What does the Hebrew word chayil for “virtuous woman” mean in Proverbs 31:10?
This first question gives me the opportunity to address the complexities of understanding the Bible based on the original languages in which it was written. Every word has both a definition and a meaning. The definition of a word is the one word or phrase that you might find in a lexicon or dictionary. The meaning of a word is an understanding of the word in association with the other words or phrases that are in association with that word. In this case, a good working definition of chayil is strength, power, dominance, or even wealth. The meaning of this word, as well as which definition applies here, is determined by context. The context is describing the chayil woman as possessing certain attributes of her character. So, a good meaning for this word would be “capacities of strength.” We arrive at this meaning because after introducing the chayil woman, the writer of the proverb then lists 13 characteristics of her strength or capacity. Proverbs 31:10 says, “A virtuous woman who can
