The picture of the merchant’s ships is a picture of an abundance of goods and resources being brought from various geographical locations. The virtuous woman has an awareness of the needs of her household, a willingness to work, and the wisdom and initiative that it takes to know where to get what she needs. We can see at this point, that these virtues exist in a progression, where one builds upon the other. Many times, the portrait of biblical femininity is portrayed as a woman who is silent and passive. This mischaracterization of biblical womanhood is not what we find in this description. The virtuous woman takes the initiative in gathering the information and resources that are needed for her household. This initiative is motivated by a desire to do good for her family, not an independent or self-serving attitude.