Esther 1:6

1:6 The furnishings included linen and purple curtains hung by cords of the finest linen ¹  and purple wool on silver rings, alabaster columns, gold and silver couches ²  displayed on a floor made of valuable stones of alabaster, mother-of-pearl, and mineral stone.

Proverbs 7:16-17

7:16 I have spread my bed with elegant coverings, ³ 

with richly colored fabric ⁴  from Egypt.

7:17 I have perfumed my bed

with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.

Isaiah 57:7

57:7 On every high, elevated hill you prepare your bed;

you go up there to offer sacrifices.

Amos 2:8

2:8 They stretch out on clothing seized as collateral;

they do so right ⁵  beside every altar!

They drink wine bought with the fines they have levied;

they do so right in the temple ⁶  of their God! ⁷ 

Amos 6:4

6:4 They lie around on beds decorated with ivory, ⁸ 

and sprawl out on their couches.

They eat lambs from the flock,

and calves from the middle of the pen.

[1:6]  ¹ sn The finest linen was byssus, a fine, costly, white fabric made in Egypt, Palestine, and Edom, and imported into Persia (BDB 101 s.v. בּוּץ; HALOT 115-16 s.v. בּוּץ).

[1:6]  ² tn The Hebrew noun מִטָּה (mittah) refers to a reclining couch (cf. KJV “beds”) spread with covers, cloth and pillow for feasting and carousing (Ezek 23:41; Amos 3:12; 6:4; Esth 1:6; 7:8). See BDB 641-42 s.v.; HALOT 573 s.v.

[7:16]  ³ tn Heb “with spreads.” The sentence begins with the cognate accusative: “with spreads I have spread my bed.” The construction enhances the idea – she has covered her bed.

[7:16]  ⁴ tn The feminine noun means “dark-hued stuffs” (BDB 310 s.v. חֲטֻבוֹת). The form is a passive participle from a supposed root II חָטַב (khatav), which in Arabic means to be of a turbid, dusky color mixed with yellowish red. Its Aramaic cognate means “variegated”; cf. NAB “with brocaded cloths of Egyptian linen.” BDB’s translation of this colon is unsatifactory: “with dark hued stuffs of yarn from Egypt.”

[2:8]  ⁵ tn The words “They do so right” are supplied twice in the translation of this verse for clarification.

[2:8]  ⁶ tn Heb “house.”

[2:8]  ⁷ tn Or “gods.” The Hebrew term אֱלֹהֵיהֶם (’elohehem) may be translated “their gods” (referring to pagan gods), “their god” (referring to a pagan god, cf. NAB, NIV, NLT), or “their God” (referring to the God of Israel, cf. NASB, NRSV).

[6:4]  ⁸ tn Heb “beds of ivory.”