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The word “supplications” (Greek: deēsis, Strong’s G1162) means:

1. need, indigence, want, privation, penury

2. a seeking, asking, entreating, entreaty to God or to man

This is a prayer arising out of need, an urgent request for something lacking. It carries the idea of asking God earnestly about specific needs (physical, spiritual, emotional).

“Prayers” (Greek: proseuchē, Strong’s G4335) means “prayer addressed to God”.

This is more a general or board word for prayer and unlike supplication, it is not limited to needs. It can include worship, praise, thanksgiving, or general conversation with God.

The last word here “intercessions” (Greek: enteuxis, Strong’s G1783) means “a falling in with, meeting with, a coming together, a conference or conversation”.

This carries the idea of approaching God on behalf of others, standing in the gap and asking God to act in their situation or meet their needs.

The verse reads that there are two paths, the first “modest apparel with..two things accompanying it shamefacedness and sobriety” both of which can seem to describe the attire and actions but the later described what attire you aren’t to put adorned with “broided hair, gold etc”.

“Shamefacedness” here is Strong's G127 - “aidōs” is defined as: "(through the idea of downcast eyes); bashfulness, i.e. (towards men), modesty or (towards God) awe:—reverence, shamefacedness.”

A woman’s look, clothes, makeup, etc isn’t striking, bold and drawing exorbitant or unnecessary attention to yourself. Your speech and approaching of men is also reserved, bashful and they have down cast eyes. This type of woman is modest in her actions and dress. Contrast this to the harlot who instead runs after and deceives men with her looks and speech her face is impudent and not bashful towards men.

1. She is the one pursuing the man: “her mouth is smoother than oil” Prov 5:3 and “flattery of the tongue” Prov 6:24 and “flattereth with her words” and “ with the attire of an harlot” and ”She is loud and stubborn” and “impudent face” (Merriam-Webster defines impudent as “lacking modesty”) and “So she caught him” and “Therefore came I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee.” Prov 7:5,10,11,13,15

“Sobriety” here is Strong's G4997 - “sōphrosynē” is defined as:soundness of mind, i.e. (literally) sanity or (figuratively) self-control:—soberness, sobriety.

1. She is not like the harlot as described above, she controls herself.

2. This control can play into how she dresses herself. She is not over the top, excessive in hair, jewelry, makeup etc.

3. Merriam-Webster defines “sober” as “showing no excessive or extreme qualities of fancy, emotion, or prejudice”

4. She doesn’t dress in sackcloth and ashes, she isn’t wearing a brown robe she is dressing as to not draw attention to herself too far in the harlot manor and too far in the opposite manor too. Her dress fits in to the culture but is modest and glorifies God.

Paul says not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array but he does not literally mean don’t wear jewelry and nice things:

1. Seek the Holy Spirit as He will guide.

2. If we look at history around Paul’s time we can see how it is described and we get a better understanding. The picture we get from this brief reading is one that is very complicated, time consuming and expensive work for these women. In one word “excessive”. Notice both gold and pearls are mentioned:

   "Hair jewelry had been known since Homer, who described the strings, nets, and circlets decorating Andromache's hair (Il. XXII, 468). Gifts in graves show that wreaths in the shape of leaves, made of silver or even gold, and ivory curlers and hair pins were in use as well. Later, fine Roman hairnets were in use, made of pure gold, studded with jewels such as rubies or pearls." and "Roman ladies came to wear increasingly complicated hairstyles. The first Emperor's sister, Octavia, had tresses tied in a loop above the brow and gathered into a bun behind" (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022202X15526158)

3. The Bible description of a godly woman tells us she wore and produced expensive, costly clothing:

   1. Costly clothing for her household

      Proverbs 31:21 “for all her household are clothed with scarlet.”

      Scarlet dye was costly and high-quality, showing she provided good clothing, not merely the bare minimum.

   2. She wears fine clothing

      Proverbs 31:22 “She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple.”

      Purple in the ancient world was very expensive and associated with wealth or status (because purple dye was rare and costly).

   3. She produces luxury goods

      Proverbs 31:24 ”She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.”

      Fine linen was another premium fabric in the ancient world.This shows she was involved in producing and trading high-quality goods.

4. The key point is her focus was not on how she was physically clothed, even though it was with costly array but rather what character traits she was clothed with:

   1. Proverbs 31:25 “Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.”

Good works not good looks. Both consume lots of time in physical actions and in thought life. Instead of women focusing on looks (which is highly prized in our society and cultures throughout time) do good works and focus on inward beauty. This is not to say women aren’t to be presentable and well kept in looks but we know society presses looks in magazines, social media, etc. Like the harlot good looks are used to pull in men and attract them to you. This is not the heart of a godly women, rather she is to be modest in dress and actions and focus on serving the Lord.

In summary, a godly woman is adorned with: modesty, she is bashful towards men in the sense she isn’t alluring them, self-controlled and not excessive with good works. She should be known for her character and not your outward appearance.