Proverbs 31:23

Her husband is well-known ¹  in the city gate ²  when he sits with the elders ³  of the land.

Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.

Her husband is known in the gates, When he sits among the elders of the land.

Her husband is well known, for he sits in the council meeting with the other civic leaders.

Her husband is greatly respected when he deliberates with the city fathers.

Her husband is a man of note in the public place, when he takes his seat among the responsible men of the land.

Her husband is known in the city gates, taking his seat among the elders of the land.

Her husband is known in the gates, When he sits among the elders of the land.

Her husband is well-known ¹  in the city gate ²  when he sits with the elders ³  of the land.

¹ tn The first word of the fourteenth line begins with נ (nun), the fourteenth letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The form is the Niphal participle of יָדַע (yada’); it means that her husband is “known.” The point is that he is a prominent person, respected in the community.

² 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.

³ 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.