Amplified Bible
Proverbs 31:4
4It is not for kings, O Lemuel, It is not for kings to drink wine, Or for rulers to desire strong drink,
Proverbs 31:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink:
- New International Version (NIV)It is not for kings, Lemuel— it is not for kings to drink wine, not for rulers to crave beer,
- English Standard Version (ESV)It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, or for rulers to take strong drink,
- New King James Version (NKJV)It is not for kings, O Lemuel, It is not for kings to drink wine, Nor for princes intoxicating drink;
Context of Proverbs 31:4
2What, O my son? And what, O son of my womb? And what [shall I advise you], O son of my vows? 3Do not give your [generative] strength to women [neither foreign wives in marriages of alliances, nor concubines], Nor your ways to that which destroys kings. It is not for kings, O Lemuel, It is not for kings to drink wine, Or for rulers to desire strong drink, 5Otherwise they drink and forget the law and its decrees, And pervert the rights and justice of all the afflicted. 6Give strong drink [as medicine] to him who is ready to pass away, And wine to him whose life is bitter.
Read all of Proverbs 31Proverbs 31:4 word by word
אַ֤ל לַֽמְלָכִ֨ים׀ לְֽמוֹאֵ֗ל אַ֣ל לַֽמְלָכִ֣ים שְׁתוֹ־יָ֑יִן וּ֝לְרוֹזְנִ֗ים אֵ֣י שֵׁכָֽר׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Proverbs 31:4
- Leviticus 10:9“Do not drink wine or intoxicating drink, neither you nor your sons with you, when you come into the Tent of Meeting, so that you will not die—it is a permanent statute throughout your generations—
- 1 Kings 20:12When Ben-hadad heard this message, as he and the kings were drinking in the temporary shelters, he said to his servants, “Station yourselves.” So they stationed themselves against the city [of Samaria].
- Esther 3:15The couriers went out hurriedly by order of the king, and the decree was issued at the citadel in Susa. And while the king and Haman sat down to drink, the city of Susa was perplexed [by the unusual and alarming decree].
- Ecclesiastes 10:17Blessed [prosperous and admired] are you, O land, when your king is a man of noble birth, and your princes and officials feast at the proper time—for strength and not for drunkenness.
- Isaiah 28:7But even these reel with wine and stagger from strong drink: The priest and the prophet reel with strong drink; They are confused by wine, they stagger from strong drink; They reel while seeing visions, They stagger when pronouncing judgment.
- Daniel 5:2Belshazzar, as he tasted the wine, gave a command to bring in the gold and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines might drink from them.
- Hosea 4:11Prostitution, wine, and new wine take away the mind and the [spiritual] understanding.
- Hosea 7:3They make the king glad with their wickedness, And the princes with their lies.
- Habakkuk 2:5Moreover, wine is treacherous and betrays the arrogant man, So that he does not stay at home. His appetite is large like Sheol, And he is like death, never satisfied. He gathers to himself all nations And collects to himself all peoples [as if he owned them].
- Mark 6:21But an opportune time [finally] came [for Herodias]. Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his officials (nobles, courtiers) and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee.
Commentaries on Proverbs 31:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4It is not for kings - to drink wine - An intemperate man is ill fit to hold the reins of government.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4Some read: “nor for princes to say, Where is strong drink?” The “strong drink” Proverbs 20:1 was distilled from barley, or honey, or dates.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4-7Drinking too much wine dulls the senses. A king needs to stay alert and should not drink too much alcohol.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3-93-9. Succinct but solemn warnings against vices to which kings are peculiarly tempted, as carnal pleasures and oppressive and unrighteous government are used to sustain sensual indulgence. strength--mental and bodily resources for health and comfort. thy ways--or course of life. to that ... kings--literally, "to the destroying of kings," avoid destructive pleasures (compare Pr 5:9; 7:22, 27; Ho 4:11).Read the comment
Topics related to Proverbs 31:4
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Proverbs 31
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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