It is not for kings, Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, nor for princes to say, ‘Where is strong drink?’
lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the justice due to anyone who is afflicted.
Parallel Translations
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It is not for kings, Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, nor for princes to say, ‘Where is strong drink?’
lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the justice due to anyone who is afflicted.
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It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink:
Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted.
Show all 3 translations
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It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine: nor for princes to say: 'Where is strong drink?'
Lest they drink, and forget that which is decreed, and pervert the justice due to any that is afflicted.
Cross-references (14)
- Proverbs 20:1 (v4) Wine is a mocker and beer is a brawler. Whoever is led astray by them is not wise.
- Ecclesiastes 10:17 (v4) Happy are you, land, when your king is the son of nobles, and your princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!
- Isaiah 5:22 (v4) Woe to those who are mighty to drink wine, and champions at mixing strong drink;
- Hosea 4:11-12 (v4) Prostitution, wine, and new wine take away understanding. My people consult with their wooden idol, and answer to a stick of wood. Indeed…
- Habakkuk 2:5 (vv4–5) Yes, moreover, wine is treacherous. An arrogant man who doesn’t stay at home, who enlarges his desire as Sheol, and he is like death, and…
Show all 13 cross-references
- 1 Kings 20:16-20 (v4) They went out at noon. But Ben Hadad was drinking himself drunk in the pavilions, he and the kings, the thirty-two kings who helped him.…
- Leviticus 10:9-10 (v4) “You and your sons are not to drink wine or strong drink whenever you go into the Tent of Meeting, or you will die. This shall be a statute…
- Esther 3:15 (v4) The couriers went out in haste by the king’s commandment, and the decree was given out in the citadel of Susa. The king and Haman sat down…
- Isaiah 28:7-8 (v4) They also reel with wine, and stagger with strong drink. The priest and the prophet reel with strong drink. They are swallowed up by wine.…
- Daniel 5:2-4 (v4) Belshazzar, while he tasted the wine, commanded that the golden and silver vessels which Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the…
- Hosea 7:3-5 (v4) They make the king glad with their wickedness, and the princes with their lies. They are all adulterers. They are burning like an oven that…
- Mark 6:21-28 (v4) Then a convenient day came, that Herod on his birthday made a supper for his nobles, the high officers, and the chief men of Galilee. When…
- 1 Kings 20:12 (v4) When Ben Hadad heard this message, as he was drinking, he and the kings, in the pavilions, he said to his servants, “Prepare to attack!”…
13 distinct cross-references across this passage (14 total citations).
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this passage (16 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On v4 That is, the King must not give himself to…
That is, the King must not give himself to wantonness, and neglect of his office, which is to execute judgment.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv4–5 Pro 31:4 [It is] not for kings, O Lemuel,…
Pro 31:4 [It is] not for kings, O Lemuel, [it is] not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink:
Ver. 4. It is not for kings to drink wine,] i.e., To be "drunk with wine, wherein is excess," {Eph 5:18} where the apostle determines excessive drinking to be downright drunkenness, viz., when as swine do their bellies, so men break their heads with filthy quaffing. This, as no man may lawfully do, so least of all princes; for in maxima libertate minima est licentia. Men are therefore the worse because they are bound to be better.
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Nor for princes strong drink.] Or, as some read it, Where is the strong drink? It is not for princes to ask such a question. All heady and intoxicating drinks are by statute here forbidden them. Of Bonosus the emperor it was said that he was born non ut vivat sed ut bibat, not to live but to drink; and when, being overcome by Probus, he afterwards hanged himself, it was commonly jested that a tankard hung there, and not a man. But what a beast was Marcus Antonius, that wrote (or rather spewed out) a book concerning his own strength to bear strong drink? And what another was Darius King of Persia, who commanded this inscription to be set upon his sepulchre, "I was able to hunt lustily, to drink wine soundly, and to bear it bravely." {a} That Irish rebel Tiroen, A.D. 1567, was such a drunkard, that, to cool his body when he was immoderately inflamed with wine and whisky, he would many times be buried in the earth up to the chin. {b} These were unfit men to bear rule.
