Chapter 31

King Lemuel writes these.  Jewish tradition says Lemuel is Solomon.  There are two parts.  Instructions to rulers in some basic things, like avoiding too much wine.  Also, to judge rightly, defending the poor and needy - those who have no means of defending themselves.

The second part is the description of an excellent wife.  In TCR, it doesn't seem to say that it is written by anyone in particular.  Agur perhaps.  I had always thought it had an intro that said it was Agur's mother who wrote it.  That is not indicated in the ESV.  Instead, verse 1 says that this is an oracle that Lemuel's mother taught him.  This may well mean that she didn't write it, but she thought it important enough to teach her son.  But that could be just about the first part, not necessarily the whole thing.  ESV says 10-31 are an acrostic poem using the letters of the Hebrew alphabet.  This part seems to be written more to women as a standard to work for than what a mother would say to her son about good women.

First notes, 8/18/18

All the things spoken of here come in fours.  Why do we always say this vs come in threes.

These last two Proverbs appear not to have been written by Solomon .

In  31 there are reasons to drink, according to Lemuel's mother.  If you're  dying, or if you are bitter of heart.  But alcohol is not promoted to  cure, only so you can forget for a time 

Solomon  said in Ecclesiastes that wine would made us merry.  So we could enjoy  right now.  Maybe we need to forget our problems to enjoy the now. 

Characteristics of a good woman.  Glad there's not a list for a good man.  Don't think there are many of either.