The Proverbs 31 “Woman of Strength”: An Argument for a Primary-Sense Translation Megan K. DeFranza

Proverbs 31:10–31 is one of the better-known passages of the Old quantitative disparity remains. The poem found in Proverbs 31 Testament. Many of us hear sermons preached from this text ev- can serve to do just that, but will fail to do so if standard transla- ery Mother’s Day, yet these sermons often miss the meaning of tions are maintained. That Hebrew authors who are often accused this passage. Many pastors hold up the Proverbs 31 woman as of misogynist bias did not flinch from ascribing to a woman the the model for all women, yet they present a distorted and limited same title given to military heroes throughout the Old Testament view of women, hindered as they are by imprecise English trans- should cause students of this text to pause and consider the sig- lations. Given the weight placed upon the Proverbs 31 woman as nificance of such an ascription. an example of “biblical womanhood,” it is essential that we cor- In o order t argue my case, I will look briefly into the historical rect our reading of the text. One of the best ways we can do this is and literary contexts of the Proverbs 31 woman, walk carefully by returning to a more literal or primary-sense translation. but quickly through an examination of the poem itself, and show For a word attested more than 240 times in the Old Testa- the superiority of a primary-sense translation of ’esheth-khayil sa ment, some may find it surprising that scholars cannot agree on the “woman of strength.” a standard translation for khayil in the context of Proverbs 31:10– Historical and literary context 31.e Th range of translations for ’esheth-khayil includes “wife of noble character” (NIV), “virtuous woman” (KJV), “excellent Two sections of Proverbs 31 bear affinity for one another: “The wife” (NAS), “capable wife” (NRS, JPS), “truly capable woman” sayingsf o King Lemuel—an oracle his mother taught him” and (NJB), “worthy wife” (NAB), “woman of worth” (DB1), “valiant the woman of strength. Both hold up women as purveyors of wis- woman” (DRA2), and “virtuous and capable wife” (NLT). What dom who reinforce and illustrate the teaching given throughout maye b even more surprising is how far these translations diverge the entire book of Proverbs. The instructions to the crown prince from the primary sense of khayil.ns I hi entry in the Theological (vv. 3–9) illustrate concern for sexual morality, temperance, and Dictionary of the Old Testament, Hermann Eising explains, “De- justice for the poor, while the portrait of the woman (vv. 10–31) spite the frequent occurrence of khayil in the sense of ‘army,’ its shows the rewards given to those who work hard, practice gener- basic meaning must be given as ‘strength, power.’”3 Yet, all good osity, and fear the Lord. They are models for leaders in the com- translators know that, when it comes to identifying the meanings munitys a well as commoners who provide the “human counter- of words, context is key. The semantic range of any word is deter- part to”5 the personified Woman Wisdom of chapters 1, 8, and minedy b its use in various settings. Thus the range of khayil is 9, providing an elegant inclusio (a theme to mark the beginning broad enough to include, in addition to strength or power, such and the end) to the book as a whole.6 conceptss a efficiency and wealth.4 tsI i the context of Proverbs While noting the important similarities between the wom- 31 that seems problematic for many translators. How should anf o Proverbs 31 and Woman Wisdom, Bruce Waltke makes a one render a term normally appearing in a male military con- strong case for understanding Proverbs 31 as a real woman.7 eH text t when i shows up in the arena of female domestic life? This concludes that she “has been canonized as a role model for all context alone has been perceived by many as providing sufficient Israel for all time. Wise daughters aspire to be like her, wise men grounds for translators to move away from the notion of strength seeko t marry her (v. 10), and all wise people aim to incarnate the or power toward English substitutes that do not maintain the wisdom she embodies, each in his [or her] own sphere of activ- idea of strength as part of their semantic range. ity.”8 tsI i this interpretation—the Proverbs 31 woman as a human In this article, I will argue that translators of Proverbs 31 modelf o personified Wisdom—that will guide the discussion should retain the primary sense of khayil as “strength” for sev- that follows. Proverbs 31:10–31 