Original Meaning

THE FINAL CHAPTER of Proverbs is book-matched with chapter 30 (see comments there).1 Like that one, this chapter begins with the “sayings” of a foreigner, an “oracle,” which is then followed by artfully arranged poetry. The four-part unit of chapters 30 and 31 recaps the images and themes of the book, drawing them together into a comprehensive conclusion. Even as the book began with the “proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel,” so here a king receives instruction from his mother about choosing a life partner and the dangers of undisciplined sex and drinking.2 A positive picture follows, presented as a woman of noble character who manages a household and earns praise.

The two parts of this chapter are linked as well: Both women are teachers (cf. 31:26), and the conversation in the royal palace is matched with the wisdom of the citizen’s home.

Kings Speak Out for the Poor (31:1–9)

A mother speaks to her son (31:1–2)

Rulers are not to drink and forget (31:3–5)

Give drink to the poor so they can forget (31:6–9)

The Woman of Worth Brings Her Husband Good (31:10–31)

Nine-verse unit beginning with “noble character” and “husband” (31:10–18)

Two-verse unit repeating “stretches hand”—“palm” (31:19–20)

Nine-verse unit ending with “husband” and “noble character” (31:21–29)

Two-verse coda repeating “praise”—“work of her hands”3 (31:30–31)

Moreover, if the acrostic is divided in two, the midpoint and conclusion put emphasis on the woman’s community service (31:20 and 31).4

Kings Speak Out for the Poor (31:1–9)

A MOTHER’S LESSON to her son reminds the ruler to serve all the people, especially the poor.

31:1–2. A superscription introduces the “sayings of King Lemuel—an oracle,” reminding the reader of the sayings of Agur, which are also called “an oracle” (massaʾ, see 30:1 for comments). While we are no more able to identify Lemuel than Agur, we do note that these sayings are not really Lemuel’s but his mother’s, a reminder that women serve as teachers throughout the book (1:8; 4:3; 6:20; 31:26). She repeats “my son” three times, the last translated either “son of my vows” or “the answer to my prayers” (see NIV text note; cf. 30:16; 1 Sam. 1:11, 28).5

31:3–5. The four prohibitions that follow in verses 3 and 4 begin with the negative ʾal and are followed by pen, “lest,” in verse 5, describing the negative consequences. Kings are not to spend their strength on women; the word “strength” (ḥayil) reappears as “noble character” in verse 10 (cf. 5:9–10; 12:4). Nor are they to spend their vigor on those who destroy kings; the Hebrew for “vigor” is (lit.) “your ways,” recalling the “way” of an adulteress in 30:20. The concern over the distractions of harems and drinking and the resulting impaired judgment were common throughout the literature of the ancient Near East, including that of Israel.6

The ideal king protects the poor and defenseless, caring for them instead of amassing wealth and building great palaces (Isa. 9:5; 11:2). Such rulers not only refuse bribes and reject shady dealing, they rule to make sure that such things are not done by anyone else so that the rights of the poor are not deprived (NRSV “perverted”).

31:6–9. Verse 6 reverses the picture of the previous warnings; instead of “giving” (ntn, 31:3) strength to women, rulers are to give beer and wine as a comfort to those who are perishing (31:6; cf. Gen. 5:29; Ps. 104:15). Note also that the verbs “drink” and “forget” (Prov. 31:5) are repeated in 31:7 7; the poor can drink and forget their poverty, for they are the ones who suffer.

Such a recommendation may surprise those who object to drinking in any form, while others may be troubled by encouraging the poor to drink, especially those pastors and social workers who see the devastating effects of alcoholism in families. (1) We must recognize that total abstinence from alcohol was rare in the ancient world (as, e.g., in Nazirite vows), even while the problems of addiction to drink were recognized. (2) Behind this recommendation to give drink is a concern for responsible execution of judgment and care for the least powerful members of the kingdom. As Murphy puts it, instead of storing wine in his cellars, the king should offer it as comfort to those who hurt.8 In my view, the “wine” is both a real comfort and a symbol of the fair judgment and rule that a king gives to his people (cf. 28:16; 29:14).

