The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 566

EXPOSITION. say what reading wa.s seen by the LXX., OHAPTER XXXI. who render, "My words have been spoken Vera. 1-9.-Part VIII. SECOND APPEN- by God, the oracle of a. king whom his DIX TO THE SECOND COLLECTION, containing mother instructed." There a.re many wieo '' the words of Lemuel" on the subjects of women mentioned in Scripture; e.g. Miriam, Deborah, the Queen of Sheba, Huldah, etc., impurity and intemperance. so there is nothing incongruous in Lemuel Ver. l.-771e 811,perscription. The words being in11tructed by his mother in wisdom. of King Lemuel, the prophecy which his Vers. 2-9.-Here follows the ezhartation, mother taught him. Who is intended by "Lemuel king" is much disputed. Those which seems to come from the same sonroe who connect the following word massa e.s tho "burden" of AJ1U above. In this ("oracle") with the preceding melek section the conneotion and pe.ra.llelism of ("king"), translate" King of Massa," as eh. the parts are exhibited by repetition of xxx. I (where see note). Of the country, or thought, and often of words in the several the king, or his mother, we have absolutely no information. The nnme Lemuel, or clnuses. Lemoel (ver. 4), means "unto God," i.e. Ver. 2.-Wha.t, my son! Mah, "what," dedicated to God, like Lael (Numb. iii. 24); is repeated thrice, both to enforce the atten- hence it is regarded by many authorities, tion of the son, a.nd to show the mother's ancient and modern, as an appellation of anxious ea.re for his good. She feels the Solomon, one from info.ncy dedicated to God vast importance of the ooce.sion, and nsks as and called by him Jedidio.h, "beloved of in perplexity, "What shall I say? What the Lord" (2 Sam. xii. 25). But there is advice shall I give thee?" "Son" is here nothing in the contents of this section to not ben, but bar, one of the Aramaic forms confirm this idea ; indeed, there are expres- whioh are found in these two 111st chapters. sions which militate against it. Possibly The word ocours a.lso in Ps. ii. 12. Bon of Hezekio.h m11y be meant, and his remark- my vows. This might mean," son who w11st able piety somewhat confirms the opinion; a.eked in prayer," like Samuel (1 Sam. i. 11), yet we see no reason why he should be here and dedicated to God, a.s the name Lemuel im- addressed under a pseudonym, especially if plies; or it may signify, "thou who art the we consider tha.t he himself was concerned object of my daily vows a.ad prayers." Sep- in mnking this colleotion, On the whole, it tuagint, " What, my son, wilt thou observe aeems best to take Lemuel as e. symbolioal ( '1"7JP1JrTm)? What? the sayings of God. no.me, designating an ideal king, to whom My flrstborn son, to thee I speak. What, a.n ideal mother addressed the exhorta.tion son of my womb? What, son of my vows?" which follows. Solomon's own proverbs Ver. S.-Ezh-Ortation ta chastity. Give conta.in mo.ny warnings against the very not thy strength unto women (comp. eh. v. sins of which this mother speaks, so that 9). Ohayil is " vigour," the bodily powers, the section is conceived in the- spirit of the whioh are sapped and enervated by sensu- earlier porlion of the book, though it is a.lity. The Septuagint ha.s 11bv ,r.\oU'Tav; tile assigned to a different author and a.nother Vulgate, substantiam tuam; but the prayer- age. The prophecy (massa); the inspired ful, anxious motlier would consider rather utterance (see on eh. xxx. 1). This materna.l her son's personal well-being than his counsel forms one compact exhortation, which worldly oircumsta.nces, whioh, indeed, an might with more propriety be so termed Ee.stern monaroh's licentiousness would not than the words of Agur. His mothe1'. The necessarily impair. Nor thy ways to that mother of e. reigning king was a.lways re- whioh destroyeth kings; or, with n. slight garded with the utmost respect, taking pre- e.ltere.tion in the punctuation (l\ml nn im- ocdeuce of the king's wifa. Hence wo eo proved parallelism), to them that destrov often find the names of kings' mothers in kings; "expugne.tricibus regum," ns Schul• the sacred record; e.g. I Kings ii. 19; xiv. tons terms them. ,vomon 11ro meant; a.nd 21 ; xv. 2; 2 Kings xii. 1. It ill ditllcult to tho prinoo ie enjoined uot to surrender hia 696 THE PROVERBS. [oH. xur. 1-31.