stands as an alphabetical acrostic eral reasons: first, to convey the primary meaning of the Hebrew poem. Aside from its alphabetical organization, the poem does text; second, to render more carefully the meaning of khayil in not o appear t lend itself to simple structural analyses.9 For this the context of Proverbs 31; and, last, to overcome the disparate reason, I will follow the pattern of many commentators in group- portraitsf o men and women in the Hebrew Bible. Allow me to ing disparate verses by topic in order to unpack this last point. condense my own remarks. Many (modern, Western) women feel isolated from the bibli- cal text, especially the text of the Old Testament. Most of the he- MEGAN K. DEFRANZA is a graduate of Gordon- roes recounted within the world of ancient Israel were men, and Conwell Theological Seminary and a doctoral can- military men at that. These are the facts. Still, the negative im- didate at Marquette University writing her disser- tation on theological anthropology and intersex. pactf o this reality can be mitigated. While female heroes of the She lives with her husband, Andrew, and daugh- Scriptures will always be outnumbered by males, it is important ters, Lórien and Eden, in Beverly, Massachusetts. to show the qualitative similarity between them even while the

Priscilla Papers ◆ Vol. 25, No. 1 ◆ Winter 2011 • 21 Introduction of her life.” She brings plunder and other things that are good, so her husband cannot but place his trust in her. Still, the gen- A woman of khayil who can find? Her worth exceeds precious eral terms “good” and “evil” expand the discussion beyond that stones (v. 10).10 of o wealth s that the greatest number of verses in the poem point The poem opens with a question and a declaration that work to- to s this a a major interest, if not the major interest, of the author. gethero t describe the rarity and value of a certain type of woman. Her work ethic and business acumen yield Whilee w are working toward the translation of khayil, there are financial strength other observations that can be made from this introductory verse. First, the finding of this woman recalls other portions of Proverbs She selects wool and flax and delights in working with her that value finding a woman (i.e. obtaining a wife). Proverbs 18:22 hands (v. 13). She stretches out her hands to the distaff, and her states: “He who finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor hands grasp the spindle (v. 19). She makes linen and sells it and from the Lord” (NRS). But this verse also bears striking resem- supplies belts to the merchants. She is like the merchant ships, blanceo t another in reference to personified Wisdom, Proverbs bringing her food from afar (v. 24). She rises while it is still dark 8:35: “For whoever finds me finds life and obtains favor from the and gives food to her household and instructions to her female Lord” (NRS).11 eTh difficulty of finding this woman also recalls servants (v. 15). She considers a field and buys it. From the fruit the difficulty of finding Wisdom, especially as presented by Job of her hands she plants a vineyard (v. 16). She watches over 28.12 Rather, the rarity of this woman—and of Wisdom herself— what goes on in her household and does not eat the bread of only serves to indicate the value of the search. idleness (v. 27). Second, the astute reader will notice the connection between These verses enumerate the types of tasks the senior female in a this passage and the advice given to King Lemuel, which also household would engage in: trading for wool and flax or process- begins with instructions about khayil and women: “Do not give ing w these ra materials from the household supply (vv. 13, 19) your strength (khayil)o t women, your ways to those who de- and selling the excess once her household is provided for (v. 24), stroy kings.”13 nI the context of this oracle, khayil si variously in- food provision for those in the household (vv. 14–15), oversight terpreted.t I is rendered “strength” by the NIV, TNIV, NAS, and of female servants (v. 15), purchasing property with monies from NRS, and “vigor” or “energy” by the NAB and NJB, respectively. her own income and overseeing its use to increase the financial The Septuagint translators use plouton (“wealth”). Perdue sug- production of the household (v. 16), and general supervision of gests “moral worth,”14 though others (Holliday and Eising) have household affairs. This woman is praised not only for her work, suggested “sexual potency.”15 Bruce Waltke rightly broadens the but also for her