She is not afraid of the snow for her household; for all her household are clothed with scarlet.
Parallel Translations
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She is not afraid of the snow for her household; for all her household are clothed with scarlet.
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She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet.
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She is not afraid of the snow for her household; for all her household are clothed with scarlet.
Cross-references (3)
Passages linked to Proverbs 31:21 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Genesis 45:22 He gave each one of them changes of clothing, but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five changes of clothing.
- 2 Samuel 1:24 You daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you delicately in scarlet, who put ornaments of gold on your clothing.
- Proverbs 25:20 As one who takes away a garment in cold weather, or vinegar on soda, so is one who sings songs to a heavy heart.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (14 sources)
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain Or, with double.
Or, with double.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain Pro 31:21 She is not afraid of the snow…
Pro 31:21 She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household [are] clothed with scarlet.
Ver. 21. She is not afraid of the snow.] As she is liberal to the poor, so her chief care is for those of her own house, that they may be accommodated. For she knows that to stretch beyond the staple were to mar all; and not to provide for her own were to be worse than an infidel. {1Ti 5:8}
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain She is not afraid of the snow, or of…
She is not afraid of the snow, or of any injuries of the weather.
All her household are clothed with scarlet; she hath provided enough, not only for their necessity and defence against cold and other inconveniences, which is here supposed, but also for their delight and ornament; so that not only herself, and husband, and children, but some of the better rank of her servants, wear scarlet; which was more cheap and familiar in those times and countries than now it is with us. Or, as it is rendered in our margin, and by divers others, are clothed with double garments, which is necessary and customary in cold seasons.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain She is not afraid of the snow for her…
She is not afraid of the snow for her household,.... That her family should suffer through the rigour of a cold season, when it is frost and snow;
for all her household are clothed with scarlet: the Vulgate Latin version renders it, "with double" (u), that is, with double garments; and so the Septuagint and Arabic versions, joining the words to a following verse; and this, by some, is thought to be the better rendering of the words; since the scarlet colour is no fence against cold, no more than any other, whereas double garments are; and which may be applied to the garment of justification, or the robe of Christ's righteousness, as one; and to the garment of sanctification, internal and external, as the other; the one, even the righteousness of Christ, or Christ the Lord our righteousness, is an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the storm; a sufficient shelter from the cold of snow, and all inclemencies of the weather; by which the vindictive wrath and justice of God may be signified: and the other is a screen from the malicious insinuations and reproaches of men. But had the word been designed to signify "double", it would have been in the "dual" number; as it is not, and is always used in this form for "scarlet"; and so the Targum, Jarchi, and Aben Ezra interpret it; which colour is an emblem of the blood of Christ, by which the church is justified, Rom 5:9; and all the household of faith, the whole family of Christ and household of God, are all justified by the same righteousness of Christ, consisting of his active and passive obedience, for the whole of which his crimson blood is put; it is a garment down to the feet, which covers all his people; they are all made righteous by the one obedience of Christ; they are all clothed in scarlet alike, all kings and priests unto God, all alike justified, and shall be glorified alike. The literal sense is, that if her household are clothed in scarlet in common; much more may it be thought that coarse and suitable garments would be provided for them, to protect them from the cold in winter (w).
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(u) "indigitat vestem duplo crassiorem, Stockius, p. 1122. "duplicibus, V. L. Paguinus, Tigurine version, Gataker, Gejerus; "penulis duplicibus", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; "duplicatis", Cocceius: such as Homer describes, made by ths wife of Hector, Iliad 22. v. 440, 441. see Odyss. 19. v. 225, 226, 241. "change of raiment", David de Pomis, Lexic. fol. 218. 1. (w) Vid. Braunium de Vest. Sacredot. Heb. l. 1. c. 15. p. 309.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain Not afraid - Of any injuries of the weather.…
Not afraid - Of any injuries of the weather. Are clothed - She hath provided enough, not only for their necessity, but also for their delight and ornament.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 21. She is not afraid of the snow]
Verse 21. She is not afraid of the snow]
12. She is not anxious relative to the health and comfort of her family in the winter season, having provided clothes sufficient for each in the cold weather, in addition to those which they wore in the warm season.
