What is the meaning of Proverbs 31:6? Give strong drink “Give strong drink to one who is perishing…” (Proverbs 31:6a) • The passage immediately follows the charge that rulers avoid wine (Proverbs 31:4-5). The contrast spotlights that intoxicating drink belongs, not to leaders who must judge righteously, but to those whose earthly course is ending. • Scripture elsewhere allows limited medicinal use of alcohol for relief: “Give wine to the weary” (2 Samuel 16:2-3); “wine makes man’s heart glad” (Psalm 104:15). • While God forbids drunkenness (Ephesians 5:18), He shows compassion on the suffering, permitting a palliative aid when life is ebbing away (cf. Mark 15:23, where they offered Jesus wine mixed with myrrh). to one who is perishing “…to one who is perishing…” (Proverbs 31:6a) • The phrase pictures someone in the final throes of life—terminal, hopeless in earthly terms (Job 29:13; Isaiah 38:12). • Even as the body fails, Scripture points to an eternal hope for those who trust the Lord (John 11:25-26), yet the verse addresses the temporal mercy of easing pain. • Practically, it reminds caregivers to act with tenderness, not withholding legitimate relief from the dying (James 2:15-16). and wine “…and wine…” (Proverbs 31:6b) • Wine is distinguished from the stronger distilled drink just mentioned, signaling a slightly gentler comfort. • Timothy received similar advice: “Use a little wine because of your stomach” (1 Timothy 5:23). • The gift of wine, rightly used, reflects God’s provision within creation, yet always within self-controlled boundaries (Proverbs 23:29-32). to the bitter in soul “…to the bitter in soul.” (Proverbs 31:6b) • “Bitter in soul” describes deep emotional anguish—Hannah’s grief (1 Samuel 1:10) or Job’s lament (Job 3:20). • The verse recognizes that profound sorrow, like physical agony, may call for compassionate alleviation. • Still, Scripture urges that true consolation rests ultimately in the Lord (Psalm 34:18; 2 Corinthians 1:3-4). The temporary relief of wine can never replace the lasting comfort found in God’s presence. summary Proverbs 31:6 contrasts the responsibility of sober leadership with the merciful concession of easing the dying and deeply distressed. The verse neither endorses drunkenness nor trivializes sorrow; it simply acknowledges that physical and emotional pain sometimes warrant temporary relief. Throughout, God’s heart of compassion is in view, even as He calls His people to exercise discernment, self-control, and ultimate reliance on Him. |
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