3927. Lemuel or Lemoel

Lexical Summary

Lemuel or Lemoel: Lemuel

Original Word: לְמוּאֵל
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Lmuw'el
Pronunciation: leh-moo-EL
Phonetic Spelling: (lem-oo-ale')
KJV: Lemuel
NASB: Lemuel
Word Origin: [from H3926 (לְמוֹ - to them) and H410 (אֵל - God)]

1. (name) (belonging) to God
2. Lemuel or Lemoel, a symbolic name of Solomon

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

Lemuel or Lemoel, a symbolic name of Solomon

Or Lmow el {lem-o-ale'}; from lmow and 'el; (belonging) to God; Lemuel or Lemoel, a symbolic name of Solomon:

see HEBREW lmow

see HEBREW 'el

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
of uncertain derivation
Definition
king of Massa
NASB Translation
Lemuel (2).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

לְמוּאֵל, לְמוֺאֵל proper name, masculine king of Massa (probably, see מַשָּׂא); ׳לְמו Proverbs 31:1, ׳למוֺ Proverbs 31:4.

Topical Lexicon

Name and Meaning

Lemuel (לְמוּאֵל) is a Hebrew personal name whose components convey the idea of one who is “for God” or “belonging to God.” The very form of the name anticipates a life set apart for Yahweh and frames the character behind the brief biblical portrait as a ruler whose throne and conduct are to be governed by covenant devotion.

Biblical Occurrences

1. Proverbs 31:1 – “The words of King Lemuel—an oracle that his mother taught him.”
2. Proverbs 31:4 – “It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, nor for princes to crave strong drink.”

Historical Setting and Identification

The identity of King Lemuel is not explicitly supplied by Scripture. Jewish and Christian interpreters have historically offered three primary views:
• A distinct, otherwise unknown Arabian or northern‐border monarch whose mother feared the moral laxity common to neighboring courts.
• A poetic throne-name for Solomon, reflecting his consecration to God (compare 2 Samuel 12:25, “Jedidiah,” beloved of the LORD).
• A literary persona adopted by the compiler of Proverbs 30–31 to embody ideal royal wisdom.

The first two views hold greater weight among conservative expositors who affirm the historical integrity of the text. If Lemuel is Solomon, the passage records the godly guidance of Bathsheba late in life. If he is a separate king, the text still underscores that the fear of the LORD transcends Israel’s borders and calls all rulers to righteousness (Psalm 72:11).

Theological Significance

1. Divine ownership of rulers. The name itself reminds every king that authority is a stewardship granted by God (Proverbs 8:15).
2. Maternal discipleship. Lemuel’s mother exemplifies Deuteronomy 6:6–7, embedding the law into the heart of her son even when he bears the weight of national leadership.
3. Moral sobriety in governance. The exhortation against intoxicants (Proverbs 31:4) protects judgment, echoing Leviticus 10:9 and ensuring justice for “all the oppressed” (Proverbs 31:5).
4. Prophetic anticipation of the Messianic King. Lemuel’s ideal kingship points forward to the perfectly righteous reign of Jesus Christ, in whom every royal virtue finds its consummate expression (Isaiah 11:3–5).

Practical and Ministry Applications

• Parental Instruction: Christian parents find in Lemuel’s mother a pattern for shaping future generations—speaking candidly about holiness, self-control, and compassion for the weak (Proverbs 31:8–9).
• Leadership Ethics: Elders, pastors, and civic officials are warned that clouded judgment endangers those they serve; soberness is a pastoral and public duty (1 Timothy 3:2–3).
• Gender Partnership in Wisdom: The closing description of the “excellent wife” (Proverbs 31:10–31) sits in immediate literary proximity to Lemuel’s royal charge, illustrating how godly households contribute to national health.
• Apologetic Value: The presence of a possibly non-Israelite king receiving Yahwistic counsel corroborates the universal moral scope of the Old Testament and refutes claims of parochial ethics.

Legacy in Jewish and Christian Tradition

Rabbinic literature often links Lemuel with Solomon, reinforcing the concept that even the wisest may falter without heeding maternal warnings. Early church fathers employed Lemuel’s oracle to admonish emperors against excess. Medieval commentators saw in Lemuel’s mother a type of the Virgin Mary instructing the true King. Reformation preachers adopted the passage to assert temperance for magistrates, and modern evangelical ministries continue to cite it in leadership training material.

Through a mere two verses, Lemuel exemplifies the biblical conviction that all authority, personal or political, must bend to the will of the LORD, to whom every ruler ultimately belongs.

Forms and Transliterations

לְֽמוֹאֵ֗ל לְמוּאֵ֣ל למואל lə·mō·w·’êl lə·mū·’êl lemoEl ləmōw’êl ləmū’êl lemuEl

Englishman's Concordance

Proverbs 31:1
HEB: דִּ֭בְרֵי לְמוּאֵ֣ל מֶ֑לֶךְ מַ֝שָּׂ֗א
NAS: of King Lemuel, the oracle
KJV: of king Lemuel, the prophecy
INT: the words Lemuel of King the oracle

Proverbs 31:4
HEB: אַ֤ל לַֽמְלָכִ֨ים ׀ לְֽמוֹאֵ֗ל אַ֣ל לַֽמְלָכִ֣ים
NAS: It is not for kings, O Lemuel, It is not for kings
KJV: [It is] not for kings, O Lemuel, [it is] not for kings
INT: for kings Lemuel for kings

2 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 3927
2 Occurrences

lə·mō·w·’êl — 1 Occ.
lə·mū·’êl — 1 Occ.