Berean Study Bible The Words of AgurAgur, whose name means “collector” or “gatherer,” is mentioned only in this chapter. Nothing further is known of Jakeh or their family, yet Agur’s words were preserved as Scripture. His obscurity shows that God’s wisdom is not limited to Israel’s kings, priests, or widely known teachers. 2Sa 23:1 These are the last words of David: “The oracle of David… the burden that this man declared to Ithiel: Agur delivers a solemn message intended to be received with seriousness. Ithiel is otherwise unknown, but the address presents wisdom as personal instruction passed from a teacher to one who must hear, understand, and live by it. Hab 1:1 This is the burden that Habakkuk the prophet received… “I am weary, O God, and worn out. Agur begins with an honest confession of human weakness. He does not claim mastery or self-sufficiency, but recognizes his need for God’s wisdom and strength. Psa 6:6 I am weary from groaning; all night I flood… Surely I am the most ignorant of men, Agur begins with a deliberate confession of human weakness before God. Though wisdom was prized in Israel and throughout the ancient world, he refuses to claim insight as his own. His words reflect the proper posture of one who recognizes that God alone possesses perfect knowledge and wisdom. Psa 73:22 I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast… and I lack the understanding of a man. Agur acknowledges that human discernment is limited and unreliable apart from God’s instruction. Rather than trusting his own ability, he admits his need for the wisdom that comes from the Lord. Job 42:3 You asked, ‘Who is this who conceals My counsel’… I have not learned wisdom, Agur admits that human learning cannot reach the fullness of God’s wisdom. Though wisdom was prized in Israel, he recognizes his own inability to comprehend divine truth by natural understanding alone. Job 28:28 And He said to man, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord… and I have no knowledge of the Holy One. God’s holiness and greatness stand far above human knowledge. Agur’s confession acknowledges that knowing God depends on His revelation, not human achievement. Pro 9:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom… Who has ascended to heaven and come down? No man possesses heaven’s knowledge or authority by his own power. The question points to God, who rules from heaven and reveals Himself to mankind. It also anticipates the Son, who came from heaven and uniquely makes the Father known. Jhn 3:13 No one has ascended into heaven except the One… Who has gathered the wind in His hands? The unseen wind remains fully subject to its Creator. What is beyond human control is held and directed by God. Psa 135:7 He causes the clouds to rise from the ends of the earth.… Who has bound up the waters in His cloak? The waters, often feared for their destructive power, remain within the limits God has established. He governs the seas, rain, and every force of creation. Job 26:8-10 He wraps up the waters in His clouds, yet the clouds… Who has established all the ends of the earth? The earth is neither self-made nor sustained by chance. Its boundaries, order, and stability rest upon the power and wisdom of its Maker. Psa 74:17 You set all the boundaries of the earth;… What is His name, and what is the name of His Son—surely you know! God has made His character known through His works and His Word. The reference to His Son looks beyond human wisdom to the promised Messiah, fulfilled in Jesus Christ, the eternal Son who shares the Father’s authority. Exo 3:14-15 God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are”… Every word of God is flawless; God’s revelation is wholly true, pure, and dependable; “flawless” also conveys what is tested or refined. What He has spoken stands tested by history and cannot deceive or fail. Psa 12:6 The words of the LORD are flawless, like silver… He is a shield God Himself guards and preserves those who belong to Him. Like a shield in battle, He provides protection amid danger, opposition, and distress. Deu 33:29 Blessed are you, O Israel! Who is like you?… to those who take refuge in Him. His protection is received by those who trust Him and depend on His care rather than their own strength. Psa 2:12 Kiss the Son, lest He be angry and you perish… Do not add to His words, God’s revelation is complete, pure, and authoritative. Adding human ideas, traditions, or claims to what He has spoken corrupts the message and places human authority alongside God’s own words. Deu 4:2 You must not add to or subtract from what I command you… lest He rebuke you God holds those accountable who presume to speak for Him without His warrant. His correction exposes the pride and deception behind altering His instruction. Psa 50:21 You have done these things, and I kept silent;… and prove you a liar. Anyone who presents added words as God’s truth misrepresents Him. Such teaching is false because it departs from the revelation God has given. 1Jn 5:10 Whoever believes in the Son of God has this testimony… Two things I ask of You— Agur approaches God with humility and dependence, bringing two requests that shape the remaining lines of the prayer. He seeks God’s provision and protection with the awareness that life is limited and that every need is subject to God’s care. Psa 27:4 One thing I have asked of the LORD; this is what I desire:… do not refuse me before I die: His appeal is urgent but reverent, recognizing that his remaining days should be governed by truth, contentment, and faithfulness rather than deceit or self-reliance. Psa 27:9 Hide not Your face from me, nor turn away Your servant in anger.