Proverbs 31:14 — Word Study
WLCהָ֭יְתָה כָּאֳנִיּ֣וֹת סוֹחֵ֑ר מִ֝מֶּרְחָ֗ק תָּבִ֥יא לַחְמָֽהּ׃
BSAShe ishâyâh■ like the merchantçâchar [a vessel of commerce, a ship, trading] shipsʼŏnîyâh bringingbôwʼ▸ [importing, fetching] her foodlechem [bread, sustenance] from afarmerchâq [a distant place, a far country]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| הָ֭יְתָה | she is | Verb, Qal, perfect third person feminine singular |
| כָּאֳנִיּ֣וֹת | like [the] ships of | Preposition, noun common feminine plural construct |
| סוֹחֵ֑ר | a trader | Verb, Qal, participle (active) masculine singular |
| מִ֝מֶּרְחָ֗ק | from a distance | Preposition, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| תָּבִ֥יא | she brings | Verb, Hiphil, imperfect third person feminine singular |
| לַחְמָֽהּ׃ | food her | Noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar. |
| KJV | She is like the merchants’ ships; she bringeth her food from afar. |
| ASV | She is like the merchant-ships; She bringeth her bread from afar. |
| YLT | She hath been as ships of the merchant, From afar she bringeth in her bread. |
| WEB | She is like the merchant ships. She brings her bread from afar. |
| BBE | She is like the trading-ships, getting food from far away. |
Where they part company is in the choice of words for סוֹחֵר — see How Translations Differ.
One main clause with two phrases elaborating on her comparison and action, emphasizing her role as a provider.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbהָיָה
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Proverbs 31:14
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Virtuous Womangenerated
Proverbs 31:14 describes a woman of noble character, likening her to merchant ships that bring food from a distance. This analogy highlights her diligence and ability to provide for her household, showcasing her as a model of industriousness and resourcefulness in the context of family and community responsibilities.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Proverbs 31:24 | She makes linen garments and sells them; she delivers sashes to the merchants. |
| 2 | 1 Kings 9:26–28 | King Solomon also assembled a fleet of ships at Ezion-geber, which is near Eloth in Edom, on the shore of the Red Sea. |
| 3 | 2 Chronicles 9:10 | (The servants of Hiram and of Solomon who brought gold from Ophir also brought algum wood and precious stones. |
| 4 | Ezekiel 27:3–36 | Tell Tyre, who dwells at the gateway to the sea, merchant of the peoples on many coasts, that this is what the Lord GOD says: You have said, O Tyre, ‘I am perfect in beauty.’ |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 4 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — סוֹחֵר, Sochergenerated
The word סוֹחֵר (socher) is a participle derived from the root sachar, meaning to trade or to travel for commerce. It emphasizes the active role of a trader or merchant, indicating movement and engagement in economic activities. In this verse, it illustrates the woman's proactive approach to providing sustenance.
As a masculine singular participle, it conveys the ongoing nature of her actions, suggesting that she is not just a passive figure but actively involved in the procurement of food, much like a merchant ship navigating trade routes.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb הָ֭יְתָה, she is, governs the entire verse, with a prepositional phrase and a noun phrase describing what she is like. The structure emphasizes her comparison to merchant ships, highlighting her active role in providing sustenance.
The phrase כָּאֳנִיּ֣וֹת (like the ships) serves as a simile, connecting her actions to the diligent work of traders, while the verb תָּבִ֥יא indicates her ongoing activity.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint uses the word ναῦς (naus) for ships, which is a direct translation of the Hebrew אֳנִיָּה (oniyah). This choice maintains the maritime theme and underscores the idea of commerce.
The Greek word ἐμπορευομένη for סוֹחֵר suggests a focus on the act of trading, aligning with the Hebrew emphasis on the woman's role as a provider.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Proverbs 31:14 compares a virtuous woman to merchant ships, highlighting her industriousness as she brings food from afar. This illustrates her active role in providing for her household, showing her resourcefulness and dedication.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
This comparison indicates that the woman is industrious and resourceful, actively seeking out and bringing food for her family.
Ships symbolize trade and the ability to bring valuable resources from distant places, reflecting the woman's role in providing sustenance.
