Amsal 31:12 Komentar

This chapter is added to Solomon's proverbs, some think because it is of the same author, supposing king Lemuel to be king Solomon; others only because it is of the same nature, though left in writing by another author, called Lemuel; however it be, it is a prophecy, and therefore given by inspiration and direction of God, which Lemuel was under in the writing of it, and putting it into this form, as his mother was in dictating to him the matter of it. Here is, I. An exhortation to Lemuel, a young prince, to take heed of the sins he would be tempted to and to do the duties of the place he was called to (Pro 31:1-9). II. The description of a virtuous woman, especially in the relation of a wife and the mistress of a family, which Lemuel's mother drew up, not as an encomium of herself, though, no doubt, it was her own true picture, but either as an instruction to her daughters, as the foregoing verses were to her son, or as a direction to her son in the choice of a wife; she must be chaste and modest, diligent and frugal, dutiful to her husband, careful of her family, discreet in her discourse, and in the education of her children, and, above all, conscientious in her duty to God: such a one as this, if he can find her, will make him happy (v. 10-31).

INTRODUCTION TO PROVERBS 31 This chapter contains the last part of the book of Proverbs; which some reckon the fifth, others the sixth. It contains the instructions of the mother of a prince, whose name was Lemuel, which she gave unto him; and which are so valuable, as to be annexed to the proverbs of Solomon. The preface or introduction to them is in Pro 31:1; the address to her son, Pro 31:2. The vices she cautions him against are uncleanness and intemperance; which she dissuades from, because of the pernicious consequences of both to kings and to their subjects, Pro 31:3. Advises rather to give wine and strong drink to poor people, such as are in distress; as being more useful to them, at least less prejudicial, Pro 31:6; and exhorts her son to the duties of his office; by pleading the cause of the poor and injured, and administering justice to them, Pro 31:8. And then at large describes a virtuous woman; perhaps designed as an instruction to her son in the choice of a wife, Pro 31:10; though more than that may be intended by it.

She will do him good, and not evil,.... Or, repay good unto him, give him thanks for all the good things bestowed by him on her; will seek his interest, and promote his honour and glory to the uttermost; all the good works she does, which she is qualified for, and ready to perform, are all done in his name and strength, and with a view to his glory; nor will she do any evil willingly and knowingly against him, against his truths and ordinances; or that is detrimental to his honour, and prejudicial to his interest, Co2 13:8; all the days of her life; through which she desires to serve him in righteousness and true holiness; and to be steadfast and immovable, always abounding in his work, Luk 1:74.

"For she works for her husband's good and not his harm, all the time." That is why this lady despoils the nations, working for her husband's good and not his harm. All the time she does good and not harm: not for herself either, but for her husband, "that whoever lives may live no longer for himself, but for the one who died and rose again for all."

"She brings him good, and not harm," etc. For the soul renders good to Christ when, receiving the gifts of life from Him, it responds by living rightly, when it strives to impart to others that which through His help it can know or do. But well after saying, "She brings him good," immediately added, "And not harm," because surely there are those who, receiving good things from the Lord, repay evils, either by polluting the mysteries of faith which they received with heretical corruption, or by blaspheming the faith which they serve with false deeds; or by corrupting the good morals with which they serve with right faith through evil conduct. For neither do they return the good they received to the Lord, who do not care to persist in good beginnings until the end of the current life. Whence rightly after saying, "She brings him good, and not harm," to show the necessity of perseverance in good, it is added, "All the days of her life." Similar is the evangelical saying, "That we might serve Him in holiness and righteousness before Him, all our days" (Luke 1). By which proper duties, or by which fruits of justice or holiness, it is fitting for him to especially persist who diligently strives to repay the good he received from the Lord, it is subsequently shown when it is said:

(Pro. 31:1-31) On the title of this, the sixth part of the book, see Introduction. prophecy--(See on Pro 30:1).

do . . . good--contribute good to him.

12 ג She doeth good to him, and not evil, All the days of her life; or, as Luther translates: "Sie thut jm liebs und kein leids." [She does him good, and no harm.] She is far from ever doing him evil, she does him only good all her life long; her love is not dependent on freaks, it rests on deep moral grounds, and hence derives its power and purity, which remain ever the same. גּמל signifies to accomplish, to perform. To the not assimilated form גּמלתהוּ, cf. יסּרתּוּ, 1b.