Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.
What does Proverbs 31:23 mean?
This is the description of a virtuous woman of those days, but the general outlines equally suit every age and nation.
Key themes
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Keep this verse inside Proverbs 31:22-23 and alongside a few nearby related passages.
Commentary on Proverbs 31:23
The industry of the wife leaves the husband free to take his place among the elders that sit in councils.
Key words
- husband
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Her husband is known in the gates,.
- known
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Her husband is known in the gates,.
- gates
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Her husband is known in the gates,.
Context in Proverbs 31
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Proverbs 31 belongs to the closing movement of the book, especially the section often described as Agur, Lemuel, and the valiant woman. Proverbs offers compact instruction on speech, work, wealth, friendship, sex, discipline, justice, and wisdom as a way of life before God. Read this chapter with the wider themes of wisdom, fear of the Lord, and speech in view so the individual verses keep their proper weight.
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