{a} Kυνηγειν εκρατουν, οινον πολυν πινειν, και τουτον φερειν καλως. - Strabo.
{b} Camden’s Elisabeth.
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 vv4–5 To drink wine, to wit, to drunkenness or excess,…
To drink wine, to wit, to drunkenness or excess, as the next verse explains it.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv4–5 It is not for kings, O Lemuel,.... It is…
It is not for kings, O Lemuel,.... It is not fit for them, it is very unbecoming them; it is dishonourable to them, to such as Lemuel was, or was likely to be; or far be it from kings, let no such thing be do ne by them, nor by thee;
it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink; it is lawful for kings to drink wine in a moderate manner, and for princes, counsellors, and judges, to drink strong drink; meaning not such as is made of malt, which in those times was not used; but of honey, dates, pomegranates, and such like things; but then it was very unbecoming for either of them to drink any of these to excess; it is very disgraceful to any man to drink immoderately, to make a beast of himself, and much more a king or judge, who, of all men, ought to be grave and sober; both that they may perform their office well, and maintain the grandeur and dignity of it, which otherwise would become useless and despicable, yea, pernicious, as follows. Solomon, notwithstanding this advice, gave himself unto wine as well as women, Ecc 2:3. The Targum is,
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"take care of kings, O Lemuel, of kings who drink wine, and of princes that drink strong drink.''
So the Syriac version, keep no company with them, nor follow their example; see Ecc 10:17; The last clause may be rendered, "nor for princes to say, where is strong drink" (d)? where is it to be had? where is the best? as drunkards do; which is according to the marginal reading; but the "Cetib", or writing, is "or" (e); but some render it as a noun, "the desire of strong drink" (f): it does not become princes to covet it.
(d) "ubi sechar?" Montanus, Vatlablus; "ubi (est) sicera?", Cocceius, Michaelis; so Ben Melech. (e) "siceram", Cocceius, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Gussetius. p. 20. Schultens. (f) "Nunc vino pellite curas", Horat. Carmin, l. 1. Ode 7. v. 31. "Tu spem reducis", &c. ib. l. 3. Ode 21. v. 17.
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 v4 To drink - To excess.
To drink - To excess.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv4–5 Verse 4. It is not for kings - to…
Verse 4. It is not for kings - to drink wine] An intemperate man is ill fit to hold the reins of government.
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 v4 Pro 31:4-7. It is not for kings to drink…
Pro 31:4-7. It is not for kings to drink wine — Namely, to excess, as the next verse explains it: Lest they drink and forget the law — The laws of God, by which they are to govern themselves and their kingdoms; and pervert the judgment of the afflicted — Which may be easily done by a drunken judge, because drunkenness deprives a man of the use of his reason; by which alone men can distinguish between right and wrong, and withal stirs up those passions in him, which incline him both to precipitation and partiality. Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish — To faint; for such need a cordial. This is to be understood comparatively; to him rather than to kings, because he needs a liberal draught of it more than they do. Let him drink and forget his poverty — For wine moderately used allays men’s cares and fears, and cheers the spirits.
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 v4 Some read: “nor for princes to say, Where is…
Some read: “nor for princes to say, Where is strong drink?” The “strong drink” Pro 20:1 was distilled from barley, or honey, or dates.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv4–5 Give. Septuagint, "Do all with counsel. By advice drink…
Give. Septuagint, "Do all with counsel. By advice drink wine. Lords are inclined to anger; let them not drink wine." (Haydock) --- Solomon took this advice, Ecclesiastes ii. 3.
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).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On v4 Stimulants enfeeble reason, pervert the heart, and do not…
Stimulants enfeeble reason, pervert the heart, and do not suit rulers, who need clear and steady minds, and well-governed affections (compare Pro 20:1; Pro 22:29).
pervert . . . afflicted--They give unrighteous decisions against the poor.
