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NASB | Proverbs 31:6 Give strong drink to him who is perishing, And wine to him whose life is bitter. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Proverbs 31:6 Give strong drink [as medicine] to him who is ready to pass away, And wine to him whose life is bitter. |
Bible Question: Okay that's cleared up. Let me ask who was Lemuel and who was his mother? It is a very interesting study of conjecture. |
Bible Answer: I agree, it is pretty interesting.. Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible suggests, "LEMUEL.-The name of a king, otherwise unknown, to whom Proverbs 31:1-9 is addressed by his mother. His identity has been much discussed; he has been identified (by the Rabbinical commentators) with Solomon, (by Grotius) with Hezekiah. Cf. also 'Massa'. It is possible that the name is a fanciful title to represent any virtuous king, invented for the purpose of conveying certain maxims." (Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible, pg. 540, Copyright 1909, 1994 Hendrickson, James Hastings - Editor) The Ryrie Expanded Edition NASB Study Bible suggests, "This section, and perhaps the acrostic poem that follows (vv. 10-31), is attributed to King Lemuel, of whom nothing is known. Some have suggested that Lemuel ("belonging to God") was Bathsheba's name for Solomon, but this is just a guess." Nelson's NKJV Study Bible comments, "This verse begins a new section of material from a non-Israelite source. Some have thought that the name Lemuel, meaning "Belonging to God," is a pseudonym for Solomon, but this is only a guess." Zondervan's NIV Study Bible states, "his mother. This entire chapter emphasizes the role and significance of wise women. The queen mother was an influential figure (see 1 Kings 1:11-13; 15:13)." Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible suggests, "Most interpreters are of the opinion that Lemuel is Solomon; the name signifies on that is 'for God', or 'devoted to God'; and so it agrees well enough with that honourable name which, by divine appointment, was given to Solomon (2 Sam. 12:25), 'Jedediah'- beloved of the Lord. Lemuel is supposed to be a pretty, fond, endearing name, by which his mother used to call him; and so much did he value himself upon the interest he had in his mother's affections that he was not ashamed to call himself by it." (page 1025 - and it goes on to explain how Lemuel 'could' be Solomon..) |