Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Proverbs 31:24
She maketh fine linen, and selleth [it]; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.
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, 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.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
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.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
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 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 lakkenaani, for the merchant, may stand here for lakkenaanim, the Canaanites.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
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.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
24. fine linenor, “linenshirts,” or the material for them.
girdleswere oftencostly and highly valued (2Sa18:11).
deliverethor, “givethas a present” or “to sell.”
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
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 Re 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”, 2Co 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 comments on Mt 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, Re 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.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The description, following the order of the letters, now directs attention to the profitable labour of the housewife:
24 She prepareth body-linen and selleth it,
And girdles doth she give to the Phoenicians.
It is a question whether signifies , 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, 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 , as the Papyrus Louvre, ; and the connection in the Edict shows that linen attire ( ) is meant, although – as with , so also with – 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 , which, according to Clemens Alex. Paedag. ii. 10, p. 239, were exported , are at least in their material certainly synon. with . Regarding , syn. , opp. , syn. = , vid., at 16a. There is no reason to interpret here, with the obliteration of the ethnographical meaning, in the general sense of , 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.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
24. Fine linen , ( 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 , ( 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.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Pro 31:24. Delivereth girdles unto the merchant Herodotus, it seems, thought that the carrying on of commerce by the Egyptian women was a curiosity which deserved to be inserted in his history: it can hardly be thought an impropriety to take notice of this circumstance in a work calculated for the illustration of the Scriptures, and especially in a country where the women indeed spin, but the men not only buy and sell, but weave, and do almost every thing else relative to our manufactures. The commerce mentioned by Herodotus is lost, according to Maillet, from among the women of Egypt in general, being only retained by the Arabs of that country who live in the mountains. The Arabian historians say, that the women used to deal in buying and selling of things woven of silk, gold, and silver, of pure silk, of cotton, of cotton and thread, or simple linen-cloth, whether made in the country or imported; the men, in wheat, barley, rice, and other productions of the earth. Maillet, giving an account of the alteration in this respect in Egypt, affirms, that this usage still continues among the Arabs who live in the mountains; and, consequently, he must be understood to affirm, that the things which are woven among the Arabs, and sold, are sold by the women, who are indeed the persons that weave the men’s hykes in Barbary, according to Dr. Shaw, and who doubtless weave in Egypt. Now this is precisely what the present passage supposes the Israelitish women who were industrious anciently did. She maketh fine linen, and selleth it, and delivereth girdles unto the merchant. However this may seem to our manners, it is what perfectly agreed with the simplicity of the most ancient times, and is accordingly retained by the Arabs, who are noted for keeping to old usage. See the Observations, p. 402.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
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.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Pro 31:13, Pro 31:19, 1Ki 10:28, Eze 27:16, Luk 16:19
Reciprocal: Gen 41:42 – a gold chain Pro 31:14 – General Pro 31:22 – silk