“508. THE HEBREW MATRON—PROVERBS 31:10-31”
The Hebrew Matron—Pro_31:10-31
The writers who, from imperfect knowledge of the matter, or from too much reliance on modern oriental analogies, and these not well understood, have presented us with low and degraded pictures of the condition of woman among the Hebrews, must have overlooked the beautiful, dignified, and engaging picture of a Hebrew matron with which the Book of Proverbs closes. Yet it ought to be the chief authority, as it is by much the most complete description which the Bible contains; and it is to us deeply interesting, as showing that the wise and benevolent institutions of the Mosaic law, tending to elevate the position of woman in the social system, had, in the course of time, its just and designed effect, in giving to her a place in the Hebrew community far more advantageous than that which she held in any ancient nation whose domestic usages are known to us, or than she now enjoys among any eastern people.
What can be more emphatically appreciative of a virtuous and prudent wife’s value, than the declaration that, “Her price is far above rubies; the heart of her husband doth safely trust in her: she will do him good, and not evil, all the days of her life?”
The description of her conduct and course of daily life is deeply interesting, and highly instructive as to the domestic customs and economy of the Hebrews, admitting of far more consideration, and of more ample illustration, than we are now able to give to it.
The family to which she belongs is clearly intended for one in good circumstances, to the prosperity of which her wise management materially contributes. Her place in the family is no indolent sinecure, such as most people conceive oriental matrons to enjoy, but is full of useful activities, generous cares, and refreshing duties.
First she is represented as “seeking wool and flax, and working willingly with her hands.” Mark the “willingly:” there is a volume in that word. She is no household drudge, but works cheerily with her maidens in preparing the clothing of her household. In the state of society to which the description belongs, every kind of drapery for the person, the tent, or the house, is manufactured at home by the women, who make it a pride to be able to boast that their husbands and children are entirely clad by the labor of their hands; and the man’s robe clings the more sweetly to him—is warmer in the cold, and cooler in the heat—from his knowledge of the dear hands by which every thread has been prepared. In this state of life, ladies of high place and rank take the sole charge of this and other branches of domestic economy, and work busily with their damsels; and in most cases, this usage is kept up, with respect at least to the finer and more delicate kinds of work, long after commerce, and the facilities it affords for the interchange of commodities, have rendered it more really economical to obtain the articles required by purchase, than by domestic manufacture. Illustrations of this usage might be culled from all quarters, Greek, Roman, and ancient and modern Oriental. Even the Emperor Augustus usually were no other garments than such as were made at home by his wife, sister, or daughter. We might also refer to the analogous employment of women in the highest walks of life, during the middle ages, if not at a period comparatively recent; and, at the present day, we need but cross the water into Normandy, to witness many striking analogies to this and some of the other domestic usages here described or indicated.
It would seem that not only enough of these domestic manufactures were produced for the use of the family, but for profitable sale or exchange for other commodities. As ships voyage forth laden with home manufactures, and bring back in return the products of distant lands, so the virtuous wife exchanges the things her hands have wrought, for the products of foreign countries, and for such articles as were needful for domestic uses—seeking the best markets, and studious of proper economy. Hence, “She is like the merchants’ ships; she bringeth her food from far.”
Intent on her domestic duties, “she riseth while it is yet night.” Early rising is, indeed, constantly indicated in Scripture, in conformity with the universal custom of the East, to his adoption of which in those regions, and his subsequent retention of it, the author of this work may say that he owes much of his power of executing the large, though humble labors, whose fruits the public has been willing to receive kindly at his hands. The Orientals generally rise very early in the morning. To be “up with the sun,” is not in the East regarded as early rising. Every one who is not prevented by infirmity or sickness, from the ruler to the meanest of his subjects, is usually up and dressed by the morning dawn; and even in royal courts, the most important public business is transacted at a very early hour, before, in this country, even the workman rises to his labor. The women almost invariably rise even sooner than the men, often a good while before day, especially when to their numerous duties of domestic management, is added, as in this case, the manufacture of stuff for household use or sale, giving them incessant occupation, and leaving the day too short for their labors.
When she is up, “she giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens;” that is, after attending to their necessary food, she gives out to each of her maidens the portion of work she is to do—her labor for the day.
Nor are her duties wholly domestic. Even the works of the field and the vineyard are under her management, and that not as a drudge, but as a free and intelligent agent, acting as a man acts in regulating his own property. She even purchases land, and determines how it shall be laid out, whether in arable, pasture, or vineyard; and in this case, she decides it shall be a vineyard, and so, accordingly, it is planted. Note: “She considereth a field, and buyeth it; and with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.”—Pro_31:16. All these high responsibilities, and in-door and out-door duties necessarily gave to the Hebrew matron a much higher social position than a woman does, or can, under existing institutions, occupy in the East.