… Keep falsehood and deceitful words far from me. Agur asks God to remove dishonesty from his life, both in his own conduct and in the influence of deceit around him. Truthfulness marks faithful living before God, while lies corrupt judgment and lead away from righteousness. Psa 119:29 Remove me from the path of deceit and graciously grant me… Give me neither poverty nor riches; He seeks freedom from the temptations found at either extreme. Wealth can foster pride and self-sufficiency, while poverty can bring severe pressure and temptation to sin. His concern is not material comfort but steadfastness before God. Pro 15:16 Better a little with the fear of the LORD… feed me with the bread that is my portion. He asks for sufficient daily provision, trusting God to determine what is needed. Content with the portion God gives, he seeks a life preserved from both want and excess. Mat 6:11 Give us this day our daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and deny You, saying, ‘Who is the LORD?’ Prosperity can foster self-reliance, pride, and forgetfulness of God. Israel repeatedly drifted from the Lord when abundance made dependence on Him seem unnecessary. The question echoes Pharaoh’s defiant refusal to recognize the Lord’s authority. Material plenty is not condemned, but it can become a snare when it leads a person to deny that every provision comes from God. Deu 8:12-14 Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied,… Or I may become poor and steal, profaning the name of my God. Severe need may tempt a person to take what God has forbidden, bringing dishonor to the God he claims to serve. Theft violates both God’s command and the integrity required of His people. The prayer seeks a condition in which one may live faithfully, trusting God’s provision rather than being ruled by either abundance or want. Lev 19:11-12 You must not steal. You must not lie or deceive one another.… Do not slander a servant to his master, A servant’s welfare depended heavily on his master’s judgment. False accusations could bring punishment, loss of standing, or severe hardship upon one with little ability to defend himself. God forbids using speech to exploit the vulnerable or disturb the order of a household through deceit. Deu 23:15-16 Do not return a slave to his master if he has… or he will curse you, The injured servant may cry out to God for justice. Such a curse was an appeal against wrongdoing, not merely an expression of anger. God sees the mistreatment of those in humble circumstances and does not overlook false and malicious speech. Deu 24:15 You are to pay his wages each day before sunset… and you will bear the guilt. The slanderer remains accountable for the harm caused. False words carry moral guilt before God and may bring both earthly consequences and divine judgment. Num 5:6-7 Tell the Israelites that when a man or woman acts… There is a generation of those who curse their fathers A corrupt generation rejects the authority God established within the family. In Israel, honoring father and mother was a solemn duty, and contempt for parents revealed rebellion not only against the household but against God’s order. Such conduct marks a wider moral collapse in which natural obligations are despised. Exo 21:17 Anyone who curses his father or mother… and do not bless their mothers. They withhold the honor, gratitude, and care rightly due to mothers whose labor sustains the family. Rather than receiving a mother’s instruction with respect, they treat her sacrifices lightly. Their failure to bless reflects hearts hardened toward both family responsibilities and the God who provides through them. Pro 31:28 Her children rise up and call her blessed;… There is a generation of those who are pure in their own eyes Some people consider themselves morally upright while refusing to measure their lives by God’s standards. Like the Pharisees who maintained an outward appearance of holiness while harboring corruption within, they excuse their sin and reject the humility that leads to repentance. Human judgment cannot remove guilt before God. Pro 16:2 All a man’s ways are pure in his own eyes,… and yet unwashed of their filth. Their confidence is false because sin still defiles them. Under the Law, cleansing was required before one could approach God, pointing to the deeper need for forgiveness and a renewed heart. No one is made righteous by self-approval; cleansing comes through God’s provision for sin. Ezk 36:25 I will also sprinkle clean water on you,… There is a generation— Proverbs describes a class of people marked by shared moral character rather than merely by age or family descent. They live with contempt for God’s order and for those around them. Deu 32:5 His people have acted corruptly toward Him;… how haughty are their eyes Their pride is visible in the way they view themselves and others. They exalt themselves, refuse correction, and treat humility as weakness. Pro 6:17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed… and pretentious are their glances— Their outward manner displays self-importance and superiority. Beneath the appearance of confidence is a heart unwilling to submit to truth or acknowledge its need for God. Isa 3:16 The LORD also says: “Because the daughters of Zion… there is a generation Some people share a settled pattern of pride, cruelty, and disregard for God’s order. Their conduct marks them as morally corrupt, regardless of the era in which they live. Deu 32:5 His people have acted corruptly toward Him;… whose teeth are swords and whose jaws are knives, Their words and actions wound others like weapons. Rather than using strength to protect, they use it to intimidate, deceive, and destroy. Psa 57:4 My soul is among the lions; I lie down with ravenous beasts… devouring the oppressed from the earth They prey on those unable to defend themselves, taking advantage of the poor and powerless until they are driven from security and provision. Psa 14:4 Will the workers of iniquity never learn?