| Scripture |
Expanded Comments |
| 1 Words of Lemuel a king, a declaration that his mother taught him: |
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| 2 'What, my son and what, son of my womb And what, son of my vows |
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| 3 Give not to women thy strength, And thy ways to wiping away of kings. |
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| 4 Not for kings, O Lemuel, Not for kings, to drink wine, And for princes a desire of strong drink. |
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| 5 Lest he drink, and forget the decree, And change the judgment of any of the sons of affliction. |
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| 6 Give strong drink to the perishing, And wine to the bitter in soul, |
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| 7 He drinketh, and forgetteth his poverty, And his misery he remembereth not again. |
Forget his poverty – This advice of King Lemuel is contrary to true wisdom. R1521:4
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| 8 Open thy mouth for the dumb, For the right of all sons of change. |
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| 9 Open thy mouth, judge righteously, Both the cause of the poor and needy!' |
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| 10 A woman of worth who doth find Yea, far above rubies [is] her price. |
A virtuous woman – Uninspired, not by Solomon, and not at all the present ideal. R1520:3
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| 11 The heart of her husband hath trusted in her, And spoil he lacketh not. |
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| 12 She hath done him good, and not evil, All days of her life. |
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| 13 She hath sought wool and flax, And with delight she worketh [with] her hands. |
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| 14 She hath been as ships of the merchant, From afar she bringeth in her bread. |
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| 15 Yea, she riseth while yet night, And giveth food to her household, And a portion to her damsels. |
While It Is yet night – This is an extreme view by an uninspired pen. R1521:1
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| 16 She hath considered a field, and taketh it, From the fruit of her hands she hath planted a vineyard. |
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| 17 She hath girded with might her loins, And doth strengthen her arms. |
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| 18 She hath perceived when her merchandise [is] good, Her lamp is not extinguished in the night. |
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| 19 Her hands she hath sent forth on a spindle, And her hands have held a distaff. |
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| 20 Her hand she hath spread forth to the poor, Yea, her hands she sent forth to the needy. |
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| 21 She is not afraid of her household from snow, For all her household are clothed [with] scarlet. |
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| 22 Ornamental coverings she hath made for herself, Silk and purple [are] her clothing. |
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| 23 Known in the gates is her husband, In his sitting with elders of the land. |
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| 24 Linen garments she hath made, and selleth, And a girdle she hath given to the merchant. |
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| 25 Strength and honour [are] her clothing, And she rejoiceth at a latter day. |
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| 26 Her mouth she hath opened in wisdom, And the law of kindness [is] on her tongue. |
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| 27 She [is] watching the ways of her household, And bread of sloth she eateth not. |
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| 28 Her sons have risen up, and pronounce her happy, Her husband, and he praiseth her, |
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| 29 'Many [are] the daughters who have done worthily, Thou hast gone up above them all.' |
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| 30 The grace [is] false, and the beauty [is] vain, A woman fearing Jehovah, she may boast herself. |
Vain – A breath. R1520:3
Feareth – Reverenceth. R1520:3
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| 31 Give ye to her of the fruit of her hands, And her works do praise her in the gates! |
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