Lemuel

(devoted to God) (Prov 31:1, 4) - a king named only in this passage, to whom his mother's moral instruction is addressed. His identity is unknown. Her counsel begins: 'What, my son? and what, the son of my womb? and what, the son of my vows?' She warns him not to give his strength to women or his ways to those who destroy kings, and not to forget the law through drink, but to give strong drink to the perishing and wine to the bitter in soul. The chapter continues with praise of the virtuous woman, whose price is far above rubies.