Proverbs 31:24

Pro 31:24 She maketh fine linen, and selleth [it]; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.

Ver. 24. She maketh fine linen and sells it.] Such sindons as our Saviour’s dead body was wrapt in, and for girdles. {read 2Sa 18:11 Isa 3:24 Jer 2:32} It was anciently no shame for a queen to make gain of her handiwork.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Or, linen cloth.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

fine linen--or, "linen shirts," or the material for them.

girdles--were often costly and highly valued (Sa2 18:11).

delivereth--or, "giveth as a present" or "to sell."

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 24. She maketh fine linen, and selleth it]

15. She is here remarkable for carrying on a traffic of splendid and ornamental dresses, or habits, as she is, Pr 31:13, for "a coarser manufacture," The סדון sidon is supposed to come from [Arabic] in Arabic; and to signify a kind of loose inner garment, shirt, chemise, or fine muslin covering. Some of these are so exceedingly fine, like the abrooam, that when spread on the grass, they are scarcely discernible. Some such garments as these are still worn by ladies in India and in China, and are so thin and transparent, that every part of the body may be seen through them. I have many representations of persons clothed in this way before me both of the Chinese, the Hindoo, and the Malabar ladies. Probably this eminent Jewish matron had such articles manufactured in her own house. She dealt also in girdles. These are still a very general and very expensive article of dress. I have seen them made of silk, and highly ornamented with gold and silver thread, worked into flowers and various curious devices. The loose Eastern robe is confined by these; and the word may also take in the shawl of the turban, which is often superb and costly. It is properly the girdle for the head. As these were generally woven, the consumption was great; and an able artist must have had a good trade.

The Arabic gives a remarkable translation of this verse: "She maketh towels, (or tablecloths,) and sells them to the inhabitants of Basra, (a city in Mesopotamia,) and fine linens, and sells them to the Canaanites." My old MS. Bible has, Sandel sche made and sold, and a litil girdil sche toke to Chanane. Perhaps לכנעני lakkenaani, for the merchant, may stand here for לכנענים lakkenaanim, the Canaanites.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

24. fine linen] Rather, linen garments. The word, which is not the same as that rendered fine linen in Pro_31:22, denotes not the material but a made-up garment, σινδόνας LXX.; sindonem, Vulg. It is rendered sheets, A.V., but linen garments, R.V., in Jdg_14:12-13, where it is described in the note in this Series as “a wide flowing under-garment of linen, worn next the body.” See Isa_3:23.

girdles] These were often richly worked and very valuable. See 1Sa_18:4; 2Sa_18:11.

the merchant] Lit. the Canaanite (as in Job_41:6 [Heb. 40:30]; Isa_23:8), because the Canaanites were the great merchants of the time. See note in this Series on Zec_14:21.

This verse adds as it were the finishing stroke to the picture. While all home duties in every relation, to her husband, her children, her servants, and to the poor around her, are fully and faithfully discharged, she is yet able to increase her store by the sale of what the industry of herself and her maidens has produced. At the same time it throws an interesting light upon the state of society, in which the mistress of a large household and the wife of one who took his place “among the elders of the land’ did not think it unworthy of her to engage in honest trade.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

She maketh fine linen, and selleth it,.... She not only seeks wool and flax, and spins it, but makes it up into fine linen, which she disposes of to advantage to herself and family. Kimchi says (y), the word signifies coverings for the night, as well as day he seems to design linen sheets: the Arabic version adds, and "sells it to the inhabitants of Bosra." This, in the mystic sense, may signify either the good works the church does, and which she proposes as a pattern and example to her members; or divine instruction, as others, the preaching of the Gospel, and the truths of it; which she sells, and others buy, though both without money and without price; for, as she freely receives, she freely gives: or the righteousness of Christ, which is called fine linen and white raiment; which, properly speaking, is made by Christ, and sold by him, or bought of him, as before, without money; see Rev 19:8; yet this the church makes her own, by laying hold upon it by faith, and which she holds forth freely to others in the Gospel; which is therefore called "the ministration of righteousness", Co2 3:9;