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 vv4–5 4. Nor for princes strong drink — Or, the…
4. Nor for princes strong drink — Or, the desire of strong drink. שׁכר, (shekhar,) rendered strong drink, usually means any kind of fermented drink other than wine, and sometimes means wine, or is so rendered, as in Num_28:7. There is nothing in the etymology of the word requiring our qualifying term strong. Nor is the qualifier used as distinguishing it from wine, or as compared with wine; but as distinguishing it from other drinks, as water, milk, etc., which possess no inebriating properties. It is the sikera of the Greeks, (see Luk_1:15.) Besides wine, which is properly the juice of the grape, the Hebrews and other ancients manufactured drinks possessing exhilarating and intoxicating qualities from other fruits also, as the date and apple; from grain, as barley; from honey, etc. Shekhar, or sikera, seems to have been a generic term applied to any and all of these drinks. It is generally distinguished from wine, and the poets often use shekhar in one member and יין, (yayin,) wine, in the other member of a verse or distich. It is probable that fermented wine was the strongest drink known to the Hebrews, except such as were mixed with drugs to increase their intoxicating properties. These mixed wines, or other mixed beverages, are also sometimes called shekhar. Isa_5:22. Compare Proverbs xxiii, 29, et seq., and notes.
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 vv4–5 4. It is not for] or, Far be it…
4. It is not for] or, Far be it from.
for princes strong drink] Rather, for princes to say, Where is strong drink? This is the corrected Heb. reading for that noticed in R.V., marg., “Another reading is, to desire strong drink.”
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 v4 (4) It is not for kings to drink wine.—Another…
(4) It is not for kings to drink wine.—Another of the temptations of kings. (Comp. 1Ki_16:9; 1Ki_20:16; Ecc_10:17.) Perversion of justice as the result of revelry is also noted by Isaiah (Isa_5:22-23). Comp. St. Paul’s advice to “use this world so as not abusing,” or rather “using it to the full” (1Co_7:31)
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 vv4–5 Vers. 4-7. The second admonition. A warning against inebriety,…
Vers. 4-7. The second admonition. A warning against inebriety, and concerning a proper use of strong drink.
It is not for kings; or, as others read, far be it from kings. The injunction is repeated to indicate its vast importance. Nor for princes strong drink; literally, nor for princes (the word), Where is strong drink? (see on Pro_20:1; and comp. Job_15:23) The evils of intemperance, flagrant enough in the case of a private person, are greatly enhanced in the ease of a king, whose misdeeds may affect a whole community, as the next verse intimates. St. Jerome reads differently, translating, "Because there is no secret where drunkenness reigns." This is in accordance with the proverb, "When wine goes in the secret comes out;" and, "Where drink enters, wisdom departs;" and again, "Quod latet in mente sobrii, hoc natat in ore ebrii." Septuagint, "The powerful are irascible, but let them not drink wine." "Drunkenness," says Jeremy Taylor ("Holy Living," ch. 3, "opens all the sanctuaries of nature, and discovers the nakedness of the soul, all its weaknesses and follies; it multiplies sins and discovers them; it makes a man incapable of being a private friend or a public counsellor. It taketh a man"s soul into slavery and imprisonment more than any vice whatsoever, because it disarms a man of all his reason and his wisdom, whereby he might be cured, and, therefore, commonly it grows upon him with age; a drunkard being still more a fool and less a man."
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On v4 This is the name of a man. See how…
Lemuel
This is the name of a man. See how you translated this in Proverbs 31:1.
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what has been decreed
This can be translated in active form. Possible meanings are 1) "what God has decreed" or 2) "what the kings themselves have decreed" (See: Active or Passive)
pervert the rights of all the afflicted
"deny afflicted people their legal rights"
pervert
exchange good for evil
all the afflicted
"all those people whom others wrongfully harm"
translationWords
king
wine
rule
strong drink
afflicted
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 v4 31:4-7 Too much wine numbs the senses. A king…
31:4-7 Too much wine numbs the senses. A king needs his wits about him and should not overindulge in alcohol.
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.