Proverbs · Chapter 30

V. 1. Jakeh-Who lived either in Solomon’s time, or rather afterwards, and was famous in his generation for wisdom and piety. The prophecy-The prophetical instruction; for as the prophets were public preachers as well as foretellers of things to come, so their sermons, no less than their predictions, are commonly called their prophecies. And Ucal-Two friends and co-temporaries of Agur, who desired his instructions.

Verse 1. The words of Agur the son of Jakeh] The words Agur, Jakeh, Ithiel, and Ucal, have been considered by some as proper names: by others, as descriptive characters. With some, Agur is Solomon; and Jakeh, David; and Ithiel and Ucal are epithets of Christ.

The Vulgate translates, Verba congregantis filii vomentis: visio, quam locutus est sir, cum quo est Deus, et qui Deo secum morante confortatus, ait. “The words of the collector, the son of the vomiter: the vision of the man who has God with him, and who is fortified by God dwelling with him, saith.”

COVERDALE makes the following words a title to the chapter: “The wordes of Agur the sonne of Jake.

“The prophecie of a true faithfull man, whom God hath helped; whom God hath comforted and nourished.”

The whole might be thus translated, keeping near to the letter:— “The words of the epistle of the obedient son.” Or,

“The words of the collector, the son of Jakeh. The parable which rbgh haggeber, the strong man, the hero, spake unto him who is God with me; to him who is God with me, even the strong God.” The visioun that a man spake with whiche is God, and that God with him, wonyng confortid.—Old MS. Bible.

From this introduction, from the names here used, and from the style of the book, it appears evident that Solomon was not the author of this chapter; and that it was designed to be distinguished from his work by this very preface, which specifically distinguishes it from the preceding work. Nor can the words in Proverbs 30:2, 3, 8, 9, be at all applied to Solomon: they suit no part of Solomon’s life, nor of his circumstances. We must, therefore, consider it an appendix or supplement to the preceding collection; something in the manner of that part which the men of Hezekiah, king of Judah, had collected. As to mysteries here, many have been found by them who sought for nothing else; but they are all, in my view of the subject, hazarded and precarious. I believe Agur, Jakeh, Ithiel, and Ucal, to be the names of persons who did exist, but of whom we know nothing but what is here mentioned. Agur seems to have been a public teacher, and Ithiel and Ucal to have been his scholars; and what he delivers to them was done by prophesy. It was what the prophets generally term acm massa, an ORACLE, something immediately delivered by the Holy Spirit for the benefit of man.

Verse 1. The words of Agur — Who this Agur was no one has ever yet been able to show: it is probable, however, that both he and Jakeh, his father, were well known in Israel at the time this chapter and the next were added to the preceding parts of the proverbs. Jakeh is thought to have lived either in Solomon’s time or soon after, and to have been famous in his generation for wisdom and piety; even the prophecy — The prophetical instruction; for as prophets were public preachers as well as foretellers of things to come, so their sermons, no less than their predictions, are commonly called their prophecies. Ithiel and Ucal — Two friends and cotemporaries of Agur, who desired his instructions.

Verse 1. The words of Agur. The style of this book seems to be much older than that of Solomon. Its simplicity very well agrees with the times of the patriarchs, or when the judges presided. He confesses his ignorance of navigation.—Ithiel, God with me; and Ucal, the mighty one, seem to have been either friends or pupils of Agur. But too many critics play and trifle with the import of their names. Thousands in Israel also put the name of God to the beginning, and sometimes to the termination of a child’s name, as Eldad, Elkanab, Amniel, Zabdiel, Uzziel, &c. Hezekiah’s scribes seem to have thought that this piece, and Lemuel’s, had better be added to the Proverbs than formed into a separate book.

1. The prophecy — acmh, (hammassa,) the utterance, the oracle — oracular saying or discourse. It may also mean parable or proverb. It is the word occurring so often in the prophets rendered “burden.” Hitzig, followed by others, throwing away the Masoretic points, takes Jakeh out of the category of proper names and puts Massa into it, reading, “the son of her who was obeyed in Massa,” or whose domain is Massa. The name Massa is found among the children of Ishmael, (Genesis 25:14,) and as Massa and Dumah are mentioned together, both there and in 1 Chronicles 1:30, his supposed that the country of Massa adjoined that of Dumah, where there was probably a colony of Israelites of the tribe of Simeon. Comp. 1 Chronicles 1:41-43. Ithiel — Separated into two words, layt yal, lei thiel, issupposed to make the sense, I have toiled for God, or after God, or, “to God with me.” — Miller. Ucal — By a little change of points this word becomes, I have ceased, desisted from, or ended, (my toil,) or, according to Miller, “I am able.” Those who take Ithiel and Ucal to be proper names, believe them to be the pupils of Agur, and it is conjectured that the different parts of Agur’s discourse is in answer to questions proposed by these pupils, after the manner of the ancient schools — “hearing them, and asking them questions.” Luke 2:46.

V. 2. Surely-This he utters from a modest and humble apprehension of his own ignorance.

Verse 2. Surely I am more brutish] These words can in no sense, nor by any mode of speech, be true of Solomon: for while he was the wisest of men, he could not have said that he was more brutish than any man, and had not the understanding of a man. It is saying nothing to the purpose, to say he was so independently of the Divine teaching. Had he put this in, even by innuendo, it might be legitimate: but he does not; nor is it by fair implication to be understood. Solomon is not supposed to have written the Proverbs after he fell from God. Then indeed he might have said he had been more brutish than any man. But Agur might have used these words with strict propriety, for aught we know; for it is very probable that he was a rustic, without education, and without any human help, as was the prophet Amos; and that all that he knew now was by the inspiration of the Almighty, independently of which he was rustic and uneducated.

Verses 2, 3. Surely I am more brutish, &c. — This he utters from an humble and modest apprehension of his own ignorance. I neither learned wisdom — I have not been taught in the schools of wisdom; nor have the knowledge of the holy — Hebrew, µyvdq, of holy persons, namely, of the holy prophets. I have not such divine inspirations as prophets, strictly so called, have received.

Ver. 2. Surely I am more brutish than any man. Agur who speaks of God in exalted language, does not appear to have been trained to the study of wisdom. Perhaps he could not write, or was so humble as to think nothing of his wisdom worthy of a manuscript; and therefore, impressed with grateful recollections of his worth, his two friends wrote these fragments of his ministry. He begins by avowing his ignorance, neglect of learning, and want of knowledge of the Holy One. Hence we learn that Agur was truly wise; he knew his own heart, his brutishness by nature, and his want of wisdom and acquaintance with God. Here divine wisdom and genuine piety always begin.

2. Brutish — Stupid, lacking intelligence, as compared with many others. Psalm 73:22.

V. 3. I neither learned-I have not been taught in the schools of wisdom. Of the holy-Of the holy prophets. I have not such Divine inspirations as prophets strictly so called have received.

Verse 3. I neither learned wisdom] I have never been a scholar in any of those schools of the wise men, nor have the knowledge of the holy, µyvdq kedoshim, of the saints or holy persons.

The Septuagint give this a different turn: Qeov dedidace me sofian, kai gnwsin agiwn egnwka; “God hath taught me wisdom, and the knowledge of the saints I have known.”

This may refer to the patriarchs, prophets, or holy men, that lived before the days of Solomon. That is, the translators might have had these in view.