attitude (her hands work “with delight” or “will- referenceo t “all that contributes to making him a strong king.”16 ingly,”. v 13), the quality of her food (likened to, or actually, for- The women against whom the king is warned are qualified by eign delicacies, v. 14), her diligence (rising before dawn, v. 15), the second half of the verse: “those who destroy kings.” Thus, the and the wise oversight of her household (v. 27).21 references i not to women in general, but to either the “strange While these activities may appear mundane on the surface, woman” decried earlier in the book of Proverbs,17 oet sexual r - several poetic allusions suggest multiple layers of meaning that lations outside of marriage, or to a large harem of concubines, lend support to an understanding of khayil as more than financial addressing the downfalls of David and Solomon, respectively.18 strength. First, Al Wolters (following the work of Paul Humbert) yB juxtaposing these two passages, Proverbs advises the read- points out that the “apparently innocent” phrase “stretch out the er o not t spend his khayil on women who will bring him ruin, but hand”. (v 19) is closely related to an “aggressive” idiom found also to search for a woman who will bring him khayil. The association in the Song of Deborah in reference to the heroic action of Jael.22 with precious stones also recalls Woman Wisdom, whose worth Second, Waltke notes that the word rendered “food” in verse 15 is similarly described in Proverbs (3:15, 8:11)19 and in Job (ch. 28). is literally “prey” from a verbal root meaning “tear to pieces.” This worth may also intimate that the author has more than the He suggests that “the poet is using an incomplete metaphor for valuef o wealth in mind in using khayil. Still, financial gain is a a lioness, which hunts its prey at night.”23 These unusual terms major theme as the following verses indicate. evoke images of physical strength adding to the surface message Her husband trusts her. He does not lack spoil (v. 11). She brings of financial strength. The next set of verses illustrates the results him good, not evil, all the days of her life (v. 12). of such hard work.

The poet’s choice of shalal for “spoil” or “plunder,”20 rather than Financial and emotional security24 provided by the richesr o gain, calls to mind the most common use of khayil as woman of strength military might. Just as military heroes, ’anshey-khayil (“menf o She girds her loins with strength and strengthens her arms (v. might”)r o gibborey-khayil (literally “sons of strength,” most often 17). She senses that her trading is profitable. Her lamp will not rendered “mighty warriors”), brought the spoils of war home to be quenched at night (v. 18). She does not fear for her house- their families, so this ’esheth-khayil provides plunder in her own hold when it snows for all of her household are clothed in scarlet way.s Thi she does not only in times of war, but also “all the days

22 • Priscilla Papers ◆ Vol. 25, No. 1 ◆ Winter 2011 [double garments] (v. 21). She makes coverings for herself; her Her husband praises her (v. 28). Many daughters render khayil, clothing is of fine linen and purple (v. 22). Power and glory are but you surpass them all (v. 29). Charm is false, and beauty is her clothing; She laughs at the coming days (v. 25). meaningless; [but] a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised (v. 30). Give her the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise Imagesf o clothing (girding) illustrate the strength (‘oz) this her at the city gate (v. 31). woman employs for the service of others. (v 17). Rather than suggesting omen and men in our churches today Our poem concludes with descrip- that she rises before dawn (v. 15) and Wneed to know that it is not only men tions of, and injunctions to, praise. toils late into the night (v. 18), so that who have strength. Women also have strengths: These are justified by a summary of shes i never seen to rest, the reference physical, mental, moral, and financial strength. her work (v. 29) and the support of a to her lamp (v. 18) is a symbol of her proverb (v. 30). The reintroduction of “enduring prosperity.”25 sThi prosperity is further illustrated by khayil (v. 29) beautifully ties the end of the poem with its open- referenceso t scarlet and purple—dyes that required extensive ing n title. I this verse, it is connected to the woman’s action, rath- trade and whose rarity led to their association with the wealthy er than her person, and renews the connection with the heroic and the royal.26 eTh