Proverbs 31:24
in Proverbs 31She makes linen garments and sells them; she delivers sashes to the merchants.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
She maketh linen garments and selleth them, And delivereth girdles unto the merchant.
KJV
She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.
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This verse in Proverbs 31
Commentary
9 notes on this verseShe 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 site's exposition
She opens her arms to the poor
on Proverbs 31:20-24
"She opens her arms to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy" sets her wealth toward charity. Her coverings, "fine linen and purple," are real luxury, the fruit of the labor already described. Her husband is known at the city gate among the elders.
This site's exposition
She makes linen garments and sells them
John Gill notes that she carries the wool and flax of verse 13 to finished linen and sells it to her family's gain. Adam Clarke sees a trade in fine ornamental garments here, set beside the coarser work of verse 13. Her sashes go to the merchants.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
She made a fine linen garment, and sold it, etc. In the weaving of fine linen is symbolized the holy preaching in which one softly rests, because the mind of the faithful is refreshed by a heavenly hope. Thus also animals were shown to Peter …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
3 Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings. 4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink: 5 Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted. 6 Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-scripture
), who carry them to Tyre, the mart of the nations, or some other trading city. Those families are likely to thrive that sell more than they buy; as it is well with the kingdom when abundance of its home manufactures are exported.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
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, Pro 31:13, for “a coarser manufacture,” The סדון sidon is supposed to come from the 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.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
In Hebrew the verses begin with the letters of the Hebrew alphabet in order (compare Introduction to Poetical Books). Who . . . woman--The question implies that such are rare, though not entirely wanting (compare Pr 18:22; 19:14). virtuous--literally, "of strength," that is, moral courage (compare Pr 12:4;
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
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.
The words behind it
6 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| סָדִ֣ין | sadin | linen garment[s] | H5466 → | |
| עָ֭שְׂתָה | ʾasetah | she makes | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| וַתִּמְכֹּ֑ר | vatimkor | and she sold | H4376 → | |
| וַ֝חֲג֗וֹר | vachagor | and a belt | H2290 → | |
| נָתְנָ֥ה | natenah | she supplies | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| לַֽכְּנַעֲנִֽי׃ | lakenaani | to the merchants | H3669 → |
סָדִ֣יןlinen garment[s]
sadinH5466 →
עָ֭שְׂתָהshe makes
ʾasetahH6213 →2628 times
וַתִּמְכֹּ֑רand she sold
vatimkorH4376 →
וַ֝חֲג֗וֹרand a belt
vachagorH2290 →
נָתְנָ֥הshe supplies
natenahH5414 →2011 times
לַֽכְּנַעֲנִֽי׃to the merchants
lakenaaniH3669 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Luke 16:19Now there was a rich man dressed in purple and fine linen, who lived each day in joyous splendor.
it leads to
- Ezekiel 16:49
Now this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed, and complacent; they did not help the poor and needy.
- Luke 18:24–25
Seeing the man’s sadness, Jesus said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!
- Ezekiel 16:49
Through
1 Kings 10:28Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and Kue; the royal merchants purchased them from Kue.
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 17:16
But the king must not acquire many horses for himself or send the people back to Egypt to acquire more horses, for the LORD has said, ‘You are never to go back that way…
- 2 Chronicles 9:28
Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and from all the lands.
- Isaiah 31:1–3
Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who trust in their abundance of chariots and in their multitude of horsemen. They do not look to the Holy…
- Deuteronomy 17:16
Through
Judges 14:12“Let me tell you a riddle,” Samson said to them. “If you can solve it for me within the seven days of the feast, I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty sets…
it leads to
- 1 Kings 10:1
Now when the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to test him with difficult questions.
- Genesis 45:22
He gave new garments to each of them, but to Benjamin he gave three hundred shekels of silver and five sets of clothes.
- Ezekiel 17:2
“Son of man, pose a riddle; speak a parable to the house of Israel
- 1 Kings 10:1
Where this verse is studied
About Proverbs
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bede, Commentary on Proverbs; Charles Bridges, An Exposition of the Book of Proverbs; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.