Do not Misinterpret Proverbs 31. Uncover Girl Knowledge.

Oh, no. Not Proverbs 31 once more!

In case you are a lady who has been round a Bible examine for any time in any respect, it might not be shocking to have this response on the point out of this passage. And if that was your response, I wouldn’t blame you. I admit to the identical impulse.

Many ladies have been overwhelmed over the pinnacle with this textual content and discover it completely exhausting. You have a look at all of the methods this spouse is described and also you assume, “There isn’t any method I may presumably be that girl.” I perceive.

Even so, earlier than you progress on to a distinct article, let me problem you: Maybe there’s something extra right here that can encourage you as a pupil of the Bible—and likewise, as a lady. The portrait of the so-called “virtuous” girl is about excess of wifely duties. It’s, in reality, the personification of the timeless and historic individual we first find out about in Proverbs 8: Girl Knowledge.

Oh, and by the way in which, that doesn’t imply males shouldn’t find out about Proverbs 31. Keep in mind that it was initially a sensible mother’s recommendation to her son. In addition to, males undoubtedly know girls they will encourage.

Girl Knowledge’s joyous partnership with the Son (Prov 8)

It shouldn’t shock us that the lady in Proverbs 31 finds her origin in Proverbs 8, the place one other girl, Girl Knowledge, is revealed. So, earlier than we set about rescuing our Proverbs 31 sister, let’s briefly search to know Girl Knowledge.

Solomon personifies Knowledge as a lady who had been “introduced forth as the primary of his works, earlier than his deeds of outdated; [she] was shaped lengthy ages in the past, on the very starting, when the world got here to be” (Prov 8:22–23 NIV). She was there “earlier than he made the world … or any of the mud of the earth” (Prov 8:26), even earlier than the creation of humanity from that very mud (Gen 2:7).

Girl Knowledge, in different phrases, was there with the Son (John 1:1–3), always at his facet (Prov 8:27–31), as God spoke (Gen 1:3) and the universe got here into existence. This sensible Son, in whom are “hidden all of the treasures of knowledge and data” (Col 2:3), is surprisingly mentioned to companion collectively together with her, using the items Girl Knowledge brings (Prov 3:19–20), mirroring the way in which Adam and Eve had been to companion collectively in gracious rule over his entire creation (Gen 1:26–28).

Lady’s educating function in [Proverbs] alongside man’s (e.g., 1:8; 6:20) fulfills a part of the imaginative and prescient in Genesis 1–2 of man and girl collectively representing the picture of God and referred to as to train authority on the planet on God’s behalf, and invitations women and men to hunt to understand this imaginative and prescient on the planet.

Because the sensible Son partnered with Girl Knowledge, utilizing her items, she was “crammed with delight … rejoicing at all times in his presence, rejoicing in his entire world and delighting in mankind” (Prov 8:30–31). This joyous description of creation is echoed within the Lord’s personal phrases, proclaiming that the “morning stars sang collectively and all of the angels shouted for pleasure” (Job 38:7). Creation was not secret, solemn, silent, or solitary. It was a raucous celebration overseen by the Lord Jesus and Girl Knowledge.

What Girl Knowledge teaches

Even after the creation, this Girl continues to talk. She is described as a lady who’s at all times declaring knowledge, educating kids (Prov 8:32), rulers (8:15), certainly, all humankind (8:4), together with even the easy or silly (8:5). What does she educate? Her reliable, proper, true, and pure phrases (8:6–7).

“Select my instruction as a substitute of silver,” she urges, “data somewhat than alternative gold.” Certainly, her “knowledge is extra valuable than rubies, and nothing you need can examine together with her” (Prov 8:10–11). Solomon, who as soon as desired knowledge greater than anything (1 Kgs 3), and who hoarded disturbing numbers of girls and riches (1 Kgs 10:23), knew what it was to need, to build up, and to in the end despair in something aside from knowledge that begins with the concern of God (Eccl 2; 12:13).

What is that this knowledge that Solomon as soon as sought and that Girl Knowledge teaches? Briefly, “Knowledge teaches how you can dwell a discreet and cautious life versus a reckless one.” Relatively than mere inert philosophizing about esoteric truths, the Bible’s knowledge is extra like widespread sense, however not merely folksy sayings like “a sew in time,” nor does it make guarantees about prosperity, like: “If you happen to dwell a sensible life, you might be assured a safe checking account.” Relatively, it reveals a deeper approach to the great life, as discovered by residing within the reverence of God. Certainly, it declares that “The concern of the Lord is the start of knowledge” (Prov 9:10). Knowledge begins with reverence for God and it solutions the query: What would knowledge seem like in my life immediately if I had been to reverence God in the whole lot?

Extra pointedly to our matter although, what would Girl Knowledge have to show us about our sister in Proverbs 31?

Renaming the Proverbs 31 girl

Earlier than we glance broadly on the ways in which Girl Knowledge and the Proverbs 31 girl mirror one another, let’s rescue her identify.

Traditionally, in Proverbs 31:10 this girl has been referred to as “glorious” (ESV), “virtuous” (KJV), or a lady of “noble character” (NIV, CSB). Nevertheless, the Hebrew phrase (חַיִל) really denotes “energy, wealth, military” and “refers to varied sorts of energy, particularly navy power and wealth.”

