Proverbs 31:13
She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Proverbs 31:13
She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
Her "willing hands" aren't just busy; they're described as working with "pleasure." This isn't about grudging obligation, but about finding genuine satisfaction and delight in her diligent labor, even when she's actively seeking out the raw materials.
This passage is part of a larger poem describing an ideal wife. Immediately preceding this, the poem highlights her ability to provide for her household and her diligence in acquiring food. This verse then delves into her practical skills and work ethic, showing her actively engaging in creating necessary items for her home rather than simply buying them, setting the stage for her wider economic impact described in the following verses.
In a world that often elevates abstract ideas over tangible results, this verse reminds us of the profound value found in hands-on work. It's not just about getting things done, but about the character it builds.
From Raw Material to Finished Product
The virtuous woman doesn't wait for convenience; she actively seeks out the raw materials – wool and flax. This isn't about menial tasks, but about understanding and engaging with the entire process.
It's one thing to work hard, but this verse highlights a crucial element: willingness. What does it mean for our hands to work with pleasure, and how does that transform our labor?
More Than Just Motion
The phrase 'works with willing hands' goes beyond mere physical action. It describes a heart attitude that finds satisfaction and pleasure in the task itself.
Understand the original words
pishtah · Hebrew Noun
A plant fiber used for weaving fine linens. In the Bible, it is often associated with purity, cleanliness, and the industrious nature of a virtuous person.
chephets · Hebrew Adjective/Noun
A state of eagerness, readiness, or voluntary delight. It refers to a heart that is not coerced but acts with joyful initiative and diligence.
This passage describes the qualifications for widows who are to receive support from the church, and it highlights a similar industrious spirit and focus on managing a household as seen in the virtuous woman.
Luke 10:40-42While Martha was 'distracted with much serving,' this woman's willing work, contrasted with Mary's choice, shows that active, cheerful contribution is also a valuable and pleasing aspect of serving God and others.
Colossians 3:23This verse emphasizes doing 'whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,' which directly reflects the 'willing hands' and cheerful diligence described in Proverbs 31:13.
Titus 2:4-5These verses call for older women to train younger women to be 'workers at home, quiet, good, obedient to their own husbands,' echoing the industrious and home-focused spirit of the woman in Proverbs 31.
pooleProverbs 31:13: "She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands."
She seeketh wool and flax, that she may find employment for her servants, and not suffer them to spend all their time unprofitably in ease and idleness. Worketh willingly with her hands; she encourageth them to work by her example; which was a common practice among princesses in those first and purest ages of the world. Not that it is the duty of kings and queens to use manual or mechanical operations, but that…
clarkeProverbs 31:13: "She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands."
She seeketh wood and flax, and worketh willingly, etc. - II. This is the second part of her character, giving the particulars of which it is composed. 1. She did not buy ready woven cloth: she procured the raw material, if wool, most probably from her own flocks; if flax, most probably from her own fields. 2. Here she manufactured; for she worketh willingly with her hands. And all her labor is a cheerful service…
Her "willing hands" aren't just busy; they're described as working with "pleasure." This isn't about grudging obligation, but about finding genuine satisfaction and delight in her diligent labor, even when she's actively seeking out the raw materials.
This passage is part of a larger poem describing an ideal wife. Immediately preceding this, the poem highlights her ability to provide for her household and her diligence in acquiring food. This verse then delves into her practical skills and work ethic, showing her actively engaging in creating necessary items for her home rather than simply buying them, setting the stage for her wider economic impact described in the following verses.
This passage is part of a larger poem describing an ideal wife. Immediately preceding this, the poem highlights her ability to provide for her household and her diligence in acquiring food. This verse then delves into her practical skills and work ethic, showing her actively engaging in creating necessary items for her home rather than simply buying them, setting the stage for her wider economic impact described in the following verses.
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"She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands." — Her "willing hands" aren't just busy; they're described as working with "pleasure." This isn't about grudging obligation, but about finding genuine satisfaction and delight in her diligent labor, eve…