While we may be shocked to hear a suggestion of drinking to escape trouble, we should also note that in 31:5, “drink and forget” describe an irresponsible king who has no misery to forget, yet drinks anyway. Moreover, the offer of drink is not the only solution; we would be more concerned about this counsel were it not followed by the call to speak out for the poor.

In the Hebrew text, verses 8 and 9 both begin with the strong imperative, “Speak up” (lit., “open your mouth”). Certainly the theme of speech in Proverbs comes to fruition here. Above all, wise speech is speech that advocates for the rights of the poor. Kings are to make this part of their job description (e.g., 29:4, 14; cf. 16:13; 20:28; 25:5); note that in previous chapters this responsibility belongs to everyone. The Hebrew of verse 8 reads, “for the mute,” that is, those “who cannot speak for themselves” and be heard. Then, as now, the rich and powerful had the voices that counted. Today, when E. F. Hutton speaks, everyone listens, but the cry of impoverished millions goes unheard.

In verse 9, “speak up” is repeated and defined: Good speech enables one to “judge [špṭ, the same root as the Heb. word for justice] fairly.” Rather than deprive the poor of their rights (31:5), those who speak rightly will defend them. More than giving drink to cover over the misery of the poor (31:7), those who speak rightly work to remove the source of that misery.

The Woman of Worth Brings Her Husband Good (31:10–31)

THE BOOK OF Proverbs concludes with an acrostic poem that arranges key terms in a chiastic structure, the literary artistry reflecting the carefully ordered environment of home and world that Wisdom brings about (cf. 3:13–20; 8:1–36). Although the two parts of chapter 31 do not follow one another in the LXX, they do seem to speak to one another in the present arrangement. So, for example, while Lemuel’s mother warns of the harm in spending one’s “strength” (ḥayil, 31:3) in giving the wrong kind of attention to women, the poem begins with the good that a woman of “noble character” (ḥayil) can bring (31:10–12). Yet over the centuries, the poem has taken on a life of its own. In Jewish tradition, it is recited by the husband to his wife on Sabbath evenings,9 and Christians are familiar with the reading on Mother’s Day. Certainly it was designed to persuade young men to seek a good wife, but we also see this woman as another embodiment of wisdom, similar to the personifications of Wisdom throughout the book.

31:10–18. The “wife of noble character” (ʾešet ḥayil, “worth, strength”) has been mentioned before: “A wife of noble character is her husband’s crown” (12:4). We can also translate “a woman of noble character” after 31:29–30 and Ruth 3:11, observing that she enacts more roles than wife. “Who can find?” communicates that faithful character is valuable because it is rare (cf. Prov. 20:6), and the question may refer to the elusive nature of wisdom itself (1:28; 8:35; Job 28:12–13).

From the start we are given a clue that somehow this poem is a summary of all that has been said about wisdom in Proverbs. The first of the praises describes this woman’s character as a treasure (31:10), her worth measured in precious stones (“rubies”), thus reminding readers of previous descriptions of Wisdom (cf. 3:15; 8:11). Her husband recognizes her worth, for he “lacks nothing of value [šalal, the same word that the violent gang used for “plunder” in 1:13; cf. 16:19].” What some would take by force comes to those who seek what is most important.

“Brings him good” (31:12) in other contexts is translated as “repays” (3:30; 11:17; cf. Ps. 103:10; 119:17); in this woman, Wisdom’s promises are fulfilled (Prov. 4:6, 8–9).10 The first description of her work in verses 13–18 repeats significant terms in order: She works with her “hands” (lit., “palms”) and trades (root sḥr, 31:14, 17–18a), even into the night (31:15, 18b).11 She “sees” (ṭaʿ ^amah, 31:18) or perceives that her trading is profitable, unlike the beautiful woman who shows no “discretion” or the sluggard, more wise in his own eyes than those who answer “discretely” (ṭaʿam in 11:22; 26:16). She is like Wisdom, who is more profitable than silver (3:14).

