Proverbs 31:12

December 20, 2023

“She does him good and not evil all the days of her life.”

This particular Old Testament passage of Scripture out of the book of Proverbs was written by a king named Lemuel whom the Bible doesn’t say much about. The words of King Lemuel were given to him by his mother regarding what to look for when searching for a virtuous woman. This description can be found in the entire 31^st chapter of Proverbs.

We can see that Lemuel’s mother loved him very much and wanted the best for him. The passage of Scripture that displays her love for him is shown in Proverbs 31:2 “What, my son? And what, son of my womb? And what, son of my vows?” She begins by calling him the son of her womb (the one that she carried in her belly until birth), then she calls him the son of her vows (the vows that she made pertaining to her commitments and obligations to her son).

We can determine that King Lemuel’s mother cared for him and wanted to ensure that he found a good woman that would eventually become an excellent wife. So, she gives him a detailed depiction of the characteristics and qualities that a virtuous wife would possess.

Now that we have somewhat of an idea of what Proverbs 31 is pertaining to, let’s take a look at the primary verse of Scripture that I am highlighting Proverbs 31:12. The words “she does him” being used here is the Hebrew word “gāmal” which means: to deal fully with, recompense. The word “good” being used is the Hebrew word “ṭôḇ” which means: a good thing, benefit, welfare.

When we break down this first part of this particular passage we can conclude that Lemuel through the leading of the Holy Spirit is telling us that a good wife is more of a reward to her husband and not a hindrance. Everything that she does reflects a wife of noble character, one that has the fear of the Lord in her heart and chooses kind words over using malicious ones.

One of the most important things as a Godly wife is to make sure that you are radiating the love of Jesus Christ. By allowing the Holy Bible to be your guide, you will not be led astray. When you let God’s Word saturate your heart and mind, you will naturally do good everyday versus doing evil.

Now let’s look at the last part of this passage of Scripture that states, “…and not evil all the days of her life.” The word “evil” being used here is the Hebrew word “raʿ” which means: evil, injury, wrong. So, when we look at that word evil a little closer we can determine that it pertains to anything that is evil, will cause injury, or is just downright wrong.

A good man wants to marry someone that he can trust with his entire heart. Not a woman that has evil intentions and hidden agendas doing things behind her husband’s back. Good men want to come home to his household and find peace and not a confrontational woman that wants to argue and cause strife. Proverbs 21:9 tells us, “Better to dwell in a corner of a housetop, than in a house shared with a contentious woman.”

Proverbs 14:1 also gives us a great example of what can happen when you choose to marry a woman that wants to wreak havoc in her own household. It states, “The wise woman builds her house, but the foolish pulls it down with her hands.” So in other words her own hand is tearing down her own house brick by brick. That doesn’t happen overnight but a woman that has no interest in being a Godly wife doesn’t care if her evil ways are creating division and destruction.

This is why it is imperative to be led by the Holy Spirit especially when making life changing decisions like choosing who you should marry. He will guide you into all truth (John 16:13) and He will give you faithful instruction that you can rely on. The unfortunate thing is that a lot of Christians don’t want to take the time out to develop a relationship with the Lord so they cannot clearly hear His voice.

We have to get to the point where we are truly studying to show ourselves approved. 2 Timothy 2:15. The Proverbs of Solomon are saturated with significant principles that the Lord wants us to fully understand. And Proverbs 31 written by King Lemuel is filled with vital information for single and married men and women of God that want a healthy marriage.

Some examples that are disclosed in the rest of the chapter are:

Proverbs 31:14 “She is like the merchant ships, she brings her food from afar.”

Proverbs 31:17 “She girds herself with strength, and strengthens her arms.”

Proverbs 31:22 “She makes tapestry for herself; her clothing is fine linen and purple.”

Proverbs 31:26 “She opens her mouth with wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness.”

Proverbs 31:27 “She watches over the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness.”

Proverbs 31:31 “Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her own works praise her in the gates.”

Here we can see so many amazing words of wisdom that are given to a son by a loving mother that wanted to set him up for success. Put some time aside to do your own personal Bible study over Proverbs 31. God is giving us key information needed to have a successful marriage. You can never forget that the two of you are joined together as one so the harm that you bring to your household is directly affecting you as well.

Also, don’t forget to check out my other blogs:

Who is the Prophet Isaiah

Breaking Spiritual Strongholds-Fight Back

Breaking Spiritual Strongholds-Feed Your Spirit

Breaking Spiritual Strongholds-Renouncing

Breaking Spiritual Strongholds-Confess and Repent

Recognizing Spiritual Strongholds