Proverbs 31:10 Meaning and Explanation
“Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →A woman of strong and faithful character is a treasure beyond any price.
The Context of Proverbs 31:10
This opens the famous closing poem of Proverbs, an acrostic in which each verse begins with the next letter of the Hebrew alphabet. It is a complete A-to-Z portrait, sketching the whole life of a woman of valor.
What Does Proverbs 31:10 Mean?
The book of Proverbs ends with a portrait, and it opens with a question that is really a tribute: who can find such a woman? The word translated 'virtuous' is a strong one, often used of soldiers and warriors, carrying the sense of strength, capability, and worth. This is no faint or fragile picture but a woman of real force of character. Her price, the verse says, is far above rubies, beyond the reach of money to buy. The lines that follow will show her at work, generous, wise, and unafraid, but it all begins here with the simple recognition that such a life is rare and precious.
There is honor and delight in these words, a celebration of a strong and faithful life rather than a checklist to measure up to. The same Scripture that prizes this woman so highly also tells us that the truest worth is given to us, that we are bought with a price by Christ Himself (1 Corinthians 6:20). The God who calls such a life precious is the One who first makes us precious, treasuring each of us beyond rubies.
Proverbs 31:10 in the Original Language
chayil (חַיִל), 'virtuous' -- strength, valor, capability; the same word used of mighty warriors.
How to Apply Proverbs 31:10 Today
This verse invites us to honor and treasure the strong, faithful character it celebrates, in others and in ourselves. It is a tribute to be received with joy rather than a standard to anxiously chase, and it reminds us that our deepest worth is one God gives, having counted each of us precious beyond rubies.
Frequently Asked Questions About Proverbs 31:10
What does Proverbs 31:10 mean?
A woman of strong and faithful character is a treasure beyond any price.
What is the context of Proverbs 31:10?
This opens the famous closing poem of Proverbs, an acrostic in which each verse begins with the next letter of the Hebrew alphabet. It is a complete A-to-Z portrait, sketching the whole life of a woman of valor.
How can I apply Proverbs 31:10 today?
This verse invites us to honor and treasure the strong, faithful character it celebrates, in others and in ourselves. It is a tribute to be received with joy rather than a standard to anxiously chase, and it reminds us that our deepest worth is one God gives, having counted each of us precious beyond rubies.