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Proverbs 31

Proverbs 31 joins a ruler’s duty to defend the vulnerable with praise for a woman whose wisdom bears public fruit.

King Lemuel receives instruction from his mother about the dangers that can ruin a ruler and deny afflicted people justice. She warns against destructive relationships and drink, then tells him to speak for those who cannot defend themselves. Lemuel’s identity is uncertain. The closing poem praises a worthy woman whose work sustains her household and helps the poor. Her husband and children honor her, and the poem names her fear of YHWH as the ground for praise.

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1The words of King Lemuel—the revelation which his mother taught him:
2“Oh, my son! Oh, son of my womb! Oh, son of my vows!
3Don’t give your strength to women, nor your ways to that which destroys kings.
4It is not for kings, Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, nor for princes to say, ‘Where is strong drink?’
5lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the justice due to anyone who is afflicted.
6Give strong drink to him who is ready to perish, and wine to the bitter in soul.
7Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.
8Open your mouth for the mute, in the cause of all who are left desolate.
9Open your mouth, judge righteously, and serve justice to the poor and needy.”
10Who can find a worthy woman? For her value is far above rubies.
13She seeks wool and flax, and works eagerly with her hands.
15She rises also while it is yet night, gives food to her household, and portions for her servant girls.
16She considers a field, and buys it. With the fruit of her hands, she plants a vineyard.
17She arms her waist with strength, and makes her arms strong.
18She perceives that her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp doesn’t go out by night.
20She opens her arms to the poor; yes, she extends her hands to the needy.
21She is not afraid of the snow for her household, for all her household are clothed with scarlet.
22She makes for herself carpets of tapestry. Her clothing is fine linen and purple.
23Her husband is respected in the gates, when he sits among the elders of the land.
24She makes linen garments and sells them, and delivers sashes to the merchant.
25Strength and dignity are her clothing. She laughs at the time to come.
26She opens her mouth with wisdom. Kind instruction is on her tongue.
27She looks well to the ways of her household, and doesn’t eat the bread of idleness.
28Her children rise up and call her blessed. Her husband also praises her:
29“Many women do noble things, but you excel them all.”
30Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain; but a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.
31Give her of the fruit of her hands! Let her works praise her in the gates!
World English BibleRead in NIV in Psalmlog →Highlighted verses are the most connected.
Key verses
Proverbs 31:10This opening question establishes the woman’s surpassing worth before the poem describes her skill, strength, and care.
Proverbs 31:30Fear of YHWH supplies the poem’s measure of lasting worth after its account of the woman’s accomplishments.
Proverbs 31:8The mother directs royal authority toward those without a voice, making their defense part of a king’s duty.
Where this chapter reaches

Isaiah shares the chapter’s call to defend the poor and secure justice for people whose claims are ignored. 1 Peter shares its emphasis on a woman’s character before God as the basis of lasting worth, above the appeal of outward adornment.

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After reading the whole chapter

What links do you notice between the king’s duty toward the poor and the woman’s open hands?

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How does the closing praise of fearing YHWH shape your reading of the woman’s work?

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Questions people ask about Proverbs 31

Who was King Lemuel in Proverbs 31?

The text names Lemuel as a king and presents the opening instruction as teaching from his mother. It gives no kingdom, dates, or family names that establish his identity. Attempts to identify him with another known king remain uncertain; the chapter’s focus is the wisdom his mother taught him.

Who is the Proverbs 31 woman?

The woman in verses 10–31 is unnamed. The passage is an alphabetic acrostic in Hebrew, a structured poem praising a worthy wife through her work and character. It does not identify a specific historical woman. Its closing emphasis falls on her fear of YHWH and the honor her works deserve.

Does Proverbs 31 encourage drinking to forget problems?

Verses 6–7 describe strong drink for someone near death and wine for someone bitter in soul. These lines contrast severe distress with a ruler’s responsibility to remain clearheaded and protect justice. Their precise intent is debated. They do not establish a general rule for handling sorrow or instructions for medical care.

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Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY). Scripture from the World English Bible (public domain). Arc diagram after Chris Harrison and Christoph Römhild (2007).