She is not afraid of snow for her household, for all her household is clothed with scarlet. (Prov. 31:21, NKJV now and throughout.)
The Virtuous Woman wasn’t worried about cold weather, she had her household well dressed in the best clothes suited for the season. There was no one lacking for warmth. To have no fear of cold weather whatsoever lends the idea that the VW made sure that everyone in her household was well taken care of when it came to clothing.
She makes tapestry for herself; Her clothing is fine linen and purple. (Prov. 31:22)
Tapestries are intricate pieces of work that involve time and detail. Her clothing reflects her work; likely she may have made her clothing from the supplies she purchased. It may have been a way to market her products. To have clothing of fine linen and purple illustrates that the VW diligence has paid off (no pun intended).
Her husband is known in the gates, when he sits among the elders of the land. (Prov. 31:23)
Her husband was active in the community, especially when he sat among the elders of the land. This verse gives us the clue that the VW’s husband had integrity (as his wife did) and it was well known in the land. There were no shady dealings in his life (past or present); he treated everyone properly, with respect, and with their best interest in mind.
She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies sashes for the merchants. (Prov. 31:24)
Making linen garments was no easy task in the days of the VW. Even linen today seems to be difficult to work with, at best. It wrinkles very easy and it frays fast if the edges are not properly secured. To make linen garments for sale, her work would have been of high quality, as well as the sashes she supplied for the merchants. Supply suggests that she may have sold the sashes (Strong’s H2289, also belts) at a wholesale price.
Examples of VW in Scripture That Came to Mind
Dorcas/Tabitha made garments – Acts 9:39; She was diligent in the making of garments for others.
Lydia, a seller of purple – Acts 16:14; purple, an expensive dye, was worth much.
Interesting Clues I Found
To have no fear of cold weather whatsoever lends the idea that the VW made sure that everyone in her household was well dressed. Her clothing reflects her work; likely she may have made her clothing from the supplies she purchased. It may have been a way to market her products. The VW’s husband had integrity (as his wife did) and it was well known in the land. To make linen garments for sale, her work would have been of high quality, as well as the sashes she supplied for the merchants.
Key Takeaway
The VW doesn’t worry. She has top quality clothing and knows that her household is taken care of. There is no mention of her flaunting her wealth in her clothes. There is nothing said of jewels or embellishments on the clothing. Sometimes outfits look very attractive or sophisticated, but when we take a closer look, the fabrics are synthetic or blends. Wearing 100% cotton and/or linen leads to a much simpler design, but the quality of fabrics are better. Slowly I am switching my summer wardrobe from blends and synthetics to 100% cotton and 100% linen. I noticed that the clothing is plain, but I know that the quality of the fabric is better for me and my skin.
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