Proverbs 31 · The Virtuous Woman
The closing chapter of Proverbs — the words of King Lemuel his mother taught him, and the great alphabetic poem of the virtuous woman.
KJV foundation
Proverbs 31:1-3, 8-9, 10-12, 26-31 (KJV):
The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him.
What, my son? and what, the son of my womb? and what, the son of my vows?
Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings…
Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction.
Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.
Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.
The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.
She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life…
She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.
She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.
Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.
Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.
Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.
Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.
The chapter has 31 verses; verses 10-31 form an acrostic on the Hebrew alphabet.
Chapter overview
Proverbs 31 has two halves:
- Verses 1-9 — the words of King Lemuel, taught to him by his mother. A queen’s counsel to a king: avoid ruinous women and drunkenness, and use royal power to speak for the voiceless and defend the poor.
- Verses 10-31 — the great acrostic poem of the virtuous woman. Twenty-two verses beginning with the twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet in order. A complete household portrait of wisdom lived out in a woman’s life.
Key lessons
- The Bible closes its wisdom book with a woman. Proverbs opens with “my son” and closes with “a virtuous woman.” The whole book is bracketed by the household.
- The virtuous woman is a working woman. She rises early. She plants a vineyard. She weaves. She sells. She gives. Her hands are never idle.
- She speaks with wisdom and kindness. Her tongue is the household’s law of kindness.
- She looks well to the ways of her household. Her attention is on the family; her strength runs to it.
- Her fear of the LORD is the anchor. Favour fades; beauty passes; the fear of the LORD is what makes her praised.
Family discussion
Read Proverbs 31 aloud with the household. Ask:
- What is one thing the virtuous woman does that our house should do?
- What does “the law of kindness” on her tongue mean for how we speak here?
- What is the difference between “favour and beauty” and “the fear of the LORD”?
Fathers: read this chapter over your wives and daughters. It is a chapter written to be read aloud in the household.
Reflection
Proverbs 31 is not a checklist. No woman in any generation has met every line. It is a portrait of wisdom in the shape of a household — a picture of what love, work, and fear-of-the-LORD look like when they are integrated in one life.
Christian tradition also reads this chapter as a portrait of the Church, the bride of Christ, and of Wisdom herself (Proverbs 8-9 — personified Wisdom). Every reading is honoured; each is fruitful.
Prayer
LORD our God, teach the women of this household the wisdom of Proverbs 31 — that in them the law of kindness may be spoken, and their fear of thee be their strength. Teach the men of this household to praise virtuous women in the gates, and to be worthy of their trust. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Christian tradition
- Read at Christian weddings, at Mother’s Day, and at funerals of godly women.
- Chanted every Sabbath eve in Jewish tradition; adopted in Christian household tradition as a Sabbath-eve or Sunday reading.
- Read by the Fathers as a portrait of the Church, the bride of Christ.
Related Atlas pages
Room connections
Where this entry meets the household in the wider house of CrossAIHub.
- Family (Kitchen Table) — a household reading for Sunday evening.
- Read (Library) — read Proverbs 31 within the wisdom books.
- Wisdom Garden — Christian Marriage — the household’s reading on marriage.
- Wisdom Garden — Christian Parenting — the household’s reading on formation.
- Kids (Kids Kingdom) — teach children the closing verses of Proverbs.
Further reading
Proverbs 31 (KJV) — the whole chapter.
Proverbs 8-9 (KJV) — the great chapters on Wisdom personified.
Ruth 3:11 (KJV) — another virtuous woman.
1 Peter 3:1-6 (KJV) — Christian counsel to wives.
Elsewhere in the Atlas
- Proverbs 9
- Solomon
- 1 Corinthians 13
- Ruth
- Return to the atrium — the Atlas’s main room.
Continue Your Journey
Where else this page opens into the household library.