Verses 2, 3. Surely I am more brutish, &c. — This he utters from an humble and modest apprehension of his own ignorance. I neither learned wisdom — I have not been taught in the schools of wisdom; nor have the knowledge of the holy — Hebrew, µyvdq, of holy persons, namely, of the holy prophets. I have not such divine inspirations as prophets, strictly so called, have received.

3. Knowledge of the holy — µyvdq, (kedhoshim,) plural, holy ones, which is understood by some as meaning holy persons; saints or persons divinely illuminated, that is, inspired. Others take it as a plural of intensity, and translate Most Holy, that is, God. Comp. 9:10. Verses 2 and 3 may be understood as expressing the author’s unaffected sense of his own deficiencies, intellectual and moral. We must, however, make allowance for the Oriental mode of expression, which is, perhaps, stronger than we would feel warranted to use.

V. 4. Who-What mere man? None at all. Ascended-To learn the mind of God who dwells there. Descended-To teach men below what he had learned above. No man can fully know and teach us these things unless he hath been in heaven, and sent down from thence to the earth for that end. In his fists-To hold them in, or let them out at his pleasure? And none but he who made and governs all creatures, can know and teach these things. The waters-Those above the clouds, and those below, the sea which God keeps as it were within doors, and the water which he shuts up in the bowels of the earth. The earth-The whole earth from one end to another, which God upholdeth in the air, by the word of his power. If-If thou thinkest there be any man who can do these things, produce his name; or if he be dead, the name of any of his posterity.

Verse 4. Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended?] Calmet paraphrases this passage thus: “Who hath descended, &c. In order to show the truth of what he was about to say, he observes: I have not the science of the saints; for how could I have acquired it? Who is he who could attain to that? Who has ascended to heaven to learn that science, and who has descended in order to publish it? Is the science of salvation one of those things that can be apprehended only by study? Is it not a pure gift of the goodness of God? Moses, after having shown to the people the will of God, said to them: ‘This commandment which I command thee this day is not hidden from thee; neither is it far off. It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?’ Deuteronomy 30:11, 12. The person whose words we are here examining speaks a knowledge more sublime than that contained in the simple laws of the Lord, common to all the people of Israel. He speaks of the sublime science of the designs of God, of his ways, and of his secrets; and in this sense he affirms he has no knowledge.”

Who hath gathered the wind in his fists?] It is as difficult for a mortal man to acquire this Divine science by his own reason and strength, as to collect the winds in his fists. And who can command the spirit of prophecy, so that he can have it whensoever he pleases?

What is his name?] Show me the nature of this Supreme Being. Point out his eternity, omniscience, omnipresence, omnipotence; comprehend and describe him, if thou canst.

What is his son’s name] Some copies of the Septuagint have h ti onoma toiv tiknoio autou; “Or the name of his sons;” meaning, I suppose, the holy angels, called his saints or holy ones, Proverbs 30:3. The Arabic has, What is his name? [Arabic] and what is the name of his father? him who begat him. But the Chaldee, the Syriac, and the Vulgate, read as the Hebrew.

Many are of opinion that Agur refers here to the first and second persons of the ever-blessed TRINITY. It may be so; but who would venture to rest the proof of that most glorious doctrine upon such a text, to say nothing of the obscure author? The doctrine is true, sublimely true; but many doctrines have suffered in controversy, by improper texts being urged in their favour. Every lover of God and truth should be very choice in his selections, when he comes forward in behalf of the more mysterious doctrines of the Bible. Quote nothing that is not clear: advance nothing that does not tell. When we are obliged to spend a world of critical labour, in order to establish the sense of a text which we intend to allege in favour of the doctrine we wish to support, we may rest assured that we are going the wrong way to work. Those who indiscriminately amass every text of Scripture they think bears upon the subject they defend, give their adversaries great advantage against them. I see many a sacred doctrine suffering through the bad judgment of its friends every day. The Godhead of Christ, salvation by faith, the great atoning sacrifice, and other essential doctrines of this class, are all suffering in this way. My heart says, with deep concern,

Non tali auxilio, nec defensoribus istis,

Tempus eget.

When truth is assailed by all kinds of weapons, handled by the most powerful foes, injudicious defenders may be ranked among its enemies. To such we may innocently say,

“Keep your cabins; you do assist the storm.”

Verse 4. Who hath ascended, &c. — What mere man hath ascended into heaven to learn the mind of God, who dwells there? None have. And descended — To teach men below what he had learned above. No man can fully know and teach us these things unless he hath been in heaven, and sent down from thence to the earth for that end. Who hath gathered the wind in his fists — To hold them in, or let them out at his pleasure? And none but he who made and governs all creatures, can know and teach these things. The waters — Those above, the clouds, and those below, the sea, which God keeps as it were within doors, and the waters which he shuts up in the bowels of the earth. The ends of the earth — The whole earth, from one end to another, which God upholdeth in the air by the word of his power. If thou canst tell — If thou thinkest there be any man who can do these things, produce his name; or, if he be dead, the name of any of his posterity.

Ver. 4. Who hath ascended up into heaven. This holy man knew much, by the avowal that he knew nothing, compared with the grandeur of God. The prophet Isaiah, great in eloquence and wisdom, speaks of God with the same self-abasement as Agur does: Isaiah 40:17.—What is his son’s name, as in Psalm 2:7, the Messiah. The Chaldaic reads as the Hebrew. This is a most remarkable expression. It shows that Agur was acquainted with the Judge of all the earth, who conversed with Abraham. Genesis 17. He knew that there was from eternity a sociality in the Godhead, in the person of the Father, the Son, and the Spirit; but he knew it not distinctly. The Messiah was concealed in the bosom of the Father. Proverbs 8:22. John 1:18. The perfect discoveries of a Trinity, and of human redemption, were mysteries hid in ages past. The Messiah created the world, and holdeth the winds in his fists. His names and perfections can no more be told than the names and perfections of the Father. Adorable mystery, unfathomable in depth, but sanctifying in effect. Oh may we, all brutish and ignorant by nature, ever be pupils in so divine a school; for the whole happiness of angels and men consists in tracing the wisdom, power, and love of God, as unfolded in creation, providence and redemption.

