The words of king Lemuel; the revelation which his mother taught him.
“Oh, my son! Oh, son of my womb! Oh, son of my vows!
Don’t give your strength to women, nor your ways to that which destroys kings.
Parallel Translations
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The words of king Lemuel; the revelation which his mother taught him.
“Oh, my son! Oh, son of my womb! Oh, son of my vows!
Don’t give your strength to women, nor your ways to that which destroys kings.
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The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him.
What, my son? and what, the son of my womb? and what, the son of my vows?
Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings.
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The words of king Lemuel; the burden wherewith his mother corrected him.
What, my son? and what, O son of my womb? and what, O son of my vows?
Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings.
Cross-references (14)
- Deuteronomy 17:17 (v3) He shall not multiply wives to himself, that his heart not turn away. He shall not greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.
- Nehemiah 13:26 (v3) Didn’t Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? Yet among many nations there was no king like him, and he was loved by his God, and God…
- Proverbs 7:26-27 (v3) for she has thrown down many wounded. Yes, all her slain are a mighty army. Her house is the way to Sheol, going down to the rooms of death.
- Isaiah 49:15 (v2) “Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yes, these may forget, yet I will not…
- Proverbs 6:20 (v1) My son, keep your father’s commandment, and don’t forsake your mother’s teaching.
Show all 14 cross-references
- 1 Samuel 1:11 (v2) She vowed a vow, and said, “Yahweh of Armies, if you will indeed look at the affliction of your servant and remember me, and not forget…
- Proverbs 1:8 (v1) My son, listen to your father’s instruction, and don’t forsake your mother’s teaching:
- Proverbs 5:9-11 (v3) lest you give your honor to others, and your years to the cruel one; lest strangers feast on your wealth, and your labors enrich another…
- 2 Timothy 1:5 (v1) having been reminded of the sincere faith that is in you, which lived first in your grandmother Lois, and your mother Eunice, and, I am…
- 1 Kings 11:1 (v3) Now king Solomon loved many foreign women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians,…
- Hosea 4:11 (v3) Prostitution, wine, and new wine take away understanding.
- 2 Timothy 3:15 (v1) From infancy, you have known the holy Scriptures which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith, which is in Christ Jesus.
- 1 Samuel 1:28 (v2) Therefore I have also given him to Yahweh. As long as he lives he is given to Yahweh.” He worshiped Yahweh there.
- Proverbs 30:1 (v1) The words of Agur the son of Jakeh; the revelation: the man says to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal:
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this passage (24 sources)
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On vv1–3 That is, of Solomon, who was called Lemuel, that…
That is, of Solomon, who was called Lemuel, that is, of God, because God had ordained him to be king over Israel.
The doctrine which his mother Bathsheba taught him.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv1–3 Pro 31:1 The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy…
Pro 31:1 The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him.
Ver. 1. The words of King Lemuel.] Lemuel’s lesson, Bathsheba’s catechism. Lemuel she calls him, because God had owned him. "I will be his father, and be shall be my son"; {2Sa 7:14} and was "with him" so long as he was "with God," according to 2Ch 15:2. Indeed, when he grew discinct and dissolute, then God’s soul sat loose to him, and was disjointed from him, {Jer 6:8} and the rather because he had had the benefit of better education. His father had taught him, and had taken much pains with him. {Pro 4:4} His mother {a} also had counselled and cautioned him early not to give his strength to wine and women; and yet he was most inordinate in his love to these two. {Ecc 2:1-26} This was almost as great an aggravation of his sin, that he had been better taught and brought up, as that other, that he forsook the Lord that had "appeared unto him twice." {1Ki 11:9} The "words of King Lemuel" they are called, because, though composed by his mother, yet for his use, in the same sense as Psa 127:1, is styled "A song of degrees of Solomon," or "for Solomon," though made by his father, who tells him there that which he found true by experience, "Lo, children are a heritage of the Lord," &c., for by all his wives Solomon had none but one son, and him none of the wisest either.
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{a} Aristippus dictus est μητροδιδακτος, quod eum mater Areta docuisset.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv1–3 Of king Lemuel, i.e. of Solomon, by the general…
Of king Lemuel, i.e. of Solomon, by the general consent both of Jewish and Christian writers; to whom this name doth very fitly agree, for it signifies one of or from God, or belonging to God; and such a one was Solomon eminently, being given by God to David and Bathsheba, as a pledge of his reconciliation to them after their repentance; of whom it is expressly said that the Lord loved him, 2Sa 12:24, and who was by God himself appointed to succeed David in the kingdom. Possibly his mother gave this name to mind him of his great obligations to God, and of the justice and necessity of his devoting himself unto God’s service and glory.
The prophecy; so called, either,
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1. More especially, because she did either by natural sagacity, or by Divine inspiration, foresee Solomon’s danger, and what sins he was most likely to be either inclined or tempted to commit; and therefore thought fit to give him these precautions, Or,
2. More generally, as all godly discourses or counsels are called prophecies; of which see on Pro 30:1, and elsewhere.
His mother, Bathsheba, who having truly repented of her adultery, did not only avoid it in herself for the future, but seriously endeavoured to prevent that and such-like sins in others, and especially in Solomon, whom the remembrance of her sin might possibly provoke to an imitation of her example. But when she gave him these instructions is but matter of conjecture. Probably it was either,
1. When she first discerned his inclinations to those sins of which she here warns him, to which she saw he was like to have many and strong provocations. Or,
2. After he was made king, and had more plainly discovered his proneness to these excesses, although he had not yet broken forth into those scandalous enormities into which he afterwards fell.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Matthew Henry 1710 · Public Domain On v1 Most interpreters are of opinion that Lemuel is Solomon;…
Most interpreters are of opinion that Lemuel is Solomon; the name signifies one that is for God, or devoted to God; and so it agrees well enough with that honourable name which, by divine appointment, was given to Solomon (Sa2 12:25), Jedediah - beloved of the Lord. Lemuel is supposed to be a pretty, fond, endearing name, by which his mother used to call him; and so much did he value himself upon the interest he had in his mother's affections that he was not ashamed to call himself by it. One would the rather incline to think it is Solomon that here tells us what his mother taught him because he tells us (Pro 4:4) what his father taught him. But some think (and the conjecture is not improbable) that Lemuel was a prince of some neighbouring country, whose mother was a daughter of Israel, perhaps of the house of David, and taught him these good lessons. Note, 1. It is the duty of mothers, as well as fathers, to teach their children what is good, that they may do it, and what is evil, that they may avoid it; when they are young and tender they are most under the mother's eye, and she has then an opportunity of moulding and fashioning their minds well, which she ought not to let slip. 2. Even kings must be catechised; the greatest of men is less than the least of the ordinances of God. 3. Those that have grown up to maturity should often call to mind, and make mention of, the good instructions they received when they were children, for their own admonition, the edification of others, and the honour of those who were the guides of their youth.
Now, in this mother's (this queen mother's) catechism, observe,
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I. Her expostulation with the young prince, by which she lays hold of him, claims an interest in him, and awakens his attention to what she is about to say (Pro 31:2): "What! my son? What shall I say to thee?" She speaks as one considering what advice to give him, and choosing out words to reason with him; so full of concern is she for his welfare! Or, What is it that thou doest? It seems to be a chiding question. She observed, when he was young, that he was too much inclined to women and wine, and therefore she found it necessary to take him to task and deal roundly with him. "What! my son? Is this the course of life thou intendest to lead? Have I taught thee no better than thus? I must reprove thee, and reprove thee sharply, and thou must take it well, for," 1. "Thou art descended from me; thou art the son of my womb, and therefore what I say comes from the authority and affection of a parent and cannot be suspected to come from any ill-will. Thou art a piece of myself. I bore thee with sorrow, and I expect no other return for all the pains I have taken with thee, and undergone for thee, than this, Be wise and good, and then I am well paid." 2. "Thou art devoted to my God; thou art the son of my vows, the son I prayed to God to give me and promised to give back to God, and did so" (thus Samuel was the son of Hannah's vows); "Thou art the son I have often prayed to God to give his grace to (Psa 72:1), and shall a child of so many prayers miscarry? And shall all my hopes concerning thee be disappointed?" Our children that by baptism are dedicated to God, for whom and in whose name we covenanted with God, may well be called the children of our vows; and, as this may be made a good plea with God in our prayers for them, so it may be made a good plea with them in the instructions we give them; we may tell them they are baptized, are the children of our vows, and it is at their peril if they break those bonds in sunder which in their infancy they were solemnly brought under.
II. The caution she gives him against those two destroying sins of uncleanness and drunkenness, which, if he allowed himself in them, would certainly be his ruin. 1. Against uncleanness (Pro 31:3): Give not thy strength unto women, unto strange women. He must not be soft and effeminate, nor spend that time in a vain conversation with the ladies which should be spent in getting knowledge and despatching business, nor employ that wit (which is the strength of the soul) in courting and complimenting them which he should employ about the affairs of his government. "Especially shun all adultery, fornication, and lasciviousness, which waste the strength of the body, and bring into it dangerous diseases. Give not thy ways, thy affections, thy conversation, to that which destroys kings, which has destroyed many, which gave such a shock to the kingdom even of David himself, in the matter of Uriah. Let the sufferings of others be thy warnings." It lessens the honour of kings and makes them mean. Are those fit to govern others that are themselves slaves to their own lusts? It makes them unfit for business, and fills their court with the basest and worst of animals. Kings lie exposed to temptations of this kind, having wherewith both to please the humours and to bear the charges of the sin, and therefore they ought to double their guard; and, if they would preserve their people from the unclean spirit, they must themselves be patterns of purity. Meaner people may also apply it to themselves. Let none give their strength to that which destroys souls. 2. Against drunkenness, Pro 31:4, Pro 31:5. He must not drink wine or strong drink to excess; he must never sit to drink, as they used to do in the day of their king, when the princes made him sick with bottles of wine, Hos 7:7. Whatever temptation he might be in from the excellency of the wine, or the charms of the company, he must deny himself, and be strictly sober, considering, (1.) The indecency of drunkenness in a king. However some may call it a fashionable accomplishment and entertainment, it is not for kings, O Lemuel! it is not for kings, to allow themselves that liberty; it is a disparagement to their dignity, and profanes their crown, by confusing the head that wears it; that which for the time unmans them does for the time unking them. Shall we say, They are gods? No, they are worse than the beasts that perish. All Christians are made to our God kings and priests, and must apply this to themselves. It is not for Christians, it is not for Christians, to drink to excess; they debase themselves if they do; it ill becomes the heirs of the kingdom and the spiritual priests, Lev 10:9. (2.) The ill consequences of it (Pro 31:5): Lest they drink away their understandings and memories, drink and forget the law by which they are to govern; and so, instead of doing good with their power, do hurt with it, and pervert or alter the judgment of all the sons of affliction, and, when they should right them, wrong them, and add to their affliction. It is a sad complaint which is made of the priests and prophets (Isa 28:7), that they have erred through wine, and through strong drink they are out of the way; and the effect is as bad in kings, who when they are drunk, or intoxicated with the love of wine, cannot but stumble in judgment. Judges must have clear heads, which those cannot have who so often make themselves giddy, and incapacitate themselves to judge of the most common things.
