|
13. She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.
14. She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar.
15. She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.
16. She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard. {buyeth: Heb. taketh}
17. She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.
18. She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night. {She...: Heb. She tasteth}
19. She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.
20. She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy. {She...: Heb. She spreadeth}
21. She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet. {scarlet: or, double garments}
22. She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple.
23. Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.
24. She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.
25. Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.
26. She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.
27. She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.
This lovely character is drawn according to the usage of ancient times; though the general principles are of universal application. It describes not only the wife of a man of rank, but a wise, useful, and godly matron in her domestic responsibilities. It is “a woman professing godliness,” adorned “with good works” (1 Timothy 2:10); a Mary no less than a Martha. ‘It may be necessary to retouch the lines of the picture that have been obscured by length of years; in plain terms — to explain some parts of the description which relate to ancient manners and customs, and to shew how they may be usefully applied to those of our own age and country.’†
One thing however is most remarkable. The standard of godliness here exhibited is not that of a religious recluse, shut up from active obligations, under the pretense of greater sanctity and consecration to God. Here are none of those habits of monastic asceticism that are now extolled as the highest point of Christian perfection. One half at least of the picture of the virtuous woman is occupied with her personal and domestic industry. What a rebuke also does this convey to a self-indulgent inactivity! Her several employments admirably illustrate genuine simplicity of manners, and practical, yet liberal economy. This is indeed a difficult and rare attainment, economy without a niggardly spirit; seen and felt as little as possible, and conducted with all care and consideration of the comfort of the family.
But let us look more minutely into the features of the portrait drawn before us. Her personal habits are full of energy. Manual labor, even menial service in olden times was the employment of females in the highest ranks.† Self-denial is here a main principle. — The virtuous woman goes before her servants in diligence, no less than in dignity; imposing nothing upon them which she had not first bound upon herself, ruling her household most efficiently by the government of herself. Thus she seeks out her materials for work. Her needle is at the service of her family. Instead of a suppressed murmur at some inconvenient demand, she sets the pattern of working willingly with her hands. Instead of loitering herself, while they were laboring, she counts it no shame to be employed at the spindle and distaff.† She is early and late at her work, rising in the night.† The fruit of her work she turns to good account. She exchanges it in commerce for food brought from far. Her merchandise is good in quality — tapestry, fine linen, and girdles delivered to the merchant.† Her whole soul is in her work — girding her loins with strength, and strengthening her arms — ready to do any work befitting her sex and station. The land has also her due share of attention. Ever careful for her husband's interests, she considers the value of a field; and, if it be a good purchase, she buys it, and plants the vineyard for the best produce.
One more particular connected with her character as a wife is mentioned — her dress. This in a woman of superior rank, fit for a king, is of course according to her station. Her clothing is silk† and purple. Nor does this contravene the New Testament rule of sobriety.† It only commends her station in consistency with the purest simplicity of godliness. In a more general application, the dress should be suitable, so as to maintain the rank of presidency in the house. It is possible to pay too little, as well as too much, attention to this point; and it is not always that Christian women pay to it the regard precisely due, separate from both extremes. No increase of active exercise can excuse the neglect of those graces, which, trifling as they seem, when set out on right principles, form a component part of an attractive profession. The primary respect inculcated to the inward “adorning”† in no way renders the exterior grace a nullity. Even in isolated seclusion some regard would be due; much more, as suited to the gradation which Providence has assigned; and as commanding an husband's respect, who justly claims that his wife's exterior, so far as she is concerned, should continue to be not less pleasing than when at first his heart was drawn to her.
