Book Talk Thursday

Today we will continue reviewing Chapter 4: "Womanly Dominion In The Old Testament". I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this :)

This week's woman of dominion is The Excellent Wife of Proverbs. Next week we will begin "Womanly Dominion In The New Testament".

Chanski describes the excellent wife of Proverbs 31 as "the Bible's chief poster-girl for womanly dominion" (page 81). Let's take a look at the highlights he gives:

1- She is a subduing woman.
"She rises also while it is still night...Her lamp does not go out at night" (Proverbs 31:15a,18b).
"She is like the merchant ships; she brings her food from afar...She considers a field and buys it; from her earnings she plants a vineyard" (Proverbs 31:14,16).
"She opens her mouth in wisdom" (Proverbs 31:26a).
In these verses we see that she subdues her daily schedule, the forces of the marketplace and her tongue.

2- She is a ruling woman.
"She looks well to the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness...She is not afraid of snow for her household, for all her household is clothed with scarlet" (Proverbs 31:27,21b).
"Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she smiles at the future" (Proverbs 31:25).
"...a woman who fears the Lord" (Proverbs 31:30b).
She rules her household, she rules with foresight over her long term annual calendar, and she rules over her own sinful heart as she fears the Lord (Chanski, page 81).

3- She is a multiplying woman.
"Her children rise up and bless her" (Proverbs 31:28a). This is "the product [literally, fruit] of her hands" (Proverbs 31:31a)- not the bitter fruit of obviously neglected children, but the sweet fruit of conscientiously cultivated children. They've been clothed, not only outwardly with scarlet, but inwardly with wisdom: "The teaching of kindness is on her tongue" (Proverbs 31:26b" (Chanski, page 81).

4- She is a helpmeeting woman.
"Her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain" (Proverbs 31:11).
"She does him good and not evil all the days of her life" (Proverbs 31:12).
"Her clothing is fine linen and purple" (Proverbs 31:22b).
"Her efforts to please him do not go unnoticed: "Her husband also, and he praises her" (Proverbs 31:28b) (Chanski, page 81).

Don't you just love the Proverbs 31 woman?!