The Spindle and Distaff
Egyptian Spinning
Spindles
All the time of this good woman is well occupied, for at every hour that can be spared from her other duties, “she layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.” Some difficulty has been felt with regard to the words translated “spindle” and “distaff,” and our information with regard to this class of operations is scarcely precise enough to enable us to fix the terms with certainty, but the probability is that they are rightly translated. Spinning by the spindle is certainly the most ancient mode, and we find no other exhibited on the sculptures and paintings of Egypt, or of classical antiquity. From the latter source, the annexed representation of the use of the distaff and spindle is derived. Those of Egypt do not afford the distaff though it was probably in some partial use, the reel comprising yarn already spun, resting upon the ground, usually in a basket, and sometimes with an intermediate prop which enabled the spinner to work in the favorite posture of sitting on the ground. In that country, spinning was principally the occupation of women, though men also used the spindle, and were engaged in the loom. Several actual specimens of Egyptian spindles have been found, and are preserved in European museums. They are generally small, commonly of wood, and, to increase their impetus in turning, the circular head was occasionally of gypsum or composition; some, however, are of light plaited work, made of rushes or palm-leaves, stained of various colors, and furnished with a loop of the same materials, for securing the twine after it was wound. These modes of spinning have not yet been wholly superseded in the East, and sometimes, as in ancient Egypt, the spindle is used without the distaff, the matter to be spun being attached to the waist, and drawn out with one hand, while the other twirls the spindle. It excites some surprise that so simple, and easy a contrivance as the spinning-wheel should not have been known to the ancients, but certainly no trace of it has been discovered.
A Hebrew matron is not so engrossed in her household cares and duties, as to be unmindful of those in a less prosperous state. The charitable injunctions of the law find a response in her own kind heart, and she is ever ready to “stretch forth her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands (both her hands) to the needy.”
The next piece of information concerning this worthy dame, will surprise some who entertain exaggerated ideas of the warmth of the climate of Palestine. “She is not afraid of the snow for her household,” since she keeps them so well and so warmly clad. There is winter snow, then, in Palestine? Certainly. This might be inferred from the fact, that there are as many as twenty-three allusions to snow in the Scriptures. In the more elevated parts of the land, the winter cold is sometimes rather severe. At Jerusalem, which stands high, snow often falls to the depth of a foot or more in January and February, but it does not lie long on the ground. The ground never freezes, but the pools of water are sometimes covered with thin ice for a day or two. There is also occasionally some snow and a little frost in the more open plains; and generally there is quite enough of cold in winter to render warm clothing necessary, and the people look more to this than to fuel for maintaining warmth about their persons during the winter season.
Then there is a more particular account of her domestic manufactures, into the details of which we cannot now go: “She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple. She maketh fine linen and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.” By which it appears that it was only after a liberal expenditure of her products upon her family, that she disposed of the surplus to the merchants—to those who required them. It may be doubted whether, in the state of society to which this description belongs, there were any manufactures of household stuff’s but such as were thus produced in families, and the demand, having no other source of supply, stimulated domestic production to an extent of which we can hardly have any adequate conception. It would also often happen that the members of, and dependents in, a family were so numerous that their united labor would produce a larger quantity of useful products than could be consumed at home, and as there was always a demand, and profitable remuneration, for such products, there was every inducement to keep all hands constantly employed in providing a surplus available for sale; and when it was found that particular articles, as the “fine linen” (perhaps shirts and girdles in the present instance), were in especial demand, and met with a particularly ready sale, the power of production beyond the wants of the family would be chiefly directed to the manufacture of these articles. We thus learn how those who had no such manufactures in their own houses, or none sufficient for their wants, were supplied with what they required from the surplus productions of other families. The “merchants” were doubtless the traders or shopkeepers who bought up these products of female domestic labor, and resold them at a profit. At the present day, we see offered for sale in eastern towns, either at first or second hand, the outer garments spun and woven by the Arab females in their tents, the admired carpets made by the Eelaut women of Persia, and even the rich embroideries and other elegant productions of the needle, which are prepared by the town ladies in their harems.
And with the burden of all these responsibilities and cares upon her, and with all this work upon her hands, this excellent lady is not a mere domineering, autocrative, and testy housewife. No; “she openeth her mouth with wisdom, and in her tongue is the law of kindness.” Well, therefore, may “her children arise up and call her blessed!” Well may her husband “praise her,” and cry in the fulness of his heart, and in the deep consciousness of the blessing she has been to him: “Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.” And well may the prophet add—“Favor is deceitful. and beauty is vain; but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.”
Autor: JOHN KITTO