In sum, this woman works and trades night and day to provide for herself and her household; she is as wise as the evil characters of chapter 30 are foolish and self-centered. Moreover, she models the life of wisdom that Agur has requested, repeating terms from the previous chapter. She ranges far and wide to bring home food or “bread,” just like merchant ships on the seas (cf. 30:19).12 The word for “food” usually means “prey” (Ps. 11:5; Mal. 3:10). She provides for her house and maids (Prov. 31:15; cf. 27:7), in the same way Agur asked Yahweh to provide (30:8). She “considers” (31:16) a field to buy it, “planning” not for evil (30:32) but to use its produce and earnings (lit., “fruit of her hands”; 31:31) to plant a vineyard. She “sets about her work vigorously,” for she (lit.) “girds her loins with strength” (31:17), the same word used to describe ants who have little “strength,” yet store up and provide food (30:25).

31:19–20. The midpoint of the poem is set apart by a chiastic structure that repeats Hebrew words for “hands.” The woman’s hand “holds [slḥ] the distaff,”13 but she also “extends” (šlḥ) her hands to the poor (31:19a, 20b).14 Her palms take hold of the spindle and open themselves to the needy (31:19b, 20a). The wordplay creates a contrast between the hands that close on her tools of production but open to share of her rewards with the poor (cf. 19:17; 22:9). She is the mirror reverse of the generation that wants to swallow up the “poor” and “needy” (30:14; cf. 14:31). The focus on hands carries over to 31:31 (lit., “work of her hands”), and the description of clothing extends through 31:21–22 to 31:25: “She is clothed with strength and dignity.”

31:21–29. The husband and household appear twice, first as beneficiaries (vv. 21–25), then as those who praise her accomplishments of word and deed (vv. 26–29). The benefits are also presented in chiastic fashion, drawing attention to the honor that comes to the husband.

A v. 21 No fear of snows—household clothed in scarlet

B v. 22 She is clothed in linen and purple

C v. 23 Husband respected at the gate

B′ v. 24 She makes and sells linen and sashes

A′ v. 25 Laughs at future—she is clothed in strength and dignity

This structure helps readers see that her work in making finished clothing of the yarn spun earlier gives her confidence for the future. The wordplay in 31:25 clothes her, not in the scarlet of her household (31:21)15 but in “strength and dignity” (cf. 31:17). She is also clothed in linen and purple, materials both expensive and a sign of honor (Est. 8:15), but she also has linen to sell (Prov. 31:22, 24). At the center of this arrangement sits the husband, honored at the gates where he sits with the elders, presumably to make deliberations and judgments (31:23; cf. v. 31). No connection is stated; it is implied that this industrious wife does him good and brings him wealth, and so this man is honored, perhaps for his own wisdom, perhaps for the good she brings him. Some interpreters see a satire of the important but ultimately useless “husband” (cf. 31:11; 25:6–7), but this ignores the important role elders play in judging for the rights of others.16

Her words and deeds together bring her praise. The husband is not the only one who speaks wisely, for she (lit.) “opens her mouth in wisdom” (31:26; cf. v. 20), just as Lemuel was instructed in 31:8–9. The “faithful instruction” (torat ḥesed) is faithful in both senses of the word, true to the tradition and to the marginalized people it serves. If the husband speaks for justice at the gates, she does the same in the home (cf. 1:8; 6:20; 13:14). Therefore, if we haven’t already, we should make association with another person who “speaks with wisdom” (1:21; 8:3).17

The sayings that follow in 31:28–31 refer to another kind of speaking, the epideictic speech of praise (“praise” appears three times). The first two verses (31:28–29) report the family’s praise, the last two verses (31:30–31) the praise of the unnamed teacher and crowd at the city gates. The last four verses of the acrostic poem sound echoes of the first four. The terms “husband” and “noble” appear in the first two verses of each (31:10–11 and 28–29) and the words “work” and “her hands” come at the end (31:13, 31). The third verse in each sequence contrasts good done “all the days of her life” with beauty that is fleeting (31:12, 20).

