Proverbs 31:1-9

The Words of King Lemuel

1 The words of King Lemuel. An oracle that his mother taught him:

2 What are you doing, my son? ^[a] What are you doing, ¹son of my womb? What are you doing, ²son of my vows?

3 Do ³not give your strength to women, your ways to those ⁴who destroy kings.

4 ⁵It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings ⁶to drink wine, or for rulers to take ⁷strong drink,

5 lest they drink and forget what has been decreed and ⁸pervert the rights of all the afflicted.

6 Give strong drink to the one who ⁹is perishing, and wine to ¹⁰those in bitter distress; ^[b]

7 ¹¹let them drink and forget their poverty and remember their misery no more.

8 ¹²Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute. ^[c]

9 Open your mouth, ¹³judge righteously, ¹⁴defend the rights of ¹⁵the poor and needy.

Proverbs 31:1-9 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO PROVERBS 31

This chapter contains the last part of the book of Proverbs; which some reckon the fifth, others the sixth. It contains the instructions of the mother of a prince, whose name was Lemuel, which she gave unto him; and which are so valuable, as to be annexed to the proverbs of Solomon. The preface or introduction to them is in Pr 31:1; the address to her son, Pr 31:2. The vices she cautions him against are uncleanness and intemperance; which she dissuades from, because of the pernicious consequences of both to kings and to their subjects, Pr 31:3-5. Advises rather to give wine and strong drink to poor people, such as are in distress; as being more useful to them, at least less prejudicial, Pr 31:6,7; and exhorts her son to the duties of his office; by pleading the cause of the poor and injured, and administering justice to them, Pr 31:8,9. And then at large describes a virtuous woman; perhaps designed as an instruction to her son in the choice of a wife, Pr 31:10-31; though more than that may be intended by it.

Cross References

• 1. 31:2 Isa. 49:15
• 2. 31:2 [1 Sam. 1:27]
• 3. 31:3 [ch. 5:9]
• 4. 31:3 [ch. 7:26; Deut. 17:17; 1 Kgs. 11:1; Neh. 13:26]
• 5. 31:4 Eccles. 10:17; [1 Kgs. 16:9; 20:16]
• 6. 31:4 [Hos. 4:11]
• 7. 31:4 ch. 20:1
• 8. 31:5 [Isa. 5:22, 23]
• 9. 31:6 Job 29:13
• 10. 31:6 Job 3:20
• 11. 31:7 [Ps. 104:15]
• 12. 31:8 Job 29:12, 15, 16; [Isa. 1:17]
• 13. 31:9 Lev. 19:15; Deut. 1:16
• 14. 31:9 Jer. 22:16; [Isa. 1:17]
• 15. 31:9 ver. 20; Ps. 40:17; 86:1

Footnotes

• [a] 31:2 Hebrew 'What, my son?'
• [b] 31:6 Hebrew 'those bitter in soul'
• [c] 31:8 Hebrew 'are sons of passing away'