What is the meaning of Proverbs 31:10? A wife of noble character • The phrase introduces a woman whose inner life is marked by reverence for God, integrity, strength, and unfailing love. Proverbs later details her industrious hands, generous heart, and wise tongue (Proverbs 31:11-31). • Scripture consistently presents this kind of wife as a blessing: “A wife of noble character is her husband’s crown” (Proverbs 12:4). Such a woman reflects the fear of the LORD that “brings great confidence” (Proverbs 14:26). • Her character aligns with the New Testament portrait of a godly wife whose beauty is “the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in God’s sight” (1 Peter 3:4). Who can find? • The rhetorical question underscores rarity. As with “many a man proclaims his loving devotion, but who can find a trustworthy man?” (Proverbs 20:6), so a noble wife is not located by accident; she is sought, valued, and recognized by spiritual discernment. • Finding her is portrayed as a gift from the Lord: “He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the LORD” (Proverbs 18:22). • The search imagery also encourages men to prize character above charm or appearance (Proverbs 31:30), and it affirms that such women do exist—Ruth was called “a woman of noble character” (Ruth 3:11). Far more precious than rubies • Rubies, among the costliest gems of the ancient world, symbolize wealth and splendor; yet Scripture repeatedly teaches that moral and spiritual riches outshine material ones: wisdom “is more precious than rubies” (Proverbs 3:15; 8:11). • The verse elevates the wife’s worth above earthly treasure because she brings: – Steadfast trust (Proverbs 31:11-12) – Provision and industriousness (Proverbs 31:13-19) – Compassion for the poor (Proverbs 31:20) – Strength and dignity that laugh at the days to come (Proverbs 31:25) – Instruction marked by kindness (Proverbs 31:26) • Her value is therefore intrinsic, enduring, and grounded in her relationship with the Lord, just as eternal treasures are stored “where neither moth nor rust destroy” (Matthew 6:20). Summary Proverbs 31:10 opens the celebrated portrait of the virtuous wife by declaring that her God-shaped character is rare and exceeds the worth of the finest jewels. Scripture invites us to esteem and pursue such excellence, recognizing that true riches are found not in possessions but in lives transformed by the fear of the LORD. |
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