Vulgate reading of scarlet as “double gar- deeds accomplished in military contexts. Al Wolters translates ments” seems to fit the context of cold weather better than scar- ‘asu khayil soa “to d valiantly” in a military context, though he let. Murphy suggests an emendation substituting senayim u(do - admitss a well “[t]he idiom can also mean ‘gain riches’, and the ble) for sanim (scarlet).27 Both are images of security—physical poets i probably exploiting this ambiguity in Prov. 31:29.”36 Wolt- or financial—and both are supported by the references to power ers argues that the second half of this verse also points back to the and . glory (v 25)—two terms that also connote royalty,28 divin- military context. He insists that the phrase given here as “surpass” ity,29 and possibly piety.30 (literallyo t “go up over/against”) is another military phrase mean- The language of “girding the loins” (v. 17) provides justifica- ing “going out to do battle against an enemy.” He adds, “In fact the tion for relating these images of prosperity to the broader idea of meaning ‘surpass’ is assigned to it only here.”37 Thus, the ’esheth- strength. Waltke explains that this expression is an idiom indicat- khayil renders khayil sand i therefore praised in this poem which ing preparation, usually for “heroic or difficult action.”31 eWhile h calls the reader to join in her continued praise. emphasizes the metaphorical nature of the phrase in this passage, The strength of “strength” he does admit that it invokes a “masculine and heroic image.”32 Idt fin i significant that this is the only time in the Hebrew Bible More than any other commentator, Al Wolters has emphasized that the expression is used of a woman. In this context, I would the necessary connection between khayil asts i i used in Prov- argue that one could reasonably draw a connection between erbs 31 and its military contexts throughout the remainder of the the physical security provided by military heroes—the “men of Old Testament. He has made a strong case for understanding might” (anshey-khayil)r f o “sons o strength”/“mighty warriors” this s text a a heroic hymn38—a e form h believes “may underlie (gibborey-khayil)—for those under their protection, and that the hymns of the Psalter.”39 eH insists that ’esheth-khayil si “the which our heroine (’esheth-khayil) provides in these poetic lines: female counterpart of the gibborey-khayil, the title given to the namely, protection from the elements as well as emotional and ‘mighty men of valour’ which are often named in David’s age.”40 financial security regarding the future. Thus,e h translates ’esheth-khayil sa “Valiant Woman.” Ellen Davis Strength of character/strength of mind agrees with his translation because it “better captures the tone of the extravagant poem of praise that follows.”41 While I agree with She opens her hands to the poor and extends her hands to the their exegesis, I do not believe that “Valiant Woman” is the best needy (v. 20). She opens her mouth with wisdom, and faithful translation possible. My main objection is that the primary sense instruction is on her tongue (v. 26). of s valiant i that of bravery or courage.42 Though this idea does occur in our text (vv. 21 and 25), our examination of the passage These verses support a reading of the Proverbs 31 woman as an indicates that it is not the primary emphasis of the poet. incarnation of Wisdom, summing up the instruction in the book Though Perdue and Davis argue that khayil carries the mean- of Proverbs that shows the wise as generous and the foolish as ingf o moral character, an idea supported by the NIV (“woman stingy.e Th phrase torah-khesed (faithful instruction) is unique of noble character”) and KJV (“virtuous woman”), this associa- and could refer to her mode of teaching (with the kindness of a tions i dubious.43 eTh contexts that Davis cites in support of this mother rather than harshness of a father33), teaching modeled on thesis are Exodus 18:21 and Ruth 3:11, where the idea of moral her generosity,34 ro a particular body of instruction, such as the worth may be added ton a indication of strength or capacity, content of Proverbs.35 buts i not required.44 eTh association of khayil with morality is Conclusion: the reward of praise not supported by Hebrew lexicons, nor does it arise from the Septuagint45 rendering of the Hebrew with andreian (“manly, Her husband is known at the city gates, where he sits among brave”46)r o dunamis (“power, might, strength, force, capability, the elders of the land (v. 23). Her children rise up and bless her.