It suggests that she goes to great lengths to ensure her household is well-fed, highlighting her commitment and diligence.
It emphasizes her industrious nature, ability to provide, and resourcefulness, which are key traits of the virtuous woman described in Proverbs 31.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways can I embody the industriousness of the woman described in this verse?
- How can I ensure that I provide for my family and community like the merchant ships?
- What resources or skills do I have that I can use to support those around me?
- How does this verse inspire me to take action in my own life?
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Proverbs 31:14 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleShe is like the merchant ships,.... Not like a single one, but like a navy of them, that cross the seas, go to foreign parts, and come back laden with rich goods: so the church of Christ, and her
Read John Gill on Proverbs 31 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryWho can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. The praises of a virtuous woman; forming a Hebrew acrostic. The 22 years begin with the several 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet consecutively; M.
Read Robert Jamieson on Proverbs 31 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleBy the sale of her homespun commodities she purchaseth the choicest goods which come from far countries.
Read Matthew Poole on Proverbs 31 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsProverbs 31:14 She is like the merchants’ ships; she bringeth her food from afar. Ver. 14. She is like the merchants’ ships.] That is, She gets wealth apace; yea, though she stir not off her stool, and studies how to buy everything at best hand, though she send far for it. Of the Low Country men it is said, Peterent ccelum navibus Belgae, si navibus peti posset. So the good housewife would do anything to further thrift.
Read John Trapp on Proverbs 31 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(14) She bringeth her food from afar.—Looks for opportunities of buying cheaply at a distance from home, instead of paying a larger price on the spot.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Proverbs 31 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 14. She is like the merchants' ships] 3. She acts like merchants. If she buy any thing for her household, she sells sufficient of her own manufactures to pay for it; if she imports, she exports: and she sends articles of her own manufacturing or produce to distant countries; she traffics with the neighbouring tribes.
Read AdamClarke on Proverbs 31 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges14. She is like the merchant’s ships] The principles of profitable exchange which regulate foreign trade are exemplified in the narrower sphere of her wise domestic economy. The reference to merchant-ships is interesting as pointing to an age when trade with foreign countries was common.
Read Cambridge on Proverbs 31 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleThe comparison points to the enlarged commerce of the Israelites consequent on their contact with the Phoenicians under David and Solomon; compare Proverbs 31:24.
Read Albert Barnes on Proverbs 31 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar.
She is like the merchant ships. She brings her bread from afar.
She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar.
She is like the merchant ships; she brings her food from afar.
Tyndale line
She is like the merchants’ ships; she bringeth her food from afar.
She is like the merchant-ships; She bringeth her bread from afar.
She is like the merchant-ships; she bringeth her food from afar.
She is like the merchant's ships; she bringeth her food from afar.
She is like the shippes of marchants: shee bringeth her foode from afarre.
Strictly literal
She is like the merchants' ships: she bringeth her food from afar;
She hath been as ships of the merchant, From afar she bringeth in her bread.
She has been as ships of the merchant, || She brings in her bread from afar.
She is become like the merchant's ships: from afar doth she bring her food.
She is like the merchant ships; she brings her food from far away.
From the Latin
She is like the merchant’s ship, she bringeth her bread from afar.
Simplified
Like a merchant's ship, she brings food from far away.
She is like the trading-ships, getting food from far away.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text states, "She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar," which is supported by the Septuagint, where five out of six words match closely, although the word order and articles differ due to the Greek language structure. The Samaritan Pentateuch and the Dead Sea Scrolls do not provide additional variations for this verse, indicating a strong consistency across these ancient witnesses.
הָ֭יְתָה כָּאֳנִיּ֣וֹת סוֹחֵ֑ר מִ֝מֶּרְחָ֗ק תָּבִ֥יא לַחְמָֽהּ׃
5 of the 6 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Proverbs 31:14
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
The Hebrew word הָיָה (hayah) is a primitive root meaning to exist or become, and it encompasses a range of meanings including to happen, occur, and come to pass. It is often used in narrative contexts, particularly in phrases like "and it came to pass." The word can also denote a state of being or existence, and it appears frequently in various forms throughout the Old Testament.