If the start of the poem lauds the good she brings to her husband, the end rewards it with praise, from her children and her man. Presumably, the men at the gate speak well also of this man’s wife, and this adds to the honor he receives (31:23). Her husband’s praise outdoes Boaz in recognizing her worth (ḥayil, “noble things,” 31:29; cf. 31:10; Ruth 3:11), holding her up as surpassing all. Small wonder, then, that Ruth follows Proverbs in the Hebrew canon, for both women are examples of strength, resourcefulness, and loyalty.

31:30–31. Readers have heard throughout the book that charm and beauty can deceive and disappear, just like riches (31:28; cf. 6:25; 11:16, 22; 13:11; 21:6). More important than any beauty, charm, or even work is the fear of Yahweh, which shapes all that this woman is (31:30); having this fear, she has no fear of the future (31:21). While some interpreters read the Hebrew to argue that this woman is the fear of Yahweh, in my view, it is enough that each appearance of personified Wisdom in the book also mentions “fear of the LORD” (31:30; cf. 1:29; 9:10). We cannot miss the significance that the goal of wisdom teaching named at the beginning of the book (1:7) comes to fruition in this woman’s character.18 What else can we readers do but join in giving her “the reward she has earned” (lit., “the fruit of her hands”)?19

Bridging Contexts

ONCE AGAIN, we must seek to understand this chapter in light of the four-part structure of chapters 30 and 31 (see comments in ch. 30). So, for example, when we observe the frequency of cautionary sayings about the king in 30:21–31, we notice that 31:1–9 warns the king against self-indulgence and irresponsible rule. Moreover, Agur’s prayer for knowledge of God and help in living well (30:1–9) is answered by a “woman of noble character,” who models fear of Yahweh in her successful and charitable life (31:10–31).

Women as teachers and role models. The two parts of chapter 31 are linked together by women teachers and examples who help and influence men in positions of responsibility. While one takes his seat at the city gate among the elders, another sits on the throne to rule and judge (31:9, 23). The wisdom that instructs kings (8:14–16) and citizens (9:1–8) alike also brings them good (3:13–18). In this way, the two parts of the chapter do what the book does, bringing palace and gate together; wisdom is not for kings alone but for all of us in our varied positions of leadership and responsibility.

(1) The queen mother tells Lemuel to set aside wine, women, and song for the responsibilities of leadership, giving the needy what they need for comfort and aid and speaking out for their rights. To speak out is to speak the word of decision that restrains and punishes cheating, fast dealing, and other subtle forms of stealing that often hurt the poor the most. Today, the injustice of Naboth’s vineyard, stolen for the king’s wine (1 Kings 21:1–28), reminds us of large-scale indifference to fair trade between nations, unequal opportunity in hiring and housing, and a few renegade CEOs. The conclusion to the book of Proverbs recognizes that the poor will be forgotten unless someone speaks for their rights and needs; then, as now, leaders were charged with making sure the poor were not cheated or overlooked.

Whybray may be right that there is no vision of equal distribution among these sages, no question about the social causes of poverty.20 The ancients did not ask the larger questions about wealth and its distribution that sociologists and economists raise today; they simply wanted to assure that the rich and powerful did not take what did not belong to them. A look at a daily newspaper will confirm that it is a good place to begin today!

Throughout the book we have said that instructions for leaders speak to the roles of leadership that all of us exercise in our jobs, families, and voluntary associations. The standards of righteousness, justice, and equity (1:3) apply to every human interaction; thus, this concluding admonition reminds us that speech is the primary means by which such standards are realized. In the imagery of Proverbs, we can use our mouths for greedy consumption, or we can use them for just and compassionate speaking, in the halls of government or the business office.

