To briefly review, God’s law established the pro-life ethic. We’ve seen how Israel was supposed to care whether a person lived or died—brothers, neighbors, countrymen, even strangers. The law prohibited murder and also promoted caring for others—two sides of a coin, if you will—and what we’ve been calling brother-keeping.
We’ve also seen how, when Israel moved from a theocratic form of self-governance to a monarchy, they were warned it would make caring for themselves and others more difficult. Citizens would have to support the king, his armies and servants (the nobility) at great cost. Samuel’s prophecy of how life would change under a monarch was not a prescription for how it should change nor an excuse for neglecting the poor (1 Samuel 8:10-20).
Because God allowed the change, did that mean He'd given up on the brother-keeping system? Were people now exempt from having to be generous to the poor and letting them glean the edges of their fields? Was the king now expected to take over all the brother-keeping responsibilities?
These questions are addressed in Proverbs 31, a passage written during the time of Israel’s monarchy.
The Proverbs 31 woman and man
We’re very familiar with the portrayal of ideal womanhood at the end of Proverbs 31, verses 10-31. Whether she is a royal wife or representative of common women, she is one who cares for the downtrodden:
She extends her hand to the poor, and she stretches out her hands to the needy. —Proverbs 31:20
A praiseworthy woman is thus one who cares well for her own family and for the servants in her employ, but also for the poor and needy of her community. The fruits of her productive labor and profitable trade not only benefit herself, but are expended beyond her household. She works long and hard to provide for anyone within her sphere who might need food, clothing, shelter.
The beginning of the chapter addresses an unknown King Lemuel (verses 1-9). For some reason, we’re less familiar with the Proverbs 31 Man, but he too has a direct tie-in to the pro-life ethic:
Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy. —Prov. 31:8-9
Justice is the focus of a king’s life. Yes, he must protect his people from invaders and lead his warriors in battle, but much of his time will be spent in a court—hearing cases, settling disputes, serving as supreme judge. In this capacity, a king must be like God, judging righteously (Psalm 7:11, 98:9; Isaiah 11:4; Jeremiah 11:20; Acts 17:31; 2 Timothy 4:8). He must not allow himself to be swayed by partisan feelings.
Why speak up? Why judge fairly? Why defend? Because otherwise justice would be perverted. The rights of the poor could be overlooked and they could lose access to land or a livelihood. They could be wrongfully punished or sentenced to death while the guilty go free. The king is charged with holding other men to account for how they treat each other, particularly those without power or influence.
Instead of using his strength and authority only for himself, to gain and maintain wealth and power, the king should use his powers in service of the weak and vulnerable. In all his pomp and circumstance, a king must remember the poor. He must see to it that they have good legal representation, that their rights are not overlooked. He must consider the welfare of people who are not ostentatious, not cultured or well-spoken, who may have a hard time fitting into the grandeur of a king’s court.
Dangers and distractions
The bulk of the passage is given to warnings against various distractions that could keep a king from doing his judicial duty. If a king isn’t careful, he can be swayed by women and alcohol.
A man is strong, but his strength is limited and must be focused on his wife and children. Unwise entanglements with women who are not his wife will bring complications. Extramarital liaisons disrupt lines of succession and inheritance. Pregnancy outside marriage risks shame and impoverishment for the women; the lives of their children are precarious, at risk of abortion. Every man, but especially kings, must be cautious in this area of life.
A man’s mind is also a great gift, useful for much good, but like his body it can be used self-indulgently. Alcohol, intoxicants, and other mind-altering substances are dangerous because they blur responsibility and endanger innocent lives. Rather than behaving like an ailing or troubled man, the king should keep his decision-making faculties under control. This advice is good and applicable beyond the throne room, for any man of authority or influence.
The link between the two sections of Proverbs 31 is a wise woman, King Lemuel’s mother. He apparently recited the instructions she made him memorize. She also may be responsible for verses 10-31 because she wanted her son to choose a wife who would help him be a good king, one who would be an example to all women. He is faithfully passing on his mother’s wisdom to any who will listen.
Kings and commoners
Proverbs 31 shows us that both kings and ordinary people have roles to fulfill in caring for the poor. Like the exemplary woman, the role of individuals is to assist family members and neighbors who have fallen on hard times, and to welcome strangers.
Among other things, government’s role is to punish those who take advantage of the poor, ensure that laws concerning debt and the forgiveness of debt are followed, and not burden the people so they can readily help each other in times of need. In times of catastrophe, the government might actually redistribute wealth as Joseph did in Egypt.
As the OT proceeds from law-giving to a recitation of Israel’s history and into poetry and prophecy, we find abundant further evidence that God had not given up on the brother-keeping concept. Here’s a sampling:
- Proverbs 22:22-23 - a warning to all against exploiting the poor or crushing them in court because God will see and avenge
- Psalm 82:1-4 - unjust rulers at any level will be judged, and are urged instead to defend the weak and fatherless
- Nehemiah 5:1-5 - God hears the complaint of people who are taken advantage of by greedy kings
- Ezekiel 22:27 - greedy kings are likened to wolves
- Ezekiel 46:18 - princes were ordered by God not to plunder an individual’s inheritance for their own gain
- Micah 2:1-2 - God pronounces woe on anyone who robs a man of his inheritance
- Isaiah 1:10-17 - God likens unjust rulers to Sodom and Gomorrah and says He hates their worship services
- Jeremiah 22:13-17 - kings who “pleaded the cause of the afflicted and needy” are commended while those who murder and steal to build their palaces are warned
- Amos 8:4-7 - God warns those who “trample the needy, to do away with the humble of the land” that He will never forget
Thus, despite the passage of time and the rise and fall of many wicked kings, even after the kingdom was divided and later exiled to foreign lands, God still expected His people to still care for the weakest and most vulnerable among them, to keep them alive.
The king’s job is different from that of the average Israelite, but he faces similar temptations to ignore, to forget, to not care, to lack compassion, to overlook. He is not exempt from obeying God’s laws. Indeed, since he has more resources at his disposal, he has a greater obligation to help the poor.
The king is a nation’s First Citizen. He serves as an example to all.
Next: The pro-life ethic in the life of David
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Image: Procession of the Queen of Sheba and Meeting between the Queen of Sheba and King Solomon by Piero della Francesca, 1464, in the Basilica of San Francesco of Arezzo, Italy; public domain, https://www.wikiart.org/en/piero-della-francesca/procession-of-the-queen-of-sheba-and-meeting-between-the-queen-of-sheba-and-king-solomon-1464
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