What is a Woman?

President Joe Biden has nominated Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to replace Justice Stephen Breyer on the United States Supreme Court. If confirmed, she will be the first “black” female to serve on the Supreme Court. It is ironic that she can’t define what a woman is: During her confirmation hearing, Tennessee Senator Marsha Blackburn asked her, “Can you provide a definition for the word woman?” Jackson responded, “I can’t.” When Blackburn incredulously echoed, “You can’t?” Jackson said, “Not in this context; I’m not a biologist.”

Liz Abrams wrote:

“The biological differences between men and women go far beyond the reproductive system and secondary sexual characteristics.

Women’s bones are, on average, less dense than men’s.

2 Women have less muscle and more fat on their frames.

3 Research suggests that women have better language skills

4 and men are better at some types of math

5 though some of this has been attributed to differences in brain function, learning styles, and perhaps cultural expectations. (And while this may be true on a population level, it says nothing about the relative abilities of any particular man or woman.) Women’s biology is so different from men’s that doctors are now realizing they have distinctive heart attack symptoms

6 and sometimes have different reactions to medication.

7 Women’s lifespans are, on average, a few years longer than men’s.

8 That the sexes are different regarding their bodies, their interests, abilities, and even their medical needs should not be surprising, nor should it be a boasting point for those of either sex.”

There is obviously a distinction:

God divided the light from the darkness

God divided the day from the night

God divided the water from the dry land

God created fowl which live in the atmosphere; the beast in the field; the creature of the sea; each having its own domain and divided from one another

male & female- Genesis 1:26-27: “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”

male- זָכָר- man; male person

female- נְקֵבָה- a female person; a woman

man & woman- Genesis 2:23: “And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, b/c she was taken out of Man.”

man- אִישׁ- man; husband

woman-אִשָּׁה- woman; wife (2:25); nurse

Woman: a human being with 2 X chromosomes

Not just women and men but feminine women

I Peter 3:1-4: “Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear. Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.”

Proverbs 31

The Words of King Lemuel, the prophecy of his mother:

a warning about the downfalls of kings:

women

alcohol

the helpless

One author noted: These lessons are, simply put: do not use your authority as a means to debauchery (v. 3), keep your head clear from the stupefying effects of alcohol (vv. 4–7), and use your power to help the powerless (vv. 8–9).

Garrett, Duane A. 1993. Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs. Vol. 14. The New American Commentary. Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

CHIASTIC LITERATURE:

When words or ideas are repeated back and serve in a “mirroring” effect— it literature it would be A-B-C-D-C-B-A

These about in our world today— “when the going gets tough, the tough get going...”

Or as Benjamin Franklin said, “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”

Jesus used these as well: Mark 2:27: “And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:”

A    10a  Who can find a virtuous woman?

B    10b For her price is far above rubies.

C   11-12- The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, So that he shall have no need of spoil. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.

D  13-19-  “She seeketh wool, and flax, And worketh willingly with her hands. She is like the merchants’ ships; She bringeth her food from afar. She riseth also while it is yet night, And giveth meat to her household, And a portion to her maidens. She considereth a field, and buyeth it: With the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard. She girdeth her loins with strength, And strengtheneth her arms. She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: Her candle goeth not out by night. She layeth her hands to the spindle, And her hands hold the distaff.”

E    20a  She stretcheth out her hand to the poor

F    20b She reacheth forth her hands to the needy

G    21a  She is not afraid of the snow for her household,

H    21b For all her household are clothed with scarlet.

I    22a  She maketh herself coverings of tapestry;

J   22b Her clothing is silk and purple.

K 23  Her husband is known in the gates, When he sitteth among the elders of the land.

J’  24a  She maketh fine linen and selleth it,

I’   24b And delivereth girdles unto the merchant

H’   25a  Strength and honor are her clothing,

G’   25b And she shall rejoice in time to come

F’   26a  She openeth her mouth with wisdom,

E’   26b And in her tongue is the law of kindness

D’   27  She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness

C’   28-29  Her children rise up, and call her blessed; Her husband also, and he praiseth her, saying, “Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.”

B’   30  Favour is deceitful and beauty is vain,

A’   But a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.

31  Give her the product of her hands, And let her works praise her in the gates.

WHY IS VERSE 23 THE CENTER OF THE POEM? Because the passage is speaking about a king and the kind of woman he is to seek. This is the kind of woman a man needs in order to be successful in life!

Bishop Taylor came the closest of anyone to capturing the sentiment of Proverbs 31 when he wrote: "If you are for pleasure, marry. If you prize rosy health, marry. A good wife is heaven's last best gift to a man; his angel of mercy; minister of graces innumerable; his gem of many virtues; his box of jewels; her voice, his sweetest music; her smiles, his brightest day; her kiss, the guardian of innocence; her arms, the pale of his safety; the balm of his health; the balsam of his life; her industry, his surest wealth; her economy, his safest steward; her lips, his faithful counselors...and her prayers, the ablest advocates of heaven's blessing on his head."