Proverbs 31:17

The book of Proverbs gives us insights into so many different areas of life. The book gives us instruction on how to live our lives for God. Here is a proverb that gives us insight about the honorable woman in Proverbs 31:

Proverbs 31:17 (NASBStr)

She girds herself with strength

And makes her arms strong.

Proverbs 31:17 (NIV1984)

She sets about her work vigorously;

her arms are strong for her tasks.

Proverbs 31:17 (ESV)

She dresses herself with strength

and makes her arms strong.

When you read this entire chapter (31) on the worthy women, you have to ask yourself, "How does she do it?"   How can you shop, plant, cook, sew, counsel, give, and serve and not be totally consumed by the effort?   This proverb seems to give us some insight into not just "what" she did (the majority of the rest of the chapter), but "how" she did it.   In the versions above, NASB vs NIV vs ESV, seem to indicate a slight difference in meaning.   The NIV seems to translate the Hebrew in a way that reflects how her strength enables her work with a sense of high energy and high output.   However, in the ESV and NASB, that she purposefully makes herself strong in some way to enable her to perform her work, vigorously.  It is beyond the scoop of this writing to debate the difference. However, perhaps the point being made is that this women takes time for herself to gather her strength and to preform her tasks in a vigorous manner.   Whatever the differences are between the versions, one thing they have in common is that the worthy women is strong.  You don't get strong by sitting around.   The worthy women is no soap-opera-couch-potato.     She is taking time to "gird" or “dress” herself.  In other places in the Bible this term was the gathering or the robe for the purpose of running (1 Kings 18:46; 2 Kings 4:29).   The point being made is that this women not only provides for her family, she takes time to prepare herself for the task.   It could be maintained she prepares herself mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually.   Being prepared for the work includes doing the work to be prepared.   She sets herself to be strong.   She is not lazy or soft.   A worthy women spends as much time preparing herself to do the work as she does performing the work.   This is not the picture of something that just happens.  This is a picture of something that includes the effort to prepare herself for the task.