III. The counsel she gives him to do good. 1. He must do good with his wealth. Great men must not think that they have their abundance only that out of it they may made provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts of it, and may the more freely indulge their own genius; no, but that with it they may relieve such as are in distress, Pro 31:6, Pro 31:7. "Thou hast wine or strong drink at command; instead of doing thyself hurt with it, do others good with it; let those have it that need it." Those that have wherewithal must not only give bread to the hungry and water to the thirsty, but they must give strong drink to him that is ready to perish through sickness or pain and wine to those that are melancholy and of heavy heart; for it was appointed to cheer and revive the spirits, and make glad the heart (as it does where there is need of it), not to burden and oppress the spirits, as it does where there is no need of it. We must deny ourselves in the gratifications of sense, that we may have to spare for the relief of the miseries of others, and be glad to see our superfluities and dainties better bestowed upon those whom they will be a real kindness to than upon ourselves whom they will be a real injury to. Let those that are ready to perish drink soberly, and it will be a means so to revive their drooping spirits that they will forget their poverty for the time and remember their misery no more, and so they will be the better able to bear it. The Jews say that upon this was grounded the practice of giving a stupifying drink to condemned prisoners when they were going to execution, as they did to our Saviour. But the scope of the place is to show that wine is a cordial, and therefore to be used for want and not for wantonness, by those only that need cordials, as Timothy, who is advised to drink a little wine, only for his stomach's sake and his often infirmities, Ti1 5:23. 2. He must do good with his power, his knowledge, and interest, must administer justice with care, courage, and compassion, Pro 31:8, Pro 31:9. (1.) He must himself take cognizance of the causes his subjects have depending in his courts, and inspect what his judges and officers do, that he may support those that do their duty, and lay those aside that neglect it or are partial. (2.) He must, in all matters that come before him, judge righteously, and, without fear of the face of man, boldly pass sentence according to equity: Open thy mouth, which denotes the liberty of speech that princes and judges ought to use in passing sentence. Some observe that only wise men open their mouths, for fools have their mouths always open, are full of words. (3.) He must especially look upon himself as obliged to be the patron of oppressed innocency. The inferior magistrates perhaps had not zeal and tenderness enough to plead the cause of the poor and needy; therefore the king himself must interpose, and appear as an advocate, [1.] For those that were unjustly charged with capital crimes, as Naboth was, that were appointed to destruction, to gratify the malice either of a particular person or of a party. It is a case which it well befits a king to appear in, for the preserving of innocent blood. [2.] For those that had actions unjustly brought against them, to defraud them of their right, because they were poor and needy, and unable to defend it, not having wherewithal to fee counsel; in such a case also kings must be advocates for the poor. Especially, [3.] For those that were dumb, and knew not how to speak for themselves, either through weakness or fear, or being over-talked by the prosecutor or over-awed by the court. It is generous to speak for those that cannot speak for themselves, that are absent, or have not words at command, or are timorous. Our law appoints the judge to be of counsel for the prisoner.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708–1710) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv1–3 The words of King Lemuel,.... Not what were spoken…
The words of King Lemuel,.... Not what were spoken by him, but what were spoken to him; or declaring what his mother said, as what follows shows; of this king we have no account elsewhere under this name. Grotius thinks that King Hezekiah, whose mother Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah, whom he supposes to be a wise man, from whom she had learned much, instructed her son in the following manner; but gives no other reason for this conjecture but that this chapter follows the collection of proverbs made by the men of Hezekiah; but they are expressly said to be Solomon's, and the words of Agur more immediately follow them; and besides Hezekiah does not appear ever to be addicted to the vices this prince was; much more probable is the conjecture of Bishop Patrick, that he was a prince of another country, perhaps in Chaldea, since a Chaldee word is three times used in his mother's address to him, and another word in a Chaldee termination; and he supposes his mother to be a Jewish lady, that taught her son the lessons herein contained. But the general sense of Jewish and Christian writers is, that Solomon himself is meant; whose name Lemuel is either a corruption of his name Solomon, a fond pretty name his mother Bathsheba gave him when young, and he thought fit to write it just as his mother spoke it; as mothers often do give such broken names to their children in fond affection to them: or it was another name of his, as it appears he had more than one; it signifies "to God", one that was devoted to him, as he was by his parents and by himself; or one that belonged to God, was his, as Solomon was; he was beloved of God, and therefore called Jedidiah, Sa2 12:24; one to whom God was a father, and he a son to him; and he was chosen and appointed by him to succeed his father David in the kingdom, Sa2 7:13. Hillerus (a) makes the word to signify "over against God", or "before the face of the first", or of God and was a type of the "angel of faces", or of God's presence, Isa 63:9;
the prophecy that his mother taught him; either in his youth, or when he was come to the throne; to whom she had access, and with whom she used freedom; and particularly when she saw he was inclined unto, or going into, the vices she cautions him against. Her instruction is called a "prophecy", because she delivered it on a foresight of the sins her son would be tempted with, and liable to fall into; and this foresight was either through her natural sagacity, or under a spirit of prophecy; or rather it is so called, because any wise saying, or doctrine of moment and importance, and especially if it was by divine inspiration, was so called; see Pro 30:1; as Solomon tells us what his father David taught him, so here what his mother Bathsheba instructed him in; and it would have been well if he had taken the advice she gave him, and he gave to his son; see Pro 4:3.
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(a) Onomastic. Sacr. p. 268.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On vv1–3 An exhortation to Lemuel, ver. 1-9. A description of…
An exhortation to Lemuel, ver. 1-9. A description of good wife, ver. 10-31.
Lemuel - Of Solomon, by the general consent both of Jewish and Christian writers; this name signifies one from God, or belonging to God, and such an one was Solomon eminently, being given by God to David and Bathsheba, as a pledge of his reconciliation to them after their repentance. Possibly his mother gave him this name to mind him of his great obligations to God, and of the justice of his devoting himself to God's service.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv1–3 The words and prophecy of King Lemuel, and what…
CHAPTER XXXI
The words and prophecy of King Lemuel, and what his mother
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taught him, 1, 2.
Debauchery and much wine to be avoided, 3-7.
How kings should administer justice, 8, 9.
The praise of a virtuous woman and good housewife, in her
economy, prudence, watchfulness, and assiduity in labour,
10-29.
Frailty of beauty, 30, 31.
NOTES ON CHAP. XXXI
Verse 1. The words of King Lemuel] דברי למואל מכך dibrey lemuel melech, "The words to Muel the king." So the Syriac; and so I think it should be read, the lamed being the article or preposition.
But who is Muel or Lemuel? Solomon, according to general opinion; and the mother here mentioned, Bath-sheba. I cannot receive these sayings; for
1. Whoever this was, he appears to have been the first-born of his mother: called here emphatically בר בטני bar bitni, the son of my womb; which is not likely to be true of Solomon, as his mother had been the wife of Uriah, and possibly had borne that rough and faithful soldier some children.
2. It is intimated here that this son had come by a lawful marriage: hence בר נדרי bar nedarai, the son of my vow, her matrimonial covenant; for so it is most natural to understand the words. But is there any proper sense in which we can say that this was correct in reference to David, Bath-sheba, and Solomon? For although the son born in adultery died, it is by no means likely that Bath-sheba made any particular vows relative to Solomon; for of her piety, so much vaunted of by some writers, we yet want the proofs.
But, however this may be, there is no evidence whatever that Muel or Lemuel means Solomon; the chapter seems, to be much later than his time, and the several Chaldaisms which occur in the very opening of it are no mean proof of this. If Agur was not the author of it, it may be considered as another supplement to the book of Proverbs. Most certainly Solomon did not write it.
The prophecy that his mother taught him.] משא massa may here signify the oracle; the subject that came by Divine inspiration; see on Pr 30:1. From this and some other circumstances it is probable that both these chapters were written by the same author. Houbigant thinks that Massa here is the name of a place; and, therefore, translates, "The words of Lemuel, king of Massa, with which his mother instructed him."
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On vv1–3 Pro 31:1. The words of King Lemuel — Of…
Pro 31:1. The words of King Lemuel — Of Solomon, by the general consent both of Jewish and Christian writers: this name signifies one from God, or, belonging to God, and such a one was Solomon eminently, being given by God to David and Bath-sheba as a pledge of his reconciliation to them after their repentance. Possibly his mother gave him this name to remind him of his great obligations to God, and of the justice and necessity of his devoting himself to God’s service. It must be acknowledged, some have doubted whether Lemuel was not a different person; but, according to Dr. Delaney and many others, without sufficient reason. “I know,” says that judicious divine: “that some modern critics, contrary to the unanimous judgment and tradition of all antiquity, have raised some scruples upon this head, as if Lemuel were not Solomon, but some other king, they know not who. I have examined them with all the care and candour I am capable of, and conclude, upon the whole, that their objections are such as my readers, of best understandings, would be little obliged to me either for retailing or refuting.”
