“sluggishness, laziness, without working”): She refuses to coast; every meal is earned by effort.
Hebrew: צוֹפִיָּה (tsofiyyah, H6822) — “one who watches, a watchful one.” The word comes from the language of a lookout or watchman. She guards her home with alert attention.
Proverbs 31:28-29
Her children stand up and call her happy, and her husband adds his praise. He says that many women have done well, but she goes beyond them all. The people who know her best honor her most.
BSA: blessed (“speak highly of her, pronounce her happy”): They openly declare how fortunate they are to have her.
Hebrew: אִשְּׁרוּהָ (ishsheruha, H833) — “they call her happy, they call her blessed.” The Hebrew verb is related to the word for ‘happy’ or ‘blessed’ in the Psalms. Her children speak of her as someone truly favored.
Proverbs 31:30
Looks and charm fade or mislead, but reverence for the Lord lasts. The poem’s deepest praise goes to her fear of God. All her strength, wisdom and kindness grow from that root.
BSA: Charm (“deceptive, false allure”): Charm can make a good impression without proving real worth. fears (“reveres, has awe for”): It means honoring God with awe and trust, not cringing in terror.
See also: Proverbs 1:7; Psalm 111:10.
Proverbs 31:31
The poem ends by asking that she be given her due. What her hands have produced should be recognized, and her deeds speak for her before the whole community. Faithful work done for God and others earns lasting honor.
BSA: fruit of her hands (“an open hand; strength, a side or share”): This points back to the earnings of verse 16, the result of all her labor. gates (“city entrances, public places, or gathering areas”): The gates were the public square, so her praise is spoken openly before all.