The Proverbs 31 Project: Commenting May 31st on Proverbs 31:10-14

[If you have been here before, in May, then you might want to skip down below the green for today's post.]

"Thirty days hath September, 

April, June and November

All the rest have 31

Except February which has 28

Except during leap year when it has 29"

NO I DID NOT WRITE THIS "POEM"!  (Talk about free verse!)

Why didn't somebody just point out that the four months that do NOT have 31 days (except February, and everyone knows all about February The Exceptional) come every other month except that there is no 30 day month between July and August?  The silly poem above mixes up the order just to hide the fact that the real 30 day months come in two orderly pairs: April/June and September/November.  Can somebody please write a non-silly poem for us that will make this clear, and stick in our minds, but without gooping them up with exceptions (and please just leave February out of it!)?

And to make matters (far) worse, MILLERWRITES has created a Proverbs Pull-A-Part Plan that decimates that fine collection of wisdom in the book of Proverbs, by spreading commentary on each chapter out over 7 months (the good 31 day months)!  Oh don't ask me to explain his system.  You can try to decipher what he said about it at the top of any P31P posts from January or March if you like, or just follow along this month and figure it out.

All Bible passages are from the NIV, and are copied here from Biblegateway.com

REMEMBER: My ideas may be oh so mesmerizing, but you will get more benefit from simply reading the chapter itself!

So here I offer my amateur comments on verses 10-14.  Today's inspired verses are in red, and my comments are neither       (neither inspired, nor red).

PROVERBS 31

1 The sayings of King Lemuel—an inspired utterance his mother taught him.


2 Listen, my son! Listen, son of my womb!
Listen, my son, the answer to my prayers!
3 Do not spend your strength[a] on women,
your vigor on those who ruin kings.


4 It is not for kings, Lemuel—
it is not for kings to drink wine,
not for rulers to crave beer,
5 lest they drink and forget what has been decreed,
and deprive all the oppressed of their rights.
6 Let beer be for those who are perishing,
wine for those who are in anguish!
7 Let them drink and forget their poverty
and remember their misery no more.


8 Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves,
for the rights of all who are destitute.
9 Speak up and judge fairly;
defend the rights of the poor and needy.

Epilogue: The Wife of Noble Character

By the Way: The rest of this chapter, verses 10-31, were written as an acrostic poem.  Each verse begins with a successive letter from the Hebrew alphabet.
10 A wife of noble character who can find?
She is worth far more than rubies.

10) "A noble character".  This is what a man really wants in his wife.  Can we all agree (at least those of us who are not still in our 20s) that having the "hot wife", or the "trophy wife" or the "supermodel wife" is simply not that important?  It is her honesty, her integrity; her maturity and wisdom; her willing and loving heart that far outweigh any physical attributes that may provide only a bonus.

11 Her husband has full confidence in her
and lacks nothing of value. 

11) Picture all the things that have true value.  None of them cost a penny, but a good wife can make them all appear through the work of her godly love. [Please note: As a poetic effort, remember that this section describes a super ideal wife.  One that probably has never existed in total and probably never will (The church, which is called "the bride of Christ", is not pictured here!).]

12 She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.

12) What man could ask for more than that? 

13 She selects wool and flax
and works with eager hands.

13) She is practical, diligent, and sacrificial.

14 She is like the merchant ships,
bringing her food from afar.

14) Sounds like she makes an effort to provide, not just quality meals, but with promising variety and surprise.

15 She gets up while it is still night;
she provides food for her family
and portions for her female servants.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks.
18 She sees that her trading is profitable,
and her lamp does not go out at night.
19 In her hand she holds the distaff
and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
20 She opens her arms to the poor
and extends her hands to the needy.
21 When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
22 She makes coverings for her bed;
she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is respected at the city gate,
where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them,
and supplies the merchants with sashes.
25 She is clothed with strength and dignity;
she can laugh at the days to come.
26 She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
27 She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
29 “Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all.”
30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
31 Honor her for all that her hands have done,
and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.




By the way...MILLERWRITES copy is COPYRIGHTED. Why cut and paste when you can simply copy the link?