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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width; initial-scale=1.0; maximum-scale=1.0; user-scalable=0;"/><title>Proverbs 31:16 Commentaries: She considers a field and buys it; From her earnings she plants a vineyard.</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/newcom.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /><script type="application/javascript" src="https://scripts.webcontentassessor.com/scripts/8a2459b64f9cac8122fc7f2eac4409c8555fac9383016db59c4c26e3d5b8b157"></script><script src='https://qd.admetricspro.com/js/biblehub/biblehub-layout-loader.js'></script></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" 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Illustrator">BI</a> • <a href="/commentaries/cambridge/proverbs/31.htm" title="Cambridge Bible">Cambridge</a> • <a href="/commentaries/clarke/proverbs/31.htm" title="Clarke's Commentary">Clarke</a> • <a href="/commentaries/darby/proverbs/31.htm" title="Darby's Bible Synopsis">Darby</a> • <a href="/commentaries/ellicott/proverbs/31.htm" title="Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers">Ellicott</a> • <a href="/commentaries/expositors/proverbs/31.htm" title="Expositor's Bible">Expositor's</a> • <a href="/commentaries/edt/proverbs/31.htm" title="Expositor's Dictionary">Exp Dct</a> • <a href="/commentaries/gaebelein/proverbs/31.htm" title="Gaebelein's Annotated Bible">Gaebelein</a> • <a href="/commentaries/gsb/proverbs/31.htm" title="Geneva Study Bible">GSB</a> • <a href="/commentaries/gill/proverbs/31.htm" title="Gill's Bible Exposition">Gill</a> • <a href="/commentaries/gray/proverbs/31.htm" title="Gray's Concise">Gray</a> • <a href="/commentaries/guzik/proverbs/31.htm" title="Guzik 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Full">MHCW</a> • <a href="/commentaries/parker/proverbs/31.htm" title="The People's Bible by Joseph Parker">Parker</a> • <a href="/commentaries/poole/proverbs/31.htm" title="Matthew Poole">Poole</a> • <a href="/commentaries/pulpit/proverbs/31.htm" title="Pulpit Commentary">Pulpit</a> • <a href="/commentaries/sermon/proverbs/31.htm" title="Sermon Bible">Sermon</a> • <a href="/commentaries/sco/proverbs/31.htm" title="Scofield Reference Notes">SCO</a> • <a href="/commentaries/ttb/proverbs/31.htm" title="Through The Bible">TTB</a> • <a href="/commentaries/wes/proverbs/31.htm" title="Wesley's Notes">WES</a> • <a href="#tsk" title="Treasury of Scripture Knowledge">TSK</a></div><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="comtype">EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)</div><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/ellicott/proverbs/31.htm">Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers</a></div>(16) <span class= "bld">She considereth a field.—</span>Fixes upon a suitable one for purchase.<p><span class= "bld">With the fruit of her hands.—</span>With her savings she buys a vineyard and stocks it.<p><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/benson/proverbs/31.htm">Benson Commentary</a></div><span class="bld"><a href="/proverbs/31-16.htm" title="She considers a field, and buys it: with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.">Proverbs 31:16</a></span>. <span class="ital">She considereth a field — </span>Whether it be fit for use and of a reasonable price, and how she may purchase it. This excludes the rashness, as the proceeding to buy it excludes the inconstancy, which is often incident to that sex; <span class="ital">with the fruit of her hands — </span>With the effects of her diligence; <span class="ital">she planteth a vineyard — </span>She improveth the land to the best advantage.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="mhc" id="mhc"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/mhc/proverbs/31.htm">Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary</a></div>31:10-31 This is the description of a virtuous woman of those days, but the general outlines equally suit every age and nation. She is very careful to recommend herself to her husband's esteem and affection, to know his mind, and is willing that he rule over her. 1. She can be trusted, and he will leave such a wife to manage for him. He is happy in her. And she makes it her constant business to do him good. 2. She is one that takes pains in her duties, and takes pleasure in them. She is careful to fill up time, that none be lost. She rises early. She applies herself to the business proper for her, to women's business. She does what she does, with all her power, and trifles not. 3. She makes what she does turn to good account by prudent management. Many undo themselves by buying, without considering whether they can afford it. She provides well for her house. She lays up for hereafter. 4. She looks well to the ways of her household, that she may oblige all to do their duty to God and one another, as well as to her. 5. She is intent upon giving as upon getting, and does it freely and cheerfully. 6. She is discreet and obliging; every word she says, shows she governs herself by the rules of wisdom. She not only takes prudent measures herself, but gives prudent advice to others. The law of love and kindness is written in the heart, and shows itself in the tongue. Her heart is full of another world, even when her hands are most busy about this world. 