"An excellent wife is the crown of her husband," says the writer of Proverbs 12:4.
I looked up the Hebrew word that is expressed as "excellent" here, and was overwhelmed by the discovery. The word is chayil, which is a masculine (my first surprise) word of which the main Old Testament meanings are "strength", "army" and "wealth". The more detailed word study in my nifty Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible lists these possible uses and meanings of chayil:
"might, strength, power; able, valiant, virtuous, valour; army, host, forces; riches, substance, wealth"
More surprises there, because, I don't know about you but whenever I read this verse in English, the connotations of the word "excellent" are decidedly feminine, almost to the point of swooning Victorian "weaker sex" femininity. I expected the Hebrew meaning to be something that relates to domestic prowess, submissiveness, ladylike-ness? But reading through the list above, I get instead a picture of a formidable, strong woman who's definitely no pushover. She is someone whom people look at in wonder and astonishment for her skills, wisdom and accomplishment. Her husband is praised for his wise choice, envied for his good fortune, and admired for the hard work he must have put into attaining such a prize.
The military associations of this word are also interesting, because they imply that this "excellent wife" is not only intelligent, capable and strong; she fights well, too! No longer need it be an insult that one "fights like a girl". The chayil wife fights, and fights well, for the things that matter. Her enemies find her scary and threatening and try to get in her way, but she is strong in the face of their intimidating diversions.
Chayil is the word used to describe the Queen of Sheba's retinue that called on King Solomon (1 Kings 10:2): a "very large retinue, with camels carrying spices and very much gold and precious stones". What a woman the author of Proverbs 4 is talking about, that on her own she can be described in the same terms as this impressive parade of people, livestock, gold and gems.
No wonder the heart of a man who marries an "excellent woman", also mentioned in Proverbs 31:10, can trust in her, and he will have no lack of gain.
I pray that every woman in my life is and will be a chayil wife in the hand of her husband, present or future.
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1 comment:
Hello there!
What an excellent post!
I first came across this word in Joseph Prince's teaching on FYLP. ;)
It's indeed very interesting to study this passage in its original context as it'll force us to throw out all the Western notions of masculinity and femininity that we've been so accustomed to.
It's good to note that a chayil wife also had a husband that has full confidence in her, and praises her (for all that she is and all she possesses). Ruth was described as a woman of chayil, and I believe Boaz embodied the kind of husband that Proverbs 31 spoke about.
May we all strive to be women of chayil as we learn to allow Him to work in and through us every single day. :)
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