Mereas of Grace Bible Fellowship

Woman of Valor: A Proverbs 31 Summer

‘A Woman who reveres The NAME shall shine’ ~ Proverbs 31:30 

Little Known Facts of The Woman of Valor

• The phrase ʻvirtuous woman/wifeʼ found in the original Hebrew Tanach (Hebrew Bible)
  as ʻEishet Chayilʼ literally means ʻWoman/wife of Valorʼ.
  
  
• A Woman of Valor is a hymn which is customarily recited on Friday evenings, after re- turning from synagogue and singing "Shalom Aleichem" and before sitting down to the Shabbat evening meal.
  
  
• Eishet Chayil is a twenty-two verse poem with which King Solomon concludes the book of Proverbs (Proverbs 31). The poem has an acrostic arrangement in which the verses begin with the letters of the Hebrew alphabet in regular order. The poem de- scribes the woman of valor as one who are is energetic, righteous, and capable.
  
  
• It has become a Jewish custom for men to sing this hymn at the end of the week, and thus to think about and be thankful for all his wife has done for him and their family throughout the past week.
  
  
• The phrase Eishet Chayil is found only three times in the Tanach:
  
  Ru 3:11 - And now, my daughter, fear not; I will do to thee all that thou requirest: for all the city of my peo- ple doth know that thou art a woman of valor.
  Pr 12:4 - A woman of valor is a crown to her husband: but she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his bones.
  Pr 31:10 - Who can find a woman of valor? for her price is far above rubies.

• Only RUTH is recorded and referenced in the Tanach as a Woman of Valor. Ruth was a Moabitess (gentile) who, by faith, forsook her gods to follow the One True God of her mother-in-law, Naomi. Ruthʼs active faith in ADONAI served her well as from her line- age would come The Mashiach (The Anointed One, Yeshua!!).
  
• The word ʻchayilʼ (valor) means ʻFORCE, ARMY, STRENGTH, SUBSTANCE and WEALTHʼ. The modern Hebrew word ʻchayalʼ means soldier.
  
• The Woman/wife of Valor is analogous to TORAH (remember Torah means ʻInstruc- tionʼ or Law) in that She brings SUCCESS both now and in the future. In fact, Rab- binic commentators regard ʻP31 Womanʼ as either being Wisdom personified, the Torah Itself, the very Shekinah (Glory) of God, and/or simply what one should look for in a suitable wife!

The Woman of Valor and Ezer Kenegdo
This woman of STRENGTH can also be found in Genesis 2:18in the CREATION ac- count:

הֱיֹות ֹלא-טֹוב אֱֹלהִים, יְהוָה וַּיֹאמֶריח ּכְנֶגְּדֹו. עֵזֶר, לְבַּדֹו;אֶעֱׂשֶה-ּלֹוהָאָָדם

Read: Genesis 2:18in Tanach: “Va•yo•mer Adonai Elohim lo -tov he•yot ha•adam le•va•do e•e•se -lo ezer ke•neg•do.”

Translation: And YHWH Elohim said, “It is not good the man being alone. I will make for him an ‘ezer kenegdo.

“When God creates Eve, he calls her an ezer kenegdo. “It is not good for the man to be alone, I shall make him [an ezer kenegdo]” (Gen. 2:18Alter). Hebrew scholar Robert Al- ter...says that this phrase is “notoriously difficult to translate.” The various attempts we have in English are “helper” or “companion” or the notorious “help meet.” Why are these translations so incredibly wimpy, boring, flat...disappointing? What is a help meet, any- way? What little girl dances through the house singing “One day I shall be a help meet?” Companion? A dog can be a companion. Helper? Sounds like Hamburger Helper. Alter is getting close when he translates it “sustainer beside him.”