7. Above all, she fears the Lord. Beauty recommends none to God, nor is it any proof of wisdom and goodness, but it has deceived many a man who made his choice of a wife by it. But the fear of God reigning in the heart, is the beauty of the soul; it lasts for ever. 8. She has firmness to bear up under crosses and disappointments. She shall reflect with comfort when she comes to be old, that she was not idle or useless when young. She shall rejoice in a world to come. She is a great blessing to her relations. If the fruit be good, the tree must have our good word. But she leaves it to her own works to praise her. Every one ought to desire this honour that cometh from God; and according to this standard we all ought to regulate our judgments. This description let all women daily study, who desire to be truly beloved and respected, useful and honourable. This passage is to be applied to individuals, but may it not also be applied to the church of God, which is described as a virtuous spouse? God by his grace has formed from among sinful men a church of true believers, to possess all the excellences here described.<a name="bar" id="bar"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/barnes/proverbs/31.htm">Barnes' Notes on the Bible</a></div>The verse points to a large sphere of feminine activity, strikingly in contrast with the degradation to which woman in the East has now fallen. <a name="jfb" id="jfb"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/jfb/proverbs/31.htm">Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary</a></div>16. and hence has means to purchase property.<div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/poole/proverbs/31.htm">Matthew Poole's Commentary</a></div> <span class="bld">She considereth a field; </span> whether it be fit for her use, and of a reasonable price, and how she may purchase it. This excludes the rashness, as her proceeding to <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="bld">buy</span> it excludes the inconstancy, which is oft incident to that sex. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="bld">With the fruit of her hands, </span> with the effects of her diligence, <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="bld">she planteth a vineyard; </span> she improveth the land to the best advantage. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="gil" id="gil"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/gill/proverbs/31.htm">Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible</a></div>She considereth a field, and buyeth it,.... The field are the Scriptures, in which are hid the rich treasures of Gospel doctrines and promises; and the church, and all truly enlightened persons, consider to what use this field may be put, to what account it will turn; how profitable the Scriptures are, for doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness; what a rich mine and valuable treasure is in them; things more desirable, and of greater worth, than thousands of gold and silver; and therefore will buy this field at any rate, and not sell it; will part with all they have before they will part with that; even life itself, which in an improper sense is called buying of it, though it is without money and without price; see <a href="/matthew/13-44.htm">Matthew 13:44</a>; <p>with the fruit of her hand she planteth a vineyard; her own vineyard, whose plants are an orchard of pomegranates, Sol 1:6; who through the ministry of the word, are planted in the house of the Lord, and flourish there; this the church is said to do by her ministers, who plant and water, as Paul and Apollos did, <a href="/1_corinthians/3-6.htm">1 Corinthians 3:6</a>. And it is observable, that in the Hebrew text there is a double reading; the "Keri", or marginal reading, is feminine; but the "Cetib", or writing, is masculine; to show that she did it by means of men, she made use of in her vineyard for that service; it being, as Aben Ezra observes, not the custom and business of women to plant vineyards, but men. It may be rendered, "he planted", and be applied to her husband, Christ; who, through the ministry of the word in his church, plants souls in it; and happy are they who are the planting of the Lord! trees of righteousness, that he may be glorified, <a href="/isaiah/61-3.htm">Isaiah 61:3</a>. <a name="gsb" id="gsb"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/gsb/proverbs/31.htm">Geneva Study Bible</a></div><span class="cverse2">She considereth a field, and <span class="cverse3">{k}</span> buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.</span><p>(k) She purchases it with the gains of her travail.</div></div><div id="centbox"><div class="padcent"><div class="comtype">EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)</div><a name="pul" id="pul"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/pulpit/proverbs/31.htm">Pulpit Commentary</a></div><span class="cmt_sub_title">Verse 16.</span> - ZAYIN. <span class="cmt_word">She considereth a field, and buyeth it.</span> She turns her attention to a certain field, the possession of which is for some cause desirable; and, after due examination and consideration, she buys it. One is reminded of Christ's parable of the treasure hidden in a field, which the finder sold all that he had to purchase (<a href="/matthew/13-44.htm">Matthew 13:44</a>). <span class="cmt_word">With the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.