Proverbs 31:23

Pro 31:23 Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.

Ver. 23. Her husband is known in the gates.] Is renowned and noted for his wife’s worth, besides that he is a ruler in Israel.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

In the assemblies and places of judgment.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

in the gates--(compare Pro 22:22). His domestic comfort promotes his advancement in public dignity.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 23. Her husband is known in the gates]

14. She is a loving wife, and feels for the respectability and honour of her husband. He is an elder among his people, and he sits as a magistrate in the gate. He is respected not only on account of the neatness and cleanliness of his person and dress, but because he is the husband of a woman who is justly held in universal esteem. And her complete management of household affairs gives him full leisure to devote himself to the civil interests of the community.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(23) Her husband is known in the gates.—See above on Pro_22:22. Instead of being a hindrance to her husband’s advancement, she furthers it. Her influence for good extends to him also. Having no domestic anxieties, he is set free to do his part in public life.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

23. is known] both by the fitting attire and by the freedom from anxiety and distraction, which her care and industry secure to him. Dean Plumptre in Speaker’s Comm. quotes the words of Nausicaa to her father in Hom. Odyss. vi. 60:

“’Tis meet for thee to sit among the princes,

And hold thy council, with thy body clad

In raiment fair and clean.”

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Her husband is known in the gates,.... Of the city, where courts of justice were kept, and causes heard and tried by the judges, the elders of the land, later mentioned; among whom the husband of the virtuous woman was, where he was known, taken notice of, and celebrated; not so much for the beautiful garments she made him, as Jarchi; but rather for his wisdom, as Gersom, and for being the husband of such a woman; who, taking such care of his domestic affairs, he was more at leisure to attend public business, and transact it with reputation. Christ is the husband of the church in general, and of particular churches, and of every private believer; he fell in love with them, asked them of his Father, and betrothed them to himself; and is a kind, tender, loving, and sympathizing husband to his church and people; that nourishes and cherishes them, and provides all things for them, and interests them in all he has: and he is "known" by them, in the dignity of his person, in the excellency of his offices, and the fulness of his grace; he is known by them in the relation of an husband; he is well known in the church of God, in the assembly of his saints, Psa 76:1; he is known in the gates of Zion, in the public ministering of the word and ordinances; his name is celebrated, it becomes great and famous, wherever his Gospel is preached in the world; he is,

"known in the provinces,''

as the Targum; or,

"among the cities,''

as the Syriac version; among the nations of the world, in the cities of the Gentiles; as he will be, even from the rising of the sun to the going down of the same, Mal 1:11;

when he sitteth among the elders of the land; when he sits in his house, at his table, circled by his saints, his ancient ones; or as King, head, and husband of his people, on his throne in the church, encompassed with, the four and twenty elders, the representatives of Gospel churches, Rev 4:2. And especially when he shall take to himself his great power, and reign gloriously before his ancients, the patriarchs, prophets, and apostles, and all his saints, which will come with him; whom he has loved with an everlasting love; who were chosen in him before the foundation of the world; and had grace given them, in him, before the world began, Isa 24:23; and when he shall come to judge the world, and will appear in great glory, and be seen and known of all; and shall sit on his throne of glory, and his elders also, sitting on twelve thrones, judging the tribes of Israel, Mat 19:28; so Ambrose interprets it of the universal judgment.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

The industry of the wife leaves the husband free to take his place among the elders that sit in councils.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Gates. Chaldean, "provinces." The rich were chosen for judges. (Calmet)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Known; observed and respected, not only for his own worth, but for his wife’s sake; not only for those rich ornaments which by her care and diligence she provides for him, which others of his brethren, by reason of their wives’ sloth or luxury, are not able to procure, but also for his wisdom in choosing, and his happiness in enjoying, so excellent a wife, by whose prudent care, in the management of his domestic concerns, he hath perfect freedom wholly to attend upon public affairs.

Sitteth among the elders of the land, in counsel or judgment.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

23. Known in the gates — He is recognised and honoured in the courts, or public assemblies.

When he sitteth among the elders — The senators or magistrates, who sit by the gates to decide cases and to transact public business. He is eminent among the public men. It is intimated that something of this is due to his wife’s thrift and good management. She conducts the domestic affairs so well and so profitably as to allow him time and means to devote to the public service. His genteel deportment and becoming attire indicate the wife of good taste and rare accomplishments. Blessed is the man that has a wife capable of correcting his foibles, smoothing down his rough points, and teaching him becoming deportment. Many a man is more indebted to his wife than he is aware of for his advancement in the world.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

NUN. Her husband is known in the gates. Such a woman advances her husband"s interests, increases his influence, and, by attending to his domestic concerns, enables him to take his share in public matters, so that his name is in great repute in the popular assemblies at the city gates. (ver. 31; Pro_8:3) She is indeed "a crown to her husband". (Pro_12:4) When he sitteth among the elders of the land. Homer introduces Nausikaa speaking to her father of her duty to see that he is honourably clad when he goes to the council Kai de soi autw eoike meta prwtoisin eonta Boulaein kayara croi eimat econta . ("Odyssey," 6:60.) "For our costly robes, All sullied now, the cleansing stream require; And thine especially, when thou appear"st In council with the princes of the land, Had need be pure. (Cowper)

St. Gregory sees here an adumbration of the day of judgment: "For the Redeemer of mankind is the "Husband" of holy Church, who shows himself "renowned" (nobilis, Vulgate) in the gates. Who first came in sight in degradation and in mockings, but shall appear on high at the entering in of his kingdom; and "he sitteth among the elders of the land," for that he shall decree sentence of condemnation together with the holy preachers of that same Church, as himself declares in the gospel (Mat_19:28) ("Moral.," 6:9).

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

It known - Observed and respected, not only for his own worth, but for his wife's sake. Sitteth - In counsel or judgment.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

Now, first, the description turns back to the husband, of the woman who is commended, mentioned in the introduction:

23 נ 32 Well known in the gates is her husband,

Where he sitteth among the elders of the land.

Such a wife is, according to Pro 12:4, עטרת בּעלּהּ, - she advances the estimation and the respect in which her husband is held. He has, in the gates where the affairs of the city are deliberated upon, a well-known, reputable name; for there he sits, along with the elders of the land, who are chosen into the council of the city as the chief place of the land, and has a weighty voice among them. The phrase wavers between נודע (lxx περίβλεπτος γίνεται; Venet. ἔλνωσται) and נודע. The old Venetian edd. have in this place (like the Cod. Jaman.), and at Psa 9:17, נודע; on the contrary, Psa 76:2; Ecc 6:10, נודע, and that is correct; for the Masora, at this place and at Psa 76:2 (in the Biblia rabb), is disfigured.

Keil & Delitzsch — Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1861–1891) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API. (Old Testament only.)

Her husband is known in the gates He is recognizable among his peers because of his garments, which are beautiful.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.