31:22 She makes for herself coverlets; 1
her clothing is fine linen and purple. 2
31:24 She makes linen garments 3 and sells them,
and supplies the merchants 4 with sashes.
1 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.
2 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.
3 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.
4 tn Heb “to the Canaanites.” These are the Phoenician traders that survived the wars and continued to do business down to the exile.