… and the needy from among men. Their injustice reaches those already lacking resources and support, revealing a society in which the vulnerable are treated as prey rather than neighbors. Psa 109:16 For he never thought to show kindness,… The leech has two daughters: Give and Give. Leeches were recognized for their continual feeding on blood, making them a fitting picture of appetite that is never satisfied. The two daughters, both called Give, portray greed as a constant demand for more, whether for wealth, pleasure, power, or possessions. Such desire grows rather than rests when it is indulged. Pro 21:26 All day long he covets more, but the righteous give… There are three things that are never satisfied, The numerical pattern draws attention to examples from creation that illustrate relentless appetite. Wisdom teaching often uses such lists to present memorable observations about the order of the world and the limits of human desire. Pro 27:20 Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied; so the eyes of man… four that never say, ‘Enough!’: The added fourth example strengthens the point: certain things continually receive but remain unfilled. Their endless demand exposes the emptiness of pursuing satisfaction in what cannot finally satisfy. Ecc 5:10 He who loves money is never satisfied by money… Sheol, Sheol is the realm of the dead, receiving all people and never being filled. Its constant appetite reflects the certainty of death and the limits of human life under sin. Pro 27:20 Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied; so the eyes of man… the barren womb, The barren womb represents the deep sorrow of childlessness in Israel, where children were seen as a gift from God and the continuation of a family’s name and inheritance. Women such as Sarah, Rachel, and Hannah experienced this grief before the Lord gave them children. 1Sa 1:5-6 But to Hannah he would give a double portion,… land never satisfied with water, The phrase “land never satisfied with water” describes the dry ground of Israel and the surrounding regions, where rain was essential for crops, flocks, and survival. Even after rainfall, the earth soon needed more water. Psa 65:9-10 You attend to the earth and water it; with abundance… and fire that never says, ‘Enough!’ The grave and fire never say, “Enough!” They picture desires and forces that, left unchecked, continue to destroy rather than satisfy. Mat 3:12 His winnowing fork is in His hand to clear His threshing… As for the eye that mocks a father Contempt for a father revealed a rejection of the authority God established within the household. In Israel, honoring parents was not optional but part of covenant obedience. Deu 27:16 Cursed is he who dishonors his father or mother… and scorns obedience to a mother, A mother shared responsibility for instructing and governing her children. Refusing her correction displayed the same rebellious heart that despised a father’s authority. Pro 23:22 Listen to your father who gave you life,… may the ravens of the valley pluck it out The graphic image portrays severe judgment and disgrace. An unburied body left exposed to scavenging birds represented a shameful end. Mat 5:29 If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out… and young vultures devour it. The warning underscores the destructive outcome of hardened rebellion against parental authority and, ultimately, against God. Mat 24:28 Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather. There are three things too wonderful for me, Agur introduces a numerical saying that gathers observations too marvelous for human wisdom to fully explain. The pattern of three and four gives the list a complete and memorable form, drawing attention to realities within God’s ordered creation that remain beyond man’s mastery. Job 42:3 You asked, ‘Who is this who conceals My counsel’… four that I cannot understand: The fourth example completes the thought and reinforces the limits of human insight. Though people can observe these wonders, their deeper workings point to wisdom and providence greater than human understanding. Deu 29:29 The secret things belong to the LORD our God,… the way of an eagle in the sky, The eagle rises and glides beyond human reach, leaving no visible course behind. Its strength, speed, and effortless movement display a pattern of life that can be observed but not fully explained. Job 39:27-30 Does the eagle soar at your command and make his nest… the way of a snake on a rock, A snake moves across hard stone without tracks, slipping through places where its progress is difficult to follow. Its quiet, skillful movement illustrates what is hidden from ordinary sight. Gen 49:17 He will be a snake by the road, a viper in the path… the way of a ship