Proverbs 30 - ESV - Bible Reading / Study Notes

Proverbs 30

The Words of Agur

30:1 The words of Agur son of Jakeh. The oracle.¹

  The man declares, I am weary, O God;
    I am weary, O God, and worn out.²
2   Surely I am too stupid to be a man.
    I have not the understanding of a man.
3   I have not learned wisdom,
    nor have I knowledge of the Holy One.
4   Who has ascended to heaven and come down?
    Who has gathered the wind in his fists?
  Who has wrapped up the waters in a garment?
    Who has established all the ends of the earth?
  What is his name, and what is his son’s name?
    Surely you know!
5   Every word of God proves true;
    he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
6   Do not add to his words,
    lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar.
7   Two things I ask of you;
    deny them not to me before I die:
8   Remove far from me falsehood and lying;
    give me neither poverty nor riches;
    feed me with the food that is needful for me,
9   lest I be full and deny you
    and say, “Who is the LORD?”
  or lest I be poor and steal
    and profane the name of my God.
10   Do not slander a servant to his master,
    lest he curse you, and you be held guilty.
11   There are those³ who curse their fathers
    and do not bless their mothers.
12   There are those who are clean in their own eyes
    but are not washed of their filth.
13   There are those—how lofty are their eyes,
    how high their eyelids lift!
14   There are those whose teeth are swords,
    whose fangs are knives,
  to devour the poor from off the earth,
    the needy from among mankind.
15   The leech has two daughters:
    Give and Give.⁴
  Three things are never satisfied;
    four never say, “Enough”:
16   Sheol, the barren womb,
    the land never satisfied with water,
    and the fire that never says, “Enough.”
17   The eye that mocks a father
    and scorns to obey a mother
  will be picked out by the ravens of the valley
    and eaten by the vultures.
18   Three things are too wonderful for me;
    four I do not understand:
19   the way of an eagle in the sky,
    the way of a serpent on a rock,
  the way of a ship on the high seas,
    and the way of a man with a virgin.
20   This is the way of an adulteress:
    she eats and wipes her mouth
    and says, “I have done no wrong.”
21   Under three things the earth trembles;
    under four it cannot bear up:
22   a slave when he becomes king,
    and a fool when he is filled with food;
23   an unloved woman when she gets a husband,
    and a maidservant when she displaces her mistress.
24   Four things on earth are small,
    but they are exceedingly wise:
25   the ants are a people not strong,
    yet they provide their food in the summer;
26   the rock badgers are a people not mighty,
    yet they make their homes in the cliffs;
27   the locusts have no king,
    yet all of them march in rank;
28   the lizard you can take in your hands,
    yet it is in kings’ palaces.
29   Three things are stately in their tread;
    four are stately in their stride:
30   the lion, which is mightiest among beasts
    and does not turn back before any;
31   the strutting rooster,⁵ the he-goat,
    and a king whose army is with him.⁶
32   If you have been foolish, exalting yourself,
    or if you have been devising evil,
    put your hand on your mouth.
33   For pressing milk produces curds,
    pressing the nose produces blood,
    and pressing anger produces strife.

Footnotes

[1] 30:1 Or Jakeh, the man of Massa
[2] 30:1 Revocalization; Hebrew The man declares to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal
[3] 30:11 Hebrew There is a generation; also verses 12, 13, 14
[4] 30:15 Or “Give, give,” they cry
[5] 30:31 Or the magpie, or the greyhound; Hebrew girt-of-loins
[6] 30:31 Or against whom there is no rising up

Commentary

v1: The names used here may be coded names;

"Agur," means received amongst the wise men, indicating a companion of the wise;
"Jakeh," means obedient; for wisdom grows from obedience, and promotes obedience;
"Ithiel," means God has arrived; for practical wisdom has little value unless we have faith in the real and living God;
"Ucal," means devoured.

v2-3: Stupidity is not the ignorance of the things of the world, but rather ignorance of the things of God. It is a serious folly to neglect God's words, and to neglect to put them into practice in our lives.

v4: The greatness of God; He is beyond human understanding, and is only known by revelation. These words present a remarkable prophetic picture of God, and of His Son, Jesus Christ.

v5-6: Proper respect for God's words. Every word is pure, not to be alloyed or changed, as when men add their own words to it; once we change the word, then we cannot trust what is being said. God's word is both profitable and sufficient.

v7-9: Poverty and riches; either can turn a man from God;

Illustrated in Ex 15.22-24, where Israel murmured at the lack of water;

And in Deut 32.15, where Israel rebelled when they had plenty.

Be satisfied with God's provision, fellowship and friendship, wife and family, a home and a job, and opportunities; he will not deprive me, see also 6.30.

v10: Do not slander another Christian, for his master is Christ.

v11-14: Today's generation;

dishonouring parents;
guilty, yet condoning sin;
proud;
greedy and unjust.

v15-16: Greed and selfishness; some are never satisfied with their lot. We must find our satisfaction in Christ.

v17: Disrespect for parents, as in v11, is a serious thing.

v18-19: Even things of everyday life are beyond human understanding. They are signs pointing us to eternal realities.

v20: Typical human attitude, claiming innocence of wrong doing. Many are pure in their own eyes.

v21-23: When life is unjust, and events seem illogical; such is the impact of sin upon everyday life.

v24: Four things are small but wise, picturing the church of Christ.

v25: Ants are individually weak and vulnerable, yet together they prepare for the future; yet not every individual will share that future. The church is equally weak, yet we must prepare ourselves for difficult days ahead.

v26: The rock badger is feeble and defenceless, but finds a secure place to hide from its enemies. We find our security in Christ.

v27: Locusts are leaderless, yet they remain united in their aim; each one is totally faithful and committed to the group. Our king is physically absent, but we all advance.

v28: The spider (or lizard) is persistent and skilful; this is essential for it to enjoy security and provision in the king's palaces, compare Ps 84.3.

v29-31: Speaking of Christ, majestic in His stride, full of dignity and power, demanding admiration and praise.

v32-33: Foolish words; self-praise, planning evil, stirring up anger.