Priscilla Papers ◆ Vol. 25, No. 1 ◆ Winter 2011 • 23 resource”47).48 eTh connection between khayil and morality may Why a better translation matters to women and men have arisen on the basis of the Vulgate, virtutis (from virtus), but, When I shared the basic thesis of this paper with a woman from even t here, i is more a matter of semantic slippage from Latin to my church, she reacted by saying, “So I don’t need to be embar- Englishy b those who have forgotten that virtus arises from vir rassedy b the fact that I can pick up a canoe and carry it down to ands i defined first as “the qualities typical of a true man, manly the water?” I know many women who wrestle with the fact that spirit, resolution, valour, steadfastness” and only second as “ex- they are strong (physically, mentally, or having a “strong personal- cellencef o character or mind, worth, merit, ability.”49 Davis has ity”) because they know that these character traits are not always argued more persuasively against the NRS, NJB, and JPS transla- valuedn i women, especially in Christian women. Many women tionsf o khayil by stating simply that “‘capable’ is a colorless trans- feelsf a i they need to hide their strengths if they are going to find lation for the Hebrew word.”50 a husband. They fear that financial success from their careers and In f place o all these, I have suggested the primary-sense trans- their other strengths will be viewed as threats rather than as assets lation “strength.” Although I know there is not a complete over- to bring into marriage or into the church. But a careful reading of lap in the semantic ranges of khayil and “strength,” I believe this Proverbs1 3 gives us the example of a husband who values his wife word incorporates more of the sense of the Hebrew than other for her financial, physical, moral, and mental strength. English alternatives and also fits its use in the context of Prov- Leonard Sax, in his book Why Gender Matters, takes hun- erbs 31. According to Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary, “strength” dredsf o pages to argue for differences between men and women, includes the following (all of which apply to the poem of the boys and girls, in order to encourage single-sex education in ’esheth-khayil):51 rBodily o muscular power (vv. 17, 25); mental public schools and different teaching and parenting styles for the power (vv. 13, 16, 26); moral power, firmness, or courage (vv. sexes. Many people have found his work helpful in providing al- 20, 21, 25); power by reason of influence, authority, resources, ternative approaches to teaching and disciplining boys and girls. number; effective force, potency, or cogency, as of inducements But when Sax comes to giving his definitions of manhood and or arguments (v. 26); and something or someone that gives one womanhood, he does not make any arguments. He simply draws strengthr o is a source of power or encouragement; sustenance upon e what h believes to be common knowledge. He writes: “You (vv. 10–12, 23). and I know that real manhood has nothing to do with playing I believe that “woman of strength” is a better translation than video games. You and I know that being a man means using your “strong woman” on account of the fact that it is used more seldom strength in the service of others.”54 tWhen i comes to defining in English. The unfamiliarity of the English phrase can function womanhood, he is less direct and says, “becoming a real woman to pique readers’ attention and cause them to ask, “What does is not about how you look on the outside, but about who you are this mean?” so reading the passage for an explanation to their inside.” According to Sax, womanhood has to do with character.55 question.t A the same time, I have chosen to retain the generic Whilee h does not cite our passage, Sax’s definition of “true “woman,” even though the context of the poem clearly indicates womanhood” comes right out of the NIV translation of Prov- that the woman here is a wife, mother, and manager of her house- erbs 31, the “woman of noble character.” But, according to Sax, hold.n I this case, I believe the more generic term may broaden manhood and womanhood are infinitely different from one an- the receptivity or application of the example of this woman to other.e W must raise boys to be men, not women, and girls to be more than “wives”—a distinction necessitated by our culture, not women, not men. that of ancient Israel. The problem with Sax’s definitions of true manhood and true My translation, “woman of strength,” is not novel. The Diction- womanhood is that they do not match the picture we find in the ary of Classical Hebrew suggests “woman of might” and “dough- Bible.n I Proverbs 31:10–31, we find a woman described with mas- ty woman” for the phrase,52 and other scholars have requested culine metaphors of strength as the embodiment of the wisdom khayil note b “diluted” by the loss of the idea of “strength” simply laid out in the book of Proverbs.56 dueo t its association with a woman.53 Still, I believe it is needed. Women and men in our churches today need to know that Current translations have lost the concept of strength as as- not only men have strength. Women also have strengths: physi- sociated with the woman of Proverbs 31. In doing so, they dilute cal, mental, moral, and financial strength. Christian women and or distort the message of the poem. In addition, this imprecision men o need t know that all followers of Jesus Christ are called makest i almost impossible to note the connection between the to use their strengths in the service of others, whether physical, heroinef o the poem and the heroes of ancient Israel whose praise financial, moral, mental, or spiritual. If the ancient Hebrews were is recounted over and over in the historical books. Such correc- not o afraid t praise a woman for physical, financial, moral, and tive translation is needed in our day to disabuse many modern mental strength, we should not hesitate to do the same. women (and men) of the notion that the Hebrew Scriptures do not present women as models of strength who are just as worthy Notes to be emulated as the mighty men of old. 1. Darby Bible. 2. Douay-Rheims American Version. 3. Hermann Eising, Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament,vol.

