Proverbs - 31:12



12 She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life.

Verse In-Depth

Explanation and meaning of Proverbs 31:12.

Differing Translations

Compare verses for better understanding.
She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.
She doeth him good and not evil All the days of her life.
She will render him good, and not evil, all the days of her life.
She hath done him good, and not evil, All days of her life.
She will repay him with good, and not evil, all the days of her life.

*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.


Historical Commentaries

Scholarly Analysis and Interpretation.

She will do him good -
4. She has her husband's happiness in view constantly. She recompenses all his kindness to her in beneficent acts. For kind words she returns kind deeds.
1. Her good is unmixed; she will do him good. and not evil.
2 Her good is not capricious; it is constant and permanent, while she and her husband live. His heart safely trusts in her, for she will do him good all the days of her life. This is her general character.

She will do him good, and not evil,.... Or, repay good unto him, give him thanks for all the good things bestowed by him on her; will seek his interest, and promote his honour and glory to the uttermost; all the good works she does, which she is qualified for, and ready to perform, are all done in his name and strength, and with a view to his glory; nor will she do any evil willingly and knowingly against him, against his truths and ordinances; or that is detrimental to his honour, and prejudicial to his interest, 2-Corinthians 13:8;
all the days of her life; through which she desires to serve him in righteousness and true holiness; and to be steadfast and immovable, always abounding in his work, Luke 1:74.

do . . . good--contribute good to him.

12 ג She doeth good to him, and not evil,
All the days of her life;
or, as Luther translates:
"Sie thut jm liebs und kein leids."
[She does him good, and no harm.]
She is far from ever doing him evil, she does him only good all her life long; her love is not dependent on freaks, it rests on deep moral grounds, and hence derives its power and purity, which remain ever the same. גּמל signifies to accomplish, to perform. To the not assimilated form גּמלתהוּ, cf. יסּרתּוּ, 1b.

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