We now again observe her conduct as a mistress. And here also her praise is not that she spends her time in devotional exercises (though these, as “a woman that feareth the LORD” (Verse 30), she duly prizes); but that, according to the Scriptural canon, “she guides her house” (1 Timothy 5:14), watching carefully over her charge, distributing both her meat and her work in due proportion, and “in due season.” This is her responsibility. If “man goeth forth to his work, and to his labor till the evening” (Psalm 104:23), the woman finds her work as “a keeper at home.” (Titus 2:5.) And beautiful indeed is it to see, how by her industry, self-denial, and heartiness she “buildeth her house.” (Chapter 14:1.) She rises while it is yet night, not for the sake of being admired and talked of, but to give meat to her household. The delicacy also, with which she preserves her own sphere, is remarkable. For while she provides food for the whole household, she giveth the portion — that is — of work — not to the man-servants (these with great propriety she leaves to her husband), but to her maidens.† Their clothing is also provided with every regard to their comfort. She is not afraid of snow for them. They are clothed with scarlet, or rather with double garments,† well clad for a severe winter. So well does she look to the ways of her household, such untiring energy does she shew in every department, that none can accuse her of eating the bread of idleness. In her household, order is the principle of her rule. Timely orders are given, and they must be obeyed. Nothing is neglected that belongs to order, sobriety, economy, or general management. Well does she understand the exact work of each under her care, and their different abilities; when they need to be directed, and when they may be left to their own responsibility; what belongs to, and what is beyond, her own province of superintendence .
But never let the mistress contract her inspection within the sphere of a mere housekeeper, with her whole time and mind employed in the external routine of her household. While she exercises sound discipline and maternal anxiety, her primary principle is a Christian conscience for their highest interests; looking well to their moral habits, their religious instruction, and attendance on the means of grace; giving them time for secret prayer and reading the word of God,† bringing them to the daily ordinance of family worship; inculcating the careful observance of the Sabbath; anxiously watching over their manners, habits, and connections. While we would be careful not to over-work them, yet never let them eat the bread of idleness. If they have nothing to do for us, let them work for God. In short — let us consider them, not as beasts of burden, not as mere mercenaries; but as a solemn and responsible trust for God and for eternity. Who can have the claim to a virtuous woman, who does not feel this weight of family responsibility?
Nor is her provident care limited to her own dependents. Her spindle and distaff are worked, not for herself only, or for her household, but for the poor and needy. And, having first “drawn out her soul” (Isaiah 58:10), she stretcheth out her hands (Deuteronomy 15:7, 8), to embrace those at a distance from her with the flow of her love; and thus “the blessing of those that were ready to perish cometh upon her.” (Job 29:13. Acts 9:39.) Her spirit and manner also are of the same character; all in full accordance with her professions. Clever, brisk, and managing minds are often deficient in the softer graces. Their tongues are unrestrained, and lawless under provocation. Children, servants, and neighbors, suffer from this revolting hardness, and find “it better to dwell in a corner of the house-top, than with a brawling woman in a wide house” (Chapter 21:9.) But the godly matron has not only the law of love in her heart, but wisdom in her mouth, and in her tongue the law of kindness. The same love that binds her heart, governs her tongue, not with the caprice, but with the law, of kindness — a law, which she receives from wisdom, and which gives the mold to her whole spirit, so that ‘she says nothing that is foolish, nothing that is ill-natured.’† Richly endued with “the wisdom that is from above,” she is “gentle, and easy to be entreated; pitiful, courteous.” (James 3:17. 1 Peter 3:8.)
Thus indeed “a virtuous woman is a crown to her husband.” (Chapter 12:4.) He is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land; as blessed with no common treasures of happiness; ‘as indebted perhaps for his promotion to the wealth acquired by her management at home, and, it may be, for the preservation and establishment of his virtue, to the encouragement furnished by her example and conversation.’†
For herself — manifest and manifold blessings rest upon her. Strength is the clothing of her inner man. Christian courage and resolution lift her up above appalling difficulties. The clothing of honor stamps her with the Lord's acceptance, as his faithful servant, the child of his grace, and the heir of his glory. She rejoices, not only in her present happiness, but in time to come. Having been so wisely provident for the morrow, she is not overburdened with its cares. Having lived in the fear of God, and honored her God with the fruits of righteousness, there is sunshine in her hour of trial, “in the valley of the shadow of death,” in the unclouded day of eternity. She shall rejoice in time to come, when the ministering angels, and with them the blessed recipients of her bounty (Luke 16:9), shall welcome this daughter of Jerusalem “into the joy of the Lord.”
|