Proverbs 31:22-24

New English Translation

Footnotes

1. Proverbs 31:22 tn The word “because” does not occur in the Hebrew in this verse, but continues to apply from the end of verse 21. It is added to both halves of this verse for clarity.
2. Proverbs 31:22 tn The verb (עָשְׂתָה; ʿas^etah) is the Hebrew perfect form of a dynamic verb. It contains background material in a causal clause and so is past perfect in English translation.
3. Proverbs 31:22 tn The first word of the thirteenth line begins with מ (mem), the thirteenth letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The word rendered “coverlets” appears in 7:16, where it has the idea of “covered.” K&D 17:335 suggests “pillows” or “mattresses” here. The Greek version has “lined overcoats” or “garments,” but brings over the last word of the previous verse to form this line and parallel the second half, which has clothing in view.
4. Proverbs 31:22 sn The “fine linen” refers to expensive clothing (e.g., Gen 41:42), as does the “purple” (e.g., Exod 26:7; 27:9, 18). Garments dyed with purple indicated wealth and high rank (e.g., Song 3:5). The rich man in Luke 16:19 was clothed in fine linen and purple as well. The difference is that the wise woman is charitable, but he is not.
5. Proverbs 31:23 tn The first word of the fourteenth line begins with נ (nun), the fourteenth letter of the Hebrew alphabet.tn The form is the Niphal participle of יָדַע (yadaʿ); it means that her husband is “known.” The point is that he is a prominent person, respected in the community. While the description of the wife’s work is given in the past tense (primarily through perfect and preterite verbs), the husband is described in the present tense with a participle. Her husband’s status has resulted to some degree from her faithful work and was not confined to the past but continues into the present time frame of the passage.
6. Proverbs 31:23 tn Heb “gate”; the term “city” has been supplied in the translation for clarity.sn The “gate” was the area inside the entrance to the city, usually made with rooms at each side of the main street where there would be seats for the elders. This was the place of assembly for the elders who had judicial responsibilities.
7. Proverbs 31:23 tn The construction uses the infinitive construct with the preposition and a pronominal suffix that serves as the subject (subjective genitive) to form a temporal clause. The fact that he “sits with the elders” means he is one of the elders; he sits as a judge among the people.
8. Proverbs 31:24 tn The verb (עָשְׂתָה, ʿas^etah) is the perfect form of a dynamic root and should be understood as past tense or perfective.
9. Proverbs 31:24 tn The first word of the fifteenth line begins with ס (samek), the fifteenth letter of the Hebrew alphabet.sn The poet did not think it strange or unworthy for a woman of this stature to be a businesswoman engaged in an honest trade. In fact, weaving of fine linens was a common trade for women in the ancient world.
10. Proverbs 31:24 tn The verb וַתִּמְכֹּר (vattimkor) is a preterite and therefore is past tense. The preterite normally portrays a sequential action in the past.
11. Proverbs 31:24 tn The verb (נָתְנָה, nat^enah) is the perfect form of a dynamic root and should be understood as past tense or perfective.
12. Proverbs 31:24 tn Heb “to the Canaanites.” These are the Phoenician traders that survived the wars and continued to do business down to the exile.