(2) Moreover, the “wife of noble character” speaks with wisdom and faithful instruction (31:26), and she follows up those words with actions. If Lemuel’s mother warned about giving strength (ḥayil, 31:3) away to women, this woman proves that there are those whose strength (ḥayil, 31:10) brings good, not harm, to their men. We should remember that we find here an image of a household manager that is both concrete and ideal. It is concrete in that these actions of an upper class wife reflect the actual “cultural experience of a social group of women.”21 It is also ideal, for these qualities are demonstrated to perfection. Can anyone live up to this standard?

We are faced with the problem of role models that can inspire but can also discourage; I know of one couple who threw out their Christian self-help books because no matter how diligent and sincere their efforts, they were always found wanting. The poem seeks to inspire a desire for wise living, not perfectionism—but how are we to understand it?

Roles, activities, and character. The concrete aspects of the woman’s good work are part of the reading of this poem, and they direct us to ideals worthy of emulation. So Madipoane Masenya observes that this portrait of an ideal woman reclaims endangered aspects of bosadi (womanhood) in South African culture: effective household management, care for the needy, and industry. It is an ideal that those women can emulate in the face of industrialization and cultural change, for many poor African women are left alone to farm unproductive land, hindering their traditional roles of caretaker and contributor. Moreover, the woman of Proverbs 31 reminds African readers what it means to be a person who cares for the community outside the nuclear family. Masenya cites the concept of ubuntu (botho/humanness), a fundamental respect for human nature as a whole, communicated by the Zulu saying, “A human being is a human being because of other human beings.” She also describes the practice of sending young girls to visit those who are elderly and without family, bringing firewood, water, and food.22 These concrete actions do speak to the larger ideals of character.

Such an approach to interpretation can put the emphasis where it belongs, on the biblical values of service and community. It can also remove some of our contemporary concern that this poem sets limits on the roles and activities available to women. As a portrait of a woman and her household, we recognize this poem has been used to praise and pressure women, but its root message of choosing love and following it through in actions makes a fitting conclusion to a book about wisdom. Speak well and let your actions speak as loudly, say the sages. Choose carefully when it comes to issues of personal character and companions. While it is true that the poetry was directed toward males and the good or bad that comes to them, women have always known it works both ways.

The practical counsel of Proverbs has helped generations of believers get their heads out of the clouds and down to the business of living as though the world really is inhabited by other people, a welcome antidote to the self-indulgent values of contemporary life. Women may find this woman of worth too perfect or too domestic, but her example of competent and caring activity carries through the ages into our own, inspiring men and women alike. “Who can find?” (31:10) receives its answer from Wisdom herself: “Whoever finds me finds life and receives favor from the LORD” (8:35). In sum, the poem of praise sums up the teaching of the entire book concerning Wisdom, the good she inspires and brings to those who find her.

However, remembering that this is a book attributed to Solomon, we may wonder if the sages meant to draw our attention to the negative influence of Solomon’s many wives and concubines (1 Kings 11:1–13); Solomon’s wives turned his heart toward other gods, and Lemuel’s mother warns against dissipation and forgetting. In my view, the chapter brings together positive roles of counsel and example: Lemuel’s mother teaches the responsibilities of leadership, while the woman of noble character runs a household that increases in wealth, provides for its own, and reaches out in charity, a model of administration that any king might envy. Put another way, the symbolism of the acrostic poem not only points to the pursuit of Wisdom as lifelong partner, it also models a government that benefits all at the expense of none; it is like a prosperous and just kingdom. We may risk overstatement to say that the woman not only models the skill of administrating a household, she shows a king how to run a kingdom, doing that which Yahweh requires—providing for all.

