Proverbs 31:25
in Proverbs 31Strength and honor are her clothing, and she can laugh at the days to come.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Strength and dignity are her clothing; And she laugheth at the time to come.
KJV
Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.
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This verse in Proverbs 31
Commentary
10 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Shall rejoice in time to come - Better, rejoiceth over the time to come; i. e., looks forward to the future, not with anxious care, but with confident gladness.
This site's exposition
Strength and honor are her clothing
on Proverbs 31:25-31
"Strength and honor are her clothing," her own character answering the scarlet. Her children and husband praise her, and verse 30 gives the motto, the fear of the LORD that opened the book at 1:7. The poem ends where it began, "at the gates" where her husband was known.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church2 voices
A commentator
BonaventureCollationes de Septem Donis, Collation 5 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
"Strength and beauty are her clothing." Just as the body is adorned by its garment, so the soul is adorned by fortitude; therefore it is called the clothing of the soul; nor is fortitude only the clothing of the soul, or of the glorious Virgin, …
Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she will laugh at the last day. Strength, to endure the harshness of the wicked; dignity, to exercise the grace of virtues. Dignity, because she works justice; strength, because she suffers persecution for justice (Matthew V). And therefore …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
3 Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings. 4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink: 5 Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted. 6 Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-scripture
): Strength and honour are her clothing, in which she wraps herself, that is, enjoys herself, and in which she appears to the world, and so recommends herself.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
Strength - Strength of mind, magnanimity, courage, activity. Her clothing - Her ornament and glory. Rejoice - She lives in constant tranquillity of mind, from a just confidence in God's gracious providence.
3 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Strength and honour are her clothing,.... Strength, not of body, but of mind.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
In Hebrew the verses begin with the letters of the Hebrew alphabet in order (compare Introduction to Poetical Books). Who . . . woman--The question implies that such are rare, though not entirely wanting (compare Pr 18:22; 19:14). virtuous--literally, "of strength," that is, moral courage (compare Pr 12:4;
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
Strength and honour--Strong and beautiful is her clothing; or, figuratively, for moral character, vigorous and honorable. shall rejoice . . . come--in confidence of certain maintenance.
The words behind it
6 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| עֹז־ | ʾoz- | [is] strength | H5797 → | 92 times |
| וְהָדָ֥ר | vehadar | and honor | H1926 → | |
| לְבוּשָׁ֑הּ | levushah | clothing her | H3830 → | 33 times |
| וַ֝תִּשְׂחַ֗ק | vatischak | and she laughed | H7832 → | 36 times |
| לְי֣וֹם | leyom | to a day | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| אַחֲרֽוֹן׃ | ʾacharon | future | H314 → |
עֹז־[is] strength
ʾoz-H5797 →92 times
וְהָדָ֥רand honor
vehadarH1926 →
לְבוּשָׁ֑הּclothing her
levushahH3830 →33 times
וַ֝תִּשְׂחַ֗קand she laughed
vatischakH7832 →36 times
לְי֣וֹםto a day
leyomH3117 →2304 times
אַחֲרֽוֹן׃future
ʾacharonH314 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Romans 13:14Instead, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the desires of the flesh.
it leads to
- Ephesians 4:24
and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
- Galatians 5:16–17
So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
- Galatians 3:27
For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.
- 1 Peter 2:11
Beloved, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from the desires of the flesh, which war against your soul.
- Galatians 5:24
Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
- Ephesians 4:24
Through
Ephesians 4:24and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
it leads to
- Colossians 3:10–14
and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.
- 2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come!
- Romans 13:14
Instead, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the desires of the flesh.
- Colossians 3:10–14
Where this verse is studied
About Proverbs
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bede, Commentary on Proverbs; Bonaventure, Collationes de Septem Donis, Collation 5; Charles Bridges, An Exposition of the Book of Proverbs; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.