The word ezer is used only twenty other places in the entire Old Testament. And in every other instance the person being described is God himself, when you need him to come through for you *desperately*. (Duet ,33:26 ;29Ps ;121:1-2Ps ;33:20Ps )115:9-11

Most of the contexts are life and death by the way, and God is your only hope. Your ezer. If he is not there beside you...you are dead. A better translation therefore for

ezer would be “lifesaver”. Kenegdo means alongside, or opposite to, a counterpart. Again, Gen 2:18was discussed. And again, the term ʻhelperʼ was used. But, to help in- terpret and understand what was meant in the original language, the emphasis was on where else in Scripture this exact word is used. “Helper”...is used in Scripture to refer to God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit....and woman. It is intended to be a phrase of honor, of significance, not an assignment to a lesser person, or a second- class individual.”

{Ezer comes from the root word ʻazarʼ that literally means ʻto surround, protect, and aidʼ!} So, there...(an exhaustive, WORTHY lesson for another time!!!)

What do Balaamʼs Ass and Woman of Valor have in common?
'A Woman who REVERES (has reverential fear of) THE NAME (ADONAI/YHWH) shall SHINE (or ʻbe praisedʼ)'! ~ Proverbs 31:30

This woman ʻwhose value is far above rubiesʼ is not to be 'compared with' (at the ex- pense of her self-worth), rather she is to 'grow within' you from the Royal Seeds of Greatness implanted & brought forth by the hand of A Faithful Creator!'

The She-Donkey who transported Balaam had the REALIZATION of the REALITY that the ʻAngel of ADONAIʼ {Hb. ʻMalach YHWHʼ or Messenger of YHWH} stood blocking her way with sword drawn. To possess ʻdonkeyvisionʼ then, is a GRAND truth! It is to POSSESS THE REALIZATION OF THE REALITY that you are A WOMAN OF VALOR.

Whether you feel as if you are A WOMAN OF VALOR or not is entirely beside the point. Is a mere babe, fresh from the womb, with Royal bloodlines automatically aware of his/ her standing as a Prince or Princess, a future King or Queen? No. They must first come to an understanding. They come to this REALIZATION OF THE REALITY by FIRST:

• Being TAUGHT the Truth both by Word (ʻYou are _____ʼ) and by Deed (observing the behavior of the parents, King/Queen thus imitating).

• Then, the REALIZATION OF THE REALITY is made manifest in the Prince/Princessʼs life as they OBSERVE & IMITATE the Truth that has been implanted.

Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word im- planted, which is able to save your souls. ~ James 1:21

Eze 23:48 -"'Thus I will put an end to lewdness in the land, so that all women may be taught not to imitate your lewdness.

1Co 4:16 - Therefore I urge you to imitate me.

1Co 11:1 - try to imitate me, even as I myself try to imitate the Messiah.

Eph 5:1 - So imitate God, as his dear children;

2Th 3:7 - For you yourselves know how you must imitate us, that we were not idle when we were among you.

2Th 3:9 - It was not that we hadn't the right to be supported, but so that we could make ourselves an example to imitate.

Heb 13:7 - Remember your leaders, those who spoke God's message to you. Reflect on the results of their way of life, and imitate their trust -

3Jo 1:11 - Dear friend, don't imitate the bad, but the good. Those who do what is good are from God; those who do what is bad are not from God. 

In other words, to possess ʻDonkeyvisionʼ as Balaamʼs Donkey is to SEE THE TRUTH and then RESPOND TO TRUTH.

1.) What are some practical ways we can RESPOND TO TRUTH in our lives?

2.) Do you see yourself as a woman/wife (Eishet) FORMED BY GODʼS hand for the ex- press purpose of ʻsurrounding, protecting, aidingʼ against/alongside your husband? {Midrash (Jewish Commentary) teaches that the Ezer Kenegdo (wife) is against her husband in times that he goes ʻagainst Torahʼ and ʻalongsideʼ him when he is walking alongside Torah! For ʻkenegdoʼ means both against and alongside}

3.) How might knowing these Scriptural Truths change your perspective on your ANOINTED and APPOINTED status/standing as a Woman of Valor/Strength/Force?

4.) Knowing that the Woman of Valor is thought by some Jewish commentators to be ʻWisdom Personifiedʼ or ʻShekinahʼ of ADONAI, think and talk through what you find as you read the last phrase of Proverbs 31:30 in that particular light.