at sea, A vessel cuts through deep waters, yet the waves close behind it and erase its path. Though sailors may guide the ship by skill and knowledge, the sea remains vast, changeable, and dangerous. Psa 107:23-30 Others went out to sea in ships, conducting trade… and the way of a man with a maiden. The attraction and pursuit between a man and a young woman involve desires, affections, and intentions that are not easily traced or measured. The proverb recognizes the wonder and mystery of human love within the order God established for marriage. Gen 24:16-67 Now the girl was very beautiful, a virgin… This is the way of an adulteress: An adulteress breaks the marriage covenant and treats sexual sin as a private matter with no lasting consequence. Pro 7:10-27 Then a woman came out to meet him, with the attire… She eats and wipes her mouth Her actions are pictured as casual and routine, like finishing a meal and removing all outward evidence. She seeks to conceal guilt rather than confront it. Mat 23:25-26 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites!… and says, ‘I have done nothing wrong.’ Her denial reveals a hardened conscience. Though adultery violates God’s command and harms the covenant of marriage, she refuses responsibility and declares herself innocent. Jer 2:35 “I am innocent. Surely His anger will turn from me.”… Under three things the earth trembles, A numerical saying introduces matters so disruptive that they shake the established order of life. The image portrays public and household stability strained by conditions that overturn what is fitting and just. 1Sa 14:15 Then panic struck the Philistines in the camp,… under four it cannot bear up: The fourth example completes the list and presents burdens so unnatural or destructive that society cannot endure them without disorder. Pro 19:10 Luxury is unseemly for a fool—how much worse… a servant who becomes king, Sudden elevation from servitude to royal power could overturn social order and bring instability when the new ruler lacks the character, wisdom, and training required for leadership. Jeroboam, once Solomon’s servant, later led the northern tribes into rebellion and established idolatrous worship in Israel. Pro 19:10 Luxury is unseemly for a fool—how much worse… a fool who is filled with food, Abundance in the hands of a fool often produces complacency, self-indulgence, and pride rather than gratitude or wise stewardship. Prosperity does not give wisdom; it can expose the corruption already present in a heart that rejects instruction. Luk 12:16-21 Then He told them a parable: “The ground of a certain rich man… an unloved woman who marries, A wife who has long lacked affection or acceptance may bring deep resentment and insecurity into her marriage, especially in a household where marriages were commonly arranged for family, property, or social concerns. Leah’s unhappy position in Jacob’s family shows the grief and rivalry that could follow when a wife was neglected. Deu 21:15-17 If a man has two wives, one beloved and the other unloved… and a maidservant who supplants her mistress. A servant who rises above her mistress overturns the household order and often breeds jealousy, contempt, and conflict. Hagar’s treatment of Sarah after conceiving Abraham’s child illustrates how quickly such a change in status could divide a family. Gen 16:4-6 And he slept with Hagar, and she conceived.… Four things on earth Agur points to familiar creatures in the created world. Gen 1:24 And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures”… are small, Though easily overlooked and lacking strength or status, they survive by acting with fitting judgment. Zec 4:10 For who has despised the day of small things?… yet they are exceedingly wise: Their God-given instincts display careful provision, order, preparation, and security, lessons developed in the examples that follow. Pro 6:6-8 Walk in the manner of the ant, O slacker;… The ants are creatures of little strength, Though small and vulnerable, ants display wisdom through persistent labor and ordered cooperation. Their example shows that usefulness and success are not determined by physical size or power. Pro 6:6-8 Walk in the manner of the ant, O slacker;… yet they store up their food in the summer; During the season of abundance, ants gather provisions for times when food is less available. Their instinctive preparation illustrates the value of diligence, foresight, and responsible stewardship. Pro 10:5 He who gathers in summer is a wise son, but… the rock badgers Rock badgers, or hyraxes, are small mammals native to the rocky regions of the Middle East and Africa. Though they resemble rodents, they are distinct animals known for living among cliffs and crevices. Lev 11:5 The rock badger, though it chews the cud,… are creatures of little power, They have little ability to defend themselves against predators and cannot rely on speed or size for safety. Isa 40:29 He gives power to the faint and increases the strength… yet they make their homes in the rocks; Their survival depends on finding shelter in inaccessible rocky places. Their instinctive choice of secure refuge illustrates wisdom: weakness is protected by dwelling where danger cannot easily reach. Oba 1:3 The pride of your heart has deceived you,… the locusts have no king, Unlike human armies, locusts have no earthly ruler directing their movements. God has given them instincts that enable them to act together without centralized