“The sayings of King Lemuel—an oracle his mother taught him:  “O my son, O son of my womb, O son of my vows, do not spend your strength on women, your vigor on those who ruin kings.  It is not for kings, O Lemuel—not for kings to drink wine, not for rulers to crave beer, lest they drink and forget what the law decrees, and deprive all the oppressed of their rights…..Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute.  Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.”  Proverbs 31:1-5, 8-9.

 The Proverbs 31 description of the virtuous woman is one of the best known and loved chapters in the Bible.  What is often overlooked is the beginning of the passage.  It was written by King Lemuel who learned wisdom from his mother!  Some Bible scholars think King Solomon was the “Lemuel” and Bathsheba was his mother.  The ancient Rabbis recorded “Lemuel” as one of Solomon’s names.  It might have been someone else, regardless, his name means “belonging to God,” and his mother gave him advice he needed to hear.

“O son of my vows” and “belonging to God” show he had a God-given legacy, a heritage of faith to be passed down to the next generation.  He was an answer to his mother’s prayers (vows).  (The first son of Bathsheba and David was a son of broken vows and he died).  More than anything, Lemuel’s mother wanted him to be a man of God, to live up to his name.  Remember where you came from, your spiritual heritage in Christ.  Don’t despise it because it was passed on to you.  Cherish it as a valuable gift to be given to your children.

“Do not spend your strength/vigor on women, on those who ruin kings.”  This is a statement about the sanctity of the marriage bond and the danger of breaking that bond.  “Women” will be a danger, but not his wife!  Nothing will defeat a man faster than lacking control in the physical area.  It will undermine his moral authority, his confidence and his reputation.  She tells him to remember to whom he belongs, the wife God gave him.  Unfortunately, Solomon did not heed his mother’s advice and it led to his downfall.  His kingdom was divided and the people of Israel suffered because of his sin.

“…not for kings to drink wine….and forget the law.”  Lemuel’s mother encouraged him to be focused and stay away from alcohol.  A life given over to addictions will never reach its maximum potential.  A successful person should stay focused and disciplined.  A drunken king could forget the laws and the oppressed and deprive them of their rights.

 “…judge fairly and defend the rights of the poor.” His mother reminds him of the necessity of true justice and in his strength, not to forget the ones who are weak.  This is not just a King’s job, it’s a man’s calling.  Don’t forget the poor and homeless people on the street, don’t forget the orphans and those in countries persecuted for their faith.  A man is measured by his compassion as well as his strength, “to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”  Micah 6:8.

We can’t say for sure whether this was Bathsheba giving advice to Solomon, however, this mother went against the traditions of the day and helped her son become a wise king and great leader.  May God give all Christian mothers wisdom to guide their children in righteousness!

Your friend, Jean