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On vv1–3 That his mother taught him - Compare Pro 1:8;…
That his mother taught him - Compare Pro 1:8; Pro 6:20. If we refer the chapter to Israelite authorship, we may remember the honor paid to the wisdom of Miriam, Deborah, and Huldah; if it was the honor paid to an Edomite or an Arabian, we may think of the Queen of Sheba, whose love of Wisdom led her to sit at the feet of the son of David.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Charles Bridges 1846 · Public Domain On vv1, 3 OF King Lemuel we know no more than of…
OF King Lemuel we know no more than of the prophet Agur in the last Chapter.†1 All that we know is, that he was endowed, like many of God’s people (Psa 116:16 . 2Ti 1:5 ; 2Ti 3:15 ), with the invaluable blessing of a godly mother; who, like Deborah of old (Jdg 5:1 ), was honored of God to be the author of a chapter of the sacred volume.
What an animating burst from the yearning of a mother’s heart! What! my son — the son of my womb — of my vows? Happy mother — when the son of her womb is the son of her vows! like Samuel, a dedicated child, a child of many prayers; "asked of the LORD, lent unto his service." (1Sa 1:11 .) If there were more Hannahs, would there not be more Samuels? If thou wouldst have, Christian mother, thy child a Samuel or an Augustine, be thyself a Hannah or a Monica. The child of thy prayers, of thy vows, and of thy tears, will be in the Lord’s best time the child of thy praises, thy rejoicings, thy richest consolation. Yet thy faith will not end with the dedication of thy child. Lemuel — the son of her vows — his mother taught him. And such is the practical habit of godliness, that faith in vowing quickens diligence in teaching. The child, truly consecrated, will be "brought up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." (Eph 6:4 .)
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Footnotes:
†1 Both have been identified with Solomon, though without any historical evidence. It seems unlikely, that Solomon, having given his own name more than once in this book (Pro 1:1 ; Pro 10:1, ) should give two mystical names at the close, without any distinct personal application. Nor is there any scriptural testimony in favor of Bathsheba, that would lead us to stamp her with this peculiar honor as one of the writers of God’s word. ’The admonitory verses composed for King Lemuel by his mother, when in the flower of youth and high expectation, are an inimitable production, as well in respect to their actual materials, as the delicacy with which they are selected. Instead of attempting to lay down rules concerning matters of state and political government, the illustrious writer confines herself, with the nicest and most becoming art, to a recommendation of the gentler virtues of temperance, benevolence, and mercy, and a minute and unparalleled delineation of the female character, which might bid fairest to promote the happiness of her son in connubial life.’ - Dr. Good.
Charles Bridges, An Exposition of the Book of Proverbs (1846) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv1–3 Lamuel. This name signifies, God with him; and is…
Lamuel. This name signifies, God with him; and is supposed to be one of the names of Solomon. (Challoner) --- Grotius would explain it of Ezechias. But why should we abandon the tradition of both Jews and Christians? --- Mother; Bethsabee, who it seems was inspired, unless she received these maxims from Nathan. Solomon always speaks of her with the utmost respect, as a prudent mother may have the greatest influence over the tender minds of her children, chap. i. 8., and xxiii. 25.
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures 1864 · Public Domain On v1 Second Supplement
Second Supplement
The words of Lemuel, together with the poem in praise of the matron
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Chap. 31
a) Lemuel’s maxims of wisdom for kings
Pro_31:1-9
1 Words of Lemuel the king of Massa
with which his mother instructed him:
2 Oh, my son! ah, thou son of my womb!
oh thou son of my vows!
3 Give not thy strength to women,
nor thy ways to destroy kings.
4 Not for kings, oh Lemuel,
not for kings (is it becoming) to drink wine;
nor for princes (wine) or strong drink;
5 lest he drink and forget the law,
and pervert the judgment of all the sons of want.
6 Give strong drink to him that is perishing,
and wine to him that is of a heavy heart.
7 Let him drink and forget his poverty,
and let him remember his want no more!
8 Open thy mouth for the dumb,
for the right of all orphan children.
9 Open thy mouth, judge righteously,
and vindicate the poor and needy.
b) Alphabetical song in praise of the virtuous, wise and industrious woman
Pro_31:10-31
10 A virtuous woman who can find?
and yet her price is far above pearls.
11 The heart of her husband doth trust in her,
and he shall not fail of gain.
12 She doeth him good and not evil
all the days of her life.
13 She careth for wool and linen,
and worketh with diligent hands.
14 She is like the ships of the merchant,
from afar doth she bring her food.
15 She riseth up while it is yet night,
and giveth food to her house
and a portion to her maidens.
16 She considereth a field and buyeth it,
a vineyard with the fruit of her hands.
17 She girdeth her loins with strength,
and maketh her arms strong.
18 She perceiveth that her gain is good,
her light goeth not out by night.
19 She putteth her hands to the distaff,
and her fingers lay hold on the spindle.
20 She stretcheth forth her hand to the poor,
and extendeth her arms to the needy.
21 She is not afraid of the snow for her household,
for all her household is clothed in crimson.
22 Coverlets doth she prepare for herself;
fine linen and purple is her clothing.
23 Her husband is known in the gates,
when he sitteth with the elders of the land.
24 She maketh fine linen and selleth it,
and girdles doth she give to the merchant.
25 Strength and honor are her clothing;
she laugheth at the future.
26 She openeth her mouth with wisdom,
and the law of kindness is on her tongue.
27 She looketh well to the ways of her household
and the bread of idleness she will not eat.
28 Her sons rise up and praise her,
her husband, he also boasteth of her:
29 Many daughters have done virtuously,
but thou hast excelled them all!
30 Grace is deceitful, beauty is vanity,
a woman that feareth the Lord; let her be praised!
31 Give to her of the fruit of her hands,
and let her works praise her in the gates.
GRAMMATICAL AND CRITICAL
Pro_31:2.—[מה, where it occurs the third time, is pointed מֶה, as is not uncommon in repetitions, to secure variety; see Bött., § 499, c. The consonant succeeding is the same in the three cases.—A.]
Pro_31:3.—Hitzig changes the לַמְחוֹת (Inf. Hiph. from מחה) to the fem. part. of למח, “ to leer or ogle,” לֹמְחוֹת: “and give not thy way to them (the seductive courtesans) who leer after kings” (?). [Bött. prefers to make of it Kal part. fem. plur. from מחה, and would point לְמֹחוֹת and render “the caressers of kings.” This is certainly easier than the causative Infinitive with its abstractness. See Bött., § 1089, 2. מְלָכִין, an Aramaic form immediately followed in Pro_31:4 by the regular plural twice repeated. Green, §199, a; Bött. § 277, 3.—A.]
Pro_31:4.—We render או “or” according to the K’thibh, which is recommended by like examples of a distributive location of this disjanctive particle (such as Pro_30:31 [where Bött. would read תְּאוֹ rather than allow the irregularity]; Job_22:11). We do not need therefore to substitute for it אַו, “desire” (that is, “for strong drink,” Gesen. and others), or to read with the K’ri אֵי, “ where?” (“where is strong drink for princes?” comp. Gen_4:9). [Bött. regards it as a probable Simeonite synonym for תַּאֲוָה, “desire,” § 438, 3; 453, g. The two forms of the king’s name, לְמוּאֵל and לְמוֹאֵל, a genitive in Pro_31:1 and a vocative in Pro_31:4, also deserve attention. The changing person of the verbs is no uncommon phenomenon. See Ewald, § 309, a.—A.]
Pro_31:5.—מְחֻקָּק, a Pual part, from חקק, signifies “that which is decided, the prescribed,” and is therefore equivalent חֹק, “law.”
Pro_31:6.—[תְּנוּ the permissive use of the Imper.; Bött., § 959, 5.—A.]
Pro_31:12.—גָּמַל is used with two accusatives as in 1Sa_24:18.
Pro_31:13.—[The fem. noun פִשְׁתָּה seems to be used of the raw material, flax, white this plural from פֵּשֶׁת is used of the product, the materials for clothing.—A.]
Pro_31:15.—טֶרֶף (comp. the verb הִטְרִיף in Pro_30:8) is a strong expression for לֶחֶם, Pro_31:14 (comp. above in Pro_31:11, שָׁלָל, “spoil”).
Pro_31:16.—The K’thibh נְטַע, stat. constr. from נֶטָע, “planting,” Isa_5:7, is undoubtedly to be preferred to the K’ri נָטְעָה, notwithstanding all the old versions prefer the latter (see Bertheau and Hitzig on the passage). [Bött. defends the Masoretic reading, and renders as a verb.]
Ver.21.—[The short form of the part. לְבֻשׁ seems to be explained and justified by the close connection of words and the sequence of שׁ. Bött., § 994, 6.—A.]
Pro_31:27.—Instead of the K’thibh הִילְכוֹת we must either with the K’ri read הֲלִיכוֹת, or regard the former as an Aramaic collateral form (הִלְכָּה) for הֲלָכוֹת.
Pro_31:30.—יִרְאַת before יְהוָֹה is here the stat. constr. not of the abstract substantive יִרְּאָה, but from the fem. part. יְרֵאָה, “the woman who feareth.”
