Proverbs 31:10-31
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- Reading the Text:
- NRSV (with link to Anglicized NRSV) at Oremus Bible Browser.
- The Bible Gateway: NIV, NASB, CEV, The Message, KJV, etc.
- The Blue Letter Bible. KJV, alternate versions, Hebrew text with concordance, commentaries.
- The World Wide Study Bible includes commentary, exposition and sermons.
- Historical References, Commentary and Comparative
Texts:
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III.10, III.11, Paedagogus, Clement of Alexandria (c 200)
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Rashi's Commentary, c. 1075. chabad.org.
- From the Geneva Notes.
- From
Matthew Henry's
Commentary.
- "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."
- From Wesley's
Notes.
- "Here he lays down several qualifications of an excellent wife, which are delivered in alphabetical order, each verse beginning with a several letter of the Hebrew alphabet."
- From the Commentary on the Whole Bible
(Jamieson, Fausset and Brown, 1871).
- "The result of her labor is her best eulogy. Nothing can add to the simple beauty of this admirable portrait. On the measure of its realization in the daughters of our own day rest untold results, in the domestic, and, therefore, the civil and religious, welfare of the people."
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- Contemporary Commentary, Studies, and Exegesis:
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- "The connections between the capable wife and Woman Wisdom might suggest another explanation for the picture in 31:10-31: that portrait may be a sapiential and mythological ideal as much as a patriarchal one."
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- "In the light of the worldview about women and the roles, which have been part of their life for centuries, this picture is unsurprising in most of its aspects. However, the suggestion that the woman can buy a field and arrange for a vineyard to be planted is an unexpected attribute named in this list."
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- "In preaching on this passage, you might encourage listeners to think of women in their family or experience who model this kind of resilience and care for family and community."
- "The Triumph of the Eye," study guide, Robert B. Kruschwitz, (other resources at) "Women and the Church," Christian Reflection, The Center for Christian Ethics at Baylor University, 2009. Focus article: "The Triumph of the Eye," Ralph C. Wood.
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"The Ideal
Believer," Larry Broding's Word-Sunday.Com:
A Lectionary Resource for Catholics.
- "Do you see any of these qualities in yourself? In your spouse (if you are married)? How have these qualities improved your life?"
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- Articles & Background:
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"Engaging Biblical Women," Lillian Klein, Bible and Interpretation,
2003.
- "Indeed, in Proverbs 31, an ideal Israelite woman is shown to be active and commanding in the marketplace as well as in the home: this woman purchases property and manages finances while her husband apparently has nothing to do but 'sit among the elders of the land at the gates' (31.28)."
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"Regulating 'Sons' and 'Daughters' in the Torah and in Proverbs: Some
Prelimina," Athalya Brenner, Journal of Hebrew Scriptures, 2005.
- "Prescriptions and proscriptions are rife here as well as in the ?law? passages of the Torah; the aim is, once again, to produce a younger person who will be a well adjusted member of society, as imagined in and to a certain extent also imaged or refracted by the text."
- "A Rejoinder to A. Brenner," Francis Landy, Journal of Hebrew Scriptures, 2005.
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"Women and
House Religion," Elizabeth Willett, Bible and Interpretation.
- "Biblical descriptions like Proverbs 31 and 2 Kgs 23 attest that Israelite women assumed the responsibility of weaving textiles and producing clothing for their families and deities."
-
"The Psychodynamics of a Religious Approach to Alcoholism," Howard J.
Clinebell, Jr., chapter 6 in Understanding and Counseling the Alcoholic,
1977.
- "The tragic inadequacy of the use of alcohol as an opiate for social chaos becomes apparent when the cure is recognized as a cause of further chaos."
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"The
Proverbs and the Idea of 'Money'," by Greg Herrick at the
Biblical Studies Foundation.
- "Recognize the potential for good that money properly used can have."
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"The
Teaching of Proverbs on Work," by Greg Herrick at the Biblical Studies Foundation.
