Wisdom · Chapter 30 of 31

Proverbs 30

The words of Agur begin with humble confession of ignorance and awe before the Creator who gathered the wind and bound the waters. He asks who has ascended to heaven and what is His name and His son's name. He prays for neither poverty nor riches, only daily bread. Then come numbered sayings marveling at what is never satisfied, what is too wonderful to trace, and small creatures that are exceedingly wise.

What happens in Proverbs 30

Agur son of Jakeh opens by calling himself more brutish than any man, lacking the knowledge of the holy. He poses towering questions about the Creator: who has ascended to heaven and come down, gathered the wind, bound the waters, and established the earth, and what is His name and His son's name. He affirms that every word of God is pure and a shield, and warns against adding to it. He makes a memorable double request: keep me from vanity and lies, and give me neither poverty nor riches but only my portion of bread, lest wealth make me deny God or poverty make me steal.

The chapter then unfolds numbered observations: things never satisfied like the grave and fire, things too wonderful like the way of an eagle in the air, small creatures wise beyond their strength like ants and conies, and things stately in their going. It ends counseling restraint, for forcing wrath brings forth strife.

Proverbs 30 in context

This chapter preserves the words of Agur, a wisdom teacher outside the line of Solomon, showing that Israel welcomed godly wisdom from various voices. Its style is distinctive, blending humble confession, prayer, and numbered sayings that build to a climax.

Agur's awe before the Creator and his hunger for daily provision reflect a piety that treasures God's word and distrusts both self-sufficient wealth and desperate want.

Main themes of Proverbs 30

Proverbs 30 (KJV)

1The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, even the prophecy: the man spake unto Ithiel, even unto Ithiel and Ucal, 2Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man. 3I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy. 4Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son’s name, if thou canst tell? 5Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. 6Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar. 7Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I die: 8Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: 9Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain. 10Accuse not a servant unto his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be found guilty. 11There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother. 12There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness. 13There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up. 14There is a generation, whose teeth are as swords, and their jaw teeth as knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men. 15The horseleach hath two daughters, crying, Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four things say not, It is enough: 16The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not filled with water; and the fire that saith not, It is enough. 17The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it. 18There be three things which are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not: 19The way of an eagle in the air; the way of a serpent upon a rock; the way of a ship in the midst of the sea; and the way of a man with a maid. 20Such is the way of an adulterous woman; she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness. 21For three things the earth is disquieted, and for four which it cannot bear: 22For a servant when he reigneth; and a fool when he is filled with meat; 23For an odious woman when she is married; and an handmaid that is heir to her mistress. 24There be four things which are little upon the earth, but they are exceeding wise: 25The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer; 26The conies are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks; 27The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands; 28The spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in kings’ palaces. 29There be three things which go well, yea, four are comely in going: 30A lion which is strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any; 31A greyhound; an he goat also; and a king, against whom there is no rising up. 32If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast thought evil, lay thine hand upon thy mouth. 33Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife.

Verses to carry from Proverbs 30

“Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son’s name, if thou canst tell?”Proverbs 30:4

“Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.”Proverbs 30:5

“Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:”Proverbs 30:8

Reflection

Sit in Agur's humility, admitting how little you truly know of God, and let that wonder deepen your worship. Pray his prayer for enough rather than abundance, examining whether wealth tempts you to self-sufficiency or want tempts you to compromise. Treasure God's pure word as your shield today.

A prayer from Proverbs 30