Prefatory
Chapter 31 is the culmination of the book of Proverbs. And, unlike what I’ve done from Proverbs chapters 10-30, I’m not going to select a few verses out of the broader passage and comment on them. Instead, I want to take in this entire chapter as a whole. The reason for this I will explain below.
I’ve always been puzzled by the early verses in this chapter. Not by their content, but by their presence. In these words to King Lemuel from his mother, it feels like an awkward1 transition transition to move from talking about who should and shouldn’t be boozing it up to talking about what sort of wife one should look for. But it dawned on me one day that these themes are closely tied together. What forms the bond is this: they are the sort of words any king would need.
Structure
Beyond the bond of necessity, I believe there is also a structural bond. I’ve pointed out before in this newsletter the use of chiasm. Chiasm is a common literary device in the Scriptures, and can briefly be explained by the following diagram:
a
b
b’
a’
In a chiasm, the argument proceeds in toward the middle, and then back out, with each step out mirroring a step in. And I think that’s what we have in Proverbs 31.
a: v2-3
2 What are you doing, my son? What are you doing, son of my womb?
What are you doing, son of my vows?
3 Do not give your strength to women,
your ways to those who destroy kings.
In these verses, King Lemuel’s mother (and if we take Lemuel to be Solomon, this would be Bathsheba) is warning her son about the dangers of the wrong type of woman. Given the verses which will follow, this is obviously not a categorical denunciation of women in general. It is, rather, a revisiting of the themes from chapters 5-9. Avoid the adulteress, for following her and giving into temptation is a sure way to death.
No one needs that kind of woman for a wife - least of all the king.
An ironic warning, considering it is Solomon who records for posterity (1 Kings 11:3-4).
b: v4-5
4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel,
it is not for kings to drink wine,
or for rulers to take strong drink,
5 lest they drink and forget what has been decreed
and pervert the rights of all the afflicted.
It is dangerous for kings to be guided by lust. Likewise, it is dangerous for them to be guided by (other) intoxicants. One thinks of Ben-hadad of Syria, who reacted foolishly to Ahab - and was defeated - because he was sitting in his tent drinking when he ought to have been focused on war (1 Kings 20:12).
Like verses 2-3, I think we are reading this too woodenly if we take it as a blanket prohibition for those in authority to take wine or strong drink (Deuteronomy 14:26, Ecclesiastes 10:17). But the point is clear: what has control of your mind, young king? Are you making yourself a slave to lust? Not a good move. Are you a slave to the bottle? Bad things will come of that, as well (just ask Herod, Mark 6:14-29; or Ahasuerus, Esther 1:10-12).
b': v6-9
6 Give strong drink to the one who is perishing,
and wine to those in bitter distress;
7 let them drink and forget their poverty
and remember their misery no more.
8 Open your mouth for the mute,
for the rights of all who are destitute.
9 Open your mouth, judge righteously,
defend the rights of the poor and needy.
As the argument moves back out, we see now the parallel: an excess of alcohol, and the associated numbing effects, are never good for a king. They’re never approved for the Christian (Ephesians 5:18). But they are logical for those in a hopeless state. We may not approve of the behavior, but it’s reasonable, at the very least.
The king’s focus, though, is not to be on distributing Jack Daniel’s to the sad and lowly. Rather, it is to be on judging righteously, and defending their cause: the very thing an excess of alcohol would prevent him from doing.
If I were to summarize this section, I might put it this way: for the one in authority, you really need to suck it up in regard to your own worries and struggles. Don’t go looking for cheap ways to forget your problems. You need to keep a clear mind in order to serve and address the needs of others.
That’s an incredibly important task. One where you’re going to need some help.
a': v10-31
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