4 Not for kings, O Lemuel, Not for kings, to drink wine, And for princes a desire of strong drink.
Happy art thou, O land, When thy king `is' a son of freemen, And thy princes do eat in due season, For might, and not for drunkenness.
Wine `is' a scorner -- strong drink `is' noisy, And any going astray in it is not wise.
`Wine and strong drink thou dost not drink, thou, and thy sons with thee, in your going in unto the tent of meeting, and ye die not -- a statute age-during to your generations; so as to make a separation between the holy and the common, and between the unclean and the pure;
And even these through wine have erred, And through strong drink have wandered, Priest and prophet erred through strong drink, They have been swallowed up of the wine, They wandered because of the strong drink, They have erred in seeing, They have stumbled judicially. For all tables have been full of vomit, Filth -- without place!
And also, because the wine `is' treacherous, A man is haughty, and remaineth not at home, Who hath enlarged as sheol his soul, And is as death that is not satisfied, And doth gather unto itself all the nations, And doth assemble unto itself all the peoples,
And it cometh to pass at the hearing of this word -- and he is drinking, he and the kings, in the booths -- that he saith unto his servants, `Set yourselves;' and they set themselves against the city.
and they go out at noon, and Ben-Hadad is drinking -- drunk in the booths, he and the kings, the thirty and two kings, helping him. And the young men of the heads of the provinces go out at the first, and Ben-Hadad sendeth, and they declare to him, saying, `Men have come out of Samaria.' And he saith, `If for peace they have come out -- catch them alive; and if for battle they have come out -- alive catch them.' And these have gone out of the city -- the young men of the heads of the provinces -- and the force that `is' after them, and smite each his man, and Aram fleeth, and Israel pursueth them, and Ben-Hadad king of Aram escapeth on a horse, and the horsemen;
The runners have gone forth, hastened by the word of the king, and the law hath been given in Shushan the palace, and the king and Haman have sat down to drink, and the city Shushan is perplexed.
Belshazzar hath said -- while tasting the wine -- to bring in the vessels of gold and of silver that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken from the temple that `is' in Jerusalem, that drink with them may the king, and his great men, his wives, and his concubines. Then they have brought in the vessels of gold that had been taken out of the temple of the house of God that `is' in Jerusalem, and drunk with them have the king and his great men, his wives and his concubines; they have drunk wine, and have praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone.
With their wickedness they make glad a king, And with their lies -- princes. All of them `are' adulterers, Like a burning oven of a baker, He ceaseth from stirring up after kneading the dough, till its leavening. A day of our king! Princes have polluted themselves `with' the poison of wine, He hath drawn out his hand with scorners.
And a seasonable day having come, when Herod on his birthday was making a supper to his great men, and to the chiefs of thousands, and to the first men of Galilee, and the daughter of that Herodias having come in, and having danced, and having pleased Herod and those reclining (at meat) with him, the king said to the damsel, `Ask of me whatever thou wilt, and I will give to thee,' and he sware to her -- `Whatever thou mayest ask me, I will give to thee -- unto the half of my kingdom.' And she, having gone forth, said to her mother, `What shall I ask for myself?' and she said, `The head of John the Baptist;' and having come in immediately with haste unto the king, she asked, saying, `I will that thou mayest give me presently, upon a plate, the head of John the Baptist.' And the king -- made very sorrowful -- because of the oaths and of those reclining (at meat) with him, would not put her away, and immediately the king having sent a guardsman, did command his head to be brought, and he having gone, beheaded him in the prison, and brought his head upon a plate, and did give it to the damsel, and the damsel did give it to her mother;
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Proverbs 31
Commentary on Proverbs 31 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 31
Pr 31:1-31.
1. On the title of this, the sixth part of the book, see Introduction.
prophecy—(See on Pr 30:1).
2. What, my son?—that is, What shall I say? Repetitions denote earnestness.
son of my womb—as our phrase, "my own son," a term of special affection.
son of my vows—as one dedicated to God; so the word "Lemuel" may mean.
3-9. Succinct but solemn warnings against vices to which kings are peculiarly tempted, as carnal pleasures and oppressive and unrighteous government are used to sustain sensual indulgence.
strength—mental and bodily resources for health and comfort.
thy ways—or course of life.
to that … kings—literally, "to the destroying of kings," avoid destructive pleasures (compare Pr 5:9; 7:22, 27; Ho 4:11).
4, 5. Stimulants enfeeble reason, pervert the heart, and do not suit rulers, who need clear and steady minds, and well-governed affections (compare Pr 20:1; 22:29).
pervert … afflicted—They give unrighteous decisions against the poor.
6, 7. The proper use of such drinks is to restore tone to feeble bodies and depressed minds (compare Ps 104:15).
8, 9. Open … cause—Plead for those who cannot plead for themselves, as the orphan, stranger, &c. (compare Ps 72:12; Isa 1:17).
appointed to destruction—who are otherwise ruined by their oppressors (compare Pr 29:14, 16).
10-31. This exquisite picture of a truly lovely wife is conceived and drawn in accordance with the customs of Eastern nations, but its moral teachings suit all climes. In Hebrew the verses begin with the letters of the Hebrew alphabet in order (compare Introduction to Poetical Books).
Who … woman—The question implies that such are rare, though not entirely wanting (compare Pr 18:22; 19:14).
virtuous—literally, "of strength," that is, moral courage (compare Pr 12:4; Ru 3:11).
her price, &c.—(compare Pr 3:15).
11. heart … trust in her—He relies on her prudence and skill.
no need of spoil—does not lack profit or gain, especially, that obtained by the risk of war.
12. do … good—contribute good to him.
13, 14. Ancient women of rank thus wrought with their hands; and such, indeed, were the customs of Western women a few centuries since. In the East also, the fabrics were articles of merchandise.
15. She diligently attends to expending as well as gathering wealth;
16. and hence has means to purchase property.
17, 18. To energy she adds a watchfulness in bargains, and a protracted and painful industry. The last clause may figuratively denote that her prosperity (compare Pr 24:20) is not short lived.
19. No work, however mean, if honest, is disdained.
20. Industry enables her to be charitable.
21. scarlet—or, "purple," by reason of the dyes used, the best fabrics; as a matter of taste also; the color suits cold.
22. coverings of tapestry—or, "coverlets," that is, for beds.
silk—or, "linen" (compare Ex 26:1; 27:9)
and purple—that is, the most costly goods.
23. in the gates—(compare Pr 22:22). His domestic comfort promotes his advancement in public dignity.
24. fine linen—or, "linen shirts," or the material for them.
girdles—were often costly and highly valued (2Sa 18:11).
delivereth—or, "giveth as a present" or "to sell."
25. Strength and honour—Strong and beautiful is her clothing; or, figuratively, for moral character, vigorous and honorable.
shall rejoice … come—in confidence of certain maintenance.
26. Her conversation is wise and gentle.
27. (Compare 1Ti 5:14; Tit 2:5). She adds to her example a wise management of those under her control.
28. She is honored by those who best know her.
29. The words are those of her husband, praising her.
virtuously—(Compare Pr 31:10).
30. Favour—or, "Grace" of personal manner.
beauty—of face, or form (compare Pr 11:22). True piety alone commands permanent respect and affection (1Pe 3:3).
31. The result of her labor is her best eulogy. Nothing can add to the simple beauty of this admirable portrait. On the measure of its realization in the daughters of our own day rest untold results, in the domestic, and, therefore, the civil and religious, welfare of the people.