4. Ascended up — The object of this passage is, probably, like that of many similar ones, to impress the mind with the incomprehensible greatness of the divine Author of all existence, his majesty, his omnipotence, his omniscience, his inscrutable perfections, and his unapproachable glory. So in Job 11:7, 8: “Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection? It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know? The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea.” So, also, Paul, in Romans 11:33-35: “Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?” There are also many similar passages in the Psalms. It is the language of the emotions, of poetry, labouring to express — rather, feeling utterly incompetent to express — the glory of the divine character, and giving up in despair. Compare Job 15:8; also the whole of chap. 37, 41, and 38:4; Psalm 104:3; Isaiah 40:12; Jeremiah 23:18; 1 Corinthians 2:16. Bound the waters in a garment — Some expositors understand this of the waters “above the firmament,” (Genesis 1:7;) that is, in the atmosphere. Others, with more plausibility, of the waters of the ocean, which are in sundry places presented under the idea of being straitened, confined within their appropriate limits, by divine statute. Compare Proverbs 8:39. The assertion is gratuitous, that the inspired Hebrew writers regarded the [yqr, (rakia’h,) the expanse, improperly rendered by the Greek sterewma, stereoma, and the Latin, firmamentum, as a solid pavement by which the waters were held up. Figurative expressions, such as “the windows of heaven,” do not prove it, any more than similar forms found in our own literature would prove to a reader a thousand years hence that we had the same idea. Established all the ends of the earth — xra yspa, (aphse-arets,) ends, extremities, or boundaries of the earth, that is, of the land as distinguished from the waters. The two clauses may be translated thus: Who hath folded up (compressed) the waters in the mantle? Who hath constituted (ordered, ordained) all the boundaries of the land? An allusion, probably, to Genesis 1:9; “And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear.” It is remarkable that wwqy, (yikkavu,) gathered together, has the same radical meaning as the above, namely, that of being bound up or folded together. (See Gesenius on the word hwq, (kavah.) There is a reference in the verse, first, to the visible heavens, or what the Hebrews called the second heavens — the place of the heavenly bodies, sun and stars; secondly, to the first heavens — the atmosphere, the region of the air, wind, which he gathers in his hand, or controls; thirdly, to the water and land as being adjusted and bounded by his ordinance — the sea, to which be has given its decree that the waters should not pass his commandment, limit. The earth — Land, to which he has appointed the foundations. Now follows the great question, What is his name — Tell me, that is, according to a well-known Hebraism, What is He, who is He, what must He be, who performeth such wonders in the heavens above, and in the earth beneath, and in the waters that are under or within the earth? Or, if thou canst declare to me nothing of himself, knowest thou the name of any one related to him, as for instance, a son, of whom we may inquire? As if he had said, If thou knowest any way or means by which we may attain to a knowledge of this ineffably glorious Being, tell me, O tell me!

Thus the majority of expositors understand this remarkable language. The sense is a good one, and yet, perhaps, it is scarcely satisfactory. A mind having somewhat the same yearnings as are here expressed may still ask: Is there not something more in it? May there not be also under these anxious interrogations, made under the divine afflatus, a foreshadowing of the glorious Son of God, the hwhy, or hwhy, (Yehovah, or Yahveh,) the coming one, for whose appearing, as the revealer of God, (John 1:18,) so many prophets and righteous men of ancient times intensely looked as the hope of humanity: “Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify.” Thus much, at least, the passage may show; that the idea of divine relations — I will not say persons, but relations — of paternity and filiation, does not seem to have been altogether foreign, nor appeared wholly absurd, to the mind of ancient sages like Agur, who is nevertheless clearly monotheistic in his conceptions of the great Author of our being. And if the expression should mean all that some interpreters, both ancient and modern, believe, it would seem to find a corresponding voice in the words of the Deliverer himself. Compare a few passages: “No man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.” John 3:13. “No man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.” Matthew 11:27. To the same purport are the words of the Baptist: “No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.” John 1:18. Nor should it be forgotten that David had, probably before Agur, in an ode unquestionably Messianic, used the word, ˆb, (ben,) son, and its equivalent, rb, (bar,) “Thou art my Son.” Psalm 2:7. “Kiss the Son.” Psalm 2:12. His son’s name — Most of the ancient Versions correspond to the Hebrew here; but the Septuagint has the plural sons, and the Arabic has, “What is the name of his father.”

V. 5. Pure-You must not expect the full knowledge of Divine mysteries from me, nor from any man, but from the word of God.

Verse 5. Every word of God is pure] hpwrx hwla trma lk col imrath eloah tseruphah, “Every oracle of God is purified.” A metaphor taken from the purifying of metals. Every thing that God has pronounced, every inspiration which the prophets have received, is pure, without mixture of error, without dross. Whatever trials it may be exposed to, it is always like gold: it bears the fire, and comes out with the same lustre, the same purity, and the same weight.

He is a shield unto them] And this oracle among the rest. “He is the defence of all them that put their trust in him.” lkl lechol, to all, is added here by nineteen of Kennicott’s and Deuteronomy Rossi’s MSS.; for instead of µysjl lachosim, to the trusters, they read µyswjh lkl lechol hachosim, “to EVERY ONE of them that trust.” Where the preposition and adjective are not only added, but the noun is written more full, and more emphatic: but a translation cannot well express it without paraphrase.

Verse 5. Every word of God is pure — You must not expect the full knowledge of divine mysteries from me, nor from any man, but from the word of God, which is a certain rule, both for your faith and practice, because every part of it is holy, and true, and good, and there is not the least mixture of falsehood or folly in it, as there is in all the words and writings of men. He is a shield unto them that trust in him — Which supposes their knowledge of him by his word, Psalm 9:10, and implies their reliance on his promises, joined with obedience to his commands.

5. Every word of God is pure — hwla, (eloah,) God. In the unquestioned Solomonic portions of this book, the word JEHOVAH, (Authorized Version, LORD,) is used almost invariably; µyhla, elohim, the plural form, only a few times; eloah, a form of the singular, never. Agur uses all three as the name of the divine Being. Is pure — Like refined gold; so in Psalm 119:140, “Thy word is very pure;” and in Psalm 12:6, “the words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, seven times.” From the consciousness of man’s ignorance (verse 4) comes a sense of the preciousness of the revealed word.

Verse 6. Add not thou unto his words] You can no more increase their value by any addition, than you can that of gold by adding any other metal to it. Take care that you do not any thing that this word forbids, nor leave undone any thing that it commands: for this is adding and diminishing in Scripture phrase.

Lest he reprove thee] Lest he try thy word by fire, as his has been tried; and it appear that, far from abiding the test, the fire shows thine to be reprobate silver; and so thou be found a falsifier of God’s word, and a liar.

How amply has this been fulfilled in the case of the Romish Church! It has added all the gross stuff in the Apocrypha, besides innumerable legends and traditions, to the word of God! They have been tried by the refiner’s fire. And this Church has been reproved, and found to be a liar, in attempting to filiate on the most holy God spurious writings discreditable to his nature.

Verse 6. Add thou not unto his words — As the word of God is pure, do not thou corrupt it, by adding to it thine own or other men’s inventions, or opinions; lest he reprove thee — By words or deeds; by discovering thy folly, and bringing thee to deserved shame and punishment; and thou be found a liar — Delivering thy own fancies and notions in the name, and as the truths of God, and thus being guilty of the worst of forgeries.

6. Add thou not unto his words — Similar warnings are found elsewhere. Comp. Deuteronomy 4:2; 12:32. The writer seems familiar with the older Scriptures. Compare also Revelation 22:18, 19. These are solemn admonitions to which all teachers do well to take heed, and none more so than expositors, lest they make God say more or less than he has said, or something different from it, and thus be found liars before God — falsifiers of his truth. In vain may fallible man hope to escape all error in interpretation; but every one should bring to the work an honest mind to search after truth, and firmness sufficient to set forth his honest convictions.

Verse 7. Two things have I required of thee] These two petitions are mentioned in the next verse; and he wishes to have them answered before he should die. That is, he wishes the answer now, that he may live the rest of his life in the state he describes.

Verses 7, 8. Two things have I required of thee — I do most earnestly and especially desire: deny me them not — Hebrew, ynmm [nmt la, withhold them not from me; before I die — That is, while I live, as being things of great and continual necessity, for thy honour and service, and my own good. Remove far from me — From my heart, and from the course of my life: vanity — That is, 1st, All false and vain opinions, namely, concerning God and things divine; all unbelief, idolatry, and superstition: and, 2d, Vanity of heart and life; a vain conversation, or the love of the vain things of this world; and lies — All falsehood and deceit in my words and actions, and in my conduct toward God or men. This is the first of Agur’s petitions. Give me neither poverty nor riches — This is his second request, which may seem to have some reference to the former, poverty being commonly an occasion of, or temptation to, the sin of lying; and riches being the great occasions of, and enticements to, vanity. Thus, as his first petition was against the sins themselves, so this latter is against the occasions of them. Feed me with food convenient for me — Moderate and suitable, both to my natural necessities and to that condition of life in which thou hast placed me. And this mediocrity of condition is so amiable, that it has often been desired by wise heathen as more eligible than a state of the greatest plenty and glory.