Conduct your individual examine of חַיִל‎ with Logos’s Bible Phrase Research information. Begin your free trial!

In fact, when translators think about how this girl must be described, they could shrink back from navy descriptors and select as a substitute from the vary of meanings nearer to what’s stereotypically female. Whereas “virtuous” (KJV) is actually an attractive character high quality, it appears extra inward and inert and would extra carefully match the Victorian girl who cross-stitches and performs the pianoforte demurely whereas a Mr. Darcy gazes on.

Nevertheless, the חַיִל‎ girl extra carefully resembles the Dora Milaje warriors within the film Black Panther (2018): She is a sensible girl of valor, robust in defending the weak and boldly talking for her king. So let’s check with her because the “valiant girl.”

A valiant girl who speaks (1 Pet 3:1–6)

Which brings us to 1 extra translation notice: Many sensible girls who love the Lord and Bible examine really feel cowed into silence as a result of they’ve mistakenly been advised {that a} virtuous or glorious spouse is “quiet” (1 Pet 3:4). Truly, the phrase “quiet” that Peter makes use of (ἡσύχιος) means “well-ordered” and likewise “to be calm, tranquil.” As an alternative of describing a mousy wallflower, Peter describes a sensible girl’s internal self as having a “light and quiet spirit.”

In different phrases, Peter doesn’t educate wives married to disobedient husbands to be silent. Relatively, this passage teaches {that a} spouse struggling on this method is to be assured and at peace, doing “what is true” and never giving method “to concern” (1 Pet 3:7).

Maybe a greater description of such a lady is that she is humble, doesn’t really feel the necessity to showcase her wealth or magnificence, and that she is at peace—although her husband will not be like her Lord. As a result of she trusts her Lord and is aware of that he cares for her, she could be tranquil and peaceable, and like a lake on a windless day, replicate the great thing about the Lord.

Like Girl Knowledge, this valiant girl described in 1 Peter 3:1–6 is robust, has a voice, and boldly makes use of it for her king. However she can also be at peace, correctly understanding that although her husband might not worth her, she is of nice value to her Lord.

How Girl Knowledge pertains to her valiant daughter

Now let’s think about how Girl Knowledge and her valiant daughter resemble one another.

It’s actually stunning to see how Girl Knowledge and her valiant daughter resemble one another, isn’t it?

In fact, additionally they differ. Girl Knowledge is a personification. She is the cosmic embodiment of knowledge, not an precise individual. She is a precept and undergirds your complete creation, a pillar that upholds all that there’s and infiltrates the whole lot. She was there at creation, a companion to the Creator initially of time. She is completely good, infinite, and everlasting.

In distinction, the valiant girl depicted in Proverbs 31 is assumed to be finite. Her work is proscribed to her native context and neighborhood. Besides, her portrayal is excess of an outline of only one girl’s life. Like Girl Knowledge, she appears good. No marvel so many ladies really feel exhausted when they’re advised to be like her!

Because of this, it’s necessary we perceive the connection between this Girl Knowledge and the seemingly atypical lifetime of the lady of valor: In brief, because the worthy girl of Proverbs 31 lives faithfully in her day-to-day obligations, she mirrors the deep and historic knowledge that has been there from the start. Her life has its roots within the creation narrative—the very foundations of the universe.

So too, the traits we observe in each personifications then should not reserved for ladies solely. Although the traditional knowledge is known as female, a godly man would do nicely to emulate it, as nicely. Certainly, males would additionally do nicely to embrace the valor of the valiant girl of Proverbs 31, to be keen to labor in humility and faithfulness, realizing that the Lord sees and can reward.

Lemuel, the author of Proverbs 31 asks an necessary query: Who can discover a valiant, sensible spouse (31:10)? Girl Knowledge encourages him, “I really like those that love me, and those that search me discover me” (8:17). This search, in different phrases, is greater than a king’s seek for a very good spouse. It’s a seek for the Girl (knowledge) who has existed for the reason that daybreak of time and who’s to tell our lives. The valiant girl portrayed in Proverbs 31 then is that this present of knowledge—to each girls and males.

Proverbs 31 as invitation, not legislation

Proverbs 31 has usually functioned as legislation, an inventory of calls for, a cudgel to beat girls into one specific mould. As an alternative, it must be seen as a gracious invitation to girls to step out, search knowledge about their specific items and calling, and labor in religion for the Lord. It may be summed up in Paul’s phrases,

Subsequently my expensive brothers and sisters, stand agency. Let nothing transfer you. At all times give yourselves absolutely to the work of the Lord, as a result of you realize that your labor will not be in useless. (1 Cor 15:58; emphasis added)

Your sensible labor is value greater than rubies, gold, or many riches (Prov 8:10–11, 19; 31:10).

As we’ve seen, the valiant girl speaks to every of us, no matter sphere God has referred to as us to. She speaks to the lady who will not be, and maybe by no means will probably be, married. She speaks to the lady who doesn’t have kids in her dwelling. And she or he speaks to males. As an alternative of inserting expectations on us to grow to be one thing aside from what God has referred to as us to be, she informs the myriads of how we’d dwell out the knowledge she bestows.

Assets for additional examine

• Al Wolters, The Tune of the Valiant Lady: Research within the Interpretation of Proverbs 31:10–31.

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