Proverbs 31:19-21

New English Translation

Footnotes

1. Proverbs 31:19 tn The verb שִׁלְּחָה (shill^ekhah) is the Piel perfect of the root שָׁלַח (shalakh) “to extend; send.” As the perfect form of a dynamic verb, it should be understood as past tense or perfective. The Piel stem is commonly plurative for dynamic verbs. Applied here, the plurative notion refers to the repetition of reaching to the spool while working cloth.
2. Proverbs 31:19 tn The first word of the tenth line begins with י (yod) the tenth letter of the Hebrew alphabet.sn The words for “hands” are often paired in poetry; the first (יָד, yad) means the hand and the forearm and usually indicates strength, and the second (כַּף, kaf) means the palm of the hand and usually indicates the more intricate activity.
3. Proverbs 31:19 tn As the perfect form of a dynamic verb, תָמְכוּ (tam^ekhu) should be understood as past tense or perfective.
4. Proverbs 31:20 tn The verb (פָּרְשָׁה, par^eshah) is a perfect form of a dynamic verb. As such, it should be understood as past tense or perfective.sn The parallel expressions here underscore her care for the needy. The first part uses “she spread her palm” and the second “she extended her hands,” repeating some of the vocabulary introduced in the last verse.
5. Proverbs 31:20 tn The first word of the eleventh line begins with כ (kaf), the eleventh letter of the Hebrew alphabet.
6. Proverbs 31:20 tn This is the same verb form that began verse 19, the Piel perfect of שָׁלַח (shalakh). It may have the same plurative notion emphasizing that she often ministered to the poor. As the perfect form of a dynamic verb it should be understood as past tense or perfective.
7. Proverbs 31:21 tn The first word of the twelfth line begins with ל (lamed), the twelfth letter of the Hebrew alphabet.
8. Proverbs 31:21 tn The imperfect verb (תִירָא, tiraʾ) is used in its past habitual sense. The verbs describing the woman from verses 12-29 include 19 perfects and 9 preterites which describe actions with past time references. Thus the four imperfect verbs that describe her (vv. 14, 18, 21, 27) should be understood as modal and operating in a past time frame.
9. Proverbs 31:21 sn “Snow” is a metonymy of adjunct; it refers to the cold weather when snow comes. The verse is saying that this time is not a concern for the wise woman because the family is well prepared.
10. Proverbs 31:21 tn For the MT’s “scarlet” the LXX and the Latin have “two” or “double”—the difference being essentially the vocalization of a plural as opposed to a dual. The word is taken in the versions with the word that follows (“covers”) to mean “double garments.” The question to be asked is whether scarlet would keep one warm in winter or double garments. The latter is the easier reading and therefore suspect.