24 • Priscilla Papers ◆ Vol. 25, No. 1 ◆ Winter 2011 IV, ed. G. Johannes Botterweck and Helmer Ringgren, trans. David E. 24. . Tom R Hawkins, “The Wife of Noble Character in Proverbs Green (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 1980), 348. 31:10–31,” Bibliotheca Sacra 153 (January–March 1996): 20. 4. Francis Brown, S. R. Driver, and Charles A. Briggs, The Brown- 25. Waltke, Proverbs, 526–7. See also Yoder, “The Woman of Sub- Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon (Peabody, Mass.: Hendrick- stance,” 436. son, 1996), 298. 26. Perdue, Proverbs, 279. 5. . Ellen F Davis, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Songs (Louis- 27. Murphy and Huwieler, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, 156. ville, Ky.: Westminster John Knox, 2000), 151. 28. Perdue, Proverbs, 279. 6. . Leo G Perdue, Proverbs (Louisville: John Knox, 2000), 278. Clau- 29. Ellen Davis notes that the language here recalls Ps. 93:1 where dia Camp lists at least eight specific thematic correlations between the YHWH clothes himself with strength (Davis, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and womanf o Proverbs 31 and Woman Wisdom in Wisdom and the Feminine the Song of Songs, 153). Though the term for “gird” varies in Ps. 93 and in the Book of Proverbs (Decatur, Ga.: Almond Press, 1985), 188–89. Per- Prov. 31, the term for “strength” is the same (‘oz). due calls her “the wise woman incarnate in an Israelite or Jewish house- 30. Davis also suggests that the occurrence of the phrase in Isa. 52:1 wife and mother, who while admittedly wealthy, engages in the sapiential and Job 40:10 suggests that “this is how one ‘dresses’ to meet God!” and virtuesf o care, hard labor, wisdom, and the ‘fear of Yahweh,’” 279. shoulde b seen as another sign of this woman’s piety. Davis, Proverbs, 7. f Some o his arguments are as follows: (1) The phrase ’esheth-khayil Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Songs, 153. is f used o real women in Prov. 12:4 and Ruth 3:11; (2) Woman Wisdom is 31. Waltke, Proverbs, 526. “never clearly pictured as a wife or a mother”; (3) Woman Wisdom is a 32. Waltke, Proverbs, 526, 516. “composite figure (prophet, teacher, and mediatrix), whereas the capable 33. James L. Crenshaw, “A Mother’s Instruction to Her Son,” Perspec- wifes i exclusively a homemaker.” Bruce K. Waltke, The Book of Proverbs, tives in Religious Studies 15, no. 4 (Winter 1988): 10. Chapters 15–31 (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 2005), 521. 34. Waltke, Proverbs, 532. See also Perdue, Proverbs, 279. 8. Waltke, Proverbs, 520. 35. Waltke, Proverbs, 532. 9. Leo Perdue and Christine Roy Yoder argue that Proverbs 31:10–31 36. Wolters, The Song of the Valiant Woman, 9. is comprised of short units of thought strung together under the broad 37. Wolters, The Song of the Valiant Woman, 10. themef o the woman of khayil. (Perdue, 277; Christine Roy Yoder, “The 38. Wolters, The Song of the Valiant Woman, 3–14. Womanf o Substance: A Socioeconomic Reading of Proverbs 31:10–31,” 39. Wolters, The Song of the Valiant Woman, 9. Journal of Biblical Literature 122, no. 3 [Fall 2003]: 427.) Bruce Waltke, 40. Wolters, The Song of the Valiant Woman, 9. on the other hand, identifies several chiastic (symmetrical) structures 41. Davis, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Songs, 152. that help organize the material (Waltke, Proverbs, 522–28). Though his 42. Random House Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary, 2nd ed., defines analysisf o the poem is careful and intriguing, I do not find his divisions valors a “boldness or determination in facing great danger, especially in of the poem—“Her Sources of Revenue (vv. 13–19) and “Her Revenue” battle; heroic courage; bravery;” and valiant as “1. boldly courageous; (vv. 20–27)—adequate to the diversity of themes. brave; stout-hearted 2. marked by or showing bravery or valor; heroic 3. 10. Translations are mine unless otherwise noted. worthy; excellent.” (New York: Random House, 2001), 2102–03. 