Pro 31:1.
Lemuel (Heb. Lemû’êl and Lemô’êl, “to God”). Name of a king who composed the poem found in Pro_31 Some take the Heb. maí’í’a’, translated “prophecy” (Pro 31:1), as the name of a country, and thus they consider Lemuel king of Massa (cÆ’ v 4). Formerly, Lemuel was generally identified with Solomon, but there is no evidence for or against this assumption.
Source: Evangelical Bible Dictionary
belonging to God, king of the Nordarabic tribe of Masá, Pr 31, 1, to whom proverbs 31, 2-9 are attributed, which are teachings of his mother.
Digital Bible Dictionary, Grupo C Service & Design Ltda., Colombia, 2003
Source: Digital Bible Dictionary
(Heb., lemu†™el, dedicated to God). An otherwise unknown king, who was taught maxims by his mother in Pro 31:2-9.
Although many identities have been proposed, without a doubt, the name describes Solomon (Pro 31:1).
Source: Hispanic World Bible Dictionary
(Devoted to God or belonging to God). Character of unknown history that is mentioned in the book of Proverbs, attributing the content of chapter 31 to him. Interpreting the wording of the words of Pro 1:1, many Jewish sages think that they say “Lemuel king of Massa”, since Massa is one of the peoples or kingdoms that came out of Ishmael (Gen 25:14; 1Ch 1:30).
Source: Christian Bible Dictionary
tip, BIOG HOMB HOAT
see, PROVERBS
vet, = “consecrated to God”. Author of Pr. 31, chapter in which he recalls his mother’s instructions. About his identity, there are those who, instead of translating the word that follows “king Lemuel” as “the prophecy”, would leave it as a proper name, reading Lemuel king of Massa, identifying him as king of the kingdom of Massa (Gen. 25 :14), son of Ishmael, and supposedly head of a tribe or sheikh of a territory. However, the same term, “the prophecy”, “massã’”, is used about the words of Agur son of Jake (Gen. 30:1), which militates against this position. Others take the position that Lemuel is a title given to Solomon, who is then attributed as the father of Proverbs 30 and 31. (See PROVERBS.)
Source: New Illustrated Bible Dictionary
(Belonging to God).
Unidentified king of ancient times, whose words are recorded in Proverbs chapter 31. There has been much discussion about his identity. Some commentators are of the opinion that Lemuel was another name for Solomon, while others identify him with Hezekiah. King Lemuel’s words constitute † œthe weighty message that his mother gave him in correcting him †. (Pr 31: 1) However, it is not known when and under what circumstances the king received such information from his mother. That “weighty message” warns of bad women and intoxicating liquor that can pervert judgment. He also stresses the need to judge fairly, and then describes a good wife.
Source: Dictionary of the Bible
King of *Massa. In Pr. 31.1–9 appear the instructions of his mother regarding good government, the dangers of sensuality, and excessive consumption of wine. Modern scholars have generally not accepted the rabbinic tradition which asserts that Lemuel and the names in Pr. 30.1 are attributes of Solomon, in an effort to ascribe the entire book of Proverbs to Solomon (cf. L. Ginzberg, The Legends of the Jews, 6, 1946, pp. 277). See W. McKane, Proverbs, 1970, pp. 407–412.
Bibliography. D. Kidner, Proverbs, 1975; L. Alonso Schökel, Proverbs, 1984.
DAH
Douglas, J. (2000). New Biblical Dictionary: First Edition. Miami: United Bible Societies.
Source: New Bible Dictionary