EXEGETICAL
1. Pro_31:1. The superscription to Lemuel’s discourse.—Words of Lemuel, king of Massa.—That we must, in disregard of the Masoretic pointing, connect the “Massa” with the first clause, and regard it as a genitive governed by the מֶלֶךְ, which has no article, was the right view taken as early as the Syriac version, when it interprets the מֶלֶךְ מַשָּׂא by “king of utterance” (regis prophetæ). We ought, however, here, as in Pro_30:1, to regard מַשָּׂא rather as the name of a country, and Lemuel, the king of the land, as perhaps a brother of Agur, and consider his mother as the same wise princess who was there designated as “ruler of Massa.” To her therefore belong properly and originally the counsels and instructions for kings contained in Pro_31:1-9. And yet, since Lemuel first reduced them to writing, and so transmitted them to posterity, they may well be called also “words of Lemuel,”—a title which there is therefore no need of altering (with Hitzig) to “words to Lemuel.” The name “Lemuel,” or, as it is written in Pro_31:4 by the punctuators, “ Lemuel,” appears furthermore to be quite as properly a genuine Hebrew formation as “Agur” (see above, Exeg. notes on chap. 30, No. 2). It is probably only a fuller form for that which occurs in Num_3:24 as an Israelitish masculine name, לָאֵל, “to God, for God” (Deo deditus). That it is purely a symbolical appellative designation, a circumscribing of the name Solomon, and that accordingly by the “mother of Lemuel” no other than Bathsheba is intended, this opinion of many old expositors (and recently of Schelling, Rosenmueller. [Words.], etc.) lacks all further corroboration. [The impossibility of regarding מֶלֶךְ without an article as an appositive of לְמוּאֵל, even though מַשָּׂא be not a limiting genitive, but an appositive to דִּבְרֵי, is not admitted by those who defend the prevailing interpretation of Pro_31:1. The construction is admitted to be exceptional, but claimed to be possible (see, e.g., Green, § 247, a). Hitzig, Bertheau, Z. and others make this one chief reason for seeking a new rendering. Another is the peculiar use of מַשָּׂא out of prophecy, and as an appositive to the sufficient and more appropriate דִּבְרֵי. Here as in Pro_30:1 Kamph. retains the ordinary meaning of מַשָּׂא, while S., here as there, follows Hitzig.—A.] In regard to the peculiar linguistic character of the section Pro_31:1-9, which in many points agrees with Agur’s discourse [and in which Böttcher again recognizes a Simeonitish cast], see above, p. 246.
2. Pro_31:2-9. The rules of wisdom from Lemuel’s mother.—Oh my son! Oh thou son of my womb! etc.—The thrice repeated מָה, usually “what”—which Luther appropriately rendered by “Ach!” is plainly “an impassioned exclamation expressing the inward emotion of the mother’s heart at the thought that the son might possibly fall into an evil way ” (Elster); it is therefore substantially “What, my son, wilt thou do?” or “How, my son, wilt thou suffer thyself to be betrayed?” etc.—With “son of my vows” comp. 1Sa_1:11.
Pro_31:3. Give not thy strength to women—i.e., do not sacrifice it to them, do not give thy manly strength and vigor a prey to them. It is naturally the ways of licentiousness that are intended, which ruin physically and morally kings and princes who give themselves up to them. See Critical notes.
Pro_31:4. This warning against licentiousness is immediately followed by a dissuasion from drunkenness, which is naturally closely connected with the preceding.—Also not for princes (is wine) or strong drink.—See Critical notes. For שֵׁכָר, “mead, strong drink,” comp. notes on Pro_20:1.—[Gesen., Bött., De W., H., N., S., M., etc., would render by “desire,” if the K’thibh is followed, which they are disposed to do. The K’ri, pointing אֵו, suggests either the interrogative אֵי, “where,” or an abbreviated form of the negative אֵין. Fuerst renders אוֹ as an interrogative here.—A.]
Pro_31:5. Lest he drink and forget the law—i.e., the king, who is here in question. The construction (“drink and forget” instead of “drinking forget”) is like that in Pro_30:9.—And pervert the judgment of all the sons of want—i.e., of all the poor and helpless. For the Piel שִׁנָּה, “in deterius mutare, to distort, wrest, destroy,” comp. Job_14:20. For the sentiment comp. Pliny, Hist. Nat., XXIII. Proverbs 25 : In proverbiam cessit sapientiam vino obumbrari. [It has become proverbial that wisdom is clouded by wine.]
Pro_31:6-7. The enjoyment of wine and strong drink is seasonable in its cheering influence upon the sorrowful, whom it is desirable to cause to forget their sorrow; comp. Psa_104:15; Mat_27:34.—Give strong drink to him who is perishing—the man who is on the point of perishing, who is just expiring, as Job_29:13; Job_31:19 : “the heavy in heart” are afflicted, anxious ones, as in Job_3:20; 1Sa_22:2, etc. [That even these be made to drink to unconsciousness is not the recommendation, but that in their extremity, physical or mental, wine be given to fulfil its office in imparting elasticity, and increasing power of endurance, and taking the crushing weight from calamities that might otherwise be overwhelming. As there is a misuse pointed out before in drinking to the destruction of kingly competence and the thwarting of kingly duty, self-indulgence, sinful excitement and excess overmastering reason and conscience,—so it is a kingly grace to bear others’ burdens by ministries of helpful kindness. As on the one hand there is nothing here to preclude the pressing of other pleas for abstinence, so on the other there is nothing to encourage the too early and willing resort to the plea of necessity, or to commend in any case drinking to utter oblivion.—A.]
Pro_31:8-9. Continuation of the exhortation, commenced in Pro_31:5, to a righteous and merciful administration.—Open thy mouth for the dumb.—That is, help such to their right as are not able to maintain it for themselves; be to them a judge and at the same time an advocate (comp. Job_29:15-16).—For the right of all orphan children.—“Sons of leaving, of abandonment or disadvantage” (not of “destruction,” as Ewald and Bertheau would interpret here, with a reference to Psa_90:5; Isa_2:18), are clearly those left behind as helpless orphans; the word therefore conveys a more specific idea than the “sons of want” in Pro_31:5.
3. The praise of the virtuous matron (Pro_31:10-31) is an alphabetic moral poem (like Psalms 9, 10, 25, 34, 119; Lamentations 1-4, etc.), “a golden A B C for women” according to Döderlein’s pertinent designation, a highly poetic picture of the ideal of a Hebrew matron. Not the alphabetic structure indeed, which it has in common with, not a few Psalms of high antiquity, partly such as come from David (comp. Delitzsch, 1:69; 2:187), but very probably some traces that are contained in it of a later usus loquendi, especially the more frequent scriptio plena, even apart from the distinctive accents (comp. Hitzig, p. 334), and also in particular the position assigned it by the compiler, even after Hezekiah’s supplement and Agur’s and Lemuel’s discourse, mark the poem as a literary work produced quite late after Solomon’s time, and even as probably the latest constituent of the whole collection. Although separated from the “words of Lemuel” by no superscription of its own, it shows itself to be the work of a different person from the wise prince of Massa, and that probably a later poet, by its not sharing the linguistic idioms of that section, and by the whole of its characteristic bearing and structure. Besides, in its contents and general drift it does not stand in any particularly close and necessary connection with the maxims of wisdom from the mother of Lemuel. And that it has by no means steadily from the beginning held its place immediately after these, appears with great probability from the fact that the LXX attach it directly to Pro_29:27, and give to the proverbs of Agur and Lemuel an earlier place (within the limits of the present 24th chapter), Comp. Introd., § 13, p. 30.
With the greatest arbitrariness, R. Stier (Politik der Weisheit, pp. 134 sq.) has felt constrained to interpret the matron of this poem allegorically, and to make the application to the Holy Spirit renewing men and educating them for the kingdom of God. The whole attitude of the section speaks against such an interpretation, most of all the praise bestowed in Pro_31:23 sq. upon the influence of the matron as advancing the standing of her husband in the political organization of the State, as well as what is said in Pro_31:30 of the fear of God as her most eminent virtue. Comp. Von Hofmann, Schriftbew., II., 2, 378. [According to Wordsw. we find here a prophetic representation of the Church of Christ, in her truth, purity and holiness, and as distinguished from all forms of error, corruption and defilement, which sully and mar the faith and worship which he has prescribed.“—A.]
4. Pro_31:10-22. The action and management of the virtuous woman within her domestic sphere. A virtuous woman, who can find? The “virtuous woman,” as in Pro_12:4; Pro_11:16. [The transition is easy, from physical strength to moral strength and probity. The word “virtuous” is therefore to be taken in this high sense.—A.]. The interrogative exclamation “who will find?” express the idea of a wish, as מִי יִתֵּן does elsewhere; it is therefore equivalent to “would that every one might find so gracious a treasure!”—And yet her price is far above pearls. The “and” at the beginning of this clause is either the exegetical, “that is, that is to say,” as in Pro_25:13, etc. (thus Hitzig), or, which seems to be more natural, the adversative “and yet, however” (Ewald, Elster). For the figure comp. Pro_3:10; Pro_8:11. [Thomson, Land and Book, II. 572 sq. illustrates the force and fitness of the successive points in this description in contrast with the ordinary ignorance, weakness and worthlessness of the women of the East,—A.]
Pro_31:11. And he shall not fail of gain. שָׁלָל, strictly “the spoil of war,” is a strong expression to describe the rich profit to which the co-operation of the efficient wife helps her husband’s activity in his occupation. According to Hitzig, “spoil, fortunate discovery,” is to be taken here as in Psa_119:162; Isa_9:2, figuratively, and to be interpreted of the joy which the wife prepares for her husband (?).
Pro_31:12. She doeth him good and not evil. Comp. 1Sa_24:12.
Pro_31:13. She careth for wool and linen; lit., “she seeketh (busieth herself with) wool and linen,” i.e, she provides these as materials for the products of her feminine skill.—And worketh with diligent hands; lit., “and laboreth with her hands’ pleasure” (Umbreit, Ewald, Elster) [De W., K., E. V., N., S., M.], or inasmuch as חֵפֶץ might here signify “occupation” (as in Isa_58:3; Ecc_3:17); “and laboreth in the business of her hands” (Hitzig).
Pro_31:14. She is like the ships of the merchant, so far forth as she selling her products to foreigners (Pro_31:24), brings in gain from remote regions (comp. b), and provides long in advance for all the necessities of her house.
