Proverbs 30

The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, the revelation: the man says to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal:

“Surely I am the most ignorant man, and don’t have a man’s understanding.

I have not learned wisdom, neither do I have the knowledge of the Holy One.

Who has ascended up into heaven, and descended? Who has gathered the wind in his fists? Who has bound the waters in his garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son’s name, if you know?

“Every word of God is flawless. He is a shield to those who take refuge in him.

Don’t you add to his words, lest he reprove you, and you be found a liar.

“Two things I have asked of you. Don’t deny me before I die.

Remove far from me falsehood and lies. Give me neither poverty nor riches. Feed me with the food that is needful for me,

lest I be full, deny you, and say, ‘Who is the LORD?’ or lest I be poor, and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.

“Don’t slander a servant to his master, lest he curse you, and you be held guilty.

There is a generation that curses their father, and doesn’t bless their mother.

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

There is a generation, oh how lofty are their eyes! Their eyelids are lifted up.

There is a generation whose teeth are like swords, and their jaws like knives, to devour the poor from the earth, and the needy from among men.

“The leech has two daughters: ‘Give, give.’ “There are three things that are never satisfied; four that don’t say, ‘Enough!’:

Sheol, the barren womb, the earth that is not satisfied with water, and the fire that doesn’t say, ‘Enough!’

“The eye that mocks at his father, and scorns obedience to his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, the young eagles shall eat it.

“There are three things which are too amazing for me, four which I don’t understand:

The way of an eagle in the air, the way of a serpent on a rock, the way of a ship in the middle of the sea, and the way of a man with a maiden.

“So is the way of an adulterous woman: She eats and wipes her mouth, and says, ‘I have done nothing wrong.’

“For three things the earth trembles, and under four, it can’t bear up:

For a servant when he is king, a fool when he is filled with food,

for an unloved woman when she is married, and a servant who is heir to her mistress.

“There are four things which are little on the earth, but they are exceedingly wise:

The ants are not a strong people, yet they provide their food in the summer.

The hyraxes are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks.

The locusts have no king, yet they advance in ranks.

You can catch a lizard with your hands, yet it is in kings’ palaces.

“There are three things which are stately in their march, four which are stately in going:

The lion, which is mightiest among animals, and doesn’t turn away for any;

the greyhound; the male goat; and the king against whom there is no rising up.

“If you have done foolishly in lifting up yourself, or if you have thought evil, put your hand over your mouth.

For as the churning of milk produces butter, and the wringing of the nose produces blood, so the forcing of wrath produces strife.”

Chapter overviewAI-generated

Overview.
This chapter contains the words of Agur, an otherwise unknown sage, who offers a collection of profound reflections on human limitation, divine perfection, and the moral order of creation. Structured as a confession of humility, a prayer, and a series of numerical proverbs, it emphasizes reliance on God’s truth, warns against pride and exploitation, and draws wisdom from both creation and common life. Positioned near the end of Proverbs, it stands as a distinctive meditation that tempers human wisdom with reverence for God’s incomprehensibility.

Flow.

Begins with Agur’s personal acknowledgment of his ignorance and awe at God’s sovereign works, culminating in a rhetorical vision of divine omnipotence (vv. 1–4).
Shifts to a high view of Scripture’s purity and sufficiency, warning against distorting God’s words (vv. 5–6).
Presents a humble prayer for integrity and contentment, avoiding the spiritual dangers of extremes in wealth (vv. 7–9).
Moves into a series of numerical sayings (threes and fours) that expose societal sins, illustrate natural wonders, and draw ethical insight from small creatures and human behavior (vv. 10–33).

Connections.
Following chapter 29, which concludes a major section of proverbial maxims often focused on rulers, justice, and divine oversight, chapter 30 steps back into a more reflective and theological mode, deepening the call to humility and fear of the Lord. Its focus on divine revelation and human limits prepares the reader for the acclamatory portrait of the virtuous woman in chapter 31, which also embodies wisdom in action, household order, and reverence for God. Where chapter 29 underscores the consequences of justice and oppression, chapter 30 grounds those concerns in the character of God and the design of creation, which chapter 31 will reflect in the life of a wise woman.

What it teaches.
Human wisdom begins in the recognition of divine authority and our own finitude (WCF 1.1). God alone possesses perfect knowledge and power, as seen in His acts of creation and governance (WCF 4.1; HC LD 9). His revealed word is sufficient and must not be added to (Deut. 4:2; cf. WCF 1.6). True piety involves both inward purity and social justice—avoiding slander, honoring parents, and resisting greed that leads to dishonoring God (HC LD 38–39). The natural world, even in small creatures, displays God’s wise ordering (WCF 1.1; Belgic Confession Art. 2), and human arrogance, whether in social upheaval or personal conduct, invites divine correction (Prov. 16:5; HC LD 52).

Apply.
When tempted to trust in your own insight, recall that every good judgment comes from the One who weighs all things.

AI-generated. Not a substitute for Scripture, your pastor, or the confessions.