Proverbs 31:8-9 | Bible Study | Be a Voice For The Voiceless

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Introduction: Proverbs 31:8-9 Bible Study

Welcome, to the bible study series Know the Bible: Proverbs 31:8-9. I am glad you are meeting me AT FORESTS EDGE, where women can study the word of God together and encourage one another while we walk out our faith, embrace womanhood, and live fearlessly.

In this study of Proverbs 31:8-9, we will look at the eighth and ninth verses in context. I have broken the chapter up into mini-studies so that busy women like myself can take in the information in just a few minutes each day. 

If you have more time then feel free to continue to the next section whenever you are ready.

This study is perfect for a personal bible study or a women’s small group.

New here? The Proverbs 31 overview sets the stage for the context of the chapter, otherwise, let’s jump right into Proverbs 31:8-9!

Proverbs 31:8-9

“Open your mouth for the speechless, In the cause of all who are appointed to die. Open your mouth, judge righteously, And plead the cause of the poor and needy.”

Proverbs 31:8-9 NKJV

Proverbs 31:8-9 Strong’s Definition:

Speechless- (Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance to the Bible H483)אִלֵּם ʼillêm, il-lame’; from H481; speechless:—dumb (man).

Son’s- (Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance to the Bible H1121)בֵּן bên, bane; from H1129; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.):—afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, (+) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, + (young) bullock, + (young) calf, × came up in, child, colt, × common, × corn, daughter, × of first, firstborn, foal, + very fruitful, + postage, × in, + kid, + lamb, (+) man, meet, + mighty, + nephew, old, (+) people, rebel, + robber, × servant born, × soldier, son, + spark, steward, + stranger, × surely, them of, + tumultuous one, valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.

Destruction- (Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance to the Bible H2475) חַלּוֹן challôwn, khal-lone’; from H2498; properly, surviving; by implication (collectively) orphans:—× destruction.

Righteous- (Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance to the Bible H6664) צֶדֶק tsedeq, tseh’-dek; from H6663; the right (natural, moral or legal); also (abstractly) equity or (figuratively) prosperity:—× even, (× that which is altogether) just(-ice), (un-)right(-eous) (cause, -ly, -ness).

Plead the cause- (Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance to the Bible H7389) דִּין dîyn, deen; or (Genesis 6:3) דּוּן dûwn; a primitive root; to rule; by implication to judge (as umpire); also to strive (as at law):—contend contend execute (judgment) judge minister judgment plead (the cause) at strife strive.

Poor- (Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance to the Bible H6041) עָנִי ʻânîy, aw-nee’; from H6031; (practically the same as H6035, although the margin constantly disputes this, making H6035 subjective and objective); depressed, in mind or circumstances:—afflicted, humble, lowly, needy, poor.

Needy- (Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance to the Bible H34) אֶבְיוֹן ʼebyôwn, eb-yone’; from H14, in the sense of want (especially in feeling); destitute:—beggar, needy, poor (man).

Webster’s 1828 Dictionary: Proverbs 31:8-9

SPEE’CHLESS, adjective

1. Destitute or deprived of the faculty of speech. More generally,

2. Mute; silent; not speaking for a time. speechless with wonder, and half dead with fear.

DUMB, adjective Dum.

1. Mute; silent; not speaking.

I was dumb with silence; I held my peace. Psalms 34:1.

2. Destitute of the power of speech; unable to utter articulate sounds; as the dumb brutes. The asylum at Hartford in Connecticut was the first institution in America for teaching the deaf and dumb to read and write.

3. Mute; not using or accompanied with speech; as a dumb show; dumb signs.

To strike dumb is to confound; to astonish; to render silent by astonishment; or it may be, to deprive of the power of speech.

DUMB, verb transitive To silence.

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SON, noun

1. A male child; the male issue of a parent, father or mother. Jacob had twelve sons. Ishmael was the son of Hagar by Abraham.

2. A male descendant, however distant; hence in the plural, sons signifies descendants in general, a sense much used in the Scriptures. The whole human race are styled sons of Adam.

3. The compellation of an old man to a young one, or of a confessor to his penitent; a term of affection. Eli called Samuel his son Be plain, good son and home; y in thy drift.

4. A native or inhabitant of a country; as the sons of Britain. Let our country never be ashamed of her sons.

5. The produce of any thing. Earth’s tall sons, the cedar, oak and pine. [Note. The primary sense of child is produce, issue; a shoot.]

6. One adopted into a family. Moses was the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. Exodus 2:2.

7. One who is converted by another’s instrumentality, is called his son; also, one educated by another; as the sons of the prophets.

8. Christ is called the son of God, as being conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit, or in consequence of his relation to the Father.

9. son of pride, sons of light, son of Belial. These are Hebraisms, which denote that persons possess the qualities of pride, of light, or of Belial, as children inherit the qualities of their ancestors.

DESTRUCTION, noun

1. The act of destroying; demolition; a pulling down; subversion; ruin, by whatever means; as the destruction of buildings, or of towns. destruction consists in the annihilation of the form of any theing; that form of parts which constitues it what it is; as the destruction of grass or herbage by eating; of a forest, by cutting down the trees; or it denotes a total annihilation; as the destruction of a particular government; the destruction of happiness.

2. Death; murder; slaughter; massacre.

There was a deadly destruction throughout all the city. 1 Samuel 5:9.

3. Ruin.

DESTRUCTION and misery are in their ways. Romans 3:16.

4. Eternal death.

Broad is the way that leadeth to destruction Matthew 7:13.

