31:24
This verse continues the topic of making clothes (31:13) and working hard to make a profit (31:18).
31:24
The underlined parts describe the wife’s work in making and selling clothes to traders or other business people. The parts in bold print describe two of her products.
24a She makes linen garments and sells them;
24b she delivers sashes to the merchants.
31:24a
She makes linen garments and sells them: There are two ways to interpret the clause She makes linen garments :
(1) It means that she makes clothing. For example:
She makes linen clothes (New Century Version)
(2) It means that she makes or weaves cloth. For example:
She weaves linen (Revised English Bible)
It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), along with most versions. The verse does not specify whether the linen garments are undergarments or outer robes. It is recommended that you translate in a way that allows either kind of garment. Another way to translate this line is:
She uses good quality cloth to make clothes and sells them
31:24b
she delivers: The word delivers is literally “gives.” It means that she supplies the merchants with her products in exchange for payment.
sashes to: The word sashes refers to cloth belts that were used to fasten the linen tunics or robes around the waist.
Some other ways to translate this line are:
and she supplies belts for tradesmen ⌊to carry across the sea⌋ (The Voice)
-or-
and stocks the merchants with belts (New American Bible)
-or-
and delivers belts to the merchants (God’s Word)
the merchants: The word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as merchants is literally “Canaanites.” It can refer specifically to Phoenician traders or more generally to any traders or shopkeepers.
General Comment on 31:24a–b
In some languages, it may be more natural to combine and/or reorder the parallel parts in these lines. See 31:24a–b (combined/reordered) in the Display.
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