Lamuel

Name of a king mentioned in Proverbs 31:1 and 4 , but otherwise unknown. In the opening verse we read: "The words of king Lamuel. The vision wherewith his mother instructed him." The name occurs again in verse 4 : "Give not to kings, O Lamuel, give not wine to kings . . ." The discourse which is an exhortation to chastity and temperance, is supposed to end with verse 9 . Some modern scholars (see Revised Version, Prov., xxxi, 1, margin) render the first passage thus: "The words of Lemuel, king of Massa, which his mother taught him." Massa is mentioned in Genesis 25:14 (cf. 1 Chronicles 1:30 ), among the sons of Ismael, and his kingdom is consequently supposed to have been in Arabia. In etymological form the name Lamuel is kindred with Jamuel ( Genesis 46:10 ) and Namuel ( 1 Chronicles 4:24 ). In signification it is cognate with Lael ( Numbers 3:24 ) meaning (a man consecrated ) "to God ".