5. Cause of destruction; a consuming plague; a destroyer.

The destruction that wasteth at noon-day. Psalms 91:6.

RIGHTEOUS, adjective ri’chus.

1. Just; accordant to the divine law. Applied to persons, it denotes one who is holy in heart, and observant of the divine commands in practice; as a righteous man. Applied to things, it denotes consonant to the divine will or to justice; as a righteous act. It is used chiefly in theology, and applied to God, to his testimonies and to his saints.

The righteous in Scripture, denote the servants of God, the saints.

2. Just; equitable; merited.

And I thy righteous doom will bless.

PLEAD, verb intransitive [See Plea.] In a general sense, to argue in support of a claim, or in defense against the claim of another.

1. In law, to present an answer to the declaration of a plaintiff; to deny the plaintiff’s declaration and demand, or to allege facts which show that he ought not to recover in the suit. The plaintiff declares or alleges; the defendant pleads to his declaration. The king or the state prosecutes an offender, and the offender pleads not guilty, or confesses the charge.

2. To urge reasons for or against; to attempt to persuade one by argument or supplication; as, to plead for the life of a criminal; to plead in his favor; to plead with a judge or with a father.

O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleadeth for his neighbor! Job 16:21.

3. To supplicate with earnestness.

4. To urge; to press by operating on the passions.

Since you can love, and yet your error see,

The same resistless power may plead for me.

PLEAD, verb transitive To discuss, defend and attempt to maintain by arguments or reasons offered to the tribunal or person who has the power of determining; as, to plead a cause before a court or jury. In this sense, argue is more generally used by lawyers.

1. To allege or adduce in proof, support or vindication. The law of nations may be pleaded in favor of the rights of embassadors.

2. To offer in excuse.

I will neither plead my age nor sickness in excuse of faults.

3. To allege and offer in a legal plea or defense, or for repelling a demand in law; as, to plead usury; to plead a statute of limitations.

4. In Scripture, to plead the cause of the righteous, as God, is to avenge or vindicate them against enemies, or to redress their grievances. Isaiah 51:22.

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AFFLICT’ED, participle passive Affected with continued or often repeated pain, either of body or mind; suffering grief or distress, of any kind; followed by at, by or with; as, afflicted at the loss of a child, by the rheumatism, or with losses.

POOR, adjective [Latin pauper.]

1. Wholly destitute of property, or not having property sufficient for a comfortable subsistence; needy. It is often synonymous with indigent, and with necessitous, denoting extreme want; it is also applied to persons who are not entirely destitute of property, but are not rich; as a poor man or woman; poor people

Summary of Proverbs 31:8-9

Bathsheba is telling Solomon to speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves. Speak for those who are appointed to die, or literally, the sons of passing away.

Son’s of destruction implies those who have no choice, their death is inevitable. It may also mean those given to destruction. Or their ways lead to death.

She tells Solomon to speak and judge righteously, without partiality. To judge right for those who are afflicted and destitute.

My notes from Proverbs 31:8-9

There are two major lessons in these verses.

2 Life lessons from Proverbs 31:8-9

1. Don’t be afraid to speak up when it’s in your power to do so.
   1. It is required of you to speak for those who have no voice. Whether they are not capable of speaking or will not be heard.
2. Be impartial. It shouldn’t matter who is involved. Truth is truth and right is right.
   1. There is no your truth, their truth. 
   2. No matter who is involved you have to do what is right in the eyes of God!

It seems Bathsheba wanted to teach her son to rule rightly. He would not only be speaking up for a kid on a playground, but he also had lives in his hands. He would need to take his position and power very seriously. 

Modern application

There are many opportunities to speak up for others who don’t have a voice in this modern world. History showed us groups of people who didn’t speak up because they didn’t think it was their business until they were the people no one was around to speak up for.

There is an ever-growing voiceless generation now here in America. To the point that other cultures look at us like we are monsters for the inhumanity we exhibit.

Some things can only be made right by a heart change. Our culture needs to embrace and hold in high regard all members of the human race no matter what circumstances they came from.

Every human being should have the inalienable right to life, liberty & the pursuit of happiness that was given to us by our Creator.

Parenting goals

Proverbs 31:8-9 is an example of a mother who wants the best for her children. I don’t know what position my children will end up doing. God willing, they will be thriving adults someday. I want them to be the kind of people who speak up for those who can’t speak up for themselves.

It is important to me to be intentional and consistent in teaching them kindness and impartiality. To be at peace if possible with all and not fear man. 

I try my best, with the help of the Holy Spirit to be at peace. We cannot control how others act. We can choose how we respond. 

The best way to train our children is to show them, not just tell them. Children are likely to mimic the example set before them. When given the opportunity, choose kindness, choose what is right, choose the truth which can only come from God!

Questions to Ponder from Proverbs 31:8-9:

1. Who are the voiceless in this generation that you can speak for?
2. Have you ever been afraid to stand up for the truth?
3. List 3 kindnesses you can do today and do them!

Thank you, for meeting me here, AT FORESTS EDGE. I hope this in-depth women’s bible study of Proverbs 31:8-9 is a blessing to you. 

I’d love to know if you have gained insight from the study. 

If you have never accepted Jesus as your Savior you can find out more about salvation.

The next study, Proverbs 31:10 or the prior study Proverbs 31:6-7 Feel free to check out my favorite bible study tools.

I’d love for you to be my companion in this journey, and join my newsletter where I share encouragement throughout the year for women to walk in faith, embrace womanhood, and live fearlessly. 

Until we meet again,

Raeanna