--- title: "Proverbs 30 - Study King James Bible with ellicotts commentary for english readers" description: "Read Proverbs 30 with ellicotts commentary for english readers commentary. 1 The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, even the prophecy: the man spake unto Ithiel, even unto Ithiel and Ucal, 2 Surely I am more brutish than any man, an" image: "/_app/immutable/assets/missing.C7wGMEZ6.jpg" url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/ellicotts-commentary-for-english-readers/proverbs/30" --- [ Read](/kjv/proverbs/30)[ Commentary](/study/proverbs/30)[ Interlinear](/interlinear/proverbs/30) Audio 1 The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, *even* the prophecy: the man spake unto Ithiel, even unto Ithiel and Ucal, 2 Surely I *am* more brutish than *any* man, and have not the understanding of a man. 3 I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy.* 4 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? 5 Every word of God *is* pure: he *is* a shield unto them that put their trust in him.* 6 Add 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:* 8 Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:* 9 Lest 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:* 16 The grave; and the barren womb; the earth *that* is not filled with water; and the fire *that* saith not, *It is* enough. 17 The 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: 19 The 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.* 20 Such *is* the way of an adulterous woman; she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness. 21 For three *things* the earth is disquieted, and for four *which* it cannot bear: 22 For a servant when he reigneth; and a fool when he is filled with meat; 23 For 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:* 25 The ants *are* a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer; 26 The conies *are but* a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks; 27 The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands;* 28 The 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: 30 A lion *which is* strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any; 31 A greyhound; an he goat also; and a king, against whom *there is* no rising up.* 32 If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast thought evil, *lay* thine hand upon thy mouth. 33 Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife. [Proverbs 29](/study/proverbs/29) [Proverbs 31](/study/proverbs/31) ## Commentary To verse 1 **XXX.** 8. THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON END HERE. THE REST OF THE BOOK IS COMPOSED OF THREE APPENDICES: (a) THE WORDS OF AGUR; (b)**THE WORDS OF KING LEMUEL; AND (C) THE PRAISE OF A GOOD WIFE ([Proverbs 30:31](/kjv/proverbs/30/31)). APPENDIX (a). (1) **The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, even the prophecy.**—Jewish interpreters have seen in these titles (but apparently without a shadow of reason) a designation of Solomon himself, the “convener” and instructor of assemblies ([Ecclesiastes 1:1](/kjv/ecclesiastes/1/1); [Ecclesiastes 12:11](/kjv/ecclesiastes/12/11)), son of the “obedient” man after God’s own heart. But they in all probability belong to some otherwise unknown sage, whose utterances were thought not unworthy of being joined with those of the wise King of Israel himself. In support of this view [1 Kings 4:30](/kjv/1-kings/4/30) may be adduced as a proof of the estimation in which the wisdom of foreign nations was at this time held. The book of Job also, which possibly now was added to the canon of Scripture, is certainly of foreign, probably of Arabian, origin. Some light may be thrown upon the nationality of Agur by the words translated in the Authorised version “the prophecy” (*massâ*)*.*This is the term constantly employed to express the “utterance,” or, more probably, the message which a prophet “bore*”*to his hearers, often one of gloomy import ([Isaiah 13:1](/kjv/isaiah/13/1), etc.). But the term is not very appropriate to the contents of this chapter, nor to the “words of King Lemuel,” in [Proverbs 31:0](/kjv/proverbs/31/0), and the expression, “the prophecy,” standing quite alone, with no other words to qualify it, is very singular. For these reasons it has been proposed to translate the beginning of the verse thus: “The words of Agur the son of Jakeh the Massan,” *i.e.,*a descendant of the Massa mentioned in [Genesis 25:14](/kjv/genesis/25/14) as a son of Ishmael. This would place his home probably in North Arabia, and Lemuel would be king of the same tribe. **The man spake.—**The word translated “spake” is most frequently used of the revelation of God to prophets, rarely ([Numbers 24:3](/kjv/numbers/24/3) and [2 Samuel 23:1](/kjv/2-samuel/23/1)) of the utterances of inspired prophets; never of the words of ordinary men. **Unto Ithiel, even unto Ithiel and Ucal.—**These most probably were disciples of his. As their names may mean “God with me,” and “I am strong,” a fanciful delineation of their characters, in the style of the “Pilgrim’s Progress,” has been attempted by some writers. And a mystical interpretation of them, “You must have God with you, if you are to be strong,” may be found in Bishop Wordsworth’s Commentary. It has been proposed also, as is possible with a slight change in****the pointing, to translate these words thus: “I am weary, O God, I am weary, and am weak,” or, “have made an end,” and to make them an introduction to [Proverbs 30:2](/kjv/proverbs/30/2), which supplies the reason for this weariness, “For I am more brutish,” etc. Thus is described, it has been thought, the sinking at heart of one who has sought after God, and the more he has realised the divine excellence, has become the more conscious of his own nothingness. 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