Proverbs 31 · Verse 2

Proverbs 31:2

What, my son? and what, the son of my womb? and what, the son of my vows?
Proverbs 31:2, King James Version

Proverbs 31:2 in other translations

BSBWhat shall I say, O my son? What, O son of my womb? What, O son of my vows?
WEB“Oh, my son! Oh, son of my womb! Oh, son of my vows!
ASVWhat, my son? and what, O son of my womb? And what, O son of my vows?
YLT‘What, my son? and what, son of my womb? And what, son of my vows?
DARBYWhat, my son? and what, O son of my womb? and what, O son of my vows?
BBEWhat am I to say to you, O Lemuel, my oldest son? and what, O son of my body? and what, O son of my oaths?
WebsterWhat, my son? and what, the son of my womb? and what, the son of my vows?

What does Proverbs 31:2 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
2. What, my son?--that is, What shall I say? Repetitions denote earnestness. son of my womb--as our phrase, "my own son," a term of special affection. son of my vows--as one dedicated to God; so the word "Lemuel" may mean.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 2 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 him. My sonne, thou son of my body, O my deare beloved sonne!" The son of my vows? - A child born after vows made for offsprings is called the child of a person's vows.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Proverbs 31:1-9

When children are under the mother's eye, she has an opportunity of fashioning their minds aright. Those who are grown up, should often call to mind the good teaching they received when children. The many awful instances of promising characters who have been ruined by vile women, and love of wine, should warn every one to avoid these evils. Wine is to be used for want or medicine. Every creature of God is good, and…

Read the full comment on Proverbs 31:1-9 →

Proverbs 31:2 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

מַה\־mah-what?H4100
בְּ֭רִיBe.riO son myH1121
וּמַֽה\־u.mah-and what?H4100
בַּר\־bar-O son ofH1121
בִּטְנִ֑יbit.Niwomb myH990
וּ֝מֶהU.mehand what?H4100
בַּר\־bar-O son ofH1121
נְדָרָֽי\׃ne.da.Raivows myH5088

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Proverbs 31:2

  • Isaiah 49:15

    Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.

  • 1 Samuel 1:11

    And she vowed a vow, and said, O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.

  • 1 Samuel 1:28

    Therefore also I have lent him to the Lord; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the Lord. And he worshipped the Lord there.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
the son of my womb.
Isa 49:15
the son of my vows.
1Sa 1:11,28

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Proverbs 31:1

    The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him.

  • Proverbs 31:2

    What, my son? and what, the son of my womb? and what, the son of my vows?

  • Proverbs 31:3

    Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings.

Read all of Proverbs 31

Proverbs 31:2 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		¿Qué, hijo mío? ¿y qué, hijo de mi vientre? ¿y qué, hijo de mis deseos?
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Quoi, mon fils? et quoi, fils de mon ventre? et quoi, fils de mes vœux?
German
Elberfelder 1871		Was, mein Sohn, und was, Sohn meines Leibes, und was, Sohn meiner Gelübde?
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Quid, dilecte mi? quid, dilecte uteri mei? quid, dilecte votorum meorum?