THE
PROVERBS

Proverbs 30

1Agur's confession of his own simplicity. 5The purity of God's word, and danger of adding thereto. 7The two points of Agur's prayer. 10A servant not to be wrongfully accused. 11Four wicked generations. 15Four things insatiable. 17Parents not to be despised. 18Four things hard to be known. 24Four things little, but wise. 29Four things stately. 32Silence in case of error the way to prevent wrath.


1THE words of 1Agur the son of Jakeh, even the 2prophecy: the man spake unto 3Ithiel, even unto Ithiel and Ucal,

1 Some do understand by this name Solomon himself, by reason of the gathering of his proverbs; for the name Agur comes from a word which signifies gathering and bringing together. Others perceive that Agur is the name of a prophet, who made the proverbs of this chapter, inscribed and dedicated them to the two persons who are here named or mentioned.

2 That is, the doctrine. See of the Hebrew word, 2 Kings 9 on verse 25, where it signifies a prophetical threatening; but here it is taken for all manner of good instruction whereby a man is edified.

3 Some consider these to be the names or titles of our Lord Jesus Christ, of Whom mention is made in the fourth verse. Ithiel is as much as God is with me; agreeing very near with the name Immanuel, Isa. 7:14. Ucal, that is, I shall prevail or be able. Others understand them to be the names of Agur’s companions or scholars, or (as some are of the opinion) sons, who received the following proverbs from him.

24Surely I am more brutish 5than any man, and have not the 6understanding of a man.

4 The prophet begins his proverbs with a preface of being small and nothing in his understanding, both to set bounds and limits unto himself in the searching and diving into secret and hidden things, and also to instruct and teach others, that they ought not curiously to pry into high and deep matters that exceed and surmount the capacity of man, but to keep themselves within the bounds of humble docility.

5 Agur, by reason of the low esteem he has of himself, makes himself, in regard of the high, mysterious questions, more insignificant than any man.

6 Namely, not as it is now, but as it was created in Adam.

3 I 7neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the 8holy.

7 Namely, that I would be able to apprehend things which are so high.

8 See Job 15:15 and the annotation. Other, would I than know the knowledge of the holy ones?

49Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? 10whoa hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound 11the waters in a garment? who hath established all 12the ends of the earth? what is 13his name, and what is his son's name, if thou canst tell?

9 It is as much as if he had said: Who is the Wisdom of God and the Power of God, but the only begotten Son of God, the Messiah, in Whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge? Compare Prov. 8:22-32; 1 Cor. 1:24; Col. 2:3. And see further these very same words applied only to the Lord Christ, John 3:13; Eph. 4:9, 10.

10 Than God the Father and His only begotten Son, without the exclusion of the Holy Spirit, Who proceeds from Them Both, and is the Spirit of the Father and of the Son? Compare John 1:3; Heb. 1:3, etc.

a Job 38:4; Psalm 104:3; Isa. 40:12.

11 Understand the waters above, that is, the clouds, which God alone keeps and holds hanging in the air, as if they were bound in a garment, which He loosens and unfolds at His pleasure.

12 Namely, that they are founded in the midst of the air upon their own weight.

13 Namely, of God the Father and of His eternal Son (compare Psalm 2:7; 80:15; Isa. 9:6), Whose Name (that is, eternal Divine Essence) no creature is able to comprehend. See Exod. 3:13, 14; Judges 13:17, 18.

514Everyb word of God is pure: he is 15a shield unto them that put their trust in him.

14 Understand the Word of God, revealed unto us in Holy Scripture, containing in it the doctrine which we believe, and the commandments which we must keep, without troubling ourselves too much with the secrecies which God has kept for Himself alone, and which excel and transcend our understanding, Deut. 29:19.

b Psalm 12:6; 18:30; 19:8; 119:140.

15 Compare Gen. 15:1 and the annotation.

616Addc thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.

16 He does not forbid to diminish from the words of God, not because it is lawful to do so, for that is likewise forbidden, Deut. 4:2; 12:32; Rev. 22:19; but because men are most inclined to add, and that under the pretense of good interpretation and exceptional holiness.

c Deut. 4:2; 12:32; Rev. 22:18.