הָיָה 3570 vb. fall out, come to pass, become, be
Qal
Fall out, happen
occur, take place, come about, come to pass
esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass
וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)
rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה
less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)
Come into being, become
abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come
sq. prep.
become
sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)
sq. pred. adj.
become like
sq. pred. לְ pers.
sq. לְ pred.
oft. c. לְ pred. לְ pers.
with עַל and לְ
sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of
Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming)
exist, be in existence
abide, remain, continue
with word of locality, be in or at a place, be situated, stand, lie
as copula, joining subj. & pred.
H1961 הָיָה fall out, come to pass, become, be .. . . Fall out, happen
. occur, take place, come about, come to pass
. esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass . . וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)
. rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה
. less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)
. Come into being, become . . abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come
. sq. prep.
. become . sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)
. sq. pred. adj.
. become like
. sq. pred. + לְ pers.
. sq. לְ pred.
. oft. c. לְ pred. + לְ pers.
. with עַל and לְ
. sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of
. Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming) . exist, be in existence
. abide, remain, continue
1961 hayah haw-yaw
a primitive root (compare 1933); to exist, i.e. be or become,
come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or
auxiliary):--beacon, X altogether, be(-come), accomplished,
committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint,
fall, + follow, happen, X have, last, pertain, quit
(one-)self, require, X use.
see HEBREW for 01933
הָיָה (ha.yah) — to be.
1) to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out
1a) (Qal)
1a1) ---
1a1a) to happen, fall out, occur, take place, come about, come to pass
1a1b) to come about, come to pass
1a2) to come into being, become
1a2a) to arise, appear, come
1a2b) to become
1a2b1) to become
1a2b2) to become like
1a2b3) to be instituted, be established
1a3) to be
1a3a) to exist, be in existence
1a3b) to abide, remain, continue (with word of place or time)
1a3c) to stand, lie, be in, be at, be situated (with word of locality)
1a3d) to accompany, be with
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to occur, come to pass, be done, be brought about
1b2) to be done, be finished, be gone
V-Qal-Perf-3fs — Verb · Qal · perfect third person feminine singularHVqp3fs
אֳנִיָּה (oniyah) is a feminine noun meaning 'a ship.' It is derived from the root word for 'ship' and can refer to both the vessel itself and its crew, including seamen. The term appears in contexts related to maritime activities.
אֳנִיָּה n.f. unit. a ship
base
H591 אֳנִיָּה a ship
591 'oniyah on-ee-yaw'
feminine of 590; a ship:--ship((-men)).
see HEBREW for 0590
אֳנִיָּה (o.niy.yah) — fleet.
1) ship
1a) men of ships, seamen
Prep | N-fp — Preposition · noun common feminine plural constructHR/Ncfpc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
סָחַר (sachar) means to go around or travel about, particularly in the context of trade. It can refer to a trader or trafficker, emphasizing movement in business. The root suggests both the act of trading and a sense of palpitation, though the latter is less commonly emphasized.
[סָחַר] vb. go around, about, travel about in
Qal
go about, to and fro
Pt. = subst. a trafficker, trader (who goes about with wares, etc.)
Pilp. my heart palpitates
base
H5503 סָחַר go around, about, travel about in
5503 cachar saw-khar'
a primitive root; to travel round (specifically as a pedlar);
intensively, to palpitate:--go about, merchant(-man), occupy
with, pant, trade, traffick.
סָחַר (sa.char) — to trade.
1) to go around, go about, travel about in, go about in trade
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to go about to and fro (in business)
1a2) trader, trafficker (participle)
1b) (Pilpel) to palpitate
V-Qal — Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine singularHVqrmsa
מֶרְחָק (merchaq) refers to a distant place or distance, often implying remoteness. It can be used adverbially to describe something that is far off. The word is derived from a root meaning to be distant, and it appears in contexts relating to physical distance.