7, 8. These verses contain a direct address to God, although he is not named till towards the close of the prayer. Two things — They might seem at first sight to be three, but the last two clauses are substantially one: Let me be neither poor nor rich. Vanity and lies — Deceptive and false things. Food convenient for me — “Sufficient for me.” — Muenscher. “My allotted portion.” — Stuart. My rations, or daily bread. The conception is given as that of a child at the family table, waiting to receive from the hand of the parent his “piece,” or allotted part of the loaf or cake of bread. He asks submissively for just as much as the wise and benevolent parent judges to be good for him — necessary for his wants — nothing more. The unleavened bread of the Orientals, baked usually every day, or meal, was broken or torn to pieces. Hence the original is, “Tear or break off (for me) my allotted portion of bread.” Comp. Matthew 6:11.

V. 8. Vanity-All vanity of heart and life; a vain conversation, or a love of the vain things of this world. Lies-All falsehood and deceit in my words and carriage. Convenient-Moderate and suitable both to my natural necessities, and to that condition of life in which thou hast put me.

Verse 8. Remove far from me vanity and lies.] 1. awv shav, all false shows, all false appearances of happiness, every vain expectation. Let me not set my heart on any thing that is not solid, true, durable, and eternal.

2. Lies, bzk rbd debar cazab, all words of deception, empty pretensions, false promises, uncertain dependences, and words that FAIL; promises which, when they become due, are like bad bills; they are dishonoured because they are found to be forged, or the drawer insolvent. From the import of the original, I am satisfied that Agur prays against idolatry, false religion, and false worship of every kind. awv shau is used for an idol, a false god. Jeremiah 18:15: “My people have forsaken me; they have burnt incense to VANITY;” awvl lashshav, “to an IDOL.” Psalm 31:6: “I have hated them that regard lying VANITIES;” awv ylbh habley shave, “vain IDOLS.” See also Hosea 12:11; Jonah 2:8. And bzk cazab, a thing that fails or deceives, may well apply to the vain pretensions, false promises, and deceptive religious rites of idolatry. So Jeremiah 15:18: “Wilt thou be unto me as a liar,” bzka wmk kemo achzob, like the false, failing promises of the false gods; “and as waters that fail;” wnman al lo neemanu, that are not faithful; not like the true God, whose promises never fail. According to this view of the subject, Agur prays, 1. That he may be preserved from idolatry. 2. That he may put no confidence in any words but those pure words of God that never fail them that trust in him.

Give me neither poverty nor riches] Here are three requests: 1. Give me not poverty. The reason is added: Lest, being poor, I shall get into a covetous spirit, and, impelled by want, distrust my Maker, and take my neighbour’s property; and, in order to excuse, hide, or vindicate my conduct, I take the name of my God in vain; ytcpt taphasti, “I catch at the name of God.” Or, by swearing falsely, endeavour to make myself pass for innocent. Forswere the name of my God.—Old MS. Bible. Coverdale, “deny or apostatize from him.”

2. Give me not riches. For which petition he gives a reason also: Lest I be full, and addict myself to luxurious living, pamper the flesh and starve the soul, and so deny thee, the Fountain of goodness; and, if called on to resort to first principles, I say, Who is Jehovah! Why should I acknowledge, why should I serve him? And thus cast aside all religion, and all moral obligation.

3. The third request is, Feed me with food convenient for me, yqj לחם ynpyrch hatripheni lechem chukki; the meaning of which is, “give me as prey my statute allowance of bread,” i.e., my daily bread, a sufficient portion for each day. There is an allusion made to hunting: “Direct so by thy good providence, that I may each day find sufficient portion to subsist on, as a hunter in the forest prays that he may have good speed.” It is the province of a preacher to show the importance and utility of such a prayer, and dilate the circumstances, and expand the reasons, after the commentator has shown the literal sense.

Verses 7, 8. Two things have I required of thee — I do most earnestly and especially desire: deny me them not — Hebrew, ynmm [nmt la, withhold them not from me; before I die — That is, while I live, as being things of great and continual necessity, for thy honour and service, and my own good. Remove far from me — From my heart, and from the course of my life: vanity — That is, 1st, All false and vain opinions, namely, concerning God and things divine; all unbelief, idolatry, and superstition: and, 2d, Vanity of heart and life; a vain conversation, or the love of the vain things of this world; and lies — All falsehood and deceit in my words and actions, and in my conduct toward God or men. This is the first of Agur’s petitions. Give me neither poverty nor riches — This is his second request, which may seem to have some reference to the former, poverty being commonly an occasion of, or temptation to, the sin of lying; and riches being the great occasions of, and enticements to, vanity. Thus, as his first petition was against the sins themselves, so this latter is against the occasions of them. Feed me with food convenient for me — Moderate and suitable, both to my natural necessities and to that condition of life in which thou hast placed me. And this mediocrity of condition is so amiable, that it has often been desired by wise heathen as more eligible than a state of the greatest plenty and glory.

Ver. 8. Give me neither poverty nor riches. We have here the prayer of a sage, who asks mediocrity of condition; and the philosophy of all nations has acquiesced in the justness of this sentiment. All enlightened men must be aware of the calamities of greatness, and of the temptations attendant on wealth, luxury, and honour. And shrinking, on the other hand, at poverty and want, they have given the largest share of happiness to the middle rank of society. But this, after all, is but philosophy; for the poor man, undisturbed with the pride of knowledge, sings in his cottage as the thrush in the copse; the middle ranks are by no means contented with their lot, but are daily pressing towards wealth and dignity; while the great revolt at the idea of humiliation. Be that as it may, Agur’s prayer is so popular that we have extant in the English tongue more than a hundred printed sermons on this text, which sufficiently unfold a clergyman’s wish. Agur however, rectified his wish by piety and submission.—Feed me with food convenient for me. It is the glory and perfection of christianity to resemble Christ, who said in the hour of anguish, Father, not as I will, but as thou wilt. St. Paul also said, I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content. I know how to be abased and how to abound; to be full, and to be hungry. Happy is that man who alike fears the wanton insolence we see in the rich, and the continual murmuring among the ungrateful poor.

7, 8. These verses contain a direct address to God, although he is not named till towards the close of the prayer. Two things — They might seem at first sight to be three, but the last two clauses are substantially one: Let me be neither poor nor rich. Vanity and lies — Deceptive and false things. Food convenient for me — “Sufficient for me.” — Muenscher. “My allotted portion.” — Stuart. My rations, or daily bread. The conception is given as that of a child at the family table, waiting to receive from the hand of the parent his “piece,” or allotted part of the loaf or cake of bread. He asks submissively for just as much as the wise and benevolent parent judges to be good for him — necessary for his wants — nothing more. The unleavened bread of the Orientals, baked usually every day, or meal, was broken or torn to pieces. Hence the original is, “Tear or break off (for me) my allotted portion of bread.” Comp. Matthew 6:11.

V. 9. Deny thee-By trusting to riches, which is a denial of God, and by unthankfulness for, and abuse of his mercies. Who is the Lord-That I should serve him. Lest I take-Use false oaths either to vindicate myself when I am suspected, or to gratify others, as poor men frequently do.

