What, my son? and what, the son of my womb? and what, the son of my vows?
What, my son: and what, the son of my womb (for whom I have borne such throes, and whom therefore, I so intensely love)?
And what. The thrice-repeated interrogation implies the strength of the mother's feelings: What am I to say to thee? With what precepts can I sufficiently instruct thee, so that thou mayest be truly wise and happy as a king? Words fail to express all I feel in respect to thee.
The son of my vows? - the son granted to my prayers, like Samuel; and therefore, as thy name, Lemuel, implies (note; Proverbs 31:1), consecrated to God (1 Samuel 1:11; 1 Samuel 1:27-28). A mother's pleadings with her son are likely then to be most effectual when she has first pleaded with God for him.