Pro_31:15. And distributeth food to her house. The “portion” of the next clause is not a possible synonym for the “food” of this, so that it should denote the definite allowance of food, the rations of the maidens (Luther, Bertheau [E. V., S., M.] etc.); what is described by it is the definite pensum, what each maid has to spin of wool, flax, etc., and therefore the day’s work of the maidens (Ewald, Umbreit, Hitzig [De W., K., H., N.] etc.).
Pro_31:16. She considereth a field and buyeth it, that is, for the money earned by her diligent manual labor.—A vineyard (Z. “a vineyard-planting”) with the fruit of her hands. A “planting of a vineyard” (genit. apposit.) is however the same as a planting of vines. See Critical Notes for another construction and rendering.
Pro_31:17. Comp. Pro_31:25 a.
Pro_31:18. She perceiveth that her gain is good. For this verb טָעַם “to taste,” i.e., to discern, to become aware, comp. Psa_34:9. For the succeeding phrase, “excellent, charming is her gain,” comp. Pro_3:14. What she now does in consequence of this perception of the pleasing nature of her gain, is shown in the 2d clause.
Pro_31:19. She putteth her hands to the distaff. This is the usual rendering. But probably Hitzig’s rendering is more exact (following Vatabl., Mercerus, Gesen., etc.): “Her hands she throweth out with the whorl,” for פִישׁוֹר is not properly the “distaff,” but the ‘whorl, or wheel,’ verticulum, “a ring or knob fastened upon the spindle below the middle, that it may fall upon its base, and may revolve rightly.” [Kamph. rejects this explanation, and gives an extract of some length from a “Book of Inventions, Trades and Industries,” to justify his own, which is the old view. The word translated “fingers” is literally her “bent hands.”—A.]
Pro_31:20. Her hand she stretcheth forth to the poor, lit., “her hollow, or bent hand,” in which she holds her gift.
Pro_31:21. She is not afraid of the snow for her household, lit., “feareth not for her house from’ snow.” The snow stands here for “winter’s cold,” and for this reason,—that the sharpest possible contrast is intended with the clothes of “crimson wool,” woolen stuffs of crimson color with which her household go clothed in winter. The same alliterative antithesis of שָׁנִים and שֶׁלֶג is found in Isa_1:18.—Umbreit, Ewald, Bertheau, S., etc., render שָׁנִים incorrectly by “purple garments” (see in objection to this Baehr’s Symbolik des Mosaischen Cultus, I. 333 sq.), while the LXX, Luther, Rosenm., Vaihinger, II., etc., read שְׁנַיִם (vestimenta duplicia, “double clothing”), by which the strong contrast is sacrificed.
Pro_31:22. Coverlets doth she prepare for herself. For the “coverlets” comp. Pro_7:16. An article of clothing can be intended no more here than there. In the costly articles of apparel which the woman wears, the contrasted colors, white and purple, recur again. The byssus (Copt, schensch) and the “purple” (reddish purple in contrast with the (violet) “bluish purple” תְּכֵלֶת) are both foreign materials, the one an Egyptian, the other a Syro-phœnician production.—Comp. Baehr, ubi supra; Winer in his Realwörterb. Articles Baumwolle and Purpur.
5. Pro_31:23-31. The influence of the matron beyond the narrow sphere of the domestic life.—Her husband is well known in the gates, because the excellence of his wife not only makes him rich but important and famous. With this being “known in the gates,” see also Pro_31:31 b (i.e., well known in counsel), comp. Homer’s: ἐναρίθμιος ἐνἰ βουλῇ, Iliad ii. 202.
Pro_31:24. She maketh fine linen, etc. סָדִין = σινδών (comp. LXX here and in Jdg_14:12) fine linen and shirts made of it (comp. Mar_14:51; Isa_3:23, and Hitzig on this passage).—And girdles doth she give to the merchant, lit, to “the Canaanite,” the Phœnician merchant, who knows well how to prize her fine products, and to dispose of them.
Pro_31:25. With a comp. Pro_31:17; Job_24:14.—She laugheth at the future. In reliance on her ample stores, and still more her; inward strength and skill, she laughs at the future as respects the evil that it may perchance bring. [E. V.: “She shall rejoice in time to come;” H., M., W.; while De W., K., Bertheau, Muffet, N., S., etc., take our author’s view. This “laughing at the future” is of course not to be understood as expressive of a presumptuous self-confidence, but only of a consciousness of having all appropriate and possible preparation and competence for the future.—A.]
Pro_31:26. Her mouth she openeth with wisdom. Hitzig well says: “The mouth, which in 25 a, is smiling, is here a speaker.”—The “law of kindness” in b is not “amiable, loving instruction, but that which is pleasing, gracious;” comp. Isa_40:6; and especially Luk_4:22 (λόγοι τῆς χάριτος).
Pro_31:27. She looketh well to the ways of her household; lit. “she who looketh,” etc.—for the partic. צוֹפִיָּה is probably to be connected, as Hitzig takes it, as grammatically an appositive to the subject of the preceding verse, so that according to this view, it is now the object of her pleasing instruction that is given. The “ways of the house ” are naturally its organization and management, the course of the household economy (comp. Luther: “How it goes in her house”).
Pro_31:28-29 describe the praise which the excellent housekeeper has bestowed upon her by her sons and her husband. The words of the latter are expressly quoted, but they are probably not to be extended through the last three verses (as Umbreit, Ewald, Elster, etc., would do), but to be restricted to Pro_31:29; for verse 30 immediately separates itself as a proposition altogether general, by which the poet comes in with his confirmation of the husband’s praise. [So De W., Bertheau, K., N., S., M.].—Many daughters have done virtuously. The husband says “daughters” and not “ women,” because as an elder he may put himself above his wife (comp. Heb_7:7). With the phrase “have done virtuously, or show themselves virtuous,” lit. “make, produce, manifest virtue,” comp. Num_24:18; Rth_4:11.
Pro_31:30. Grace is a deception, beauty a breath; both are no real abiding attributes of man, and are, therefore, not to be praised. As an imperishable and therefore really praiseworthy possession, there is contrasted with them in b the disposition to fear God. Comp. Isa_40:6; Psa_103:15-18; 1Pe_1:24-25. [Observe how our book just at its close dwells in a very different way, yet with a significant emphasis, upon that “fear of the Lord,” which in Pro_1:7 was pronounced “the beginning of wisdom.”—A.]
Pro_31:31. Give her of the fruit of her hands, i.e., of the praise which she has deserved by the labor of her hands.—And let her work praise her in the gates [not with Z., “let them praise her work in the gates,” for the verb has its object in its suffix.—A.]. In the place where the population of the city gathers in largest numbers, in the assembly of the community at the gate (Pro_31:23), there must the praise of her excellent life and work resound.
DOCTRINAL, ETHICAL, HOMILETIC AND PRACTICAL
The central idea to which we may trace back the two divisions of this concluding chapter, quite unequal, it is true, in their size, is this: Of a pious administration, as the king should maintain it in the State, and the woman in her family. For the fear of God quite as really constitutes the foundation of the virtues of chastity, sobriety, righteousness and compassion, to which Lemuel’s mother counsels this son of her’s (Pro_31:2-9), as it, according to Pro_31:30, forms the deepest basis and the glorious crown of the excellenses for which the virtuous matron is praised (Pro_31:10 sq). It has already been brought out prominently in the exegetical comments, that the delineation which is shaped in praise of the latter, in turn falls into two divisions (which are only relatively different),—the first of which treats of the efficiency of the virtuous woman within the circle of her domestic relations, the second of her activity as extending itself beyond this sphere into wider regions.
Homily on the chapter as a whole:—Of the pious administration of the king in his State and the woman in her household; what both should shun and what they should strive for, with an exhibition of the blessed reward that awaits both. Or, more briefly: A mirror for rulers and a mirror for matrons, with the fear of God as the centre and focus of both.—Stöcker: I. Instruction of Solomon the king by his mother. a) To be shunned: lust and drunkenness. b) To be practised: justice. II. Praise of a virtuous woman. 1) Her duties or general virtues; 2) her ornaments or special virtues (Pro_31:25-27); 3) her reward (Pro_31:28-31).
Pro_31:1-9. Tübingen Bible (on Pro_31:1): How good is the report when parents, especially mothers, teach their children good morals. It is the greatest love that they can show them, but also their foremost duty!—Geier (on Pro_31:2): If parents have dedicated their children from birth to the Lord, they must so much more carefully educate them from youth up, and so much more diligently pray for them.—(On Pro_31:3): Let every husband be content with the wife conferred upon him by God, let him live with her chastely and discreetly, and serve God heartily; that is a truly noble, kingly life.—Starke (on Pro_31:6-7): A draught of wine which is bestowed on a suffering member of Christ’s body on his sick or dying bed is better appropriated than whole casks that are misemployed for indulgence.—Von Gerlach (on Pro_31:8-9): The highest duty of kings is to befriend the helpless.
Pro_31:10 sq. Luther: There is nothing dearer on earth than woman’s love to him who can gain it. Comp. also P. Gerhard’s poetical treatment of the passage, “Voller Wunder, voller Kunst, etc. (Gesamm. geistl. Lieder,” No. 107).—Melanchthon: As virtues of the true matron there are named, above all the fear of God as the sum of all duties to God; then chastity, fidelity, love to her husband without any murmuring; diligence and energy in all domestic avocations; frugality, moderation and gentleness in the treatment of servants; care in the training of children, and beneficence to the poor.—Zeltner (on Pro_31:11 sq.): God gives to pious married people their subsistence and their needed bit of bread, yea, He blesses them, yet not without prayer and work.—[Arnot: Empty hours, empty hands, empty companions, empty words, empty hearts, draw in evil spirits, as a vacuum draws in air. To be occupied with good is the best defence against the inroads of evil].—Geier (on Pro_31:23): A pious virtuous wife is her husband’s ornament and honor (1Co_11:7). A vicious one, however, is a stain in every way (Sir_25:22 sq.).—[Arnot (on Pro_31:25): If honor be your clothing, the suit will last a lifetime; but if clothing be your honor, it will soon be worn threadbare].
