Proverbs 31:3

Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings. Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings. GIVE NOT THY STRENGTH UNTO WOMEN ... WHICH DESTROYETH KINGS - (.) A snare to kings especially, because their power gives them impunity in lust. Solomon by this sin caused the rending of his kingdom (; cf. Job 31:9)....

Verse Proverbs 31:3. _GIVE NOT THY STRENGTH_] Do not waste thy substance on _women_. In such intercourse the _strength_ of _body, soul_ and _substance_ is destroyed. Such connections are those _which destroy_ _kings_, מלכין melachin, the _Chaldee_ termination instead of the _Hebrew_....

TO THAT WHICH DESTROYETH - The temptations of the harem were then, as now, the curse of all Eastern kingdoms....

EXPOSITION PROVERBS 31:1 PART VIII. SECOND APPENDIX TO THE SECOND COLLECTION, containing "the words of Lemuel" on the subjects of impurity and intemperance. PROVERBS 31:1 _The_ _superscription. _THE WORDS OF KING LEMUEL, THE PROPHECY WHICH HIS MOTHER TAUGHT HIM. Who is intended by "Lemuel king" is much disputed. Those who connect the following word _massa _("oracle") with the preceding _melek _("king"), translate "King of Massa," as Proverbs 30:1 (where see note). Of the country, or the ki

GIVE NOT THY STRENGTH UNTO WOMEN,.... Strength of body, which is weakened by an excessive use of venery b with a multiplicity of women; see, Proverbs 5:9; and strength of mind, reason, and wisdom, which is impaired by conversation with such persons; whereby time is consumed and lost, which should be spent in the improvement of knowledge: or "thy riches", as the Septuagint and Arabic versions, thy substance, which harlots devour, and who bring a man to a piece of bread, as the prodigal was, Proverbs 6:26; and even drain the coffers of kings and princes; NOR THY WAYS TO THAT WHICH DESTROYETH KINGS; do not give thy mind to take such courses, and pursue such ways and methods, as bring ruin on kings and kingdoms, as conversation with harlots does; see...

VII. THE WORDS OF KING LEMUEL TAUGHT HIM BY HIS MOTHER CHAPTER 31 The Virtuous Woman “The words of King Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him”; this is the superscription of this chapter. Who is King Lemuel? No king by that name is known. We do not hesitate in saying that it is Solomon. It means “unto God” one who is devoted to the Lord. In all probability Solomon's mother called her boy by this name, and here is the record therefore of the instruction given by Solomon's mother. The warning is once more, and that very earnestly (shown by the thrice asked “what?” What shall I say unto you?) against licentiousness, against wine and strong drink. The brief words of the mother's exhortation end with a request to act righteously as king, to stand up for those who are appointed to destruction, to plead the cause of the poor and needy. The final portion of the book of Proverbs is a...

SECOND DIVISION. SAYINGS OF LEMUEL. A manual of directions for kings. Proverbs 31:1. The title is uncertain. RV is not grammatically correct. Read _mg._ MASSA (_mg.),_ rendered oracle in Proverbs 31:30, and here by RV, is the regular word for the oracles of the earlier prophets, but is strange in this connexion. There is a Mas-' a mentioned in the inscriptions of Tiglath-pileser IV along with Teima in N. Arabia. This was one of the traditional seats of wisdom, like Edom, and possibly the name was adopted in view of this. But of Massa, both here and in Proverbs 30:1, is conjectural (_cf._ Genesis 10:30;...

VII. The Words of King Lemuel. Chap. Proverbs 31:1-9 We have here another short Appendix. King Lemuel records, as his oracle, or wise teaching, the counsel given him by his mother (Proverbs 31:1). With terms of ardent affection (Proverbs 31:2) she bids him beware of lust (Proverbs 31:3), and excess of wine (Proverbs 31:4), and urges him to befriend the helpless (Proverbs 31:8), and to judge righteously ...

GIVE NOT THY STRENGTH, &C.— David had admonished his son, chap. Proverbs 6:20, &c. _to keep the commandment of his father, and not forsake the law of his mother; for the commandment,_ said he, _is a lamp, and reproofs of instruction are the ways of life, to keep thee from the evil woman:_ and can there be a greater uniformity than betwixt that monition and this, _Give not thy strength unto women,_ &c.? And may not the reproofs which follow be justly intitled, _proofs of instruction?_ When these reproofs of instruction are recited, then follows, Proverbs 31:10 a regular poem in praise of an accomplished woman; each verse beginning with a different letter, in the series of the alphabet; and certainly nothing can be more natural than the judgment of the best critics upon it

CHAPTER 31 TEXT Proverbs 31:1-9 1. The words of king Lemuel: The oracle which his mother taught him. 2. Why, my son? and what, O son of my womb? And what, O son of my vows? 3. Give not thy strength unto women, Nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings. 4. It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; Nor for princes to say, Where is strong drink? 5. Lest they drink, and forget the law, And pervert the justice due to any that is afflicted. 6. Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, And wine unto the bitter in soul: Let him drink, and forget his poverty, And remember his misery no more. 8. Open thy mouth for the dumb, In the cause of all such as are left desolate. 9. Open thy mouth, judge righteously,...