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Selected Verse: Proverbs 31:10 - Darby
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| Pr 31:10 |
Darby |
Who can find a woman of worth? for her price is far above rubies. |
| |
King James |
Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
| A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
This exquisite picture of a truly lovely wife is conceived and drawn in accordance with the customs of Eastern nations, but its moral teachings suit all climes. In Hebrew the verses begin with the letters of the Hebrew alphabet in order (compare Introduction to Poetical Books).
Who . . . woman--The question implies that such are rare, though not entirely wanting (compare Pro 18:22; Pro 19:14).
virtuous--literally, "of strength," that is, moral courage (compare Pro 12:4; Rut 3:11).
her price, &c.--(compare Pro 3:15). |
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
See the introduction to Proverbs.
Rubies - Better, pearls. See the Pro 3:15 note. |
| Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78] |
A wife, such as she ought to be, is a rare treasure, a good excelling all earthly possession:
10 א A virtuous woman, who findeth her!
She stands far above pearls in worth.
In the connection אושׁת חיל and the like, the idea of bodily vigour is spiritualized to that of capacity, ability, and is generalized; in virtus the corresponding transition from manliness, and in the originally Romanic "Bravheit," valour to ability, is completed; we have translated as at Pro 12:4, but also Luther, "a virtuous woman," is suitable, since Tugend (virtue) has with Tchtigkeit [ability] the same root-word, and according to our linguistic [German] usage designates the property of moral goodness and propriety, while for those of former times, when they spoke of the tugend (tugent) of a woman, the word combined with it the idea of fine manners (cf. חן, Pro 11:16) and culture (cf. שׂכל טוב, Pro 13:15). The question מי ימצא, quis inveniat, which, Ecc 7:24, proceeds from the supposition of the impossibility of finding, conveys here only the idea of the difficulty of finding. In ancient Jerusalem, when one was married, they were wont to ask: מצא אומוצא, i.e., has he found? thus as is said at Pro 18:22, or at Ecc 7:26. A virtuous woman [braves Weib] is not found by every one, she is found by comparatively few. In 10b there is given to the thought which underlies the question a synonymous expression. Ewald, Elster, and Zckler incorrectly render the ו by "although" or "and yet." Fleischer rightly: the second clause, if not in form yet in sense, runs parallel to the first. מכר designates the price for which such a woman is sold, and thus is purchasable, not without reference to this, that in the Orient a wife is obtained by means of מהר. מכר, synon. מחיר, for which a wife of the right kind is gained, is רחוק, placed further, i.e., is more difficult to be obtained, than pearls (vid., regarding "pearls" at Pro 3:15), i.e., than the price for such precious things. The poet thereby means to say that such a wife is a more precious possession than all earthly things which are precious, and that he who finds such an one has to speak of his rare fortune. |
| Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
| A virtuous woman - Here he lays down several qualifications of an excellent wife, which are delivered in alphabetical order, each verse beginning with a several letter of the Hebrew alphabet. |
| Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
Who can find a virtuous woman? - This and the following verses are acrostic, each beginning with a consecutive letter of the Hebrew alphabet: Pro 31:10, א aleph; Pro 31:11, ב beth; Pro 31:12, ג gimel; and so on to the end of the chapter, the last verse of which has the letter ת tau. From this to the end of the chapter we have the character of a woman of genuine worth laid down; first, in general, Pro 31:10-12; secondly, in its particular or component parts, verses 13-29; and, thirdly, the summing up of the character, Pro 31:30, Pro 31:31.
I. Her general character.
1. She is a virtuous wo man - a woman of power and strength. אשת חיל esheth chayil, a strong or virtuous wife, full of mental energy.
2. She is invaluable; her price is far above rubies - no quantity of precious stones can be equal to her worth. |
15 She is more precious than rubies; and all the things thou canst desire are not equal unto her.
11 And now, my daughter, fear not: all that thou sayest will I do to thee; for all the gate of my people knows that thou art a woman of worth.
4 A woman of worth is a crown to her husband; but she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his bones.
14 House and wealth are an inheritance from fathers; but a prudent wife is from Jehovah.
22 Whoso hath found a wife hath found a good thing, and hath obtained favour from Jehovah.
15 She is more precious than rubies; and all the things thou canst desire are not equal unto her.
15 She is more precious than rubies; and all the things thou canst desire are not equal unto her.
26 and I found more bitter than death the woman whose heart is nets and snares, and whose hands are bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be caught by her.
22 Whoso hath found a wife hath found a good thing, and hath obtained favour from Jehovah.
24 Whatever hath been, is far off, and exceeding deep: who will find it out?
15 Good understanding procureth favour; but the way of the treacherous is hard.
16 A gracious woman retaineth honour; and the violent retain riches.
4 A woman of worth is a crown to her husband; but she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his bones.
31 Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her own works praise her in the gates.
30 Gracefulness is deceitful and beauty is vain; a woman that feareth Jehovah, she shall be praised.
10 Who can find a woman of worth? for her price is far above rubies.
11 The heart of her husband confideth in her, and he shall have no lack of spoil.
12 She doeth him good, and not evil, all the days of her life.
12 She doeth him good, and not evil, all the days of her life.
11 The heart of her husband confideth in her, and he shall have no lack of spoil.
10 Who can find a woman of worth? for her price is far above rubies.