leadership. Pro 6:7 Without a commander, without an overseer or ruler, yet they all advance in formation; When locusts swarm, vast numbers move with remarkable order and purpose as they travel in search of food. Their coordinated advance displays the order God has built into creation and illustrates how a multitude can move with unity toward a common end. Jol 2:7-8 They charge like mighty men; they scale the walls… and the lizard can be caught in one’s hands, Though small and easily captured, the lizard survives through alertness and persistence rather than strength. Its lowly appearance does not prevent it from finding shelter and sustenance. Lev 11:29-30 The following creatures that move along the ground… yet it is found in the palaces of kings. Even royal buildings, guarded and richly furnished, cannot exclude such a creature. The contrast shows that size, rank, and outward power do not determine one’s ability to endure or gain access. God often overturns human expectations by granting place and usefulness to those considered insignificant. Psa 113:7-8 He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy… There are three things that are stately in their stride, The numerical pattern introduces a carefully observed list from creation, highlighting creatures and figures marked by strength, confidence, and fitting order. Amo 1:3 For three transgressions of Damascus, even four,… and four that are impressive in their walk: The fourth example completes the saying and underscores that God’s wisdom is displayed in the natural world and in proper leadership. Each image that follows portrays a distinct kind of dignity, courage, or security. Job 39:19-25 Do you give strength to the horse or adorn his neck… a lion, Lions were known throughout the ancient Near East for their strength, speed, and dominance. Their image commonly appeared in royal settings, fitting the biblical association of the lion with Judah’s royal line and the reign of the Messiah. Gen 49:9 Judah is a young lion—my son, you return from the prey.… mighty among beasts, The lion stands as a picture of commanding strength among creatures. Its prominence reflects the order and power evident in God’s creation. Jdg 14:18 Before sunset on the seventh day, the men of the city… refusing to retreat before anything; A lion’s boldness illustrates steadfast strength in the face of danger. The image also points to the determined authority of the rightful King, who does not yield before opposition. Heb 10:39 But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed,… a strutting rooster; The rooster moves with alert confidence, known for announcing the dawn and guarding its place among the birds. Its bearing pictures watchfulness joined with unmistakable presence. Mat 26:34 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus declared, “this very night…”… a he-goat; The he-goat leads the flock with strength and determination. Its natural prominence among the goats makes it a fitting image of decisive leadership. Jer 50:8 Flee from the midst of Babylon; depart from the land… and a king with his army around him. A king surrounded by his army displays established authority, order, and the loyalty of those under his command. Together, these images portray creatures and rulers that advance with confidence in their appointed place. 1Ki 20:1 Ben-hadad king of Aram assembled his entire army.… If you have foolishly exalted yourself Pride lifts a person beyond his proper place before God and others. Scripture presents self-exaltation as folly because all authority, ability, and honor ultimately come from God. Israel’s history repeatedly shows that rulers and individuals who became proud invited judgment, while humility marked those who feared the Lord. Pro 18:12 Before his downfall a man’s heart is proud,… or if you have plotted evil, Evil often begins in the heart before it appears in conduct. Deliberate schemes against others reveal a will set against God’s commands and His justice. The warning reaches beyond outward acts to the intentions that produce deceit, oppression, revenge, and other sin. Pro 6:14 With deceit in his heart he devises evil;… put your hand over your mouth. Silence is the fitting response when pride or evil intent is recognized. Rather than defending oneself, speaking rashly, or continuing in wrongdoing, a person should stop, consider his guilt, and submit to God. Restraint of speech can prevent sin from advancing into further words and actions. Job 21:5 Look at me and be appalled; put your hand over your mouth. For as the churning of milk yields butter, Repeated agitation produces a certain result in ordinary household labor. The proverb begins with a familiar reality: actions set in motion bring predictable consequences. Job 29:6 when my steps were bathed in cream and the rock… and the twisting of the nose draws blood, Physical provocation quickly causes injury. What is done violently or harshly does not remain without effect. Pro 6:17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed… so the stirring of anger brings forth strife.” Deliberately feeding anger—through insults, resentment, or retaliation—leads to conflict. Wisdom calls for restraint before anger grows into open contention. Pro 15:18 A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but… This is a draft of the Berean Study Bible. Please send all comments and recommendations to bereanstudybible@aol.com. Bible Hub |
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