The Lord of wisdom. Finally, this woman also represents the Lord of wisdom. We have observed that throughout Proverbs, female figures represent both Wisdom and Folly. Just as chapters 7–9 juxtapose Woman Wisdom with personifications of adultery and folly, so here Lemuel’s mother warns against using one’s sexual powers foolishly, giving that strength away to women (cf. 30:20) instead of finding a woman who contributes to one’s good (31:12). Here, Wisdom’s calls to receive her teaching and hospitality come together as the house Wisdom built with her hands is realized in this home of security and nurture (cf. 1:20–23; 8:1–11; 9:1–6).23

The descriptions of this woman’s valor and strength have military overtones, reminding careful readers of the praise due a conquering king, perhaps even the king of heaven. Therefore, we are not surprised that the deeds of the noble woman show some reflection of the mighty deeds of Yahweh, who cares for the poor and righteous.24 Thus, readers meet the wisdom of Yahweh in a mother’s teaching and a wife’s example, embodiment of the wise life that is both identified with Yahweh and yet distinct. While she is not Woman Wisdom, this final example of wisdom in feminine persona reminds readers of all of Wisdom’s earlier appearances, a means by which Yahweh speaks to his people (1:20–33; 3:13–18; 8:1–36; 9:1–12).

So also, Yahweh is not Woman Wisdom and should not be called Wisdom or Sophia, although he is wise (see comments in ch. 1). Rather, we hear the voice of God through her words as well as through the wisdom of the instructions, proverbs, words of the wise, and their riddles (1:6). In this way, wisdom, like the historical narratives, the prophets, and the psalms, becomes another biblical means for God to communicate his person and intentions for his people.

Contemporary Significance

CONCERN FOR THE poor as an element of wisdom. Perhaps the most important aspect of the conclusion to the book of Proverbs is that both Lemuel’s mother and the woman of noble character teach and model the orderly life of wisdom. Throughout the book, women have taught alongside men, fulfilling the vision of Genesis 1–2, man and woman together representing the image of God.25 Therefore, just as we asked women to identify with the young man in his journey toward the wise life throughout the book, so we ask men to identify with the core values of these wise women. Let us be taught not only to live sober and responsible lives but also to “speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves” (31:8). Let us manage our affairs so as to provide well for family and stranger. In this way the public concerns of the queen mother and the private concerns of the wife of character come together.

Thus, we must listen with Lemuel as his mother urges responsible use of authority and power, serving not ourselves or those who can help us but those who have nothing to give in return. I’m concerned that collectively, we as Americans and members of an American church body can become the forgetful king that troubled Lemuel’s mother. Thanks to the availability of media, entertainment can be cheaply enjoyed. The millions of Americans who watch the Superbowl and spend a few dollars each on beer and snacks add up to the millions that go to athletes and catchy TV commercials. My purpose is not to decry the few hours of entertainment the national holiday of Superbowl Sunday brings, but to wish that all of the effort and ingenuity that went into winning games, creating catchy commercials, and producing blockbuster half-time shows went into speaking and acting on behalf of the poor who live right next door to us.

I know a couple who work with the Center for Student Missions, an agency that has a facility on the university where I teach. I was impressed that their idea of mission took high school kids to inner cities, not to faraway lands. In this way, the values of neighbor love are put into action that can be practiced at home; students learn to hear and speak for those who cannot speak for themselves. Their example proves that the private life of responsible and charitable citizenship and the physical care of visiting, feeding, and helping is always in season. So the center of the acrostic poem links the wise woman’s industry with her charity (31:19–20). In the same way, Paul urged that persons work with their hands to have something to share with those in need, a practice he kept himself (Eph. 4:28; 1 Thess. 2:6–12; 2 Thess. 3:6–15).

Private and public life. Private and public life come together in the two women of this chapter, as do teaching and example. Lemuel is taught to keep a personal discipline to ensure that he executes his public charge. So also the man at the gate (hopefully speaking up for the poor) is helped by a woman who stretches her hands out to make cloth and embrace the poor. Why have we so often assumed that taking care of our own excludes taking care of the stranger? Or, to turn the question around, why do so many pour themselves out in ministry to the neglect of their families? Testimonies of parents who have taken their children along on mission trips show that such separation is needless and potentially harmful, for these children learn more about love and service by watching their folks than they would ever learn from their parents’ teaching alone.

