Proverbs 30:30
New International Version
a lion, mighty among beasts, who retreats before nothing;

New Living Translation
the lion, king of animals, who won’t turn aside for anything,

English Standard Version
the lion, which is mightiest among beasts and does not turn back before any;

Berean Standard Bible
a lion, mighty among beasts, refusing to retreat before anything;

King James Bible
A lion which is strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any;

New King James Version
A lion, which is mighty among beasts And does not turn away from any;

New American Standard Bible
The lion, which is mighty among animals And does not retreat from anything,

NASB 1995
The lion which is mighty among beasts And does not retreat before any,

NASB 1977
The lion which is mighty among beasts And does not retreat before any,

Legacy Standard Bible
The lion which is mighty among the animals And does not turn back before any,

Amplified Bible
The lion, which is mighty among beasts And does not turn back before any;

Christian Standard Bible
a lion, which is mightiest among beasts and doesn’t retreat before anything;

Holman Christian Standard Bible
a lion, which is mightiest among beasts and doesn’t retreat before anything,

American Standard Version
The lion, which is mightiest among beasts, And turneth not away for any;

Contemporary English Version
Those fearless lions who rule the jungle,

English Revised Version
The lion, which is mightiest among beasts, and turneth not away for any;

GOD'S WORD® Translation
a lion, mightiest among animals, which turns away from nothing,

Good News Translation
lions, strongest of all animals and afraid of none;

International Standard Version
The lion, mighty among the beasts, retreats before nothing.

Majority Standard Bible
a lion, mighty among beasts, refusing to retreat before anything;

NET Bible
a lion, mightiest of the beasts, who does not retreat from anything;

New Heart English Bible
The lion, which is mightiest among animals, and doesn't turn away for any;

Webster's Bible Translation
A lion, which is strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any;

World English Bible
The lion, which is mightiest among animals, and doesn’t turn away for any;
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
An old lion—mighty among beasts, "" That does not turn back from the face of any,

Young's Literal Translation
An old lion -- mighty among beasts, That turneth not back from the face of any,

Smith's Literal Translation
The lion strong among cattle, and he will not turn back from the face of all;
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
A lion, the strongest of beasts, who hath no fear of any thing he meeteth:

Catholic Public Domain Version
a lion, the strongest of beasts, who fears nothing that he meets,

New American Bible
The lion, mightiest of beasts, retreats before nothing;

New Revised Standard Version
the lion, which is mightiest among wild animals and does not turn back before any;
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
The lion which is mightiest among beasts, and neither fears nor turns back before any of the beasts:

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
The whelp of a lion is champion of all beasts, neither is he afraid nor does he turn from any beast,
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
The lion, which is mightiest among beasts, And turneth not away for any;

Brenton Septuagint Translation
A lion's whelp, stronger than all other beasts, which turns not away, nor fears any beast;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Words of Agur
29There are three things that are stately in their stride, and four that are impressive in their walk: 30a lion, mighty among beasts, refusing to retreat before anything; 31a strutting rooster; a he-goat; and a king with his army around him.…

Cross References
Revelation 5:5
Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed to open the scroll and its seven seals.”

Genesis 49:9-10
Judah is a young lion—my son, you return from the prey. Like a lion he crouches and lies down; like a lioness, who dares to rouse him? / The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the staff from between his feet, until Shiloh comes and the allegiance of the nations is his.

Hosea 5:14
For I am like a lion to Ephraim and like a young lion to the house of Judah. I, even I, will tear them to pieces and then go away. I will carry them off where no one can rescue them.

Amos 3:8
The lion has roared—who will not fear? The Lord GOD has spoken—who will not prophesy?

Isaiah 31:4
For this is what the LORD has said to me: “Like a lion roaring or a young lion over its prey—and though a band of shepherds is called out against it, it is not terrified by their shouting or subdued by their clamor—so the LORD of Hosts will come down to do battle on Mount Zion and its heights.

1 Peter 5:8
Be sober-minded and alert. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

Ezekiel 19:2-7
and say: ‘What was your mother? A lioness among the lions! She lay down among the young lions; she reared her cubs. / She brought up one of her cubs, and he became a young lion. After learning to tear his prey, he devoured men. / When the nations heard of him, he was trapped in their pit. With hooks they led him away to the land of Egypt. ...

Daniel 7:4
The first beast was like a lion, and it had the wings of an eagle. I watched until its wings were torn off and it was lifted up from the ground and made to stand on two feet like a man and given the mind of a man.

2 Timothy 4:17
But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message would be fully proclaimed, and all the Gentiles would hear it. So I was delivered from the mouth of the lion.

Numbers 23:24
Behold, the people rise like a lioness; they rouse themselves like a lion, not resting until they devour their prey and drink the blood of the slain.”

