Prov. 31 Lemuel’s lesson concerning chastity and temperance, Prov. 31:1–5. The proper use of wine, Prov. 31:6–7. An exhortation to righteous judgment, Prov. 31:8–9. A description of a virtuous wife, Prov. 31:10, with her husband’s confidence in her, Prov. 31:11.

Of king Lemuel, i.e. of Solomon, by the general consent both of Jewish and Christian writers; to whom this name doth very fitly agree, for it signifies one of or from God, or belonging to God; and such a one was Solomon eminently, being given by God to David and Bathsheba, as a pledge of his…

What? a short speech, arguing her great passion for him; what dost thou do? or, what words shall I take? what counsels shall I give thee? My heart is full, I must give it vent; but where shall I begin? The son of my womb; my son, not by adoption, but whom I bare in my womb, and brought forth with…

Thy strength; the rigour of thy mind and body, which is greatly impaired by inordinate lusts, as all physicians agree, and frequent experience showeth. Thy ways; thy conversation or course of life.

To drink wine, to wit, to drunkenness or excess, as the next verse explains it.

Forget the law; the laws of God, by which they are to govern themselves and their kingdoms. Pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted; which may easily be done by a drunken judge, because drunkenness deprives a man of the use of reason; by which alone men can distinguish between right and wrong,…

Unto him; which is to be understood comparatively, to him rather than to kings, partly because he needs a liberal draught of it more than kings do; and principally because if it proceed to excess, in him it is only a private inconvenience, but in kings it is a public mischief and grievance.

For wine, moderately used, allayeth men’s cares and fears, and cheereth their spirits, Ps. 104:15.

Open thy mouth, speak freely and impartially, as becomes a king and judge to do, for the dumb; for such as cannot speak in their own cause, either through ignorance and infirmity, or because of the dread of their more potent adversaries, or of the majesty of the king sitting in judgment.

A virtuous woman, whom he may take to wife. Such a person is hardly to be found. Compare Eccles. 7:28. And here he lays down several characters or qualifications of an excellent wife, which are here delivered in alphabetical order, each verse beginning with a several and the succeeding letter of…

Doth safely trust in her, for the prudent and faithful management of all his domestic affairs, which are committed to her care. So that he shall have no need of spoil; the sense is either, 1.

She will improve, and not waste his estate.

She seeketh wool and flax, that she may find employment for her servants, and not suffer them to spend all their time unprofitably in ease and idleness.

By the sale of her homespun commodities she purchaseth the choicest goods which come from far countries.

While it is yet night; early in the morning, to redeem thee. Giveth meat; distributeth all her necessary provisions. A portion; either, 1. Of work, which she allots to them. Or rather, 2. Of provisions for them; for so this word is used, Gen. 47:22, Lev. 10:13–14, Prov.

She considereth a field; whether it be fit for her use, and of a reasonable price, and how she may purchase it. This excludes the rashness, as her proceeding to buy it excludes the inconstancy, which is oft incident to that sex.

She girdeth her loins with strength; she useth great diligence and expedition in her employment; for which end men in those times used to gird up their long and loose garments about their loins. Strengtheneth her arms; putteth forth her utmost strength in her business.

She perceiveth that her merchandise is good; she finds great comfort and good success in her labours. Her candle goeth not out by night; which is not to be taken strictly, but only signifies her unwearied care and industry, which is oft expressed by labouring day and night, or continually.

By her own example she provoketh her servants to labour. And although in these later and more delicate and luxurious times, such mean employments are grown out of fashion among great persons, yet they were not so in former ages, neither in other countries, nor in this land; whence all women…

To relieve their necessities. Her designs are generous and noble; for she labours not only to supply her own and her household necessities, or to support her own state, much less to feed her pride and luxury, but that she may have wherewith to supply the wants of others who crave or need her…

She is not afraid of the snow, or of any injuries of the weather. All her household are clothed with scarlet; she hath provided enough, not only for their necessity and defence against cold and other inconveniences, which is here supposed, but also for their delight and ornament; so that not only…

Coverings of tapestry, for the furniture of her house. Silk and purple, which was very agreeable to her high quality, though it doth not justify that luxury in attire which is now usual among persons of far lower ranks, both for wealth and dignity.

Known; observed and respected, not only for his own worth, but for his wife’s sake; not only for those rich ornaments which by her care and diligence she provides for him, which others of his brethren, by reason of their wives’ sloth or luxury, are not able to procure, but also for his wisdom in…

Curiously wrought of linen, and gold, or other precious materials, Jer. 13:1, Dan. 10:5, which in those parts were used both by men, 2 Sam. 20:8, and by women, Isa. 3:24, Song 7:1.

Strength; not strength of body, which is no ornament of that sex, save only as she preserves her health and strength by sobriety and exercise, which other men waste by intemperance and idleness; but strength of mind, magnanimity, courage, resolution, activity. Honour; either, 1.

She openeth her mouth with wisdom; she is neither sullenly silent, nor full of vain and impertinent talk, as many women are, but speaks directly and piously, as occasion offereth itself.

She looketh well to the ways of her household; she diligently observeth the management and progress of her domestic business, and the whole carriage and conversation of her children and servants; whereby also he intimates that she spends not her thee in gadding abroad to other houses, and idle…

Her children; whose testimony is the more considerable, because they have been constant eye-witnesses of her whole carriage, and therefore must have seen her misdemeanours, if there had been any, as well as her virtues. Arise up; either, 1.

Daughters; daughters of men, i.e. women, so called also Gen. 34:1, Ezek. 30:18. Thou excellest them all: he esteems it but just that his praises should bear proportion to her real and manifold perfections.

Favour; comeliness; or, as the next clause explains it, beauty, which commonly gives women favour or acceptation with those who behold them. These are the words either, 1. Of her husband, continuing to praise her. Or, 2. Of Bathsheba, giving the sum of what she had said in few words.

Give her of the fruit of her hands; it is but just and fit that she should enjoy those benefits and praises which her excellent labours deserve. Let her own works praise her; give her the praises which her own works may challenge.