and delivereth girdles unto the merchant; to dispose of them for her; either to sell to others, to the Egyptian priests which wore them; or for their own use, to put their money in, girdles being used for that purpose; see Gill on Mat 10:9. Or, "a girdle to the Canaanite" (z); the Canaanites or Phoenicians being generally merchants, the word is put for one. By these may be meant ministers of the word; for, as the priests of Rome are called the merchants of the earth and false teachers are said to make merchandise men, Rev 18:3; so faithful ministers, who trade for the good of souls, and seek not theirs, but them, and not their own things, but Christ's, may be called merchants: and to these "the girdle of truth" is given; and these the church exhorts to gird their loins with it, as well as all her members, that they may be ready to every good work, and particularly prepared to preach the Gospel of peace, Eph 6:14.

(y) Sepher. Shorash. rad (z) "Chananaeo", V. L. Mercerus, Cocceius, Gejerus; "negotiatori Phoenicio", Schultens.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Fine linen - Not the same word as in Pro 31:22 note; it describes a made-up garment Isa 3:23.

Merchant - literally, “Canaanite,” i. e., the Phoenician merchant.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

The Chanaanite, the merchant; for Chanaanite, in Hebrew, signifies a merchant. (Challoner) --- The Phœnicians travelled into all countries. Traffic was not then deemed a discredit, even to kings. --- Girdles were worn both by men and women, and were very costly, insomuch that (Calmet) the kings of Persia assigned cities to furnish their wives with them. (Atheneus i. in Antylla.) --- They who practise and teach the law may be said to buy and sell. (Worthington)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Curiously wrought of linen, and gold, or other precious materials, Jer 13:1; Dan 10:5, which in those parts were used both by men, 2Sa 20:8, and by women, Isa 3:24; Son 7:1.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

24. Fine linen — סדין, (sadhin,) fine undergarments; those worn next the body — shirts. In the East these are frequently made of very fine and elegant texture — transparent gauze — and worn by persons of rank, especially ladies.

Girdles — Esteemed a necessity among the Orientals, where the flowing outer robe is worn. (See on Pro_31:17.) They are also made very ornamental, of costly materials and workmanship. Curiously wrought or embroidered girdles are an essential part of Eastern finery, both of men and women. The kings of Persia sometimes gave cities and provinces to their wives for the expense of their girdles. This was probably like our institution of “pin-money.” The girdle was used as a purse. Our Saviour (Mar_10:9) forbids the apostles to carry money with them in their purses or girdles. So Horace says, (Epis., lib. Pro_2:1,) “He who has lost his girdle (that is, his purse) is ready for any thing.”

The merchant — Literally, the Canaanite. The Canaanites, or Phoenicians, were the great merchants of antiquity, and hence the name was applied to merchants in general, like כשׂדים, (kasdim,) Chaldeans, for astrologers. Some, however, are of opinion that the name Canaan strictly means a merchant or trader, and that the Canaanites were so denominated from their prominent occupation. Compare Isa_23:8; Eze_17:6.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

