Proverbs 31:29

Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(29) Many daughters—i.e., women (Genesis 30:13; Song of Solomon 6:9); a term of affection.

Benson Commentary

Proverbs 31:29-30. Many daughters have done virtuously — Daughters of men, that is, women, so called, Genesis 34:1; Ezekiel 30:18; but thou excellest them all — Her husband esteems it but just, that his praises should bear proportion to her real and manifold excellences. Favour — Comeliness, which commonly gives women favour with those who behold them. Deceitful — It gives a false representation of the person, being often a cover to a deformed soul; it does not give a man that satisfaction which at first he promised to himself from it; and it is soon lost, not only by death, but by many diseases and contingences. But a woman that feareth the Lord — Which character is here mentioned, either as the crown of all her perfections, or as a key to understand the foregoing description of her character, as being intended of that wisdom, fidelity, and diligence, which proceed from, or are accompanied with, the fear of God.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

31:10-31 This is the description of a virtuous woman of those days, but the general outlines equally suit every age and nation. She is very careful to recommend herself to her husband's esteem and affection, to know his mind, and is willing that he rule over her. 1. She can be trusted, and he will leave such a wife to manage for him. He is happy in her. And she makes it her constant business to do him good. 2. She is one that takes pains in her duties, and takes pleasure in them. She is careful to fill up time, that none be lost. She rises early. She applies herself to the business proper for her, to women's business. She does what she does, with all her power, and trifles not. 3. She makes what she does turn to good account by prudent management. Many undo themselves by buying, without considering whether they can afford it. She provides well for her house. She lays up for hereafter. 4. She looks well to the ways of her household, that she may oblige all to do their duty to God and one another, as well as to her. 5. She is intent upon giving as upon getting, and does it freely and cheerfully. 6. She is discreet and obliging; every word she says, shows she governs herself by the rules of wisdom. She not only takes prudent measures herself, but gives prudent advice to others. The law of love and kindness is written in the heart, and shows itself in the tongue. Her heart is full of another world, even when her hands are most busy about this world. 7. Above all, she fears the Lord. Beauty recommends none to God, nor is it any proof of wisdom and goodness, but it has deceived many a man who made his choice of a wife by it. But the fear of God reigning in the heart, is the beauty of the soul; it lasts for ever. 8. She has firmness to bear up under crosses and disappointments. She shall reflect with comfort when she comes to be old, that she was not idle or useless when young. She shall rejoice in a world to come. She is a great blessing to her relations. If the fruit be good, the tree must have our good word. But she leaves it to her own works to praise her. Every one ought to desire this honour that cometh from God; and according to this standard we all ought to regulate our judgments. This description let all women daily study, who desire to be truly beloved and respected, useful and honourable. This passage is to be applied to individuals, but may it not also be applied to the church of God, which is described as a virtuous spouse? God by his grace has formed from among sinful men a church of true believers, to possess all the excellences here described.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The words of praise which the husband Proverbs 31:28 is supposed to have addressed to the ideal wife.

Virtuously - The Hebrew word has primarily (like "virtus") the idea of "strength," but is used with various shades of meaning. Here (as in Proverbs 12:4; Ruth 3:11) the strength is that of character stedfast in goodness. In other passages (e. g., Genesis 34:29; Psalm 49:10) it has the sense of "riches," and is so taken here by the Septuagint and Vulgate, see also the marginal rendering.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

29. The words are those of her husband, praising her.

virtuously—(Compare Pr 31:10).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Daughters; daughters of men, i.e. women, so called also Genesis 34:1 Ezekiel 30:18.

