A Fresh Look at the Proverbs 31 Woman

by Lauren Crews

Few things in life are more encouraging than receiving a compliment or being told, “Well done.” I know as a mom, I worked hard, often sacrificing, for my family and rarely received a “thank you,” let alone a “good job.” Can I get an amen?

Heroic Woman

Proverbs 31 is sung over women every Friday night as we celebrate the start of Shabbat. It is a heroic hymn, a song that celebrates our strength and victories in life.

A classic example of a heroic hymn appears in 1 Samuel 18:6-8. When David returned from killing the Philistines, the women came out of all the cities of Israel to meet King Saul. They danced as they played tambourines and musical instruments. All the while, they sang, “Saul has slain his thousands, And David his ten thousand.” The ancients used these hymns to celebrate a conquering hero, something uncommon for the woman of the time.

Military Woman

Would it surprise you that the Proverbs 31 passage has a military theme? Verse ten celebrates eshet chayil.

English has translated the phrase as “a woman of excellence” or “a woman of valor.” In Hebrew, however, it means “a woman of strength”. Chayil is the same word used elsewhere in the Bible to describe a soldier’s strength and the military. Overall, this passage refers to this woman’s strength five times. It also contains other military references such as girding, spoils of war, and acting as a watchman on a wall.

Poetic Woman

Proverbs 31 also holds the rhythmic beat of poetry. It is an acrostic poem of the Hebrew alphabet. That means that verses 10-31 begin with consecutive letters of the alphabet. Hebrew letters consist of more than a sound. They have a word picture linked to them as well as a numeric value. Acrostics help with memorization. We still use acrostics today to jog our memory. For example, the acrostic F.R.O.G. reminds us to Fully Rely On God.

Priestly Woman

Proverbs 31 also refers to the works of the Tabernacle priest. The passage sprinkles references to the material worn by the priest and the colors seen in the tabernacle throughout the twenty-two verses. It even alludes to the sacrificial work of the priests. A beautiful reminder that those sacrifices I made for my family are holy and honoring to God.

Strong Woman

Finally, we must honor the passage’s context. It was written to a man seeking a wife but remains a source of strength and encouragement for all, married, widowed, single, and even men.

The idea of strength is revealed immediately in verse ten. It begins with the Hebrew letter alef, which holds a word picture of an ox. As a man seeks a wife, he should first yoke himself to a strong woman. It might not seem like a compliment to be referred to as strong as an ox, but they become a working team and depend on each other’s strengths in the yoking process.

Yeshua’s Woman

A believer’s priority, married or not, is to yoke ourselves to the strength of our bridegroom, Yeshua. He tells us in Matthew 11:30 that His yoke is easy, and His burden is light. As we partner with Him, we draw from His strength.

Likewise, the heart of our bridegroom will trust in us (Proverbs 31:11). We can make His name known at the city gates, our places of activity (Proverbs 31:23). Ultimately, it is the goal of every believer to hear from the Father that elusive, “well done.” (Proverbs 31:29-30).

This passage holds so much more. At first glance, it is tempting to turn the page and think that this woman is an unobtainable standard. When we acquaint ourselves with the unfamiliar language of this passage instead of the judgment often tied to it, we experience the melody of a heroic song scripted by God. A God who sings over us in celebration of our worth.

To help learn this new song, ask yourself:

1. Before reading this, what was my first thought of the Proverb 31 Woman?
2. What have I learned today that might change how I receive the words of Proverbs 31?
3. What burdens do I carry that can be eased through yoking myself to the strength of Yeshua?

Join me in prayer: Adonai, thank you for your strength. I am eager to join your yoke and work with you. Father, thank you for this song, which honors our strength. Amen.

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