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John Trapp Complete Commentary

Proverbs 31:8

Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction.

Ver. 8. Open thy mouth for the dumb,] i.e., Speak wisely and freely for those that either cannot or may not speak for themselves. Thus Nicodemus spoke for our Saviour; Joh 7:21 Paphnutius in the council for the married clergy; Pliny to Trajan for the persecuted Christians; the Elector of Saxony for Luther, &c. Oecolampadius saith a that wise men only open their mouths, for a fool's mouth is never but open. Hence, κεχηνοτες, gapers, are put for fools in Lucian and Aristophanes.

a Oecolamp. in Job xxxiii.

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See also Proverbs 31:8 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Proverbs 31:8. _OPEN THY MOUTH FOR THE DUMB_] For such accused persons as have no counsellors, and cannot plead for themselves. _ARE APPOINTED TO DESTRUCTION._] בני חלוף _beney chaloph_, vario...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    In contrast with the two besetting sins of Eastern monarchs stands their one great duty, to give help to those who had no other helper. SUCH AS ARE APPOINTED TO DESTRUCTION - literally, “children of...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    VII. THE WORDS OF KING LEMUEL TAUGHT HIM BY HIS MOTHER CHAPTER 31 The Virtuous Woman “The words of King Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him”; this is the superscription of this chapter. W...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    SECOND DIVISION. SAYINGS OF LEMUEL. A manual of directions for kings. Proverbs 31:1. The title is uncertain. RV is not grammatically correct. Read _mg._ MASSA (_mg.),_ rendered oracle in Proverbs 31:3...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    SUCH AS ARE APPOINTED TO DESTRUCTION. Hebrew. sons of destruction. Genitive of Relation, as in Romans 8:36. App-17 (5)....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    VII. The Words of King Lemuel. Chap. Proverbs 31:1-9 We have here another short Appendix. King Lemuel records, as his oracle, or wise teaching, the counsel given him by his mother (Proverbs 31:1). Wi...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _for the dumb_ for all who cannot plead their own cause. _such as are appointed to destruction_ Lit. THE SONS OF PASSING AWAY. We may understand this either of those who are in danger of ruin by bein...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    OPEN THY MOUTH FOR THE DUMB— _Open thy mouth for the dumb; give judgment to those who have experienced the vicisstudes of human affairs._ The latter clause may be rendered, _In the cause of all strang...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    CHAPTER 31 TEXT Proverbs 31:1-9 1. The words of king Lemuel: The oracle which his mother taught him. 2. Why, my son? and what, O son of my womb? And what, O son of my vows? 3. Give not thy str...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction. OPEN THY MOUTH FOR THE DUMB - i:e., for those who cannot defend themselves in the courts of justice. IN THE C...

  • Darby's translation notes (1890)

    31:8 desolate. (h-16) Lit. 'sons of decease' (i.e. of those deceased)....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    THE MOTHER OF LEMUEL. THE EXCELLENT WOMAN 1-9. An exhortation addressed to king Lemuel by his mother, urging him to avoid women and wine. The latter leads to slackness and unfairness in the administr...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    LESSONS ABOUT WISDOM PROVERBS _KEITH SIMONS_ CHAPTER 31 V1 These are the words of King Lemuel. This section is a difficult puzzle that his mother taught to him....

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    A king should care about poor people. In fact, everyone should care about poor people. But a king has greater responsibility. King Lemuel was also a judge. So Lemuel’s mother advised him to help poor...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    OPEN THY MOUTH FOR THE DUMB. — Who cannot from timidity or ignorance plead his own cause, and who would therefore be crushed by his antagonist. SUCH AS ARE APPOINTED TO DESTRUCTION. — Certain to peri...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    פְּתַח ־פִּ֥יךָ לְ אִלֵּ֑ם אֶל ־דִּ֝֗ין כָּל

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER 32 A GOOD WOMAN "O woman-hearts, that keep the days of old In living memory, can you stand back When Christ calls? Shall the heavenly Master lack The serving love, which is your life's fi...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    THE WORTHY WOMAN Proverbs 31:1-9 In these words of King Lemuel, we notice a mother's influence in the education of her son. A woman is never more nobly occupied than in warning her son against the se...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    This is the second section of the appendix. There have been many conjectures as to who King Lemuel was, but nothing certainly can be said. It is divided into two parts, the first of which consists of...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    Open thy mouth for the (g) dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction. (g) Defend their cause that are not able to help themselves....

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _Pass through life, or the country. (Calmet) --- Septuagint, "Open thy mouth and judge righteously. Render justice to the poor and weak." (Haydock) --- Doctrine is best received by those who are more...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction. Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy. When a poor sinner hath once had hi...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 10 THROUGH 31. In chapter 10 begin the details which teach those who give ear how to avoid the snares into which the simple might fall, the path to be followe...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    OPEN THY MOUTH FOR THE DUMB,.... Not who are naturally so, but who cannot speak in their own behalf, either through want of elocution, or knowledge of the laws; or who are bashful, timorous, and fearf...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Open thy mouth_ Speak freely and impartially, as becomes a king and a judge to do: _for the dumb_ For such as cannot speak in their own cause, either through ignorance, or because of the dread of the...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Open thy mouth for the dumb, those unable to maintain their own cause, IN THE CAUSE OF ALL SUCH AS ARE APPOINTED TO DESTRUCTION, or for the right of all orphan children, who are deprived of their natu...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    OF PROPER KINGLY DEPORTMENT...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    In THE FINAL CHAPTER of the book has also a peculiar character, King Lemuel is the writer, but not the author, for he simply quotes the words of his mother. Actually, no king of Israel or Judah is kno...

  • Marginal Notes in the King James Version (1611)

    APPOINTED TO DESTRUCTION: _ Heb._ the sons of destruction...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    OPEN THY MOUTH, speak freely and impartially, as becomes a king and judge to do, for the dumb; for such as cannot speak in their own cause, either through ignorance and infirmity, or because of the dr...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Proverbs 31:8 Open H6605 (H8798) mouth H6310 speechless H483 cause H1779 appointed H1121 die H2475 Open -...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Words of King Lemuel on the dangers of intemperance and the worth of a godly woman. CHARACTERS: God, Lemuel, his mother. CONCLUSION: A virtuous woman who has command of her own spirit, who...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Proverbs 31:1. _The words of king Lemuel._ Ancient kings had many names and surnames which embarrass history. The first name of Solomon was Jedidiah, or Jedid-jah, beloved of God. 2 Samuel 12:25. Lemu...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction._ THE SIN OF CRUELTY TO THE BRUTE CREATION There is no necessary reference in this verse to the inferior animals...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    PROVERBS—NOTE ON PROVERBS 31:1 The Sayings of King Lemuel. The word translated “oracle” (v. Proverbs 31:1) is the same as in...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL NOTES.— LEMUEL. This Hebrew word signifies “_For God_,” or “_belonging to God_,” and is regarded by most commentators as a proper name. THE PROPHECY. Delitzsch, Stuart, and many other Hebrew...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION PROVERBS 31:1 PART VIII. SECOND APPENDIX TO THE SECOND COLLECTION, containing "the words of Lemuel" on the subjects of impurity and intemperance....

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Now the thirty-first proverb are, The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him (Proverbs 31:1). So these are really the words of King Lemuel's mother unto him. The advice of a go...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Samuel 19:4; 1 Samuel 20:32; 1 Samuel 22:14; 1 Samuel 22:15;...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    The dumb — For such as cannot speak in their own cause, either through ignorance, or because of the dread of their more potent adversaries. Destruction — Who, without such succour from the judges, are...

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