Online Resource Library
Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadInternational Standard Bible Encyclopedia: Lemuel
Subjects in this Topic:
lem´uÌ„Ì-el (למוּ×ל, lemuÌ„'el, or למו×ל, lemoÌ„'eÌ„l): A king whose words, an “oracle (taught him by his mother),†are given in -9; and possibly the succeeding acrostic poem (31:10-31) is from the same source. Instead of translating the word after this name as “oracle†some propose to leave it as a proper name, translating “king of Massa,†and referring for his kingdom to Massa (), one of the sons of Ishmael, supposedly head of a tribe or sheikh of a country. It is to be noted, however, that the words of Agur in the previous chapter are similarly called massaÌ„', “oracle†with not so clear a reason for referring it to a country. See for a suggested reason for retaining the meaning “oracle†in both places, PROVERBS, BOOK OF, II., 6.