Verse 9. Lest I be full, and deny thee — By trusting to riches, which is a denial of God, and by un-thankfulness for, and the abuse of his mercies. And say, Who is the Lord — That I should obey or serve him? I do not need him: I can live without him. Lest by degrees, I should arrive at downright atheism or infidelity, which is most incident to rich and great men, as is manifest from experience. Or lest I be poor and steal — Lest, being in a state of poverty, I be under a strong temptation to dishonesty, and become injurious to others for my own relief; and take the name of my God in vain — Use false oaths, either to vindicate myself when I am suspected or accused of theft, and my oath is required according to the law, Exodus 22:8-11; or to gratify others for filthy lucre, as poor men frequently do.

9. Deny thee — Hebrew, simply deny; fail to render suitable acknowledgments. Abundance too commonly begets pride, sensuality, and forgetfulness of our obligation to the great Giver. “Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked.” Deuteronomy 32:15. Poverty tempts to stealing and other illicit practices to supply our wants. Furthermore, the poor are apt to repine and murmur against Providence, and in their heart to accuse the divine Being of partiality. This is supposed to be the meaning of take the name of my God in vain — violate the name of God, by assailing or impugning the divine character. Some understand it of false swearing, or perjury, to which the thief is tempted in order to shield himself from punishment. See note on Proverbs 29:24.

V. 10. Accuse not-Without sufficient cause: for otherwise, in some cases this may be a duty. Curse thee-Desire God to punish thee. Guilty-By God, who is ready to plead the cause of the afflicted.

Verse 10. Accuse not a servant] Do not bring a false accusation against a servant, lest thou be found guilty of the falsehood, and he curse thee for having traduced his character, and in his turn traduce thine. In general, do not meddle with other people’s servants.

Verse 10. Accuse not a servant unto his master — Without sufficient cause, for otherwise, in some cases, this may be a duty. As if he had said, A servant’s condition is in itself mean and miserable, and therefore thou shouldest not make it worse without great and apparent necessity. Lest he curse thee — Desire God to punish thee, which, though it might be sinful in him, yet, being deserved by thee, thou wouldst have reason to fear and expect; and thou be found guilty — By God, who is always ready to plead the cause of the afflicted.

Ver. 10. Accuse not a servant unto his master. This wise man cautions us against meddling with other families in accusing domestics, for there is no man which may not do us harm, nor of whom we may not have need.

10. Accuse not a servant… master — It is not entirely certain that our Authorized Version gives the sense here. Stuart, Zockler, and others render: “Thou shalt not cause a servant to slander his master, lest he should curse thee,” etc. Literally rendered, the first clause might read, Do not incite a servant to tongue (be-tongue or tongue-lash) his master. Lest he — It cannot be determined from the construction whether this refers to the servant or to the master. Conant translates “Slander not a servant to his master,” and refers the latter clause to the master. Miller: “Give not tongue service, as a servant to his master;” giving it, of course, a spiritual sense, as does also Ewald. The word translated accuse is found only once elsewhere, Psalm 101:5, and is there read slandereth. The Septuagint has, “Deliver not a servant to his master, lest,” etc.

V. 11. A generation-A sort of men.

Verse 11. There is a generation] There are such persons in the world. In this and the three following verses the wise man points out four grand evils that prevailed in his time.

The first, Those who not only did not honour, but who evil-treated, their parents.

Verses 11-14. There is a generation — A sort of men, abominable both to God and men, which is implied concerning these and the following kind of sinners, mentioned in these verses; that curseth their father — And mother too, as it follows; ungrateful and unnatural children. There are those that are pure in their own eyes — Who not only pretend to others, but sincerely think within themselves, that they are truly religious persons, and in all respects such as they should be; and yet are not washed from their filthiness — Not delivered from the guilt or power of their sins; not saved by the washing of regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Ghost, Titus 3:5; not justified, not sanctified, in the name of the Lord, the Messiah, and by the Spirit of our God, 1 Corinthians 6:11. Reader, is this thy case? There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! — With what disdain do they look upon their neighbours! At what a distance do they expect every body to keep! A sort of men that are proud and insolent, advancing themselves, and despising all others in comparison of themselves, and showing the pride of their hearts in their countenances and behaviour. There is a generation whose teeth, &c. — Extortioners, and cruel oppressors, who grind the faces of the poor.

Ver. 11. There is a generation that curseth their father. He divides the wicked into four classes. First, those who are ungrateful, and blasphemous to their parents. These, by war or wickedness, shall mostly come to an untimely death: ver. 17. Blessings flow from fathers to children; and when a son returns them with a curse, it is the worst of crimes. Secondly, those who are pure in their own eyes. Being proud and ignorant, they guard the outward walk, but cherish the foulest evils of the heart. Hence there is little hope of doing them good. The third and fourth are the haughty and the cruel, who scorn and oppress the poor. They are far from humanity, and therefore far from God, who will pay them back the measure they mete.

11-14. The four classes here mentioned Agur assumes will at once be disapproved. To describe them is enough. They need no formal condemnation. Generation — Race, class. Doth not bless — Does not respect or speak well of. It is implied that they do the reverse. Pure in their own eyes — In their own estimation perfect — without blemish or fault. Not washed from their filthiness — From that which goeth out from them, excrements. Of course the expression is figurative, and the figure is crude but very pungent. Matthew 15:11. Eyelids are lifted up — Comp. Proverbs 6:17; there are outward signs of inward pride. We would, perhaps, say eye-brows, to express the same idea. The mention of these classes of evil-minded and evil-doing persons is equivalent to a precept prohibiting the several vices pertaining to them; as if Agur had said, “I mention these that ye may avoid their ways.” It will be noted that the words “there is” in each of these verses, are supplied in italics. The passage would be more forcible without them; “A generation that curseth their father and blesseth not their mother,” etc. Comp. Proverbs 25:19; Psalm 52:2; 57:4.

V. 12. Not washed-Who imagine they are truly religious, when they live in a course of wickedness.

Verse 12. The second, Those who were self-righteous, supposing themselves pure, and were not so.

Verses 11-14. There is a generation — A sort of men, abominable both to God and men, which is implied concerning these and the following kind of sinners, mentioned in these verses; that curseth their father — And mother too, as it follows; ungrateful and unnatural children. There are those that are pure in their own eyes — Who not only pretend to others, but sincerely think within themselves, that they are truly religious persons, and in all respects such as they should be; and yet are not washed from their filthiness — Not delivered from the guilt or power of their sins; not saved by the washing of regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Ghost, Titus 3:5; not justified, not sanctified, in the name of the Lord, the Messiah, and by the Spirit of our God, 1 Corinthians 6:11. Reader, is this thy case? There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! — With what disdain do they look upon their neighbours! At what a distance do they expect every body to keep! A sort of men that are proud and insolent, advancing themselves, and despising all others in comparison of themselves, and showing the pride of their hearts in their countenances and behaviour. There is a generation whose teeth, &c. — Extortioners, and cruel oppressors, who grind the faces of the poor.

