Proverbs 30

King James Version

Full text for Proverbs Chapter 30

1¶ The 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.

7¶ Two [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].

10¶ Accuse not a servant unto his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be found guilty.

11[There is] a generation [that] curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother.

12[There is] a generation [that are] pure in their own eyes, and [yet] is not washed from their filthiness.

13[There is] a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up.

14[There 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.

15¶ The 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.

18¶ There 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.

24¶ There 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.

29¶ There 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.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Agur, confessing his lack of human wisdom, extols God's pure word and prays for moderation, avoiding both poverty and riches. The chapter then presents various numerical proverbs, highlighting wicked generations, insatiable desires, and the consequences of filial disrespect. It contrasts incomprehensible wonders with the deceptive ways of the adulteress, and lists things that disquiet the earth, wise small creatures, and things comely in their going, concluding with a warning against pride and provoking strife.

Medium Summary

Proverbs 30 opens with Agur's humble admission of his limited understanding, contrasting it with the unsearchable power and wisdom of God, whose every word is pure and a shield. He offers a specific prayer, requesting neither poverty nor riches, but sustenance, to prevent denying the Lord from abundance or stealing from want. The chapter then transitions into a series of numerical proverbs, first describing four wicked generations characterized by disrespect for parents, self-righteousness, pride, and oppression of the poor. It identifies four insatiable things: the grave, barren womb, unquenchable earth, and fire, and warns of severe judgment for mocking parents. Agur marvels at four inexplicable phenomena, contrasting them with the subtle deceit of an adulterous woman. The text further lists four things that disturb the earth, four small but wise creatures, and four things that are comely in their movement, concluding with a caution against pride and the inevitable strife that arises from provoked wrath.

Long Summary

The thirtieth chapter of Proverbs begins with "the words of Agur the son of Jakeh," who humbly declares his own lack of understanding and wisdom, acknowledging the incomprehensible nature and power of God, the Creator of all things. He affirms the purity and protective quality of God's word, cautioning against adding to it lest one be found a liar. Agur then presents a personal prayer, requesting two things before his death: freedom from vanity and lies, and a balanced life free from both extreme poverty and excessive riches. He desires "food convenient for me," explaining that too much wealth might lead him to deny the Lord, while destitution might tempt him to steal and profane God's name. The chapter proceeds with a series of distinct observations, first warning against slandering a servant to his master. It then describes four "generations" marked by various forms of wickedness: those who curse their parents, those who are self-righteous yet unwashed from their filthiness, those characterized by haughty pride, and those who oppress and devour the poor. Agur next identifies four things that are never satisfied, likening them to the horseleach's cry of "Give, give": the grave, the barren womb, the earth unfulfilled by water, and fire. A stark warning is given regarding the fate of those who mock their parents. The text then shifts to four things that are "too wonderful" for Agur to comprehend, including the ways of an eagle, a serpent, a ship, and a man with a maid, immediately followed by a comparison to the deceptive and unrepentant way of an adulterous woman. Four things that disquiet the earth are enumerated: a servant reigning, a fool filled with meat, an odious woman married, and a handmaid inheriting from her mistress. This is followed by a section praising four "little" but exceedingly wise creatures: the ants for their foresight, the conies for their secure dwelling, the locusts for their organized movement, and the spider for its access to high places. Finally, four things that are "comely in going" are listed: the strong lion, the swift greyhound, the purposeful he-goat, and an unchallengeable king. The chapter concludes with a practical admonition against foolish pride and the inevitable strife that results from the forcing of wrath, comparing it to the churning of milk yielding butter or the wringing of a nose yielding blood.

Core Concepts

  • Divine IncomprehensibilityAgur confesses his limited human understanding, posing rhetorical questions about God's unsearchable power and nature, highlighting the vast gap between human wisdom and divine knowledge.
  • Purity of God's WordThe chapter asserts that "Every word of God is pure" and serves as a shield for those who trust Him, cautioning against altering or adding to His divine pronouncements.
  • Prayer for ModerationAgur's specific prayer requests neither poverty nor riches, but "food convenient for me," aiming to avoid the spiritual dangers of both extremes—denying God in abundance or stealing in destitution.
  • Wicked GenerationsThe text describes four types of corrupt people: those who dishonor parents, the self-righteous, the proud, and those who exploit the poor, illustrating various forms of moral decay.
  • Insatiable DesiresSeveral entities are presented as never being satisfied, such as the grave, the barren womb, the unquenched earth, and fire, symbolizing the endless craving inherent in certain aspects of existence.
  • Wisdom in Small CreaturesFour seemingly insignificant creatures—ants, conies, locusts, and the spider—are highlighted for their inherent wisdom, demonstrating foresight, security, unity, and access, respectively.
  • Consequences of WrathThe chapter concludes with an analogy comparing the forcing of wrath to churning milk or wringing a nose, illustrating that such provocation inevitably leads to strife and conflict.