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NASB | Proverbs 31:10 ¶ An excellent wife, who can find? For her worth is far above jewels. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Proverbs 31:10 ¶ An excellent woman [one who is spiritual, capable, intelligent, and virtuous], who is he who can find her? Her value is more precious than jewels and her worth is far above rubies or pearls. [Prov 12:4; 18:22; 19:14] |
Subject: Who was the Proverbs 31 wife? |
Bible Note: Thank you lady nain, Norrie, and nuno for your responses! The 'virtuous' wife of Proverbs 31:10 is personified by 'virtuous' Ruth of whom the same Hebrew word for virtuous, 'chayil' in Proverbs 31:10, is used to describe the woman Ruth in Ruth 3:11. With amazing parallel, Ruth and the virtuous wife of Proverbs 31 share at least 8 character traits! :) "One wonders (in concert with Jewish tradition) if King Lemuel's mother might not have been Bathsheba, who orally passed the family heritage of Ruth's spotless reputation along to David's son Solomon. Lemuel, which means "devoted to God," could have been a family name for Solomon (cf. Jedediah, 2 Sam. 12:25), who then could have penned Proverbs 31:10-31 with Ruth in mind." (The MacArthur NKJV Study Bible, pg. 373) Ruth and the wife of Proverbs 31 was.. 1) Devoted to her family (Ruth 1:15-18 ; Proverbs 31:10-12,23) 2) Delighting in her work (Ruth 2:2 ; Proverbs 31:13) 3) Diligent in her labor (Ruth 2:7,17,23 ; Proverbs 31:14-18,19-21,24,27) 4) Dedicated to godly speech (Ruth 2:10,13 ; Proverbs 13:26) 5) Dependent on God (Ruth 2:12 ; Proverbs 31:25b,30) 6) Dressed with care (Ruth 3:3 ; Proverbs 31:22,25a) 7) Discreet with men (Ruth 3:6-13 ; Proverbs 31:11,12,23) 8) Delivering blessings (Ruth 4:14,15 ; Proverbs 31:28,29,31) Excellent study! --Nolan |