11-14. The four classes here mentioned Agur assumes will at once be disapproved. To describe them is enough. They need no formal condemnation. Generation — Race, class. Doth not bless — Does not respect or speak well of. It is implied that they do the reverse. Pure in their own eyes — In their own estimation perfect — without blemish or fault. Not washed from their filthiness — From that which goeth out from them, excrements. Of course the expression is figurative, and the figure is crude but very pungent. Matthew 15:11. Eyelids are lifted up — Comp. Proverbs 6:17; there are outward signs of inward pride. We would, perhaps, say eye-brows, to express the same idea. The mention of these classes of evil-minded and evil-doing persons is equivalent to a precept prohibiting the several vices pertaining to them; as if Agur had said, “I mention these that ye may avoid their ways.” It will be noted that the words “there is” in each of these verses, are supplied in italics. The passage would be more forcible without them; “A generation that curseth their father and blesseth not their mother,” etc. Comp. Proverbs 25:19; Psalm 52:2; 57:4.

Verse 13. The third, Those who were full of vanity, pride, and insolence.

Verses 11-14. There is a generation — A sort of men, abominable both to God and men, which is implied concerning these and the following kind of sinners, mentioned in these verses; that curseth their father — And mother too, as it follows; ungrateful and unnatural children. There are those that are pure in their own eyes — Who not only pretend to others, but sincerely think within themselves, that they are truly religious persons, and in all respects such as they should be; and yet are not washed from their filthiness — Not delivered from the guilt or power of their sins; not saved by the washing of regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Ghost, Titus 3:5; not justified, not sanctified, in the name of the Lord, the Messiah, and by the Spirit of our God, 1 Corinthians 6:11. Reader, is this thy case? There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! — With what disdain do they look upon their neighbours! At what a distance do they expect every body to keep! A sort of men that are proud and insolent, advancing themselves, and despising all others in comparison of themselves, and showing the pride of their hearts in their countenances and behaviour. There is a generation whose teeth, &c. — Extortioners, and cruel oppressors, who grind the faces of the poor.

11-14. The four classes here mentioned Agur assumes will at once be disapproved. To describe them is enough. They need no formal condemnation. Generation — Race, class. Doth not bless — Does not respect or speak well of. It is implied that they do the reverse. Pure in their own eyes — In their own estimation perfect — without blemish or fault. Not washed from their filthiness — From that which goeth out from them, excrements. Of course the expression is figurative, and the figure is crude but very pungent. Matthew 15:11. Eyelids are lifted up — Comp. Proverbs 6:17; there are outward signs of inward pride. We would, perhaps, say eye-brows, to express the same idea. The mention of these classes of evil-minded and evil-doing persons is equivalent to a precept prohibiting the several vices pertaining to them; as if Agur had said, “I mention these that ye may avoid their ways.” It will be noted that the words “there is” in each of these verses, are supplied in italics. The passage would be more forcible without them; “A generation that curseth their father and blesseth not their mother,” etc. Comp. Proverbs 25:19; Psalm 52:2; 57:4.

V. 14. Devour-Extortioners, and cruel oppressors.

Verse 14. The fourth, The greedy, cruel, and oppressive, and, especially, oppressive to the poor.

Verses 11-14. There is a generation — A sort of men, abominable both to God and men, which is implied concerning these and the following kind of sinners, mentioned in these verses; that curseth their father — And mother too, as it follows; ungrateful and unnatural children. There are those that are pure in their own eyes — Who not only pretend to others, but sincerely think within themselves, that they are truly religious persons, and in all respects such as they should be; and yet are not washed from their filthiness — Not delivered from the guilt or power of their sins; not saved by the washing of regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Ghost, Titus 3:5; not justified, not sanctified, in the name of the Lord, the Messiah, and by the Spirit of our God, 1 Corinthians 6:11. Reader, is this thy case? There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! — With what disdain do they look upon their neighbours! At what a distance do they expect every body to keep! A sort of men that are proud and insolent, advancing themselves, and despising all others in comparison of themselves, and showing the pride of their hearts in their countenances and behaviour. There is a generation whose teeth, &c. — Extortioners, and cruel oppressors, who grind the faces of the poor.

11-14. The four classes here mentioned Agur assumes will at once be disapproved. To describe them is enough. They need no formal condemnation. Generation — Race, class. Doth not bless — Does not respect or speak well of. It is implied that they do the reverse. Pure in their own eyes — In their own estimation perfect — without blemish or fault. Not washed from their filthiness — From that which goeth out from them, excrements. Of course the expression is figurative, and the figure is crude but very pungent. Matthew 15:11. Eyelids are lifted up — Comp. Proverbs 6:17; there are outward signs of inward pride. We would, perhaps, say eye-brows, to express the same idea. The mention of these classes of evil-minded and evil-doing persons is equivalent to a precept prohibiting the several vices pertaining to them; as if Agur had said, “I mention these that ye may avoid their ways.” It will be noted that the words “there is” in each of these verses, are supplied in italics. The passage would be more forcible without them; “A generation that curseth their father and blesseth not their mother,” etc. Comp. Proverbs 25:19; Psalm 52:2; 57:4.

V. 15. The horse-leach-An insatiable creature, sucking blood ‘till it is ready to burst. Two daughters-The following things resemble the horse-leach in its insatiableness; nothing being more ordinary than to call those persons or things the sons or daughters of those whose examples they imitate. Three-Though he begins with two, yet he proceeds from thence to three, and four, all which are said to be the daughters of the horse-leach.

Verse 15. The horseleech hath two daughters, crying, Give, give.] “This horseleech,” says Calmet, “is COVETOUSNESS, and her two daughters are Avarice and Ambition. They never say, It is enough; they are never satisfied; they are never contented.”

Many explanations have been given of this verse; but as all the versions agree in rendering hqwl[ alukah the horseleech or blood-sucker, the general meaning collected has been, “There are persons so excessively covetous and greedy, that they will scarcely let any live but themselves; and when they lay hold of any thing by which they may profit, they never let go their hold till they have extracted the last portion of good from it.” Horace has well expressed this disposition, and by the same emblem, applied to a poor poet, who seizes on and extracts all he can from an author of repute, and obliges all to hear him read his wretched verses.

Quem vero arripuit, tenet, occiditque legendo,

Non missura cutem, nisi plena cruoris, HIRUDO.

DE ARTE POET., ver. 475.

“But if he seize you, then the torture dread;

He fastens on you till he reads you dead;

And like a LEECH, voracious of his food,

Quits not his cruel hold till gorged with blood.”

FRANCIS.

The word hqwla alukah, which we here translate horseleech, is read in no other part of the Bible. May it not, like Agur, Jakeh, Ithiel, and Ucal, be a proper name, belonging to some well-known woman of his acquaintance, and well known to the public, who had two daughters notorious for their covetousness and lechery? And at first view the following verse may be thought to confirm this supposition: “There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four things say not, It is enough.” the grave, the barren womb, the earth, the fire. What an astonishing similarity there is between this and the following institute, taken from the Code of Hindoo Laws, chap. xx., sec. i., p. 203.

“A woman is never satisfied with the copulation of man, no more than a fire is satisfied with burning fuel; or the main ocean is with receiving the rivers; or death, with the dying of men and animals.” You can no more satisfy these two daughters of Alukah than you can the grave, &c.

Some of the rabbins have thought that alukah signifies destiny, or the necessity of dying, which they say has two daughters, Eden and Gehenna, paradise and hell. The former has never enough of righteous souls; the latter, of the wicked. Similar to them is the opinion of Bochart, who thinks alukah means destiny, and the two daughters, the grave and hell; into the first of which the body descends after death, and into the second, the soul. The Septuagint gives it a curious turn, by connecting the fifteenth with the sixteenth verse: Th Bdellh qugaterev hsan agaphsei agapwmenai, kai ai treiv autai ouk enepimplasan authn, kai h tetarth ouk hrkesqh eipein, JIkanon; “The horseleech had three well-beloved daughters; and these three were not able to satisfy her desire: and the fourth was not satisfied, so as to say, It is enough.” After all, I think my own conjecture the most probable. Alukah is a proper name, and the two daughters were of the description I have mentioned.

