Read Proverbs chapter 31 online with LogosAI Bible study tools, highlights, and cross references.
Proverbs 31 is part of “The Sayings of King Lemuel and the Excellent Wife” (31) in the outline of Proverbs.
Proverbs 31 summary
This chapter is added to Solomon's proverbs, some think because it is of the same author, supposing king Lemuel to be king Solomon; others only because it is of the same nature, though left in writing by another author, called Lemuel; however it be, it is a prophecy, and therefore given by inspiration and direction of God, which Lemuel was under in the writing of it, and putting it into this form, as his mother was in dictating to him the matter of it. Here is, I. An exhortation to Lemuel, a young prince, to take heed of the sins he would be tempted to and to do the duties of the place he was called to (Pro 31:1-9). II. The description of a virtuous woman, especially in the relation of a wife and the mistress of a family, which Lemuel's mother drew up, not as an encomium of herself, though, no doubt, it was her own true picture, but either as an instruction to her daughters, as the foregoing verses were to her son, or as a direction to her son in the choice of a wife; she must be chaste and modest, diligent and frugal, dutiful to her husband, careful of her family, discreet in her discourse, and in the education of her children, and, above all, conscientious in her duty to God: such a one as this, if he can find her, will make him happy (v. 10-31).
Source: Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible (1706–21; Romans–Revelation completed by Nonconformist ministers). Public domain. Digital text: Free Use Bible API (bible.helloao.org).
1 The words of King Lemuel—the revelation which his mother taught him:
2 “Oh, my son! Oh, son of my womb! Oh, son of my vows!
3 Don’t give your strength to women, nor your ways to that which destroys kings.
4 It is not for kings, Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, nor for princes to say, ‘Where is strong drink?’
5 lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the justice due to anyone who is afflicted.
6 Give strong drink to him who is ready to perish, and wine to the bitter in soul.
7 Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.
8 Open your mouth for the mute, in the cause of all who are left desolate.
9 Open your mouth, judge righteously, and serve justice to the poor and needy.”