Chapter 31
The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him.
the prophecy
his
What, my son? and what, the son of my womb? and what, the son of my vows?
the son of my womb
the son of my vows
Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings.
strength
to that
Deuteronomy 17:17 Nehemiah 13:26
It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink:
Leviticus 10:9,10 1 Kings 20:12,16-20 Esther 3:15 Ecclesiastes 10:17 Isaiah 28:7,8 Daniel 5:2-4 Hosea 4:11,12 7:3-5 Habakkuk 2:5 Mark 6:21-28
Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted.
pervert
Heb. alter. any of the afflicted. Heb. all the sons of affliction.
Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts.
strong
of heavy hearts
Heb. bitter of soul.
1 Samuel 1:10 30:6 2 Kings 4:27 *margins
Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.
Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction.
Open
24:7,11,12 1 Samuel 19:4-7 20:32 22:14,15 Esther 4:13-16 Job 29:9,17 Psalms 82:3,4 Jeremiah 26:16-19,24 38:7-10 John 7:51
such, etc
Heb. the sons of destruction.
Psalms 79:11 *marg:
Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.
16:12 20:8 Leviticus 19:15 Deuteronomy 1:16 16:18-20 2 Samuel 8:15 Psalms 58:1,2 Psalms 72:1,2 Job 29:12,15,16 Isaiah 1:17,23 11:4 32:1,2 Jeremiah 5:28 Jeremiah 22:3,15,16 23:5 Daniel 4:27 Amos 5:11,12 Zechariah 7:9 9:9 John 7:24 Hebrews 1:9 Revelation 19:11
Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.
Who
This is the commencement of an alphabetical poem, each verse beginning consecutively with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet; in which we are presented with an admirable picture of a good wife, according to the primitive manners of the East.
can
12:4 18:22 19:14 Ruth 3:11 Ecclesiastes 7:28 Song of Solomon 6:8,9 Ephesians 5:25-33
her
The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.
2 Kings 4:9,10,22,23 1 Peter 3:1-7
She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.
She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.
worketh
Genesis 18:6-8 24:13,14,18-20 29:9,10 Exodus 2:16 Ruth 2:2,3,23 Isaiah 3:16-24 32:9-11 Acts 9:39,40 1 Thessalonians 4:11 2 Thessalonians 3:10-12 1 Timothy 5:10,14 Titus 2:5
She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar.
24 1 Kings 9:26-28 2 Chronicles 9:10 Ezekiel 27:3-36
She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.
riseth
Joshua 3:1 2 Chronicles 36:15 Psalms 119:147,148 Ecclesiastes 9:10 Mark 1:35 Romans 12:11
and giveth
She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.
considereth
Joshua 15:18 Song of Solomon 8:12 Matthew 13:44
buyeth
Heb. taketh.
She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.
girdeth
1 Kings 18:46 2 Kings 4:29 Job 38:3 Luke 12:35 Ephesians 6:10,14 1 Peter 1:13
strengtheneth
Genesis 49:24 Isaiah 44:12 Hosea 7:15
She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night.
perceiveth
Heb. tasteth. her candle.
Genesis 31:40 Psalms 127:2 Matthew 25:3-10 1 Thessalonians 2:9 2 Thessalonians 3:7-9
She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.
She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.
She stretcheth
Heb. She spreadeth.
she reacheth
19:17 22:9 Job 31:16-20 Psalms 41:1 112:9 Ecclesiastes 11:1,2 Mark 14:7 Acts 9:39-41 20:34,35 Ephesians 4:28 Hebrews 13:16
She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet.
afraid
scarlet
or, double garments.
She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple.
coverings
clothing
Genesis 41:42 *marg:; Esther 5:1 8:15 Psalms 45:13,14 Ezekiel 16:10-13 1 Peter 3:3
silk
Shesh, rather fine linen, or cotton. (See on Ex 39:27.) Sadin, rendered "fine linen," ver. 24, is probably the same as the Arabic sidn, and sudl, a veil, or an inner covering of fine muslin.
Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.
husband
in the
24:7 Deuteronomy 16:18 21:19 Ruth 4:1 Job 29:7
She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.
13,19 1 Kings 10:28 Ezekiel 27:16 Luke 16:19
Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.
Strength
Job 29:14 40:10 Psalms 132:9,16 Isaiah 61:10 Romans 13:14 Ephesians 4:24 1 Timothy 2:10 1 Peter 5:5,6
and she
Psalms 97:11,12 Isaiah 65:13,14 Matthew 25:20,21
She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.
openeth
8,9 Judges 13:23 1 Samuel 25:24-31 2 Samuel 20:16-22 2 Kings 22:15-20 Esther 4:4 Esther 5:8 7:3-6 8:3-6 Luke 1:38,42-56 Acts 18:26 Ephesians 4:29 Colossians 4:5
in her
12:18 16:24 25:15 Genesis 24:18-20 Song of Solomon 2:14 4:11 Malachi 2:6 Acts 6:15 1 Peter 3:1,4,5,8,9
She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.
14:1 1 Thessalonians 4:11 2 Thessalonians 3:6 1 Timothy 5:10 Titus 2:4
Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.
children
1 1 Kings 2:19 Psalms 116:16 2 Timothy 1:5 3:15-17
her husband
Song of Solomon 7:1-9 Isaiah 62:4,5 *marg:
Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.
done virtuously
or, gotten riches. thou.
Song of Solomon 6:8,9 Ephesians 5:27
Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.
Favour
6:25 11:22 2 Samuel 14:25 Esther 1:11,12 Ezekiel 16:15 James 1:11 1 Peter 1:24
a woman
1:7 8:13 Exodus 1:17-21 Psalms 147:11 Luke 1:6,46-50 1 Peter 3:4,5
she
Ecclesiastes 7:18 12:13 Romans 2:29 1 Corinthians 4:5 1 Peter 1:7 3:4
Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.
of the
16 11:30 Psalms 128:2 Matthew 7:16,20 Romans 6:21,22 Philippians 4:17
and let
Mark 14:7-9 Acts 9:39 Romans 16:1-4,6,12 1 Timothy 5:25 Hebrews 6:10 Revelation 14:13