Pro_31:30-31. Luther (marginal, on Pro_31:30): A woman can dwell with a man honorably and piously and be mistress of his house with a good conscience, but must to this end and with this fear God, trust and pray.—Cramer: The fear of God is the most beautiful of all ornaments of woman’s person; 1Pe_3:4.—Zeltner: If thou hast outward beauty see to it that thy heart and soul also be beautified before God in faith.—[Trapp: The body of honor is virtue, the soul of it humility.—Arnot: True devotion is chiefly in secret; but the bulk of a believer’s life is laid out in common duties, and cannot be hid. Lift up your heart to God and lay out your talents for the world; lay out your talents for the world and lift up your heart to God].—Starke (on Pro_31:31): Works of piety and love preserve among men a good remembrance, and are also rewarded by God of His grace ins everlasting joy; Heb_6:10; Psa_61:6. My God, let my works also graciously please Thee in Christ Jesus.
AMEN.
Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures (Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical), ed. John Peter Lange, English translation edited by Philip Schaff (1864–1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On vv2–3 What, my son?--that is, What shall I say? Repetitions…
What, my son?--that is, What shall I say? Repetitions denote earnestness.
son of my womb--as our phrase, "my own son," a term of special affection.
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son of my vows--as one dedicated to God; so the word "Lemuel" may mean.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv1–3 1. Words of King Lemuel — This must be…
1. Words of King Lemuel — This must be understood in a loose sense, not as if he was the author of them, but rather the subject, or the person to whom they were addressed; unless, indeed, we suppose, as is possible, that what we have here are indeed the words composed by Lemuel himself, in which he reduces to poetic form the wholesome instructions and precepts in which he was educated by his excellent mother. Thus they would be the “words of Lemuel,” but comprehending the teachings of his mother. The Syriac takes the first letter of the name as the lamedh auctoris, like לדוד, (ledhavidh,) a psalm of David, and thus gives the name simply as Muel.
This might be admissible in the first verse, but not in the fourth, where we have the name in the vocative, and where the lamedh could not be so resolved. Miller translates the word, “Seed of God.” With him Muel is Christ, and his mother is Mary!
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv1–3 1. The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy &c.…
1. The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy &c. Like Agur (Pro_30:1) Lemuel is some unknown king, whose oracle or prophecy is here preserved for us among the “words of the Wise.”
The rendering of R.V. marg. King of Massa, is arrived at by neglecting the accents, and taking the word massa, oracle, as a proper name.
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Professor Sayce (The Higher Criticism and the Monuments, pp. 478–80), who adopts this rendering, calls attention to the fact that Massa is “mentioned in Gen_25:14 among the sons of Ishmael, and is there associated with the Nabathæans, the Kedarites, and the people of Dumah andTeman”; and that “in Gen_10:23 Mash is along with Uz one of the four sons of Aram.” The country of Massa “corresponded roughly,” he says, “with the Arabia Petræa of the geographers,” and the Nabathæan and other inscriptions found on the rocks and tombs of Northern Arabia show that the early language of the country was Aramaic, as it continued to be not only in O.T. but in N.T. times “till the sword and the language of Islâm” changed it to “Arabic” as we now call it.
“That the proverbs of a king of Massa should be included in the literature of the O.T. is of interest from several points of view. On the one hand it makes it clear that the books with which the library of Jerusalem was stored were not confined to the works of Jewish or Israelitish authors. On the other hand it indicates that the language spoken in Massa was not very dissimilar from that spoken in Palestine.”
VII. The Words of King Lemuel. Chap. Pro_31:1-9
We have here another short Appendix. King Lemuel records, as his oracle, or wise teaching, the counsel given him by his mother (Pro_31:1). With terms of ardent affection (Pro_31:2) she bids him beware of lust (Pro_31:3), and excess of wine (Pro_31:4-7), and urges him to befriend the helpless (Pro_31:8), and to judge righteously (Pro_31:9).
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv1–3 APPENDIX (b).
XXXI.
APPENDIX (b).
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(1) The words of king Lemuel. . . .—More probably this should be translated,” The words of Lemuel, king of Massâ.” (See above on Pro_30:1.) “Lemuel,” which most likely signifies (dedicated) “to God,” has been, like Agur, supposed to be a designation of Solomon, but with no good reason.
The prophecy that his mother taught him.—Mothers were looked upon with great veneration in the East. (Comp. Pro_1:8; Pro_6:20.) The mothers of kings especially were treated with marked respect, receiving the title of “queen-mother.” (Comp. 1Ki_2:19; 1Ki_15:13.) This seems to be the reason why the mothers of Jewish kings are so constantly mentioned, e.g., 1Ki_14:31; 1Ki_15:2; 2Ki_12:1. At the present time the mother of the Khedive ranks before his principal wife.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv1–3 Vers. 1-9. Part VIII SECOND APPENDIX TO THE SECOND…
Vers. 1-9. Part VIII SECOND APPENDIX TO THE SECOND COLLECTION, containing "the words of Lemuel" on the subjects of impurity and intemperance.
The superscription. The words of King Lemuel, the prophecy which his mother taught him. Who is intended by "Lemuel king" is much disputed. Those who connect the following word massa ("oracle") with the preceding melek ("king"), translate "King of Massa," as Pro_30:1 (where see note). Of the country, or the king, or his mother, we have absolutely no information. The name Lemuel, or Lemoel (ver. 4), means "unto God," i.e. dedicated to God, like Lael; (Num_3:24) hence it is regarded by many authorities, ancient and modern, as an appellation of Solomon, one from infancy dedicated to God and celled by him Jedidiah, "beloved of the Lord". (2Sa_12:25) But there is nothing in the contents of this section to confirm this idea; indeed, there are expressions which militate against it. Possibly Hezekiah may be meant, and his remarkable piety somewhat confirms the opinion; yet we see no reason why he should be here addressed under a pseudonym, especially if we consider that he himself was concerned in making this collection. On the whole, it seems best to take Lemuel as a symbolical name, designating an ideal king, to whom an ideal mother addressed the exhortation which follows. Solomon"s own proverbs contain many warnings against the very sins of which this mother speaks, so that the section is conceived in the spirit of the earlier portion of the book, though it is assigned to a different author and another age. The prophecy (massa); the inspired utterance. (see on Pro_30:1) This maternal counsel forms one compact exhortation, which might with more propriety be so termed than the words of Agur. His mother. The mother of a reigning king was always regarded with the utmost respect, taking precedence of the king"s wife. Hence we so often find the names of kings" mothers in the sacred record; e.g. 1Ki_2:19 1Ki_14:21 1Ki_15:2 2Ki_12:1. It is difficult to say what reading was seen by the LXX, who render, "My words have been spoken by God, the oracle of a king whom his mother instructed." There are many wise women mentioned in Scripture; e.g. Miriam, Deborah, the Queen of Sheba, Huldah, etc., so there is nothing incongruous in Lemuel being instructed by his mother in wisdom.
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A mother"s counsel.
The last chapter of the Book of Proverbs gives us the picture of a mother"s counsel to her son wise and good and eloquent with love and yearning anxiety. Here is a picture to suggest the inestimable advantage to a young man of a mother"s guidance. In thoughtless, high-spirited youth this too often passes unheeded, and precious advice is then wasted on ungrateful ears. It would be more seemly to consider its unique merits.
I IT SPRINGS FROM A WOMAN"S NATURE. We have many beautiful pictures of women in the Bible. Inspired women have conveyed to us some parts of the biblical teaching. Deborah, (Jud_1:5:7) the mother of Samuel, and now the mother of Lemuel, all help us with great Divine truths or holy thoughts and influences. It is the gift of women to see into truth with a flash of sympathy. The wonder is that we have so small a part of the Bible from the tongue and pen of women.
II IT IS INSPIRED BY A MOTHER"S HEART. The biblical gallery of holy women does not introduce us to the cloisters. The Hebrew heroines were "mothers in Israel," not nuns. Maternity completes woman. "The perfect woman, nobly planned," is one who can think, love, and act with the large heart of a mother.
III IT IS CHARACTERIZED BY UNSELFISH DEVOTION. There is nowhere in all creation such an image of utterly unselfish, of completely self-sacrificing love as that of a woman for her child. She almost gives her life for his infant existence. All through his helpless years she watches over him with untiring care. When he goes forth into the world, she follows him with never-flagging interest. He may forget her; she will never forget him. If he does well, her joy is unbounded; if he does ill, her heart is broken. Without a thought of self, she spends herself on her child, and finds her life or her death in his conduct.
IV IT IS GUIDED BY DEEP KNOWLEDGE. The mother may not know much of the outer world; she may be quite ignorant of the most recent dicta of science; some of her notions may seem old-fashioned to her modern-minded son. But foolish indeed will he be if he dares to despise her counsels on such grounds. She knows him his strength and his weakness, his childish faults and his early promises. Here lies the secret of her wisdom.
V IT CANNOT BE NEGLECTED WITHOUT CRUEL INGRATITUDE. The son may think himself wiser than his mother, but at least, he should give reverent attention to her advice. So much love and care and thoughtfulness do not deserve to be tossed aside in a moment of impatience. The wise son will acknowledge that his mother"s wishes deserve his most earnest consideration. It may be, then, that he will be held back in the hour of temptation by the thought of the poignant grief that his shameful fall would give to his mother. It is much for a life to be worthy of a good Christian mother"s counsel.
HOMILIES BY E. JOHNSON Vers. 1-31. The words of Lernuel.
The fear of God is the leading thought in these meditations; and this in a twofold relation to the king in his rule in the state, and the woman in her rule in the house.
HOMILIES BY W. CLARKSON Vers. 1-3. Motherhood.