Thou excellest them all: he esteems it but just that his praises should bear proportion to her real and manifold perfections.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Many daughters have done virtuously,.... This, according to Aben Ezra and Gersom, is what was said by her husband and children, and which seems to be right; especially they may be thought to be the words of her husband. By these "daughters" may be meant false churches, such as the church of Rome and her daughters, who is the mother of harlots, Revelation 17:17. These are "many", when the true church of Christ is but one, to whom she is opposed, Sol 6:8. These may do many virtuous things externally; may make a great show of religion and devotion; may have a form of godliness, without the power of it; and a name to live, and be dead. The Vulgate Latin version renders it, "many daughters have gathered riches"; or "have possessed riches", as the Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic versions, and so the Targum; and in this sense the phrase is sometimes used for getting riches and wealth; see Deuteronomy 8:17; and may well be applied to the false churches, the church of Rome and her daughters, who possess great riches and large emoluments, which yet in a short time will come to nothing, Revelation 18:17;

but thou excellest them all; in real beauty, in true riches, in purity of doctrine, in simplicity of worship, in holiness of life and conversation, in undefiled religion, in doing good works, properly so called. Christ's church is "the fairest among women", Sol 1:8. So Ambrose interprets the daughters of heresies and heretics.

Geneva Study Bible

Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

29. done virtuously] This rendering, which recalls the same word in Proverbs 31:10 (“a woman of virtue,” “have done virtue”), is much to be preferred to the rendering of LXX. and Vulg. and A.V. marg., gotten riches.

excellest them all] Regarded as the commendation of her husband and children, this is true to nature, and it accords better with their partial, or at any rate limited view, than with the wider range of the author himself. “With him every virtuous woman would merit such meed of praise.

29–31. This concluding paragraph may be regarded either as the comment of the author himself upon the picture he has just drawn, or as being the actual words of the “praise” bestowed by her husband and her children upon the “virtuous woman.” The latter view is taken by R.V., which introduces the paragraph by the word saying, at the end of the preceding verse.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 29. - RESH. Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all. The versions and some commentators take the encomium in the mean and restricted sense of praise for the acquisition of riches. Thus the Vulgate, Multae filiae congregaverunt divitias; Septuagint, "Many daughters have obtained wealth." But it adds another rendering, "Many have wrought power (ἐποίησανδύναμιν)," which is nearer the meaning in this place. Chayil (as we have seen, ver. 10) means "force," virtus, "strength of character" shown in various ways (comp. Numbers 24:18; Psalm 60:12). "Daughters," equivalent to "women," as Genesis 30:13; Song of Solomon 6:9. Roman Catholic commentators have, with much ingenuity, applied the whole description of the virtuous woman, and especially the present verse, to the Virgin Mary. We may regard it as a representation of the truly Christian matron, who loves husband and children, guides the house, is discreet, chaste, good, a teacher of good things (1 Timothy 5:14; Titus 2:3, etc.). Proverbs 31:29

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

29 ר "Many are the daughters who have done bravely,

        But thou hast surpassed them all together."

We have already often remarked, last time under Proverbs 29:6, that רב, not indeed in its sing., but in its plur. רבּים and רבּות, can precede, after the manner of a numeral, as attribute; but this syntactical licence, Proverbs 28:12, by no means appears, and needs to be assumed as little here as at Proverbs 8:26, although there is no reason that can be adduced against it. עשׂה חיל signifies here not the gaining of riches (the lxx, Syr., Targ., Jerome, Luther, Gesenius, Bttcher, and others), which here, where the encomium comes to its height, would give to it a mercenary mammon-worship note - it indeed has this signification only when connected with ל of the person: Sibi opes acquirere, Deuteronomy 6:17; Ezekiel 28:4 - but: bravery, energy, and, as the reference to אשׁת חיל demands, moral activity, capacity for activity, in accordance with one's calling, ποιεῖν ἀρετήν, by which the Venet. translates it. בּנות is, as in the primary passages, Genesis 30:13; Sol 6:9, a more delicate, finer name of women than נשׁים: many daughters there have always been who have unfolded ability, but thou my spouse hast raised thyself above them all, i.e., thou art excellent and incomparable. Instead of עלית, there is to be written, after Chajug, Aben Ezra (Zachoth 7a), and Jekuthiel under Genesis 16:11, עלית; the Spanish Nakdanim thus distinguish the forms מצאת, thou hast found, and מצאת, she has found. כּלּנה, for כּלּן, Genesis 42:36.