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Eishes Chayil is a song sung traditionally on Friday nights. It's the last 22 verses of Mishlei/Proverbs. It speaks about a "Woman of Valor", and literally does nothing but sing her praises. Well, almost.

Every verse is about something admirable about this woman¹, except for one verse, Mishlei 31:23 (Chabad.org):

כג. נוֹדָע בַּשְּׁעָרִים בַּעְלָהּ בְּשִׁבְתּוֹ עִם זִקְנֵי אָרֶץ

 

23: Her husband is known in the gates, when he sits with the elders of the land.

While this is nice and all, this seems a little out of place; how is this a praise of the Woman of Valor?

Bonus points if you find an explanation of why Shlomo Hamelech chose to phrase it this way, instead of just stating her praise directly.

^{_{Yes, this is a bit of a softball. But it was a real question that I had. Best answer wins.}}

^{1: Interpreted as referring to the Jewish woman, and also to the Shabbos and the Torah.}

Eishes Chayil is a song sung traditionally on Friday nights. It's the last 22 verses of Mishlei/Proverbs. It speaks about a "Woman of Valor", and literally does nothing but sing her praises. Well, almost.

Every verse is about something admirable about this woman¹, except for one verse, Mishlei 31:23 (Chabad.org):

כג. נוֹדָע בַּשְּׁעָרִים בַּעְלָהּ בְּשִׁבְתּוֹ עִם זִקְנֵי אָרֶץ

23: Her husband is known in the gates, when he sits with the elders of the land.

While this is nice and all, this seems a little out of place; how is this a praise of the Woman of Valor?

Bonus points if you find an explanation of why Shlomo Hamelech chose to phrase it this way, instead of just stating her praise directly.

^{_{Yes, this is a bit of a softball. But it was a real question that I had. Best answer wins.}}

^{1: Interpreted as referring to the Jewish woman, and also to the Shabbos and the Torah.}

Eishes Chayil is a song sung traditionally on Friday nights. It's the last 22 verses of Mishlei/Proverbs. It speaks about a "Woman of Valor", and literally does nothing but sing her praises. Well, almost.

Every verse is about something admirable about this woman¹, except for one verse, Mishlei 31:23 (Chabad.org):

כג. נוֹדָע בַּשְּׁעָרִים בַּעְלָהּ בְּשִׁבְתּוֹ עִם זִקְנֵי אָרֶץ

23: Her husband is known in the gates, when he sits with the elders of the land.

While this is nice and all, this seems a little out of place; how is this a praise of the Woman of Valor?

Bonus points if you find an explanation of why Shlomo Hamelech chose to phrase it this way, instead of just stating her praise directly.

^{_{Yes, this is a bit of a softball. But it was a real question that I had. Best answer wins.}}

^{1: Interpreted as referring to the Jewish woman, and also to the Shabbos and the Torah.}

Eishes Chayil is a song sung traditionally on Friday nights. It's the last 22 verses of Mishlei/Proverbs. It speaks about a "Woman of Valor", and literally does nothing but sing her praises. Well, almost.

Every verse is about something admirable about this woman¹, except for one verse, Mishlei 31:23 (Chabad.org):

כג. נוֹדָע בַּשְּׁעָרִים בַּעְלָהּ בְּשִׁבְתּוֹ עִם זִקְנֵי אָרֶץ

23: Her husband is known in the gates, when he sits with the elders of the land.

While this is nice and all, this seems a little out of place; how is this a praise of the Woman of Valor?

Bonus points if you find an explanation of why Shlomo Hamelech chose to phrase it this way, instead of just stating her praise directly.

^{_{Yes, this is a bit of a softball. But it was a real question that I had. Best answer wins.}}

^{1: Interpreted as referring to the Jewish woman, and also to the Shabbos and the Torah.}