SAMECH. She maketh fine linen, and selleth it. The word for "fine linen" is sadin, not the same as in ver. 22. but equivalent to sindwn , and denoting linen garments; Delitzsch calls it "body linen". (comp. Jud_1:14:12, 13 Isa_3:23) Delivereth girdles unto the merchant; literally, unto the Canaanite; i.e. the Phoenician merchant, a generic name for all traders. (see Isa_23:8 Zec_14:21) Girdles were necessary articles of attire with the flowing robes of Eastern dress The common kind were made of leather, as is the use at the present day; but a more costly article was of linen curiously worked in gold and silver thread, and studded with jewels and gold. (see 2Sa_18:11 Dan_10:5) So Virgil (AEneid," 9:359) speaks of "aurea bullis cingula." We read of Queen Parysatis having certain villages assigned her for girdle money, eiv zwnhn dedomenai (Xen., "Anab.," 1:4, 9). Cicero alludes to the same custom in his Verrine oration: (Pro_3:33) "Solere aiunt barbaros reges Persarum ac Syrorum plures uxores habere, his autem uxoribus civitates attribuere hocmodo: haec civitas mulieri iu redimiculum proebeat, haec in collum, haec in crines" (comp. Plato, "Alcib. I," p. 123, B). Such rich and elaborately worked girdles the mistress could readily barter with Phoenician merchants, who would give in exchange purple (ver. 22) and other articles of use or luxury. On this passage St. Gregory thus moralizes: "What is signified by a garment of fine linen, but the subtle texture of holy preaching? In which men rest softly, because the mind of the faithful is refreshed therein by heavenly hope. Whence also the animals are shown to Peter in a linen sheet, because the souls of sinners mercifully gathered together are enclosed in the gentle quiet of faith. The Church therefore made and sold this fine garment, because she imparted in words that faith which she had woven by belief; and received from unbelievers a life of upright conversation. And she delivered a girdle to the Canaanite, because by the might of the righteousness she displayed, she constrained the lax doings of the Gentile world, in order that that might be maintained in their doings which is commanded. "Let your loins be girded about ("Moral.," 33:33).

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Girdles - Curiously wrought of linen, and gold, or other precious materials.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

The description, following the order of the letters, now directs attention to the profitable labour of the housewife:

24 ס She prepareth body-linen and selleth it,

And girdles doth she give to the Phoenicians.

It is a question whether סדין signifies σινδών, cloth from Sindhu, the land of India (vid., at Isa 3:23); the Arab. sadn (sadl), to cause to hang down, to descend (for the purpose of covering or veiling), offers an appropriate verbal root. In the Talmud, סדין is the sleeping linen, the curtain, the embroidered cloth, but particularly a light smock-frock, as summer costume, which was worn on the bare body (cf. Mar 14:51.). Kimchi explains the word by night-shirt; the Edictum Diocletiani, xviii. 16, names σινδόνες κοιταρίαι, as the Papyrus Louvre, ὀθόνια ἐγκοιμήτρια; and the connection in the Edict shows that linen attire (ἐκ λίνου) is meant, although - as with שׁשׁ, so also with סדין - with the ancients and the moderns, sometimes linen and sometimes cotton is spoken of without any distinction. Aethicus speaks of costly girdles, Cosmogr. 84, as fabricated at Jerusalem: baltea regalia ... ex Hierosolyma allata; Jerusalem and Scythopolis were in later times the chief places in Palestine for the art of weaving. In Galilee also, where excellent flax grew, the art of weaving was carried on; and the ὀθόναι, which, according to Clemens Alex. Paedag. ii. 10, p. 239, were exported ἐκ γῆς Ἑβραίων, are at least in their material certainly synon. with σινδόνες. Regarding נתן, syn. מכר, opp. לקח, syn. נשׂא = קנה, vid., at 16a. There is no reason to interpret כּנעני here, with the obliteration of the ethnographical meaning, in the general sense of סחר, trader, merchant; for purple, 22b, is a Phoenician manufacture, and thus, as an article of exchange, can be transferred to the possession of the industrious wife.

Keil & Delitzsch — Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1861–1891) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API. (Old Testament only.)

linen

cloth made from flax yarn

sashes

long pieces of cloth worn around the waist or over one shoulder

She is clothed with strength and honor

Having strength and honor is spoken of as if the woman were wearing them. This can be translated in active form. The abstract nouns "strength" and "honor" can be translated by an adjective and a verb, respectively. AT: "Everyone can see that she is strong, and so they honor her" (See: Metaphor and Abstract Nouns)

laughs at the time to come

This is probably an exaggeration to show that she is not afraid. AT: "is not afraid of what will happen in the future" (See: Hyperbole and Generalization)

translationWords

honor

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

to the trafficker Heb. כנעני, a merchant.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.