The Meaning of Proverbs 31:28 Explained

Proverbs 31:28

KJV: Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.

YLT: Her sons have risen up, and pronounce her happy, Her husband, and he praiseth her,

Darby: Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her:

ASV: Her children rise up, and call her blessed; Her husband also , and he praiseth her,'saying :

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Her children  arise up,  and call her blessed;  her husband  [also], and he praiseth  her. 

What does Proverbs 31:28 Mean?

Context Summary

Proverbs 31:10-31 - "her Works Praise Her"
The ideal woman, as portrayed here, is a wife. She is the stay and confidence of her husband. Not only when she comes as a young bride into his home, in the glory and beauty of her youth, nor only when her womanly beauty holds his admiration, but long after and to the end of life she does him good. She is always busy. She is thrifty in administering his earnings. If he brings the money to her, she expends it economically for their common weal. When a friend of mine was sixty, his wife came to him with an annuity which she had purchased for them both, by her wise administration of the money entrusted to her through forty years of married life.
It is in the home-place that the man's strength is gathered for public life. The woman in the home communicates the inspiration and strength which make him "known in the gates." Her secret, unobtrusive loyalty, counsel, and thrift inspire a growing depth of appreciation; so that the man who chose her in the spring will say of her amid the snows of age, "Other women may be good and true, but "˜thou excellest them all.'" [source]

Chapter Summary: Proverbs 31

1  Lemuel's lesson of chastity and temperance
6  The afflicted are to be comforted and defended
10  The praise and properties of a good wife

What do the individual words in Proverbs 31:28 mean?

Rise up Her children and call her blessed Her husband [also] and he praises her
קָ֣מוּ בָ֭נֶיהָ וַֽיְאַשְּׁר֑וּהָ בַּ֝עְלָ֗הּ וַֽיְהַֽלְלָהּ‪‬‪‬

קָ֣מוּ  Rise  up 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: קוּם 
Sense: to rise, arise, stand, rise up, stand up.
בָ֭נֶיהָ  Her  children 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person feminine singular
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
וַֽיְאַשְּׁר֑וּהָ  and  call  her  blessed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural, third person feminine singular
Root: אָשַׁר 
Sense: to go straight, walk, go on, advance, make progress.
בַּ֝עְלָ֗הּ  Her  husband  [also] 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person feminine singular
Root: בָּעַל 
Sense: owner, husband, lord.
וַֽיְהַֽלְלָהּ‪‬‪‬  and  he  praises  her 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: הָלַל 
Sense: to shine.