Isaiah 11:6-9
The wolf will live with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the goat; the calf and young lion and fatling will be together, and a little child will lead them. / The cow will graze with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. / The infant will play by the cobra’s den, and the toddler will reach into the viper’s nest. ...

Jeremiah 50:44
Behold, one will come up like a lion from the thickets of the Jordan to the watered pasture. For in an instant I will chase Babylon from her land. Who is the chosen one I will appoint for this? For who is like Me, and who can challenge Me? What shepherd can stand against Me?”

2 Samuel 17:10
Then even the most valiant soldier with the heart of a lion will melt with fear, because all Israel knows that your father is a mighty man who has valiant men with him.

Job 10:16
Should I hold my head high, You would hunt me like a lion, and again display Your power against me.

Psalm 7:2
or they will shred my soul like a lion and tear me to pieces with no one to rescue me.


Treasury of Scripture

A lion which is strongest among beasts, and turns not away for any;

Numbers 23:24
Behold, the people shall rise up as a great lion, and lift up himself as a young lion: he shall not lie down until he eat of the prey, and drink the blood of the slain.

Judges 14:18
And the men of the city said unto him on the seventh day before the sun went down, What is sweeter than honey? and what is stronger than a lion? And he said unto them, If ye had not plowed with my heifer, ye had not found out my riddle.

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Proverbs 30
1. Agur's confession of his faith
7. The two points of his prayer
10. The meanest are not to be wronged
11. Four wicked generations
15. Four things insatiable
24. four things exceeding wise
29. Four things stately
32. Wrath is to be prevented














a lion
The lion, known as "aryeh" in Hebrew, is often depicted in the Bible as a symbol of strength, courage, and majesty. In the ancient Near Eastern context, the lion was considered the king of the beasts, embodying power and dominance. This imagery is used throughout Scripture to convey the idea of an unassailable force, one that commands respect and fear. The lion's presence in this verse sets the stage for understanding the nature of the qualities being described—those of might and unwavering resolve.

mighty among beasts
The phrase "mighty among beasts" emphasizes the lion's unparalleled strength and authority in the animal kingdom. The Hebrew word for "mighty" is "gibbor," which conveys the idea of a warrior or a champion. This term is often used in the Bible to describe individuals of great valor and prowess. In the context of Proverbs, it serves to highlight the lion's superior status and the respect it commands. The lion's might is not just physical but also symbolic of leadership and dominion, qualities that are esteemed in biblical wisdom literature.

refusing to retreat
The phrase "refusing to retreat" speaks to the lion's fearless nature. In Hebrew, the concept of refusing or not turning back is tied to steadfastness and determination. This characteristic is celebrated in the Bible as a virtue, particularly in the face of adversity. The lion's refusal to retreat is a metaphor for unwavering faith and courage, qualities that are encouraged in the life of a believer. It suggests a confidence that is rooted in strength and conviction, an assurance that does not waver even when confronted with challenges.

before anything
The concluding phrase "before anything" underscores the lion's indomitable spirit. In the biblical context, this suggests a completeness to the lion's courage—it is not selective or conditional but absolute. The lion's fearlessness is a model for believers, encouraging them to stand firm in their faith and convictions regardless of the circumstances. This phrase invites reflection on the nature of true courage, which is not merely the absence of fear but the resolve to stand firm in the face of it. It is a call to embody the same steadfastness in one's spiritual journey, trusting in God's strength and provision.

Verse 30. - A lion which is strongest among beasts. The word here used for "lion," laish, occurs elsewhere only in Job 4:11 and Isaiah 30:6. The LXX. renders it, "a lion's whelp." "Strongest" is gibbor, a mighty one, a hero. Turneth not away for any; Septuagint, "turneth not away, nor feareth any beast." So Job describes the war horse, "He mocketh at fear, and is not dismayed, neither turneth he back from the sword" (Job 39:22).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
a lion,
לַ֭יִשׁ (la·yiš)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3918: A lion

mighty
גִּבּ֣וֹר (gib·bō·wr)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 1368: Powerful, warrior, tyrant

among the beasts,
בַּבְּהֵמָ֑ה (bab·bə·hê·māh)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 929: A dumb beast, any large quadruped, animal

and refusing
וְלֹא־ (wə·lō-)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

to retreat
יָ֝שׁ֗וּב (yā·šūḇ)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7725: To turn back, in, to retreat, again

before
מִפְּנֵי־ (mip·pə·nê-)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 6440: The face

anything;
כֹֽל׃ (ḵōl)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every


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OT Poetry: Proverbs 30:30 The lion which is mightiest among animals (Prov. Pro Pr)
Proverbs 30:29
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