11. Roland E. Murphy, The Tree of Life: An Exploration of Biblical 43. Perdue, Proverbs, 272. Davis, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song Wisdom Literature, 3rd ed. (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 2002), 137. of Songs, 152. 12. I do not find convincing Ellen Davis’s suggestion that, since the 44. Davis, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Songs, 152. question suggests the virtual impossibility of finding such a woman, it is 45.e Th Septuagint, or LXX, is the Greek translation of the Old Tes- better rendered as a statement: “Whoever finds a valorous wife [knows tament Scriptures used around the time of Jesus. that] her price is beyond jewels.” Davis, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the 46. Walter Bauer, W. F. Arndt, F. W. Gingrich, and F.W. Danker, A Song of Songs, 152. Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and other Early Christian 13. Proverbs 31:3 (NRSV). Literature, 3rd ed. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 76a. 14. Perdue, Proverbs, 272. 47. Bauer et al., A Greek-English Lexicon, 262–63. 15. William L. Holladay, A Concise Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of 48. ’Esheth-khayil is rendered gunaika andreian Xin the LX version the Old Testament (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 1988), 102. The ar- of Prov. 31:10 and gunē dunameōs in Ruth 3:11, while ‘asu khayil is given gument for sexual potency is weak. Eising bases this translation on its as epoiēsan dunata in Prov. 31:29. connection to the fertility of trees in Joel 2:22, but its only association 49.. P G. W. Glare, Oxford Latin Dictionary (Oxford: Clarendon with human sexuality appears in this passage (Prov. 31:3). Hermann Eis- Press, 1982), 2073–74. ing, Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament, 349. 50. Davis, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Songs, 152. 16. Waltke, Proverbs, 507. 51. Random House Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary, 2nd ed., 1882b. 17. Perdue, Proverbs, 273. 52. . David J A. Clines, ed., The Dictionary of Classical Hebrew, Vol. 18. Waltke, Proverbs, 507.f I King Lemuel is Solomon, then we can III (Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 1996), 213b. read s this a the advice of his mother, Bathsheba, who warns him not to 53.m I a dependent here upon Hawkins, “The Wife of Noble Char- dos a hi father David did. See William David Spencer, “Diamonds or acter,” 13–14, who cites Hanneke van der Sluis-van der Korst and Douwe Diamond Mine? A Meditation on Proverbs 31,” Priscilla Papers 16, no. 2 van der Sluis as making this argument in “De deugdelijke huisvrouw in (Spring 2002), 16–20. opspraak: een interpretatie van spreuken 31:10–31,” Schrift69 (1980): 94. 19. Roland E. Murphy and Elizabeth Huwiler, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, 54. Leonard Sax, Why Gender Matters: What Parents and Teachers Song of Songs, New International Biblical Commentary (Peabody, Mass.: Need to Know About the Emerging Science of Sex Differences(New York, Hendrickson, 1999), 154. N.Y.: Broadway, 2005), 240. 20. Supported also by the Septuagint (Greek Old Testament): skulōn. 55. Sax, Why Gender Matters, 240. 21. Wolters sees a play on words between the unusual Hebrew par- 56. While Sax argues that masculinity and femininity must be un- ticiple tsopiyah and the Greek word for wisdom, sophia.l A Wolters, derstood differently, his definitions falter when more carefully com- The Song of the Valiant Woman: Studies in the Interpretation of Proverbs pared. “Strength in the service of others” is nfa image o “noble character.” 31:10–31 (Waynesboro, Ga.: Pasternoster, 2001), 30–41. The goal for all of us, men and women, is the development of Christlike 22. Wolters, The Song of the Valiant Woman,10. character, conforming ourselves to the image of Christ, who poured out 23. Waltke, Proverbs, 511. his strength, his very life, in the service of others.

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