Proverbs 31:2
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)
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The triple repetition of "son" isn't just about emphasis; it reveals the profound, multifaceted nature of this mother's love and responsibility. She cherishes him not only as her biological child, born of her body, but also as a precious gift from God, specifically consecrated through her earnest prayers and vows.
A mother, deeply concerned, addresses her son, Lemuel, on the weighty matter of kingship and the dangers he faces. She repeats the question, emphasizing her intense love and the vital importance of the advice she's about to impart, especially since Lemuel was dedicated to God through her prayers and vows. This sets the stage for her specific warnings against lust and intemperance that follow.
Why does the mother repeat herself three times? It’s more than just repetition; it’s the sound of a heart overflowing with love and concern.
The mother in Proverbs 31:2 uses a triple question: "What, my son? What, son of my womb? What, son of my vows?" This isn't random; it’s a powerful expression of her deep emotional investment.
A Mother's Heartbeat
Together, these phrases paint a picture of a mother whose love is fierce, primal, and spiritual. She’s not giving casual advice; she’s pouring out her soul because he matters on every level.
Imagine a mom so full of things to say that she can barely start. That's the energy here! She’s bursting with counsel.
The repeated question, "What shall I say?" or "What words shall I take?" isn't about lacking ideas, but about the overwhelming importance of what needs to be said. The mother feels the immense weight of her responsibility.
The Urgency of Truth
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 describes Hannah's desperate prayer and vow to God for a son, highlighting the profound significance and dedication inherent in being a 'son of vows'.
Luke 1:15This verse speaks of John the Baptist being 'great before the Lord' and abstaining from wine from birth, echoing the theme of a life set apart and dedicated from conception, similar to the mother's dedication for her 'son of vows'.
Galatians 4:19Paul's expression of 'laboring to bring you to birth again' reveals a deep, maternal anguish and intense desire for spiritual formation, mirroring the mother's passionate concern for her son's well-being and character.
Psalm 127:3This psalm emphasizes that children are a heritage and a gift from the Lord, underscoring the preciousness and divine origin of a child, which adds weight to the mother's earnest counsel.
Proverbs 22:6This verse directly connects the training and instruction given to a child with their future path, reinforcing the mother's urgent desire to impart wisdom to her beloved son.
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…
The triple repetition of "son" isn't just about emphasis; it reveals the profound, multifaceted nature of this mother's love and responsibility. She cherishes him not only as her biological child, born of her body, but also as a precious gift from God, specifically consecrated through her earnest prayers and vows.
A mother, deeply concerned, addresses her son, Lemuel, on the weighty matter of kingship and the dangers he faces. She repeats the question, emphasizing her intense love and the vital importance of the advice she's about to impart, especially since Lemuel was dedicated to God through her prayers and vows. This sets the stage for her specific warnings against lust and intemperance that follow.
A mother, deeply concerned, addresses her son, Lemuel, on the weighty matter of kingship and the dangers he faces. She repeats the question, emphasizing her intense love and the vital importance of the advice she's about to impart, especially since Lemuel was dedicated to God through her prayers and vows. This sets the stage for her specific warnings against lust and intemperance that follow.
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"What are you doing, my son? What are you doing, son of my womb? What are you doing, son of my vows?" — The triple repetition of "son" isn't just about emphasis; it reveals the profound, multifaceted nature of this mother's love and responsibility. She cherishes him not only as her biological child, bo…
