Proverbs 31, part 2

We left off at verse 16.

*A wife of noble characer "considers a field and buys it",without asking her husband! "Out of her earnings (she's a working woman) she plants a vinyard." This lady invests in the future. This lady manages her own finances and property. Imagine that.

*"She sets about her work vigorously, her arms are strong for her tasks." This lady is admired for her physical strength! She is not required to be dainty and appear weak to appease her husband's ego.

*"She sees that her trading is profitable." This lady knows market rates and how to keep from getting swindled. She gets what her products are worth. "Her lamp does not go out at night." She works long hours.

*"In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers." She keeps busy and is not afraid to work.

*"She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hand to the needy." This lady is generous and compassionate to those less fortunate than herself.

*"When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet." She is prepared for the winter weather and makes sure her family is dressed warmly.

*"She makes coverings for her bed. She is  clothed in fine linen and purple." This lady is industrious and wealthy.

*So, what does her husband do? "Her husband is respected at the city gate where he takes his seat among the elders of the land." In other words, he sits on his butt all day talking with other similarly lucky men who have overworked wives to run thier households and make their clothes. If she were to stop doing all that stuff she does so well, it wouldn't be so good for his reputation.

To be fair, a woman of that time most likely would not have considered her position to be unjust or oppressive. There were no modern sensibilities about equality, independence, overwork, and emotional labor.  Plus, this is an *ideal* woman of the time. The likelihood of any one woman having all these attributes seems pretty slim. Even though the woman in Proverbs 31 is part of a patriarchal system, she has appears to have a considerable amount of freedom, compared to what the modern Christian fundamentalist patriarchy would give their wives. I don't see anything about deferring to her husband or asking his advice when she is capable of thinking for herself.


To be continued...