- "If you are good at what you do, do not be surprised when others want to see you in action."
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"Engaging Biblical Women," Lillian Klein, Bible and Interpretation,
2003.
- Recommended articles
from ATLAS, an online collection of religion and theology journals, are
linked below.
ATLAS Access options are available for academic institutions, alumni of
selected theological schools, and clergy/church offices.
- Bernat, David,
"Biblical WASFS beyond Song of Songs," Journal for the Study
of the Old Testament, 2004.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
- Burreson, Kent J.,
"Homiletical Helps on LW Series C - Old Testament," Concordia Journal,
2007. (Section on this text begins on p. 209)
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Hawkins, Tom R.,
"The Wife of Noble Character in Proverbs 31:10-31," Bibliotheca Sacra,
1996.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Hobbs, T.R., "Hospitality in the First Testament and the 'Teleological Fallacy',"
Journal for the Study of the Old Testament, 2001.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Kassis, Riad A.,
"A Note on SHALAL (Prov. XXXI 11b)," Vetus Testamentum,
2000.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Lang, Bernhard,
"Women's Work, Household and Property in Two Mediterranean Societies: A
Comparative Essay on Proverbs 31:10-31," Vetus Testamentum, 2004.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Masenya, Madipoane,
"Proverbs 31:10-31 in a South African Context: A Reading for the Liberation
of African (Northern Sotho) Women," Semeia, 1997.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Rendsburg, Gary A., "Bilingual
Wordplay in the Bible," Vetus Testamentum, 1988.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Szlos, M. Beth, "A Portrait of Power:
A Literary-Critical Study of the Depiction of the Woman in Proverbs
31:10-31," Union Seminary Quarterly Review, 2000.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Wolters, Al,
"The Meaning of KÎSÔR (Prov 31:19)," Hebrew Union College
Annual, 1994.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Wolters, Al,
"Nature and Grace in the Interpretation of Proverbs 31:10-31," Calvin
Theological Journal, 1984.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Wolters, Al,
"Proverbs XXXI 10-31 as Heroic Hymn: A Form-Critical Analysis," Vetus
Testamentum, 1988.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Wolters, Al,
"SÔPIYYÂ (Prov 31:27) as Hymnic Participle and Play on SOPHIA,"
Journal of Biblical Literature, 1985.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Yoder, Christine Roy,
"The Woman of Substance ('ST-HYL): A Socioeconomic Reading of
Proverbs 31:10-31," Journal of Biblical Literature, 2003.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
- Bernat, David,
"Biblical WASFS beyond Song of Songs," Journal for the Study
of the Old Testament, 2004.
- Reviews:
- Review: Madipoane Masenya (ngwana' Mphahlele), How Worthy is the Woman of Worth?: Rereading Proverbs 31:10-31 in African-South Africa. (Peter Lang, 2004) Review by Petronella Verwijs in SBL's Review of Biblical Literature.
- Review: Christine Roy Yoder, Wisdom as a Woman of Substance: A Socioeconomic Reading of Proverbs 1 - 9 and 31:10-31. (Walter deGruyter, 2001) Review by Christl Maier in SBL's Review of Biblical Literature.
- Sermons:
- With Children:
- Drama:
- "The Interview," the Cooper Family, dramatix.
- "Perfect Partner," Simon & Sue Kingham, dramatix.
- "Supermom," Glenn A. Hascall, dramatix.
- "Life's Choices: A Play Based on Eight Characters in Proverbs," Robin Gallaher Branch, Society of Biblical Literature Forum, 2006.
- Graphics & Bulletin Materials:
- Hymns and Music:
- Hymns with Scripture Allusions: Proverbs 31:30. The Cyber Hymnal.
- Fine Arts Images Linked at The Text This Week's Art Index:
- Movies scenes with the following themes, listed at The Text This Week's Movie Concordance:
- Study Links and Resources for the Book of Proverbs
