Lemuel לְמוּאֵל
King mentioned in Proverbs; his mother taught him wisdom
Who is Lemuel in the Bible?
King Lemuel appears in Proverbs 31:1 as a monarch to whom the wisdom sayings in that chapter are attributed. His mother taught him these proverbs, which warn him against pursuing women and consuming wine, cautioning that such indulgences are unsuitable for kings (Proverbs 31:3-7). She also instructs him to advocate for the voiceless, defend the poor and needy, and judge with fairness (Proverbs 31:8-9). The Bible provides no other details about Lemuel's identity or reign, and he is not mentioned elsewhere in scripture, leading some scholars to suggest he may have been a non-Israelite king or a symbolic representation of a righteous ruler. His significance lies in the maternal wisdom tradition he represents, where a mother's ethical guidance shapes a leader's moral character and commitment to justice.
Biography
Lemuel is mentioned in the opening verse of Proverbs 31 as a king to whom the sayings in this chapter are attributed (Pro.31.1). The chapter contains the words of King Lemuel, which were taught to him by his mother (Pro.31.1). In her teaching, Lemuel's mother warns him against giving his strength to women and urges him not to drink wine or strong drink, as it is not fitting for kings (Pro.31.3-7). She also instructs him to speak up for the mute, defend the rights of the poor and needy, and judge righteously (Pro.31.8-9). The identity and reign of King Lemuel are not specified in the Bible, and he is not mentioned elsewhere in the scriptures. Some scholars suggest that Lemuel may have been a non-Israelite king or a symbolic name representing a wise and righteous ruler. The chapter concludes with a description of a virtuous wife, often referred to as the "Proverbs 31 woman" (Pro.31.10-31).
In Scripture
1 biblical book ; 1 with study contentProverbs 2 verses
- Proverbs 31:1
"These are the words of King Lemuel—the burden that his mother taught him:"
Study Proverbs → - Proverbs 31:4
"It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, or for rulers to crave strong drink,"
Study Proverbs →
Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script |
|---|---|---|
| Named | Hebrew | לְמוּאֵל |
Encyclopedia Article
ISBE 1915 (Public Domain) Lemuel
is from the same source. Instead of translating the word after this name as "oracle" some propose to leave it as a proper name, translating "king of Massa," and referring for his kingdom to Massa (Ge 25:14), one of the sons of Ishmael, supposedly head of a tribe or sheikh of a country. It is to be noted, however, that the words of Agur in the previous chapter are similarly called massa', "oracle" with not so clear a reason for referring it to a country. See for a suggested reason for retaining the meaning "oracle" in both places, PROVERBS, THE BOOK OF, II, 6.
John Franklin Genung
lon: The translation of 7 Hebrew and 2 Greek vbs.:
1Lexical Usages
In the Old Testament: lawah, "to join," "cause to join," "lend" (Ex 22:25; <ref osisRef="Bible