Focused Passage

Proverbs 31:1-9

The Words of Lemuel: Righteous Kingship, Justice for the Needy, and the Woman Who Fears the LORD

The chapter moves from royal warning against sensual and intoxicating distraction, to the king's duty to judge fairly and defend the vulnerable, then to an acrostic portrait of wisdom embodied in a noble woman whose diligence, generosity, enterprise, speech, household oversight, and fear of the LORD bring lasting praise.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

1These are the words of King Lemuel—the burden that his mother taught him:

2What shall I say, O my son? What, O son of my womb? What, O son of my vows?

3Do not spend your strength on women or your vigor on those who ruin kings.

4It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, or for rulers to crave strong drink,

5lest they drink and forget what is decreed, depriving all the oppressed of justice.

6Give strong drink to one who is perishing, and wine to the bitter in soul.

7Let him drink and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.

8Open your mouth for those with no voice, for the cause of all the dispossessed.

9Open your mouth, judge righteously, and defend the cause of the poor and needy.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Cross-references

Proverbs 6:20Classic cross-references 2 Timothy 1:5Classic cross-references Proverbs 1:8Classic cross-references Proverbs 31:28Classic cross-references 1 Thessalonians 2:11Classic cross-references

Original words

[These are] the wordsדִּ֭בְרֵיH1697Noun - masculine plural constructof Kingמֶ֑לֶךְH4428Noun - masculine singular constructLemuelלְמוּאֵ֣לH3927Noun - proper - masculine singularthe burdenמַ֝שָּׂ֗אH4853Noun - masculine singularthatאֲ‍ֽשֶׁר־H834Pronoun - relativehis motherאִמּֽוֹ׃H517Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singulartaught himיִסְּרַ֥תּוּH3256Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person feminine singular | third person masculine singular

Verse 2

Cross-references

Isaiah 49:15Classic cross-references 1 Samuel 1:11Classic cross-references

Original words

What [shall I say]מַה־H4100InterrogativeO my sonבְּ֭רִיH1248Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularWhatוּמַֽה־H4100Conjunctive waw | InterrogativeO sonבַּר־H1248Noun - masculine singular constructof my wombבִּטְנִ֑יH990Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singularWhatוּ֝מֶהH4100Conjunctive waw | InterrogativeO sonבַּר־H1248Noun - masculine singular constructof my vowsנְדָרָֽי׃H5088Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular

BSB notes

Or What or What are you doing

Verse 3

Cross-references

Deuteronomy 17:17Classic cross-references Nehemiah 13:26Classic cross-references Proverbs 7:26Classic cross-references Proverbs 5:9Classic cross-references 1 Kings 11:1Classic cross-references

Original words

Do notאַל־H408Adverbspendתִּתֵּ֣ןH5414Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularyour strengthחֵילֶ֑ךָH2428Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singularon womenלַנָּשִׁ֣יםH802Preposition-l, Article | Noun - feminine pluralor your vigorוּ֝דְרָכֶ֗יךָH1870Conjunctive waw | Noun - common plural construct | second person masculine singularon those who ruinלַֽמְח֥וֹתH4229Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive constructkingsמְלָכִֽין׃H4428Noun - masculine plural

Verse 4

Cross-references

Proverbs 20:1Classic cross-references Ecclesiastes 10:17Classic cross-references Isaiah 5:22Classic cross-references 1 Timothy 5:23Classic cross-references Hosea 4:11Classic cross-references

Original words

It is notאַ֤לH408Adverbfor kingsלַֽמְלָכִ֨ים׀H4428Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine pluralO Lemuelלְֽמוֹאֵ֗לH3927Noun - proper - masculine singularit is notאַ֣לH408Adverbfor kingsלַֽמְלָכִ֣יםH4428Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine pluralto drinkשְׁתוֹ־H8354Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructwineיָ֑יִןH3196Noun - masculine singularor for rulersוּ֝לְרוֹזְנִ֗יםH7336Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural[to crave]אוֹH176Interrogativestrong drinkשֵׁכָֽר׃H7941Noun - masculine singular

Verse 5

Cross-references

Proverbs 3:1Classic cross-references Habakkuk 2:5Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 27:19Classic cross-references Proverbs 23:33Classic cross-references

Original words

lestפֶּן־H6435Conjunctionthey drinkיִ֭שְׁתֶּהH8354Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularand forgetוְיִשְׁכַּ֣חH7911Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine singularwhat is decreedמְחֻקָּ֑קH2710Verb - Pual - Participle - masculine singulardeprivingוִֽ֝ישַׁנֶּהH8138Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine singularallכָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructthe oppressedבְּנֵי־H1121Noun - masculine plural construct. . .עֹֽנִי׃H6040Noun - masculine singularof justiceדִּ֣יןH1779Noun - masculine singular construct

Verse 6

Cross-references

1 Timothy 5:23Classic cross-references Psalms 104:15Classic cross-references 1 Samuel 1:10Classic cross-references 1 Samuel 30:6Classic cross-references 2 Kings 4:27Classic cross-references

Original words

Giveתְּנוּ־H5414Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine pluralstrong drinkשֵׁכָ֣רH7941Noun - masculine singularto one who is perishingלְאוֹבֵ֑דH6Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularand wineוְ֝יַיִןH3196Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singularto the bitterלְמָ֣רֵיH4751Preposition-l | Adjective - masculine plural constructin soulנָֽפֶשׁ׃H5315Noun - feminine singular

Verse 7

Cross-references

Ephesians 5:18Classic cross-references Genesis 41:51Classic cross-references

Original words

Let him drinkיִ֭שְׁתֶּהH8354Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularand forgetוְיִשְׁכַּ֣חH7911Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine singularhis povertyרִישׁ֑וֹH7389Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularand rememberיִזְכָּר־H2142Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularhis miseryוַ֝עֲמָל֗וֹH5999Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularnoלֹ֣אH3808Adverb - Negative particlemoreעֽוֹד׃H5750Adverb

Verse 8

Cross-references

Psalms 82:3Classic cross-references Proverbs 24:11Classic cross-references Proverbs 31:26Classic cross-references Isaiah 11:4Classic cross-references Ecclesiastes 3:7Classic cross-references

Original words

Openפְּתַח־H6605Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularyour mouthפִּ֥יךָH6310Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singularfor those with no voiceלְאִלֵּ֑םH483Preposition-l | Adjective - masculine singularforאֶל־H413Prepositionthe causeדִּ֝֗יןH1779Noun - masculine singular constructof allכָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructthe dispossessedבְּנֵ֥יH1121Noun - masculine plural construct. . .חֲלֽוֹף׃H2475Noun - masculine singular

Verse 9

Cross-references

Isaiah 1:17Classic cross-references Amos 5:11Classic cross-references Leviticus 19:15Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 1:16Classic cross-references Job 29:15Classic cross-references

Original words

Openפְּתַח־H6605Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularyour mouthפִּ֥יךָH6310Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singularjudgeשְׁפָט־H8199Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularrighteouslyצֶ֑דֶקH6664Noun - masculine singularand defend the causeוְ֝דִ֗יןH1777Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularof the poorעָנִ֥יH6041Adjective - masculine singularand needyוְאֶבְיֽוֹן׃פH34Conjunctive waw | Adjective - masculine singular

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