Moreover, for too long, this passage has been used to argue that women can only exercise their gifts and competence in the home or in some similar service; yet both women in this chapter follow the lead of Woman Wisdom in their concern for righteousness, justice, and equity that is both public and private (1:3; 8:14–16). In other words, while it is not inappropriate to read the text on Mother’s Day, it is an inadequate way to interpret it. Reading and teaching the chapter on other Sundays of the church year, including both Lemuel’s mother and the woman of substance, can help the church transcend the limitations imposed by American church culture.

I once visited a church where Mother’s Day and Father’s Day were occasions to celebrate the nurture that all adult members provided to the younger members of the church community. Every woman received a flower and every man received a citation to recognize the teaching, guidance, and affection given to the children, youth, and young adults of the church. So also, the whole chapter can also be read to encourage the church in its work of calling for justice and providing for those in need.

The call of God through Wisdom. As a conclusion to my comments on this book of Proverbs, I would like to reflect on the way that God speaks to his church through the counsels and examples of these wise women and the writings they bring to a close. Throughout the book we have seen that the direct teaching of lecture and counsel stands side by side with the indirect teaching of imagery, and here a mother’s lecture and a wife’s busy agenda together point the way to wisdom, just as Jesus our teacher and example directed his disciples and followers toward the kingdom of God. I hope, therefore, that Proverbs and other wisdom books may take their place alongside the stories, the commandments, and the psalms as another way that God speaks and guides his church toward faithful discipleship.

Too often we take our cues on guidance from the call stories. God appears to Abraham, Moses, and Jeremiah and gives directions—Moses and Jeremiah to go and speak, Abraham simply to go. We try to generalize from these stories to our own lives. They are especially applicable when someone senses a call to go and speak for God; how many ordination sermons have been preached from Exodus 1–3, Jeremiah 1, Isaiah 6, or Acts 9? However, the dynamics of the call to speak can also apply to the varied ministries of the church and daily life, not just to those of pulpit. Reading these stories, we might assume that we too will hear some sort of voice, audible or inner, that gives us a specific directive. But we should also keep in mind that God came to these people in ways they did not expect, and they did not always like what they heard. The call narratives are not the only biblical resource for teaching about guidance.

Throughout the book of Proverbs, it is not God but a woman who claims to represent God who reaches out to all who pass by, calling them to learn from her and rebuking those who do not (1:20–33; 9:1–12). Just as this woman offered to teach, so here at the book’s end the woman of noble character teaches her household. Just as this woman invited travelers to a banquet, so here is a woman who provides food, shelter, and clothing. We have noted the similarities and suggested that this wise wife resembles Wisdom herself, the voice that God uses to summon and instruct listeners.

We may wish to hear the dramatic voice that calls us to some heroic action, but let’s remember that Moses and Jeremiah would have been just as happy to be mistaken for someone else. Less dramatic, perhaps, is this picture of women teaching their sons and providing for their families, but as this picture sums up all that has been said about diligence, responsible choices, and just and compassionate relationships with neighbor, we hear God speaking. As God speaks, he calls us to listen to Woman Wisdom and to emulate her, symbolically making her our life companion. If we find this way of thinking strange, we can remember that we do the same with Jesus’ life and teachings, calling him teacher and Lord (John 13:13).

Wisdom will teach Christ’s church by word and example, and she will mediate the guidance of God—not by telling us what we are to do in a particular situation but by instilling in us the capacities to make such decisions for ourselves, based on the qualities of teachability, discernment, foresight, industry, honesty, charity, and fairness that will guide our attitudes and actions. A friend tells me that he cannot read through Proverbs quickly because it speaks too specifically and powerfully to his life; he has to slow down so the insights can take root. Therefore, I want to conclude this book with a plea and reminder that Wisdom’s teaching in the instructions, proverbs, and riddles of this book deserve all the attention we can give them. “Let her works bring her praise at the city gate” (31:31)—and in the church as well.