The Strong Woman

חַ֭יִל literally means strong in the. sense of military might

2.0): חַ֭יִל means strong in the sense of miliarty might

חַ֭יִל literally means strong in the. sense of military might

chayil means strong in the sense of military might

In , God says he will gain honor from the actions of the entire army of Pharoah.

Proverbs 12:4 (BHS SESB 2.0): חַ֭יִל

In , David acknowledges that God gave him strength for battle.

In , Hushai advises Absolam that David is a military hero and that the men who fight with him are brave.

Chayil can also refer to wealth, or perhaps metaphorically to the strength wealth provides

In when the sons of Jacob ransacked Hamor’s family they looted them taking their wealth...

In Eliphaz claims that the wicked man will not be rich and that his wealth will not stand.

In we are told that Naomi had a relative of her (deceased) husband who was a gibor chayil, perhaps a wealthy man, though I suspect the nomenclature could also imply that Boaz had been a distinguished veteran in the military.

>>>The point is that the virtue of the virtuous woman is in some sense her strength and success. She is a cabable, competent woman, who is really good at successfully navigating life.

…is locally idealized

for women as wives

Proverbs 12:4 (NIV): A wife of noble character is her husband’s crown,

but a disgraceful wife is like decay in his bones.

Notice that she makes her husband successful. Her ability brings him honor. She is directly contrasted with the type of woman who would bring him shame.

NOTICE THE HONOR VS. SHAME MOTIF IN SCRIPTURES

(We sometimes miss this because as Americans we live in much more of a guilt-innoncence culture than we do a shame-honor culture. Therefore we often miss the the prominence and importance of shame talk in the Word of God.)

In , the capable wife brings her husband honor rather than shame! She increases his social standing.

…is fully idealized

for everyone as Wisdom Personified

We’ve seen this already in , but in we are shown a woman who is enormously capable.

NOTE THAT THIS IS AN ACROSTIC POEM

In v.10a, by asking ‘who can find’ her rarity is emphasized and this also connects her to the wife of . . .

(NIV): “He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the Lord .” For it’s part this verse seems to function as Wisdom literature’s brief commentary on...

(NIV): “He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the Lord “ seems to function as Wisdom literature’s brief commentary on

(NIV): “The Lord God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.’”

and receives favor from the Lord.

All through , God continually calls every aspect of creation good...

1:3—the light was good

1:10—the seas and dry land are good

1:12—the vegetation is good

1:18—the skyscape (sun, moon, and stars) is good

1:21—swimming and flying creatures are good

1:25—land animals are good

(1:27 God creates man and seems to break into song, or at least seems to wax poetic, implying the goodness of the situation)

1:31 the totality of the cosmos as seen from Earth is “very good”

Seven “goods” total!

However, , for the first time in the recorded Biblical history something is called not good. That thing is Adam in his loneliness.

Notice that loneliness is not a sin. Adam shared a realtionship with God in the garden probablhy at least as intimate than that experienced in our most dramatic revivals. Yet Adam’s state of aloneness, meaning his lack of a female counterpart, is called “not good” by God Himself.

>>God makes for man a helper (ezer) and a counterpart (kanegdo)

Helper can hardly imply an inferior status since many times in Scripture, God is spoken of in terms of being man’s helper.

In , Eliezar name speaks of the fact that his father’s God was his Help...

possibly says of Israiel, “You are against me, your helper.”

In , the man is called blessed whose ezer is the Jacob’s God.

31:10b she is more valuable than rubies like wisdom in 3:15 and 8:11

31:11 —her husband lacks no plunder, so again her strength is compared to military might

31:13-15, 17-19, 21-22—she works hard at all house and is not lazy which can be compared to wisdom in 24:30-34, or 9:1-3

31:16 —she is a skillful investor of money, which is comparable to Proverbs 21:20

31:20—she is good to the poor, which is comparable to

31:23—her husband is a respected leader, the insinuation being that she has more than a little to do with his status, shich is comparable to

31:26—She speaks with wisdom, a major theme of the book. See, for instance, .

is finally realized

In , Ruth is termed “a strong woman”

Ruth 3:11 (NIV): “And now, my daughter, don’t be afraid. I will do for you all you ask. All the people of my town know that you are a woman of noble character.”

There is almost certainly no coincidence that in the Hebrew ordering of the Old Testament, Ruth immediately follows .

>>It should be noted that the strong woman in Ruth becomes the wife of Boaz who is recognices as a strong man (2:1)

.