7Two things have I required of 17thee; deny me them not 18before I die:

17 Namely, O God.

18 That is, before I depart out of this transitory life; in which man’s soul is always subject to a sinful nature and his body has always need of temporal necessities.

819Remove far from me 20vanity and 21lies: give me neither 22poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenientd for 23me:

19 Namely, by the illumination and sanctification of Thy Spirit. This is the first thing which he desires.

20 Understand all infidelity, error and falsehood in doctrine. Such is the word taken Lam. 2:14; Ezek. 12:24; 13:6, 7; Zech. 10:2.

21 Understand all manner of falsehood, hypocrisy, flattering, deceit, circumvention, lewdness and perverseness in life. Also Psalm 4:2; 62:4; Prov. 19:22; 23:3.

22 This is the second desire.

d suitable*

23 See Job 23 on verse 12.

9Lest I be 24full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the 25name of my God in vain.

24 That is, being full of the possession of great riches and wanton by reason of the excessive misuse of them. Compare verse 22; Deut. 31:20; 32:15; Neh. 9:25, 26.

25 Or, touch the name of my God, namely, by vain and idle abuse of it, or by perjury and taking a false oath to get wealth, or by denying theft; or by murmuring against God for visiting me with poverty.

1026Accuse not a servant unto his master, lest he 27curse thee, and thou be found 28guilty.

26 Or, slander; that is, accuse him not rashly, without any fault at all by him committed. See Psalm 101 on verse 5.

27 That is, beg vengeance upon you from God, Who has promised to help and defend the poor who are oppressed and afflicted, Exod. 22:23, but when the accusation is well grounded and justly made, he needs not to fear any curse at all, Prov. 26:2, but may on the contrary expect a blessing, 2 Sam. 16:12.

28 That is, be not only convinced of your sin, but also be punished of God for it. Compare Gen. 41:21; Lev. 4:22; Num. 5:6, 7.

1129There is a 30generation that curseth their father, and doth 31not bless their mother.

29 The prophet relates here, and in the following three verses, some kinds of sinners, who are very abominable before God.

30 That is, a disposition or kind of people; also Deut. 1:35; 32:5; Psalm 14:5, and here in the following 12th, 13th, 14th verse.

31 That is, shall also curse. That which was related previously is again repeated with a denial of the contrary unto what was related and asserted. Also Deut. 33:6; Isa. 38:1, etc.

12There is a generation that are pure 32in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their 33filthiness.

32 That is, in their own conceit and judgment. Compare Job 18:3 and see the annotation. Understand here by these, all hypocrites and dissemblers, and such as seem holy in outward show and appearance, who count themselves to be clean and pure from sin, or at least very little defiled therewith in comparison to others.

33 That is, sins, which are here called by a word which signifies filth or excrements, which are cast out by going to stool. Also Isa. 4:4.

13There is a generation, O 34how loftye are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up.

34 Meaning, proud men, who have an high conceit of themselves, despise everyone and desire to look over all men’s heads. See Prov. 6 on verse 17.

e Prov. 6:17.

14There is af generation, 35whose 36teeth are as swords, and their 37jaw teeth as knives, 38to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men.

f Prov. 12:18.

35 Understand in general, those who, being totally cruel and without any pity or compassion at all, abuse their power and authority to destroy those who are insignificant in the world; as there are backbiters, robbers of fame and slanderers; likewise those who oppress the poor with force; as likewise covetous persons who oppress their neighbor by fraudulent dealing or suck them dry by usury and extortion.

36 Compare Psalm 57:4.

37 See Job 29 on verse 17.

38 That is, to devour and to destroy. See Exod. 15:7 and the annotation; Deut. 32:42; 2 Sam. 2:26.

1539The 40horseleach hath two 41daughters, crying, 42Give, give. There are 43three things that are never satisfied, yea, four things say not, It is enough:

39 Here are now depicted by similitudes the insatiable covetousness of those who have been presented in the previous verse.

40 Understand a thick water-worm, otherwise called a bloodsucker, which lives in ponds and moors, having a sharp tongue, cloven in two branches, wherewith, being applied to the body, she pinches through its skin, and then sucks in so much blood as that she falls off from the body on her own accord, her appetite being not fully satisfied, but her body so filled and puffed with blood that it can hold no more. The similitude can be well understood.