Verse 15. The horseleech — An insatiable creature, sucking blood till it be ready to burst; hath two daughters — The following things, which resemble the horseleech in their insatiableness, nothing being more common than to call those persons or things the sons or daughters of those whose example they imitate. And whereas it is objected that they are not only two, but three, yea, four, as is said in the next clause, the answer is easy, that though he begin with two, yet he proceeds from thence to three and four, all which are said to be the daughters of the horseleech, if the words be rendered properly, as they are in the Hebrew, as we shall presently see. Crying, Give, give — Never filled, but always craving, and ready to receive more and more. There are three — It should rather have been rendered, Yea, three, or they (namely, the daughters of the horse-leech) are three; that are never satisfied — This is added to explain the former clause, Give, give, and to show the cause of that excessive desire of more, namely, they are not contented with what they have. Four things — Or, yea, they are four; which say not, It is enough — Hebrew, ˆwh, it is wealth, it is abundance. Those are never rich that are always coveting.

15. The horseleech — hqwl[, (‘halukah.) This word occurs nowhere else in the Bible, and the critics are by no means agreed as to its meaning. Dr. A. Clarke thinks it may have been the proper name of some well-known woman of the time. Stuart thinks it means the fabled vampire, and so translates. All the ancient versions however, render it leech, or bloodsucker. But the ancients and some moderns, according to their principles of mystical interpretation, had various notions of what it symbolized. Some of the Rabbies thought it meant “destiny,” and the two daughters, paradise and sheol. The former never has enough of the righteous, the latter of the wicked. Bochart makes the two daughters, “the grave and hell.” Calmet says, ‘halukah is covetousness, and the two daughters, avarice and ambition. All this is fanciful. Alukah, the leech, is the emblem of insatiableness, and the two daughters are probably its two suckers, whose continual cry is, “Give, give.” (See Webster’s Dictionary for a description of the leech and its two suckers.) The horseleech is a less powerful leech, commonly attacking the membranes of the month and nostrils of animals that drink at the pools where it exists. It is probable, although no comparison is expressed between the leech and the following things named, that similitude is implied. So the Septuagint understood it, or made it: The bloodsucker has three daughters well beloved, and these three were not able to fill her, and the fourth was not content to say, Enough. Three… four — It was common among the Hebrews to specify a number, and then to add another, somewhat as we say three or four. See on Proverbs 6:16.

Verse 16. The grave, and the barren womb — As the Israelitish women did generally and vehemently desire to have many children, for divers reasons elsewhere mentioned, so those who were barren among them were most eager in those desires, as we see in Rachel, Genesis 30:1. And, as in all other cases, persons most prize and thirst after those good things which they want. The earth — Which, when it is dry, thirsts for rain, and in a little time sucks up great quantities of water, and gapes for more. And the fire — Which continually burns, as long as there is any combustible matter left for it. “Some commentators compare certain vices with these four insatiable things: the desire of revenge to the grave; libidinous desires to the barren womb; covetousness, or rather drunkenness, to the thirsty earth; and ambition to the devouring fire. It is easy to show how fitly all these are resembled to the horseleech; it being the vulgar saying, that harlots, for instance, are the horseleeches of young men; and the servant in Plautus, when he was about to rob the chests of two old men, says, Jam ego me vertam in hirudinem, &c. ‘Now will I turn myself into a horseleech, and suck out their very blood.’” — Dodd.

16. The grave, etc. — These four things are given as examples of insatiableness. The learner is left to apply them for himself, as for instance, to the miser, the drunkard, the glutton, the debauchee. This passage is reckoned among the hhidhoth (enigmas) of the book. Compare Proverbs 1:6. Barren womb — Miller renders, allowably, “The enclosure of the womb.” It is the same word elsewhere translated “prison,” as in Isaiah 53:8. He adds: “The idea of special insatiableness in the barren seems to be a physiological fancy. Moreover the Hindus have a proverb of just these particulars in which we have nothing of sterility.” Conant says, “The natural desire for offspring (compare the only too passionate expression of it in Genesis 30:1, ‘Give me children, or else I die,’) is certainly all that is here meant by the unsatisfied craving of the barren womb. It is not just to the sacred writer to impute to him any other thought.”

V. 17. The eye-He that scorneth or derideth his parents, tho’ it be but with a look or gesture, and much more when he breaks out into opprobrious words and actions.

Verse 17. The eye that mocketh at his father] This seems to be spoken against those who curse their father, and do not bless their mother, Proverbs 30:11.

The ravens of the valley] Those which frequent the places where dead carcasses and offal are most likely to be found. The raven, the crow, the rook, the daw, the carrion crow, and the Cornish chough, appear to be all of the same genus. Some of them live on pulse and insects; others, the raven in particular, live on carrion.

The young eagles shall eat it.] The mother eagle shall scoop out such an eye, and carry it to the nest to feed her young. Many of the disobedient to parents have come to an untimely end, and, in the field of battle, where many a profligate has fallen, and upon gibbets, have actually become the prey of ravenous birds.

Verse 17. The eye that mocketh at his father — He that scorneth or derideth his parents, though it be but with a look or gesture, and much more when he breaks out into opprobrious words and actions; the ravens of the valley shall pick it out — “They who are guilty of such an enormous ingratitude to their parents shall come to an infamous end, and their dead bodies shall be exposed for a prey to the ravens which frequent the brooks that run in the valleys, and to the young eagles, which shall pick out those eyes in which their scorn and derision of their parents were wont to appear.”

17. Eye that mocketh — The expression is used to denote the “mocking” or cursing child; not merely the disobedient, but the rebellious one. Despiseth to obey — Spurns the control of. It is the same word, with the addition of a single letter marking the feminine gender, which is taken as a proper noun in the first verse and there read jakeh. The ravens of the valley (or brook) shall pick it out — We observe that in attacking a body or carcass, ravens strike first at the eye as a favourite part. Hence bodies of men or beasts left exposed where such fowls have access to them are found with their eyes picked out. The passage, therefore, may be equivalent to a declaration that such an unworthy, irreverent, and disobedient son, shall die a felon’s death, and become, as was often the case, a prey to ravens and eagles. Young eagles — Literally, sons of the eagle.

V. 18. Wonderful-The way whereof I cannot trace.

Verses 18, 19. There be three things too wonderful for me — The way whereof I cannot trace; the way of an eagle in the air — Either, 1st, The manner of her flight, which is exceedingly high, swift, and strong: or, rather, 2d, The way, or part of the air through which she passes, without leaving any print or sign in it. The way of a serpent upon a rock — Where it leaves no impression, nor slime, nor token which way it went. The way of a ship in the sea — In which, though at present it make a furrow, yet it is speedily closed again; and the way of a man with a maid — The various methods and artifices which young men sometimes use to slide into the hearts of young virgins, and win their love, that they may persuade them either to honourable marriage or to unlawful lust. “I would just observe upon this” last clause, says Dr. Dodd, “that some have understood it as a reference to the incarnation of the Word in the Virgin Mary.” The word hml[, rendered maid, signifies a virgin, strictly speaking; and rbg, rendered a man, may signify the man, or great one, by way of eminence. But for more on this text the reader is referred to Schultens’s very accurate discussion of it. Houbigant thinks that the sacred writer here refers to the human conception; which is indeed truly miraculous and incomprehensible.

