What are you doing, my son? What are you doing, son of my womb? What are you doing, son of my vows?
English Standard Version (ESV)
This mother's urgent question, "What are you doing?" repeated with increasing intensity, reveals more than just worry; it hints at a deep personal investment. The phrases "son of my womb" and "son of my vows" emphasize that he is not just any child, but one she has carried, nurtured, and perhaps even dedicated to God through prayer and sacrifice, making her counsel a sacred duty.
What are you doing, my son? What are you doing, son of my womb? What are you doing, son of my vows?
English Standard Version (ESV)
This passage begins a mother's heartfelt advice to her son, King Lemuel, laying out the crucial lessons she's learned. She repeats her questions with intense love and urgency, emphasizing his deep personal connection to her and the sacred vows made for his dedication to God. The context underscores her deep anxiety to impart wisdom that will protect him from the temptations of wine and lust, as detailed in the verses that follow.
Why does this mother repeat herself three times? It's more than just emphasis; it's the overflow of a mother's deep affection.
A Heart Overflowing
The repeated question, 'What are you doing?' isn't just a simple inquiry. It’s the sign of a heart so full of love and concern that the speaker struggles to find the right words.
What does it mean to be a 'son of my vows'? This phrase points to a profound spiritual commitment made before God.
Dedicated from Birth
The 'son of my vows' speaks of a child dedicated to God, perhaps even before birth, through prayer and solemn promises.
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Understand the original words
ben · Hebrew Noun
A male descendant; in Scripture, it often implies a relationship of affection, inheritance, and the responsibility to carry on the family name or legacy.
neder · Hebrew Noun
A solemn promise or religious oath made to God; it implies that the child was dedicated to the Lord or born through a specific act of consecration.
This passage directly parallels the 'son of my vows' concept, showing Hannah's earnest prayer and vow for a child, mirroring the mother's deep investment in Lemuel's spiritual dedication.
Galatians 4:19Paul uses the imagery of 'laboring' to bring children to Christ, echoing the mother's deep 'labor' and care (implied by 'son of my womb') in forming her son's character and faith.
Philippians 2:12This verse speaks to 'working out your own salvation with fear and trembling,' which reflects the earnest, anxious care a parent like Lemuel's mother would have in guiding their child toward righteous living.
Matthew 6:24The principle that one cannot serve two masters highlights the critical choice Lemuel faces, underscoring his mother's concern about the path he will choose and why she needs to give him solid counsel.
Deuteronomy 6:6-7This passage commands parents to diligently teach their children God's word, showing the foundational responsibility Lemuel's mother feels to impart wisdom, especially given his potential consecrated calling.
pooleProverbs 31:2: "What, my son? and what, the son of my womb? and what, the son of my vows?"
What? a short speech, arguing her great passion for him; what dost thou do? or, what words shall I take? what counsels shall I give thee? My heart is full, I must give it vent; but where shall I begin? The son of my womb; my son, not by adoption, but whom I bare in my womb, and brought forth with great pain, and brought up with tender care; and therefore it is my duty to give thee admonitions, and thine t…
clarkeProverbs 31:2: "What, my son? and what, the son of my womb? and what, the son of my vows?"
What, my son? - The Chaldee בר bar is used twice in this verse, instead of the Hebrew בן ben, son. This verse is very elliptical; and commentators, according to their different tastes, have inserted words, indeed some of them a whole sentence, to make up the sense. Perhaps Coverdale has hit the sense as nearly as any other: "These are the wordes of Kynge Lemuel; and the lesson that his mother taughte hi…
This mother's urgent question, "What are you doing?" repeated with increasing intensity, reveals more than just worry; it hints at a deep personal investment. The phrases "son of my womb" and "son of my vows" emphasize that he is not just any child, but one she has carried, nurtured, and perhaps even dedicated to God through prayer and sacrifice, making her counsel a sacred duty.
This passage begins a mother's heartfelt advice to her son, King Lemuel, laying out the crucial lessons she's learned. She repeats her questions with intense love and urgency, emphasizing his deep personal connection to her and the sacred vows made for his dedication to God. The context underscores her deep anxiety to impart wisdom that will protect him from the temptations of wine and lust, as detailed in the verses that follow.
This passage begins a mother's heartfelt advice to her son, King Lemuel, laying out the crucial lessons she's learned. She repeats her questions with intense love and urgency, emphasizing his deep personal connection to her and the sacred vows made for his dedication to God. The context underscores her deep anxiety to impart wisdom that will protect him from the temptations of wine and lust, as detailed in the verses that follow.
"What are you doing, my son? What are you doing, son of my womb? What are you doing, son of my vows?" — This mother's urgent question, "What are you doing?" repeated with increasing intensity, reveals more than just worry; it hints at a deep personal investment. The phrases "son of my womb" and "son of…
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Last reviewed October 2026