41 The Hebrew word signifies properly daughters, but it is also taken for branches, because they are as daughters of the stock from where they issue, Gen. 49:22. Understand here the cloven or split tongue whereof mention was made in the previous annotation.

42 That is, whereof everyone says, give or bring, or both of them may be so called to express thereby their insatiability.

43 Of the words three and four see Prov. 6 on verse 16.

1644The grave; and 45the barren womb; the 46earth that is not filled with water; and the 47fire that 48saith not, It is enough.

44 Compare Prov. 1:12; 27:20.

45 Hebr. the closing up of the womb, that is, the closed and barren womb. See Gen. 20 on verse 18. The women of Israel were in those times exceeding, yea beyond measure, desirous to have children. See Gen. 30:1, 23 with the annotations.

46 Namely, the dry and sandy earth; for, although it is much moistened, yet in a short time it becomes again so dry and thirsty that it seems it has not been watered at all.

47 Which is never weary of burning, even though much combustible matter is thrown into it.

48 Compare Job 14:7, and the annotation.

17The 49eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the 50ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it.

49 The eye is especially mentioned in this punishment because the signs of mocking, despite, contempt and stubbornness are for the most part seen in the eye.

50 That is, which keep themselves about brooks, rivers and streams of water to drink there, or to seek their prey from dead bodies or carcasses, and other things which do often float therein. Other, the ravens of the brook, such as afterwards was the valley of Hinnom, where there lay sometimes dead carcasses and other filthy things, 2 Kings 23:10. The senses is: that stubborn and rebellious children, who mock and deride their parents, do at last come to the gallows, are wont to be cast unburied before birds as a prey to be eaten and devoured by them.

18There be three things which are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not:

19The 51way of an 52eagle in the air; the 53way of a serpent upon a rock; the 54way of a ship 55in the midst of the sea; and the 56way of a man with a maid.

51 That is, the manner of behaving. See Prov. 6 on verse 6.

52 Her way of acting is wonderful, because she flies both exceeding swift and exceeding high all at once. Other, because she, with her flying, rends and cuts the air asunder, and yet leaves no mark or print to be seen in it.

53 Which is wonderful because without feet she creeps speedily, and climbs upon slippery rocks. Other, because she makes no furrow in the rock upon which she creeps, nor leaves any slime behind her, as water-snakes do, nor feathers, as birds do, nor dung, as almost all other creatures do.

54 This is wonderful, because a ship, in the midst of the sea, now goes down into a deep abyss and soon rises up again, without tossing upside down and sinking away. Other, because in a still and calm water it leaves a kind of print and furrow behind it, but which suddenly vanishes, neither can it so be discerned in the midst of the sea, by reason of the mighty waves and billows which drive and carry the ships up and down.

55 Hebr. in the heart of the sea. See Prov. 23 on verse 34.

56 Which is wonderful, both in respect of the rare and wonderful engaging of his heart with the maid, and also the wonderful means used by him for the enjoyment of her.

2057Such is the way of an adulterous woman; 58she eateth, and 59wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness.

57 That is, so wonderful or hidden, as the four afore-recited things, namely, by reason of the great wickedness and vileness, which she knows how to use, as well in the practice of her unclean and immodest actions as in the excusing and hiding of them.

58 She enjoys the unchaste, carnal copulation. Compare Prov. 9:17; 20:17.

59 That is, she feigns to know of no wickedness at all, as if she was one of the most honest women in the world.

21For 60three things 61the earth is disquieted, and for four which it cannot bear:

60 Compare Prov. 6 on verse 16.

61 That is, the inhabitants of the earth. Compare Gen. 41:30 and the annotation.

22For a servant when 62he reigneth; and 63a fool when 64he is filled with 65meat;

62 That is, is in place of authority and advanced to high dignity, whereby he obtains great powers which he abuses to the oppression of others, and to his own destruction.

63 See 1 Sam. 25 on verse 25.

64 See on verse 9.

65 That is, all manner of good things, tending to the preservation and upholding of this temporal life. See Prov. 4 on verse 17.

23For an 66odious woman when she is married; and an handmaid 67that is heir to her mistress.

