By Tanja
Proverbs 31 teaches about the virtue of a noble woman who fears the Lord. The Hebrew word for ‘noble’ is ‘khayil’, which means “mighty; wealthy; excellent; morally righteous; full of substance, integrity, abilities, and strength; mighty like an army.” [i] Notably, the word ‘noble’ in this context takes on the meaning of a powerful warrior. The woman fights the battles she faces in her life[ii] with the strength that comes from God.
As she trusts in the Lord, “When it comes to snow, she has no fear for her household (Pro 31:21).” She does not need to be overwhelmed by the fears of life and the storms that may come.
“Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come (Pro 31:25).” She behaves in such a way that she commands the respect and admiration of those around her, and they recognise her good qualities.[iii] She is full of joy and laughter when she looks at the future ahead of her. As she puts her faith and trust in God, she has confidence in the future.
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She speaks with wisdom and has teaching to pass on to others (Pro 31:26). The Lord has instructed her heart, and she can recount what the Lord has shown her.
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Her true beauty comes from a heart shaped by reverence for God. “Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised (Pro 31:30).”
[i] Brian Simmons, trans., The Passion Translation. The New Testament: With Psalms, Proverbs, and Song of Songs (Racine, Wisconsin: Broadstreet Publishing, 2017), 283.
[ii] Tremper Longman, Proverbs (Ada: Baker Academic, 2015).
[iii] Longman, Proverbs.