Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Proverbs 31:17
She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.
Verse 17. She girdeth her loins with strength]
7. She takes care of her own health and strength, not only by means of useful labour, but by healthy exercise. She avoids what might enervate her body, or soften her mind-she is ever active, and girt ready for every necessary exercise. Her loins are firm, and her arms strong.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
She girdeth her loins with strength; she useth great diligence and expedition in her employment; for which end men in those times used to gird up their long and loose garments about their loins.
Strengtheneth her arms; putteth forth her utmost strength in her business.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
17, 18. To energy she adds awatchfulness in bargains, and a protracted and painful industry. Thelast clause may figuratively denote that her prosperity (compare Pr24:20) is not short lived.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
She girdeth her loins with strength,…. Showing her readiness to every good work; and with what cheerfulness, spirit, and resolution, she set about it, and with what dispatch and expedition she performed it: the allusion is to the girding and tucking up of long garments, wore in the eastern countries, when any work was set about in earnest, which required dispatch; see Lu 17:8; the strength of creatures being in their loins, Job 40:16; the loins are sometimes put for strength, as in Plautus r; and the sense is much the same with what follows;
and strengtheneth her arms; does all she finds to do with all her might and main, as the church does; not in her own strength, but in the strength of Christ; to whom she seeks for it, and in whose strength she goes forth about her business; by whom the arms of her hands are made strong, even by the mighty God of Jacob; and because she thus applies to him for it, she is said to do it herself, Ge 49:24; here she plays the man, and acts the manly part, 1Co 16:13.
r “Lumbos defractos velim”, Stichus, Act. 2. Sc. 1. v. 37.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The poet has this augmented household wealth in his eye, for he continues:
17 She girdeth her loins with strength,
And moveth vigorously her arms.
Strength is as the girdle which she wraps around her body (Psa 93:1). We write ; both words have Munach, and the of is aspirated. Thus girded with strength, out of this fulness of strength she makes firm or steels her arms (cf. Psa 89:22). The produce of the field and vineyard extend far beyond the necessity of her house; thus a great portion is brought to sale, and the gain thence arising stimulates the industry and the diligence of the unwearied woman.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
17. She girdeth her loins with strength The Orientals wear loose flowing robes, which need to be girded close to the body, or tucked up, when they engage in any active employment. The figure denotes her activity and energy. “She walks about.” says Patrick, “with great expedition, tucking up her garments that she may be fit for motion anywhere, and not minding clothes more than her business, nor neglecting it for fear of spoiling them; but prefers strength in her arms, acquired by labour, before the ornaments wherewith they are wont to be adorned.”
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Pro 31:17. She girdeth her loins with strength It is not sufficient for the mother of a family to command, to exhort, to pray: if she would be well obeyed, and have her work well done, she must put her hand to it. The servant finds nothing too difficult, in which his master or mistress join their labours with him. To gird herself, signifies to put herself in a condition to labour. The LXX render this verse, She girdeth herself tight about the waist, and setteth her arms to work; more pleased with this girdle about her loins, than with one the most rich and precious worn by luxurious dames; with this fortitude and industry on her arms, than with the richest bracelets of prouder females.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Pro 31:17 She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.
Ver. 17. She girdeth her loins with strength. ] She flies about her work, and sets on it with a courage. We have read of women in whom, besides their sex, there was nothing woman-like or weak; such were Semiramis, Zenobia, Blandina, that brave Hungarian woman, who, in an assault at the siege of Buda, thrusting in among the soldiers upon the top of the fort, with a great scythe in her hand, at one blow struck off two of the Turks’ heads as they were climbing up the rampier. a The like is reported of Marulla, a maid of Lemnos, who, seeing her father slain in the gates of the city by the Turks, which hoped to have surprised it, took up the weapons that lay by him, and, like a fierce Amazon, notably revenged his death. b
a Turkish History, fol. 741.
b Ibid., 413.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
girdeth: 1Ki 18:46, 2Ki 4:29, Job 38:3, Luk 12:35, Eph 6:10, Eph 6:14, 1Pe 1:13
strengtheneth: Gen 49:24, Isa 44:12, Hos 7:15
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Pro 31:17-18. She girdeth her loins with strength She uses great diligence and expedition in her employment; for which end, men in those times used to gird up their long and loose garments about their loins. And strengtheneth her arms Puts forth her utmost strength in her business. She perceiveth that her merchandise is good She finds great comfort and good success in her labours. Her candle goeth not out by night Which is not to be taken strictly, but only signifies her unwearied care and industry.