66 Understand a woman who is hated by everybody and deserves to be hated for her bad manners and ill qualities; for, being married, she is intolerable to her husband, children, servants, neighbors, etc. Some understand by this odious woman, the wife of an husband, who among other wives which he had all at the same time according to the custom of those times, loved her at the first the least, but afterwards most of all, whereby she became intolerable unto her companions.

67 That is, when she marries her master after her mistresses’ decease. Hebr. when she inheriteth her mistress. Compare Judges 11:23, 24.

24There be four things which are little upon the earth, but 68they are 69exceeding wise:

68 That is, are prudent and intelligent, which they manifest by certain works which they do by nature, whereby the people ought to be provoked and stirred up to the practicing of sundry virtues.

69 Hebr. made wise, that is, furnished and endued with wisdom, namely by God, Who by the work of creation has infused the same into their natures.

25The ants are a people 70not strong, yet they prepareg their 71meat in the summer;

70 That is, a kind of unreasonable creatures. So in the next verse. Concerning the application of this example unto men, see Prov. 6:6, etc.

g Prov. 6:8.

71 Hebr. bread.

2672The conieshare but a feeble folk, yet make they their 73houses in the 74rocks;

72 See Lev. 11 on verse 5, and of the same creatures, Deut. 14:7; Psalm 104:18. Other, mountain-mice or bear-mice; because, in those countries, the coney has not her holes or burrows in the rocks.

h hyrax, rock-badger, like a rabbit

73 Or, hole or nest, or burrow. Compare Job 8:14; Psalm 84:3; 104:17.

74 Namely, mixed with earth and sand.

27The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them 75by bands;

75 That is, as marching into the field in battle array, in order that they, keeping their bands and forces together, would be the more dreadful and terrible and not so easily driven away from their pasture. Other, gathered together, or, assembled into one; or, they go all forth shooting, or, all as an arrow, or, cutting all asunder, that is, devouring, eating everything.

28The 76spider taketh hold with her 77hands, and is 78in kings’ palaces.

76 Or, ape.

77 Understand her paws, of which she makes use, not only to go upon them, but also to make therewith her web to catch flies and gnats.

78 Namely, where she is in most danger of being hunted away and killed, and in more fear to do her work.

2979There be three things which go well, 80yea, four are comely in going:

79 After the account of four small, weak and fearful creatures, there are here represented and held forth four great, strong and undaunted creatures, which do exhort and stir us up to courage and boldness in our calling.

80 Compare this phrase with Job 5:19 and the annotations.

30 A 81lion which is 82strongest among beasts, and turneth not away 83for any;

81 Or, the old lion. The word in the original signifies properly a lion, which, with his great age, has also great boldness and courage. Compare Prov. 5 on verse 11.

82 That is, the strongest of beasts. Also Joshua 14:15 a great man among the Anakims, that is, the greatest of the Anakims. Likewise Cant. 1:8 thou fairest among women, that is, the fairest of women.

83 Hebr. from all or from of every face, that is, will not turn away for any, namely, neither for people or beasts that come against him.

31 Ai84greyhound; an 85he goat also; and a king, against whom there is no rising up.

i Job 39:19, etc.

84 The word has its origin from the Hebrew zarah, that is, to spread; or, as others conceive from the Chaldean zeraz, that is, to tuck up, or dress up; and therefore there is meant by it a creature which is in itself stout and courageous, well set in regard of his body, and strong and lusty in his feet, and ready for the work he is set about, which others perceive to fit the horse well. See Job 39:19. Others translate it a rooster or leopard of good loins.

85 Which goes very proudly and stately with an head lifted up before his flock. The Grecian Empire, which subdued the Persian, is resembled to an he goat, Dan. 8:3, etc.

32If thou hast done foolishly 86in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast thought evil, lay thine 87handj upon thy mouth.

86 Namely, unto wrath, whereof mention is made in the following verse, which depends on this verse.

87 That is, restrain yourself and take heed of speaking, much less of doing the evil which you intended, and do not excuse your previous wrath. See Job 21 on verse 5.

j Job 21:5.

33Surely the 88churning of milk bringeth forth butter, and the 89wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the 90forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife.

88 Or, the pressing of milk.

89 That is, the hard blowing of the nose.

90 That is, the kindling of wrath, namely, as well he, who by wrath provokes another unto wrath, as he, who is provoked unto wrath.