Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him. Proverbs 30:5
30 1 The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, his utterance. This man declared to Ithiel–to Ithiel and Ucal: 2 Surely I am more stupid than any man, And do not have the understanding of a man. 3 I neither learned wisdom Nor have knowledge of the Holy One. 4 Who has ascended into heaven, or descended? Who has gathered the wind in His fists? Who has bound 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, If you know?
30:4 This verse gives the riddle that perplexed Agur. The questions are enigmatic. The culminate in What is His name, and What is His Son’s name, If you know? At this point, the riddle has no answer. The OT would answer that “His name” is the Lord God, but did not have a name for His Son. This riddle was to remain unsolved until Jesus answered it for Nicodemus (John 3:13). These verses form one of the most straightforward messianic texts in the Bible.
No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven. John 3:13
5 Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him. 6 Do not add to His words, Lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar.
7 Two things I request of You (Deprive me not before I die): 8 Remove falsehood and lies far from me; Give me neither poverty nor riches– Feed me with the food allotted to 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 malign a servant to his master, Lest he curse you, and you be found guilty. 11 There is a generation that curses its father, And does not bless its mother. 12 There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes, Yet is not washed from its filthiness. 13 There is a generation–oh, how lofty are their eyes! And their eyelids are lifted up. 14 There is a generation whose teeth are like swords, And whose fangs are like knives, To devour the poor from off the earth, And the needy from among men.
15 The leech has two daughters– Give and Give! There are three things that are never satisfied, Four never say, “Enough!”: 16 The grave, The barren womb, The earth that is not satisfied with water– And the fire never says, “Enough!” 17 The eye that mocks his father, And scorns obedience to his mother, The ravens of the valley will pick it out, And the young eagles will eat it.
18 There are three things which are too wonderful for me, Yes, four which I do not understand: 19 The way of an eagle in the air, The way of a serpent on a rock, The way of a ship in the midst of the sea, And the way of a man with a virgin. 20 This is the way of an adulterous woman: She eats and wipes her mouth, And says, “I have done no wickedness.”
30:20 This verse contrasts with the way of v. 19; this way is awful whereas the former is wonderful. The adulterous woman regards her illicit sexual relations without remorse, as if she were finishing a plate of food.
21 For three things the earth is perturbed, Yes, for four it cannot bear up: 22 For a servant when he reigns, A fool when he is filled with food, 23 A hateful woman when she is married, And a maidservant who succeeds her mistress.
30:21-23 Contrasting with the four wonderful things of vv. 18, 19 are four things that are grievous, an upsetting of order. Three are clear: the servant, the fool, and the maidservant are all in unexpected positions of power. The hateful woman describes the sorry lot of a woman whose husband hates her.
24 There are four things which are little on the earth, But they are exceedingly wise: 25 The ants are a people not strong, Yet they prepare their food in the summer; 26 The rock badgers are a feeble folk, Yet they make their homes in the crags; 27 The locusts have no king, Yet they all advance in ranks; 28 The spider skillfully grasps with its hands, And it is in kings’ palaces.
30:24-28 This numerical proverb speaks of four creatures that are small in size but amazing in behavior. Each of these small creatures has a behavioral trait from which wise people can learn.
29 There are three things which are majestic in pace, Yes, four which are stately in walk: 30 A lion, which is mighty among beasts And does not turn away from any; 31 A greyhound, A male goat also, And a king whose troops are with him. 32 If you have been foolish in exalting yourself, Or if you have devised evil, put your hand on your mouth. 33 For as the churning of milk produces butter, And wringing the nose produces blood, So the forcing of wrath produces strife.
30:32, 33 The proverbs of Agur conclude with warnings against boasting and troublemaking. The phrase put your hand on your mouth means “stop it.” The idea is if you are in the middle of making trouble and suddenly realize your foolishness, stop right then before things get worse.
** When we observe any one of the creations, not just the ones listed in this chapter, we can’t help but be awed by it. How wonderfully and perfectly each one is designed – so unique in appearance and behavior. Not being awed by or wondered about the creator is strange.
But the wonder of all the wonders is the word of God. He speaks to us.
Who has ascended into heaven, or descended?… Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name, and what is His Son’s name, If you know? Prov. 30:4