</span> Her prudent management and economy give her means to buy vines and plant a vineyard, and thus to increase her produce. Possibly it is meant that she sees the field she has gotten is more fitted for grapes than corn, and she cultivates it accordingly. Virgil 'Georg.,' 2:229 - <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="foreign">"Altera frumentis quoniam favet, altera Baccho,<br />Densa magis Cereri, rarissima quaeque Lyaeo."</span> Proverbs 31:16<a name="kad" id="kad"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/kad/proverbs/31.htm">Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament</a></div>This industry - a pattern for the whole house - this punctuality in the management of household matters, secures to her success in the extension of her household wealth:<p>16 ז She seeketh a field and getteth possession of it;<p>       Of the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.<p>The field which she considereth, towards which her wish and her effort are directed, is perhaps not one beyond those which she already possesses, but one which has hitherto been wanting to her family; for the poet has, after <a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/31-23.htm">Proverbs 31:23</a>, an inhabitant of a town in his eye, - a woman whose husband is not a landlord, but has a business in the city. The perf. זממה precedes and gives circumstantiality to the chief factum expressed by ותּקּחה. Regarding זמם, vid., <a href="/proverbs/21-27.htm">Proverbs 21:27</a>. "לקח is the general expression for purchasing, as נתן, 24b, for selling. Thus the Aram. and Arab. אחד, while, (Arab.) akhadh w'ṭa, Turk. alisch werisch (from elmeḳ, to take, and wirmek, to give - viz. ṣâtun, in the way of selling; Lat. venum), post-bibl. משּׂא וּמתּן or מקּח וּממכּר, denotes giving and taking equals business in general" (Fleischer). In 16b the Chethı̂b is, with Ewald and Bertheau, to be read נטע, and, with Hitzig, to be made dependent on ותקחה, as parallel obj.: "of her hands' fruit (she gaineth) a planting of vines." But a planting of vines would be expressed by מטּע כרם (<a href="/micah/1-6.htm">Micah 1:6</a>); and the Kerı̂ נטעה is more acceptable. The perf., as a fundamental verbal form, is here the expression of the abstract present: she plants a vineyard, for she purchases vines from the profit of her industry (<a href="http://biblehub.com/isaiah/7-23.htm">Isaiah 7:23</a>, cf. <a href="/proverbs/5-2.htm">Proverbs 5:2</a>). <div class="vheading2">Links</div><a href="/interlinear/proverbs/31-16.htm">Proverbs 31:16 Interlinear</a><br /><a href="/texts/proverbs/31-16.htm">Proverbs 31:16 Parallel Texts</a><br /><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/niv/proverbs/31-16.htm">Proverbs 31:16 NIV</a><br /><a href="/nlt/proverbs/31-16.htm">Proverbs 31:16 NLT</a><br /><a href="/esv/proverbs/31-16.htm">Proverbs 31:16 ESV</a><br /><a href="/nasb/proverbs/31-16.htm">Proverbs 31:16 NASB</a><br /><a href="/kjv/proverbs/31-16.htm">Proverbs 31:16 KJV</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="http://bibleapps.com/proverbs/31-16.htm">Proverbs 31:16 Bible Apps</a><br /><a href="/proverbs/31-16.htm">Proverbs 31:16 Parallel</a><br /><a href="http://bibliaparalela.com/proverbs/31-16.htm">Proverbs 31:16 Biblia Paralela</a><br /><a href="http://holybible.com.cn/proverbs/31-16.htm">Proverbs 31:16 Chinese Bible</a><br /><a href="http://saintebible.com/proverbs/31-16.htm">Proverbs 31:16 French Bible</a><br /><a href="http://bibeltext.com/proverbs/31-16.htm">Proverbs 31:16 German Bible</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/">Bible Hub</a><br /></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="mdd"><div align="center"><div class="bot2"><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td align="center"><div align="center"> <script id="3d27ed63fc4348d5b062c4527ae09445"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=51ce25d5-1a8c-424a-8695-4bd48c750f35&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script> <script id="b817b7107f1d4a7997da1b3c33457e03"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=cb0edd8b-b416-47eb-8c6d-3cc96561f7e8&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-2'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-0' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-3'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-1' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div align="center" id='div-gpt-ad-1531425649696-0'> </div><br /><br /> <script type="text/javascript"> </script> <script type="text/javascript" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"> </script><br /><br /> </div> <div id="left"><a href="../proverbs/31-15.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="Proverbs 31:15"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="Proverbs 31:15" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="../proverbs/31-17.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="Proverbs 31:17"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="Proverbs 31:17" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div> <div id="bot"><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="/botmenubhnew2.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>