Proverbs 20:16

16. Take his garment that is surety There is in this verse a various reading which produces some difficulty in interpretation. In the second member, the text has, נכרים , ( nokhriyyam,) strangers, masculine plural, but the Masorites read in the margin, נכריה , ( nokhriyyah,) feminine singular, a strange woman. This reading is followed in our version. Most critics, however, prefer the reading of the Hebrew text, “stranger.” Stuart translates: “Take his garment when he has pledged himself to a stranger, and because of strangers distrain him.” Conant substantially the same. Zockler, the latter clause: “And for strangers make him a bond-man.” The Geneva Bible reads the latter clause, “Take a pledge of him for the stranger.” The imperative here, as is often the case, may be considered an energetic and predictive future: he that headlong goes security for strangers will have his garments taken and his goods seized; that is, he will suffer severely for it. Comp. Proverbs 6:1-5, and notes there; Proverbs 11:15; Proverbs 17:18; Proverbs 27:13.