מֶרְחָק n.m. distant place, distance
base
H4801 מֶרְחָק distant place, distance
4801 merchaq mer-khawk'
: from 7368; remoteness, i.e. (concretely) a distant place;
often (adverbially) from afar:--(a-, dwell in, very) far
(country, off). See also 1023.
see HEBREW for 07368
see HEBREW for 01023
מֶרְחָק (mer.chaq) — distance.
distant place, distance, far country
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absoluteHR/Ncmsa
בּוֹא (bo) is a Hebrew verb meaning to come or go in, with a wide range of applications including entering, arriving, and bringing in. It can refer to both physical movement and abstract concepts like events coming to pass. The verb appears in various forms, such as Qal (to come), Hiphil (to cause to come), and Hophal (to be brought). There is no significant disagreement among lexicons regarding its meanings.
בּוֹא 2569 vb. come in, come, go in, go
Qal
come in
come (approach, arrive)
go, i.e. walk, associate with
go from speaker, but with limit of motion given
Hiph.
cause to come in, bring in (conduct, lead, obj. persons and animals)
cause to come, bring, bring near, etc. (animate obj.)
Hoph.
be brought in (of pers. and things)
be brought
be introduced, put
base
H935 בּוֹא come in, come, go in, go .. come in
. come (approach, arrive)
. go, i.e. walk, associate with
. go from speaker, but with limit of motion given
. . cause to come in, bring in (conduct, lead, obj. persons and animals)
. cause to come, bring, bring near, etc. (animate obj.)
. . be brought in (of pers. and things)
. be brought
. be introduced, put
935 bow' bo
a primitive root; to go or come (in a wide variety of
applications):--abide, apply, attain, X be, befall, +
besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, X
certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out,
upon, to pass), depart, X doubtless again, + eat, + employ,
(cause to) enter (in, into, -tering, -trance, -try), be
fallen, fetch, + follow, get, give, go (down, in, to war),
grant, + have, X indeed, (in-)vade, lead, lift (up), mention,
pull in, put, resort, run (down), send, set, X (well) stricken
(in age), X surely, take (in), way.
בּוֹא (bo) — to come (in): come.
: come/go_in
1) to go in, enter, come, go, come in
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to enter, come in
1a2) to come
1a2a) to come with
1a2b) to come upon, fall or light upon, attack (enemy)
1a2c) to come to pass
1a3) to attain to
1a4) to be enumerated
1a5) to go
1b) (Hiphil)
1b1) to lead in
1b2) to carry in
1b3) to bring in, cause to come in, gather, cause to come, bring near, bring against, bring upon
1b4) to bring to pass
1c) (Hophal)
1c1) to be brought, brought in
1c2) to be introduced, be put
לְב֥וֹא (bo) — Lebo-(Hamath).
This name means to go in, enter
Combined with cha.mat (חֲמָת "Hamath" H2574)
בּוֹא (bo) — to come (in): towards.
: towards/entrance
1) to go in, enter, come, go, come in
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to enter, come in
1a2) to come
1a2a) to come with
1a2b) to come upon, fall or light upon, attack (enemy)
1a2c) to come to pass
1a3) to attain to
1a4) to be enumerated
V-Hiphil-Imperf-3fs — Verb · Hiphil · imperfect third person feminine singularHVhi3fs
לֶ֫חֶם (lechem) means bread or food, encompassing items like grain and provisions for both humans and animals. It is derived from a related root and is used in various contexts, particularly in the Old Testament. The entries consistently emphasize its primary association with bread, though they also acknowledge its broader meaning as food.
לֶ֫חֶם 296 n.m. and (rarely) f. bread, food
base
H3899 לֶ֫חֶם bread, food
3899 lechem lekh'-em
from 3898; food (for man or beast), especially bread, or
grain (for making it):--((shew-))bread, X eat, food, fruit,
loaf, meat, victuals. See also 1036.
see HEBREW for 03898
see HEBREW for 01036
לֶ֫חֶם (le.chem) — food.
: food(eating)
1) bread, food, grain
1a) bread
1a1) bread
1a2) bread-corn
1b) food (in general)
לֶ֫חֶם (le.chem) — food: bread.
: bread/loaf
1) bread, food, grain
1a) bread
1a1) bread
1a2) bread-corn
1b) food (in general)
לֶ֫חֶם (le.chem) — food: allowance.
: allowance
1) bread, food, grain
1a) bread
1a1) bread
1a2) bread-corn
1b) food (in general)
N-cs | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHNcmsc/Sp3fs