We have not many words from women"s lips in the inspired record, and we may therefore esteem the more highly those we possess. The verses bring out
I THE STRONG CLAIMS OF MOTHERHOOD. "The son of my womb;" "the son of my vows." These claims are based upon:
1. Motherhood as such. Upon all that motherhood means to us; upon the fact that the mother has borne her child, has cherished him at her own breast, has watched over his infancy and childhood with sedulous care, has shielded and succoured him, has fed and clothed him; as we say in one word has "mothered" him.
2. Motherly training and dedication. The early experiences of the mother include much beyond the physical realm; they include the education of the intellect, the training of the Will, the first imparting of religious instruction, the solemn dedication of her child to the service of God, repeated and earnest prayer on his behalf. Her child is not only her offspring; he is "the son of her vows," the one on whom she has expanded her most fervent piety.
3. Maternal affection and anxiety. The words of Lemuel"s mother are charged with deep affection and profound solicitude. And it is those who truly love us, and who are unselfishly devoted to our interest, that have the strongest claim upon us. A claim which is only that of natural relationship, and is not crowned and completed by affection, falls very short indeed of that which is strengthened and sanctified by sacrificial love.
II THE HOPE OF MOTHERHOOD. The mother hopes for good and even great things for and from her child; he is to stand among the strong, the wise, the honoured, the useful.
III ITS BITTER AND CRUEL DISAPPOINTMENT. When the son of much sorrow and prayer, of much patient training and earshot entreaty, who had a noble opportunity before him when he virtually signs away his inheritance, "gives his strength" to the destroyer, takes the path which leads to entire dethronement and ruin, then is there such a bitter and such a cruel disappointment as only at mother"s heart can feel and know. Then perishes a fond and proud and precious hope; then enters and takes possession a saddening, a crushing sorrow.
IV ITS RIGHT TO REMONSTRATE. "What, my son? This of thee? of thee whom I have loved and taught and trained? of thee for whom I have yearned and prayed? of thee from whom I have had a right to hope for such better things? Oh, lose not thy fair heritage! take the portion, live the life, wear the crown, still within thy reach!" A true and faithful mother has a right which is wholly indisputable, and strong with surpassing strength, to speak thus in affectionate expostulation to one who owes so much to her, and has returned her nothing. And what is
V THE FILIAL DUTY? Surely it is to receive such remonstrance with deep respect; to give to it a patient and dutiful attention; to take it into long and earnest consideration; to resolve that, cost what it may, the path of penitence and renewal shall be trodden; that anything shall be endured rather than a mother"s heart be pierced by the hand of her own child! C.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain On v1 The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy that his…
Pro_31:1
The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him.
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The words of king Lemuel
I. The first thing that strikes us here is the mother. The prophecy which his mother taught him.
1. A mothers anxiety. What shall he be? Better not to be, than to turn out a bad man. Seekest thou great things for the little one by thy side? Seek them not; better is it to be good than to be great; to be obscure in holiness rather than to be conspicuous in sin.
2. This is a pious mother. The son of my vows. It is a great thing to be the child of a good mother. We do not know the name of this mother--her sons nature we know. What eminent sons have ascribed all their distinction to their mother; but she is out of sight. He attains to fame; she is still unknown.
II. The mother taught her son things pertaining to character. Men cannot command circumstances or facts, but they can preserve principles. Principles are like the piles on which you build bridges, or on which you construct railways over morasses and swamps. Principles are the piles of life. Unshaken convictions and principles are only found in profound minds. King Lemuels mother left, as she might safely do, the technicalities of instruction to others; she looked after character; she laid the foundation strong in goodness. Women teach goodness better than men. There is the right power of woman. When the counsels of good mothers have been disregarded, how often those mothers have been avenged!
III. The prophecies which his mother taught him. The words of Lemuels mother are living still. In youth we love and are loved so quickly. Then love is pure--more of the heart and less of the senses, which all true love is. In noble natures, the purer the heart, the more it is purified by the love of God. Youth is the time for the choice between God and good, and Satan and evil. Be sober, said this mother. Do not excite the body, lest the body should rise against the soul and dethrone her. My soul, said John Foster, shall either be mistress in my body, or shall quit it. Never were young men in more danger than now.
1. Young men waste time. The wise man must separate himself. Ill habits gather by obscure degrees.
2. Young men fail in high principle. You see how everything goes down before things of money value. It is hard to reckon things by another than a money value. All fast living means low thinking, or nothing at all. These are the men who see nothing in religion, because they know nothing about it. Our sanctification must be wrought out where we are, not where we are not. Life is serious and earnest, but let us not despair over its failures, even though they abide with us to the close. He that walketh with wise men shall be wise. Walk with them in their books, in solitude, in meditation, and join their company at last. (E. Paxton Hood.)
The counsels of a noble mother to her son
The identity of this man Lemuel is lost in the mist of ages. A motherly ministry is the tenderest, the strongest, most influential of all the Divine ministers of the world, but when the ministry is the expression of a genuinely religious nature, and specially inspired by heaven, its character is more elevated, and its influence more beneficent and lasting. The counsel of this mother involves two things.
I. An earnest interdict. With what earnestness does she break forth! Her motherly heart seems all aflame! Her vehement intuition is against animal indulgence in its two great forms, debauchery and intemperance; against inordinate gratification of the passions and the appetites. The reign of animalism is a reign that manacles, enfeebles, and damns the soul. Lust blunts the moral sense, pollutes the memory, defiles the imagination, sends a withering influence through all the faculties of the moral man.
II. An earnest injunction. She enjoins social compassion. Some think in the phrase ready to perish there is an allusion to the practice of administering a potion of strong mixed wine to criminals, for the purpose of deadening their sensibility to suffering. But there are ordinary cases of suffering and distress where wine might be administered with salutary effect. What this mother inculcates is compassion to the poor. It is the duty and honour of kings to espouse the cause of the distressed. This mother enjoins not only compassion, but also justice. She is a model mother. (David Thomas D.D.)
The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary 1892 · Public Domain On v1 Lemuel. This Hebrew word signifies “For God,” or “belonging…
CRITICAL NOTES.—
Lemuel. This Hebrew word signifies “For God,” or “belonging to God,” and is regarded by most commentators as a proper name. The prophecy. Delitzsch, Stuart, and many other Hebrew scholars render this word as a proper name, and read “The words of Lemuel, king of MASSA, which his mother taught him.” Miller reads the verse, “Words in respect to the Seed-of-God, a king; a prophecy in agreement with which his mother disciplined him,” and, as in the preceding chapter, applies it to Christ.
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Pro_31:2. What, etc. “An impassioned exclamation expressing inward emotion.” (Zöckler.) “The question,” says Delitzsch, “which is at the same time a call, is like a deep sigh from the heart of a mother concerned for the welfare of a son.”
Pro_31:3. The second clause reads literally “nor thy ways to destroy kings,” and hence some understand it as a warning against warlike rapacity and lust of conquest, but, as Delitzsch remarks, this does not stand well as the parallel to the warning in the first clause.
Pro_31:4. Strong drink. (See on chap. Pro_20:1.)
Pro_31:5. Any of the afflicted. Literally “The sons of want.”
Pro_31:8. Such as are appointed to destruction. Literally “Children of leaving,” generally understood to mean orphans. The twenty-two verses following form an alphabetical song, each verse beginning with the several letters of the Hebrew alphabet arranged in consecutive order.
MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.—Pro_31:1-9
DIVINE COMMANDS FROM A MOTHER’S LIPS
I. Two considerations made it obligatory upon Lemuel to attend to this counsel of his mother.
1. She was inspired to utter it. However we may translate the word here rendered prophecy (see Critical Notes), its place in the Holy Scriptures gives to it the authority of a message from God. The words are not merely the results of a tender and wise mother’s own observation and experience, but they are the utterances of a spirit under the special influence of the Holy Ghost. Although, therefore, his mother’s love, and, doubtless, her holy example, ought to have been very powerful incentives to attention and obedience, his obligation was increased tenfold by the conviction he must have had that God spoke to him through her lips.
2. He was a king. If men in every station of life are bound to keep the paths of purity and charity, much more is it the duty of one in a high place—the influence of whose actions stretch so far beyond his immediate surroundings, and who holds in his hand the destinies of so many beside his own. Because Lemuel had been called by God to a throne, what he was and what he did concerned not a few people only, but a nation, and this reflection ought to have added great weight to his mother’s words.
II. The first and indispensable duty of a ruler is to rule himself. Every man is a little kingdom made up of many different and sometimes opposing forces—of inclinations towards the earthly, the sensual, and even the devilish, and of aspirations towards the heavenly, the spiritual, and the godlike. There are lawful desires which, satisfied in a lawful manner, may lead to much enjoyment and blessing, but which, if allowed to rule the man, or even to have any share in the government of the life, will degrade and may almost brutalise him. Bodily appetites have their place in the constitution of man, but it was never intended that they should be satisfied by breaking the moral law; and when they lead to this, moral anarchy has set in, and moral ruin is not far off. The two great sins of the body against which Lemuel is here warned have in all ages shown how man can turn blessings into curses by abusing and mis-using them, and the Word of God and human history unite in proclaiming the truth that the Divine intention is perverted when the body rules the man and not the man the body. Every man is bound to be king of himself, and one who aspires to be a king over others and is yet a slave to his own unlawful passions will bring upon himself the curse of man and the judgment of God. On this subject see also on chap. Pro_6:24-35, page 89, and chap. Pro_23:29-35, page 673.
III. The obligation next in order is succour of the needy. In former chapters we have considered the obligation which God lays upon every man to consider the cause of the poor and afflicted. (See on chaps. Pro_14:20, page 370, and chap. Pro_24:11, page 180.) As we remarked at the outset, duties which men owe to their fellow-men multiply and become binding in proportion to opportunities. The king of ancient times was but another name for one whose direct influence over his subjects was greater than that of monarchs in our day. His word was law, and the power of life and death was often in his hand alone, and if he exercised self-denial and gave of his substance to those in want, he might often by his individual action entirely change the condition of half his subjects. The relations of society have changed since then, and kings have no longer so exclusively the power for good or ill, but their influence is still very great, and if it is all exerted in favour of benevolence and justice, and they live lives of self-denial and active compassion on behalf of others, they will come up to the ideal picture here drawn for their imitation.
