2 O my son, O son of my womb,
O son of my vows,
(NET) The repetition of the word “son” shows the seriousness of the warning; and the expression “son of my womb” and “son of my vows” are endearing epithets to show the great investment she has made in his religious place in God’s program.
3 Do not give your strength to women,
nor your ways to that which ruins kings.
(NET) The word “ways” may in general refer to the heart’s affection for or attention to, or it may more specifically refer to sexual intercourse.
Summary and reflection: From birth, the king was trained by her mother as a king after God's heart. Know who you are. Therefore, spend your energy or direct your heart affection according to that direction. There is no separation between what your calling from God and what you desires and how you spend your life to do.
8 Open your mouth on behalf of those unable to speak,
for the legal rights of all the dying.
9 Open your mouth, judge in righteousness,
and plead the cause of the poor and needy.
(BKC) . In verses 4–7, Lemuel’s mother warned about the dangers of alcoholism... The particular danger of drunkenness to a king lies in its tendency to cloud his memory and judgment, resulting in injustice (18:5) to the oppressed (cf. 31:8)
those unable to speak The instruction compares people who cannot defend themselves in court with those who are physically unable to speak (this is a figure of speech known as hypocatastasis, an implied comparison). The former can physically speak; but because they are the poor, the uneducated, the oppressed, they are unable to conduct a legal defense. They may as well be speechless.
dying people who are “defenseless” as opposed to those who are healthy and powerful.
plead the cause of the poor and needy It was—and is—the responsibility of the king (ruler) to champion the rights of the poor and needy, who otherwise would be ignored and oppressed. They are the ones left destitute by the cruelties and inequalities of life (e.g., 2 Sam 14:4–11; 1 Kgs 3:16–28; Pss 45:3–5; 72:4; Isa 9:6–7).
Summary and reflection: What the king gives up is alcoholism, for the sake for those who really depend on him. What a sober reminder for us who are given the position by God.
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