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For all her household are clothed with scarlet.] Not scarlet, for the colour can avail nothing in keeping off the cold; nor would it be a proper colour for the bogs and dirt of winter. But שנים shanim, from שנה shanah, to iterate, to double, signifies not only scarlet, so called from being twice or doubly dyed, but also double garments, not only the ordinary coat but the surtout or great-coat also, or a cloak to cover all. But most probably double garments, or twofold to what they were accustomed to wear, are here intended. If the general clothing be intended, scarlet cannot be the meaning, nor did our translators entirely rely on it; and therefore put double garments, the true meaning, in the margin, from which it cannot be too speedily transferred to the text. The Vulgate has "duplicibus." And my old MS. very properly, Alle forsoth hir hoomli men, ben clothid with double. And Coverdale, with equal propriety, "For all hir householde folkes are duble clothed." But if her husband and children alone are referred to, scarlet, which in the general meaning of the term, may be proper enough; as even in these countries of ours, scarlet, as being a lively bright colour, is used in the winter dresses.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain Pro 31:21-25. She is not afraid of the snow…
Pro 31:21-25. She is not afraid of the snow — Of any injuries of the weather. For her household are clothed with scarlet — She has provided enough, not only for their necessity, and defence against cold and other inconveniences, but also for their delight and ornament. She maketh coverings of tapestry — For the furniture of her house. Her clothing is silk and purple — Which was very agreeable to her high quality, though it doth not justify that luxury in attire which is now usual among persons of far lower ranks, both for wealth and dignity. Her husband is known — Observed and respected, not only for his own worth, but for his wife’s sake; when he sitteth among the elders, &c. — In council or judgment. And delivereth girdles — Curiously wrought of linen and gold, or other precious materials, which, in those parts, were used both by men and women. Strength and honour — Strength of mind, magnanimity, courage, activity; are her clothing — Her ornament and glory; and she shall rejoice in time to come — She lives in constant tranquillity of mind, from a just confidence in God’s gracious providence.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain Scarlet - Probably some well-known articles of dress, at…
Scarlet - Probably some well-known articles of dress, at once conspicuous for their color, or, as some think, for their double texture and warmth.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain Domestics. Hebrew, "house is clothed in purple," which may…
Domestics. Hebrew, "house is clothed in purple," which may be understood of the domestics, though it seems more probably to refer to her husband and children.
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain scarlet--or, "purple," by reason of the dyes used, the…
scarlet--or, "purple," by reason of the dyes used, the best fabrics; as a matter of taste also; the color suits cold.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 21. Scarlet — שׁנים, (shanim,) a deep red, or…
21. Scarlet — שׁנים, (shanim,) a deep red, or bright crimson. This word has troubled the critics. Some suppose it means double garments, or garments of double texture, or changes of clothing; clothed double for the winter. This gives a good sense, though it is not generally accepted by the more modern critics. It may have been “some well known articles of dress conspicuous at once for their colour and their warmth.” — Speaker’s Commentary.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 21. scarlet] It has been proposed to change the…
21. scarlet] It has been proposed to change the Heb. vowel-points and render, double garments, or garments of double texture and warmth, δισσὰς χλαίνας, LXX; duplicibus, Vulg. There is no reason, however, to alter the word. There is a touch of poetry in the contrast between the white snow, the emblem of cold, and the scarlet garment, which is the very picture of warmth in its glowing colour. That its texture does not belie its appearance goes without saying.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (21) She is not afraid of the snow.—Not uncommon…
(21) She is not afraid of the snow.—Not uncommon in winter-time in Palestine and the neighbouring countries. (Comp. 2Sa_23:20; Psa_147:16.)
All her household are clothed with scarlet, which by its very colour suggests warmth and comfort.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain LAMED. She is not afraid of the snow for…
LAMED. She is not afraid of the snow for her household. "Show," says Dr. Geikie ("Holy Land," 2:58), "covers the streets of Jerusalem two winters in three, but it generally comes in small quantities, and soon disappears. Yet there are sometimes very snowy winters. That of 1879, for example, left behind it seventeen inches of snow, even where there was no drift, and the strange spectacle of snow lying unmelted for two or three weeks was seen in the hollows on the hillsides. Thousands of years have wrought no change in this aspect of the winter months, for Bennaiah, one of David"s mighty men, "slew a lion in the midst of a pit in the time of snow"." (2Sa_23:20) She has no fears concerning the comfort and health of her family even in the severest winter. For all her household are clothed with scarlet; with warm garments. The word used is (shanim), derived from a verb meaning "to shine," and denoting a crimson or deep scarlet colour. This colour was supposed, and rightly, to absorb and retain heat, as white to repel it; being made of wool, the garments would be warm as well as stately in appearance. St. Jerome has duplicibus ( shenaim), "with double garments," i.e. with one over the other. Warm garments were the more necessary as the only means of heating rooms was the introduction of portable chafing dishes containing bunting charcoal. (see Jer_36:22, etc) The Septuagint has taken liberties with the text, "Her husband is not anxious concerning domestic matters when he tarries anywhere cronizh for which Delitzsch suggests cioniz , for all her household are well clothed." Spiritually, the Church fears not the severity of temptation or the chill of unbelief, when her children take refuge in the blood of Christ.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.