OUTLINES AND SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS
Pro_31:2. There was a threefold cord of maternal love which this parent was wont to employ, and which remained in its form as well as its power in the memory of her son. “My son” is the outmost and uppermost aspect of the relation. This is a bond set in nature, felt by the parties, and obvious to all. On this she leans first when she makes an appeal to his heart. But at the next step she goes deeper in. She recalls the day of his birth. She goes back to that hour when nature’s greatest sorrow is dispelled by nature’s gladdest news, “A man-child is born into the world.” By the pains and joys of that hour she knits the heart of her son to her own, and thereby increases her purchase upon the direction of his life. But still one step farther back can this mother go. He is the “son of her vows.” Before his birth she held converse, not with him for God, but with God for him.—Arnot.
Pro_31:4. It is not for kings to admit within their dominions anyone that is stronger than themselves, and able to overthrow them. It is not for kings to harbour anyone within their dominions that is false unto them, and ready to betray them: much more it is not for kings to admit within themselves any immoderate quantity of wine, which soon proveth too strong for them, and quickly with shame overthroweth them.—Jermin.
The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary (gen. ed. Joseph S. Exell; Funk & Wagnalls, c. 1892) — public domain (pre-1929). A full-Bible homiletical/sermon-outline anthology covering 65 of 66 books (2 John is absent from the source module). Text from a community e-Sword module.
J. R. Dummelow 1909 · Public Domain On v1 The Mother of Lemuel. The Excellent Woman
The Mother of Lemuel. The Excellent Woman
1-9. An exhortation addressed to king Lemuel by his mother, urging him to avoid women and wine. The latter leads to slackness and unfairness in the administration of justice.
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'1. Read the title thus: 'The words of Lemuel, king of Massa, which his mother taught him.' It is possible that the Massa of Gen_25:14 is meant.
2. The repeated What? appears to point to an inclination towards these excesses. Son of my vows] see 1Sa_1:11.
3. Read, 'Give not thy love to those who destroy kings.'
4. 'More are drowned in the wine-cup than in the ocean.'
6. Of heavy hearts] read, 'the bitter in soul.' The Talmud treats this verse as the foundation of the pious custom of the Jerusalem ladies, who provided medicated wine to dull the pain of those condemned to death (Mar_15:23).
10-31. A complete alphabetical poem, each of its 22 vv. beginning with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet. It describes the perfect housewife, the virtuous, or, as the word rather means, the 'excellent,' the 'capable' woman. Industrious herself, she sees to it that her servants are the same. She sells the products of their spinning and weaving, and buys lands with the money. She watches over the conduct of the entire household. She is kind to the poor and gentle to all. Husband and children pay her honour as the prime source of all their welfare. She is self-respecting and dignified. Religion lies at the root of her character.
The ideal is a worthy one, well adapted to life in one of the towns of antiquity, where the men were engaged in public business (Pro_31:23) and the women were supposed to attend to all domestic and business affairs. No doubt we should need some additional features for the portrait of the highest type of womanhood. This lady is not in the fullest sense the helpmeet for man. She is too much the toiler on his behalf, too little the partner of his thoughts and plans. Tennyson's 'Princess' strikes a note which we cannot afford to miss:
'Let her make herself her own
To give or keep, to live and learn and be
All that not harms distinctive womanhood.
Till at the last she set herself to man,
Like perfect music unto noble words;
And so these twain, upon the skirts of Time,
Sit side by side, full-summed in all their powers,
Dispensing harvest, sowing the To-be,
Self-reverent each and reverencing each,
Distinct in individualities,
But like each other ev'n as those who love.'
11. Spoil here means gain.
13. Read, 'worketh at that which her hands delight in.'
15. The portion is either the proper quantity of food or the allotted quantity of material for work.
21. Scarlet dye being costly, the garments would be of good material, thick and warm.
22. Read, 'She maketh for herself coverings' (Pro_7:16). There is no justification for the addition, 'of tapestry.'
25. 'She laugheth at the time to come' (RV), because she is prepared for anything.
26. On an Egyptian tombstone is the inscription: 'Peace was in the words which came from his mouth, and the book of the wise Thoth' (the divine scribe of the gods) 'was on his tongue.' A later Jerusalem proverb was: 'Gentleness is the salt which preserves wealth from corruption.'
30. Favour] i.e. charm and attractiveness.
J. R. Dummelow, A Commentary on the Holy Bible (Macmillan, 1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Arno C. Gaebelein 1922 · Public Domain On v1 CHAPTER 31 The Virtuous Woman
VII. THE WORDS OF KING LEMUEL TAUGHT HIM BY HIS MOTHER
CHAPTER 31 The Virtuous Woman
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“The words of King Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him”; this is the superscription of this chapter. Who is King Lemuel? No king by that name is known. We do not hesitate in saying that it is Solomon. It means “unto God” one who is devoted to the Lord. In all probability Solomon’s mother called her boy by this name, and here is the record therefore of the instruction given by Solomon’s mother. The warning is once more, and that very earnestly (shown by the thrice asked “what?” What shall I say unto you?) against licentiousness, against wine and strong drink. The brief words of the mother’s exhortation end with a request to act righteously as king, to stand up for those who are appointed to destruction, to plead the cause of the poor and needy.
The final portion of the book of Proverbs is a description of the virtuous woman. This section is quite different from the rest of the book, like many Psalms and the Lamentations it is alphabetically arranged. The virtuous woman, who is far more valuable than rubies, is described in her home as a faithful wife, a painstaking mother and the competent mistress of her household. There is no need to allegorize this description and apply it to the Church, as some have done. But this virtuous woman stands out in prominent and bright relief--a relief against the descriptions of “the strange woman,” the adulteress so repeatedly mentioned in Proverbs Pro 2:16-22; Pro 5:1-23; Pro 22:14; Pro 23:27, etc.). One of the proverbs is expanded in this beautiful picture drawn by the Spirit of God: “Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favor from the LORD.” But how few of the modern women reach this ideal! How few among Christian women measure up to it!
Thus ends the book of Proverbs, the book filled with practical instructions, warnings; food for thought and meditation; filled with wholesome counsel, with direction and guidance, the wisdom which is from above.
Arno C. Gaebelein, The Annotated Bible (1913–1922) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Paul E. Kretzmann 1924 · Public Domain On v1 Of Proper Kingly Deportment
Of Proper Kingly Deportment
v. 1. The words of King Lemuel, concerning whom nothing is otherwise known, the prophecy that his mother taught him, the words of instruction in the form of proverbial sayings which she imparted to him.
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v. 2. What, my son! an impassioned exclamation addressed to her son to keep him from choosing ways of evil. And what, the son of my womb! the expression being intended to show the depth of the true mother’s attachment. And what, the son of my vows! the mother regarding her son as one dedicated to the Lord from his birth. Having thus given evidence of her loving interest, the mother of Lemuel added some specific admonitions.
v. 3. Give not thy strength unto women, in a life of luxury, dissipation, and immorality, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings, to the women who ruin kings by leading them into licentiousness.
v. 4. It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings, to drink wine, to be given to drink, to be enslaved by the inebriating cup, nor for princes strong drink, they must never be under the influence of intoxicants,
v. 5. lest they drink and, with their senses and intellect enfeebled by alcohol, forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted, so that all the poor, helpless, and needy would be obliged to forego justice, that justice no longer could be obtained.
v. 6. Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, to those who are afflicted, heavy in heart, full of anxiety, who are on the point of expiring, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts, who are bowed down under the crushing weight of calamities which have befallen them.
v. 7. Let him drink and forget his poverty, the effect of the intoxicant being to give him a brighter view of life, and remember his misery no more. Not intemperance, but a moderate and proper use of wine and strong drink as gifts of God is here advocated, while total abstinence is recommended to those who occupy positions of authority and power.
v. 8. Open thy mouth for the dumb, those unable to maintain their own cause, in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction, or for the right of all orphan children, who are deprived of their natural protector.
v. 9. Open thy mouth, judge righteously, so that judgment is rendered in behalf of those under oppression, and plead the cause of the poor and needy. The virtues of mercy and justice should properly be combined in every person holding a position of authority and influence.
Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On v1 King Lemuel
King Lemuel
This is the name of a king. (See: How to Translate Names)
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What, my son? What is it, son of my womb? What do you want, son of my vows?
Possible meanings of the rhetorical question "What" are 1) "What are you doing?" or "You should not be doing what you are doing" or 2) "What shall I tell you?" or "Listen to what I am telling you" or 3) "Do not do the things I am about to warn you against." (See: Rhetorical Question)
my son ... son of my womb ... son of my vows
The speaker wants the hearer to notice carefully and to respect the one who is talking to him.
son of my womb
The womb is a synecdoche for the person. It is best to use a polite term for the body part in which babies grow before they are born.
son of my vows
The "vows" could be 1) the mother's marriage vows or 2) a vow after she married that if God allowed her to have a child she would dedicate him to God.
Do not give your strength to women
"Do not work hard trying to have sex with women," either outside of marriage or with concubines.
or your ways to those who destroy kings
"or allow those who destroy kings to advise you"
your ways
Possible meanings are 1) "the way you live your life" or 2) "the work you do"
those who destroy kings
probably the immoral "women" to whom he is not to give his strength
translationWords
king
womb
vow
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv1–2 31:1-9 Lemuel, like Agur, might have been from Massa…
31:1-9 Lemuel, like Agur, might have been from Massa (see study note on 30:1). Lemuel’s mother’s teaching encourages him to control his lusts (particularly for women and alcohol) so that he might reign justly. • Apart from this passage, Lemuel is unknown.
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.