What does it mean to be more precious than rubies (Proverbs 31:10)?

“Who can find a virtuous woman?” or “worthy woman”, or “woman of worth”, as some would read it. The word virtuous here is elsewhere translated ‘worthy’ (see Ruth 4:11; 1 Kings 1:52). It means, according to the lexicons, able, valorous; or embraces, perhaps, something of the meaning of all three words — virtuous, valorous, able. Such a woman who can find? “for her price is far above rubies” — the most precious gem known to the ancients. The acquisition of such a treasure is beyond all price; a wife of this description cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof. It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire. The gold and the crystal cannot equal it; and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold. No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls, for she is herself a pearl, and a type of her who is to Christ the “pearl of great price”: His loved and blood-bought Church. The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal the worth of such a woman.

The description of the model wife here is in the form of an acrostic, embracing as it does the whole Hebrew alphabet of twenty-two letters. Christ Himself is “the Alpha and the Omega” (the A to Z, in English), exhausting human language, as it were, in the attempt to tell the infinite glories of His person — His moral excellences, coupled with His might, His majesty, His dominion, His grace, His justice and His truth. And here, in this description of her who is intended to represent His church, His spouse, the whole gamut of the alphabet is run to express her moral and domestic virtues and womanly excellences.

Seven things — the perfect number — are specifically noted of her. Her faithfulness (vv. 11-12); Her industry (vv. 13-15); Her thrift (vv. 16-19); Her benevolence (v. 20); Her providence (vv. 21-25); Her moral excellences (vv. 26-27); and Her reward (vv. 28-31).

Proverbs 31:10 (Aleph). "Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies." The word virtuous here has the sense of devoted and thrifty; she is a woman with a high regard for the position she occupies by reason of her relationship with her husband. We might well, in the light of this, ask ourselves, How much do we realize and value the high dignity conferred upon us as having been brought into association with Christ? and how much are we concerned with His interests during His absence as being completely devoted to Him? The price of one so devoted is above the price of rubies.

Does the question of verse 10 not imply that a virtuous woman is not to be found everywhere, just as another question is raised in chapter 20:6, "A faithful man who can find?" Virtue does not only refer to moral purity, it is evident, but to all the characteristics of faithfulness, diligence, dependability that the chapter outlines. How refreshing to see in any good measure these qualities in a woman. But it is impossible apart from the grace of God having wrought in her heart. No material price can possibly give a recompense for her. The precious red ruby, or many of them together have no comparison to her worth. But are we not given a veiled hint here that her value is only measured by the precious blood of Christ, the price of her redemption? It is He Himself who has placed this value upon her: His heart safely trusts in her: He will have no lack of spoil, that is, no lack of gain through her. Not only will she refrain from harmful things, but "she will do Him good," as the good servant who reports to his master, "Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds." She is too busily occupied with good to allow time for even worthless things, let alone evil things. And this continues "all the days of her life:" there is no growing weary of diligent devotion.

The final portion of the book of Proverbs is a description of the virtuous woman. This section is quite different from the rest of the book, like many Psalms and the Lamentations it is alphabetically arranged. The virtuous woman, who is far more valuable than rubies, is described in her home as a faithful wife, a painstaking mother and the competent mistress of her household. There is no need to allegorize this description and apply it to the Church, as some have done. But this virtuous woman stands out in prominent and bright relief--a relief against the descriptions of "the strange woman," the adulteress so repeatedly mentioned in Proverbs (2:16-20; 5:1-23; 22:14; 23:27, etc.). One of the proverbs is expanded in this beautiful picture drawn by the Spirit of God: "Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favor from the LORD." But how few of the modern women reach this ideal! How few among Christian women measure up to it!

Proverbs 31 presumably written by Solomon — describes with much detail the ideal woman, whose "price is far above rubies," but he never succeeded in finding her. "One man among a thousand I have found, but a woman among all those have I not found" (Ecc. 7:28). But God could have found one for him!

reninim. To what precious stone this word refers is not definitely known. It is mentioned as a symbol of preciousness: as "the price of wisdom is above rubies"; the value of a virtuous woman is far above rubies. Job 28:18; Prov. 3:15; Prov. 8:11; Prov. 20:15; Prov. 31:10. In Lam. 4:7, where the Nazarites are said to be "more ruddy in body than rubies," some translate 'corals,' though the Hebrew is the same. Bochart judges 'pearls' to be intended.

Oh! there is no sight on this sad earth so refreshing and lovely, as a Christian household, graced by a submissive and obedient wife and faithful mother, whose words and actions breathe the spirit of her gentle, heavenly Master, and who, "without words," by her chaste conversation, coupled with fear, in the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, wins hearts for Christ, and preaches Him by her daily walk, and thus adorns the doctrine and gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, a light to all that are in the house, and to the comers in. Many a husband may be a Nabal, but if his wife is a true Abigail, David's Son and Lord will know how to honour her.

"Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is above rubies."

(Aleph) "Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies."

Proverbs 31:10 says "Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies". What was the price in this case? Seven years wages; it was all completely wrong, a wife is worth a lot more than that, far more. "Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the Lord" (Prov.18:22) (favour is grace). So the marriage relationship beautifully represents the pure grace of God. This is something that should never have been so badly mishandled by Jacob. Of course we know that many nations have acted similarly and sell their daughters, the husbands paying a dowry when they marry. In reality this is the selling of the woman. Did Rachel belong to Laban? Do my children belong to me? No, they do not. My wife does belong to me, but my children do not. That is something to keep in mind. Scripture says in Ephesians 5, a good number of times, "your own wife", but so far as I am aware we do not find the expression "your own children", instead we read 'When a man leaves his father and mother' (Gen.2:24). He does not belong to his father and mother.

The absence of the ruby here is both striking and instructive. The value of this stone would appeal to the natural mind as meriting a place in this group, where there is none other of greater value or hardness. Why, then, does the Holy Spirit give it no place in this heavenly scene? Because He uses it as a distinctive earthly symbol elsewhere. Jerusalem on earth is to have her “battlements of rubies”, not “windows of agates” (Isa. 54:12), and her princes “more ruddy than rubies”. Unlike other stones, this rich red ruby of carmine here, is always spoken of in the plural in Scripture. The heavenly bride, the assembly, is characterized by oneness, of which each gate of “one pearl” witnesses. In view of this, it is not surprising to read of the worthy woman. Her value is “far above rubies” (Prov. 31:10) and of wisdom, “she is more precious than rubies” (Prov. 3:15; 8:11, etc.).