Ver. 18. There be—four things which I know not.

(1) The way of the eagle, which at an immense distance seeks and pursues his prey, and shapes his course through the trackless air with certainty and precision.

(2) How a serpent could without feet reach the high rock.

(3) How a ship could be managed at sea. The art of navigation is admirable, and especially so to the ancients. The adduction of this art is a mark of the high antiquity of the age when Agur lived.

(4) How a learned seducer could prevail on a woman to surrender her virtue, which should be dearer than life itself; and how, after seduction, she can become such a mystery of iniquity as the harlot and adulteress often prove.

18, 19. Too wonderful — As we have in the preceding verses several illustrations of the insatiable, so we have in these examples of the mysterious. The mystery of these things (as commonly supposed) is not so much in themselves as in the discovery of them afterward — “the impossibility of tracing the way gone over.” — Stuart. There is a various reading in the last of the four particulars the correctness of which is maintained by very respectable critics. Instead of hml[, (‘halmah,) a maid, a marriageable virgin, some manuscripts and versions read wymwl[, (‘halu-mayv,) his youth, “the way of a man in his youth.” So the Septuagint, Vulgate, Arabic, etc. Some illustrate this passage thus: In countries where young women are kept secluded there is little opportunity of personal acquaintance, and of what we call courtship. There are few chances by which a young man can personally engage the affections of a young woman. She is not at her own disposal, and can but acquiesce in the choice of her parents and friends. “I have often been surprised,” says a certain writer, “to see with what little regret a lover, proposed to a virgin, has been abandoned by her for another, perhaps not at all better. She transfers her connexion and person with so little difficulty to the latter’s proposal, that however she might have encouraged the first, and even have adopted him as her husband elect, he appears to have left no more trace on her mind than the eagle leaves in the air.” — TAYLOR’S Calmet, under Al-mah. All this may be so, but it seems to be the way of a maid with a man, rather than, as the text demands, the way of a man with a maid. Conant’s note on “difficult things” is worthy of consideration. “It matters not that these things can be philosophically explained, and that we now understand how the eagle is sustained in the air by its reacting force, and moves upward or onward by the difference of forces. So can the ‘balancings of the clouds’ (Job 37:16) be now understood. The discovery that the air has weight, and is heavier than the pellicles of vapour, has explained the mystery. But there was a time when these were wonders, and to men as wise at least as we are in matters of greater concern than the truths of physical science. We all can remember when to us, too, they were wonders; and no illustrations of truth take stronger hold of the imagination and the heart than those drawn from our earliest impressions of nature. The Bible abounds in them, and in this is one secret of its hold on the human heart.”

Not less incomprehensible is the mysterious law of reproduction in the divinely appointed relation of the sexes. In purposed contrast with what follows, we have here the case of the bridegroom and bride, and their chaste intercourse, as a type of the sanctity and purity of that relation, for by “maid” is meant a young woman of marriageable age.

Verse 19. The way of an eagle] I borrow, with thanks, the very sensible note of the Rev. Mr. Holden on this passage.

“The particle כנ ken plainly shows that Proverbs 30:19, 20 are to be taken in connection; consequently, it is a comparison between the way of an adulterous woman, and the way of the things here described.

“The adulterous woman goes about in search of her deluded victim, like as the eagle takes its flight into the air to spy out its prey. She uses every species of blandishment and insinuation to allure and beguile, as the serpent employs its windings and sinuous motions to pass along the rocks; she pursues a course surrounded with danger, as a ship in the midst of the sea is continually exposed to the fury of the tempest, and the hazard of shipwreck; and she tries every means, and exercises all her sagacity, to prevent the discovery of her illicit enjoyments, as a man attempts to conceal his clandestine intercourse with a maid. Such is the conduct of a lewd woman, marked by specious dissimulation and traitorous blandishment; she eateth and wipeth her mouth-she indulges her adulterous lust, yet artfully endeavours to conceal it, and with unblushing countenance asserts her innocence, exclaiming, I have done no wickedness.” CHAUCER’S January and May is an excellent comment on such wiles and protestations.

The way of a man with a maid.] בעלמה bealmah, with, or in a maid; but one of Deuteronomy Rossi’s MSS. has בעלמיו bealmaiv, in his youth; and with this the SEPTUAGINT, ev neothti, the VULGATE, in adolescentia, the SYRIAC and the ARABIC agree; and so also my own MS. Bible:—The weie of a man in his waxing youthe. Dr. Kennicott, in a sermon preached at Oxford, 1765, p. 46, has defended the reading of the versions, corroborating it by two MSS., one in the Harleian, and the other in the Bodleian library, besides that mentioned by Deuteronomy Rossi. See Deuteronomy Rossi’s Var. Lect. Certainly the way of a man in his youth contains too many intricacies for human wisdom to explore. He only who searches the heart knows fully its various corrupt principles, and their productions. The common reading may refer to the formation of a child in the womb. But some have understood it of the immaculate conception. See Clarke’s note on “Matthew 1:23”, where the subject is largely considered.

If we take the four things which Agur says were too wonderful for him, in their obvious sense, there is little difficulty in them. 1. The passage which a bird makes through the air; 2. That which is made by a serpent on a rock; and, 3. That made by a ship through the sea, are such as cannot be ascertained: for who can possibly show the track in which either of them has passed? And as to the fourth, if it refer to the suspected incontinence of one reputed a virgin, the signs are so equivocal, as to be absolutely unascertainable. The existence of the hymen has been denied by the ablest anatomists; and the signs of continence or incontinence, except in the most recent cases, are such as neither man nor woman can swear to, even to the present day; and they were certainly not less difficult to Agur and his contemporaries. I shall carry this matter no farther.

Verses 18, 19. There be three things too wonderful for me — The way whereof I cannot trace; the way of an eagle in the air — Either, 1st, The manner of her flight, which is exceedingly high, swift, and strong: or, rather, 2d, The way, or part of the air through which she passes, without leaving any print or sign in it. The way of a serpent upon a rock — Where it leaves no impression, nor slime, nor token which way it went. The way of a ship in the sea — In which, though at present it make a furrow, yet it is speedily closed again; and the way of a man with a maid — The various methods and artifices which young men sometimes use to slide into the hearts of young virgins, and win their love, that they may persuade them either to honourable marriage or to unlawful lust. “I would just observe upon this” last clause, says Dr. Dodd, “that some have understood it as a reference to the incarnation of the Word in the Virgin Mary.” The word hml[, rendered maid, signifies a virgin, strictly speaking; and rbg, rendered a man, may signify the man, or great one, by way of eminence. But for more on this text the reader is referred to Schultens’s very accurate discussion of it. Houbigant thinks that the sacred writer here refers to the human conception; which is indeed truly miraculous and incomprehensible.

18, 19. Too wonderful — As we have in the preceding verses several illustrations of the insatiable, so we have in these examples of the mysterious. The mystery of these things (as commonly supposed) is not so much in themselves as in the discovery of them afterward — “the impossibility of tracing the way gone over.” — Stuart. There is a various reading in the last of the four particulars the correctness of which is maintained by very respectable critics. Instead of hml[, (‘halmah,) a maid, a marriageable virgin, some manuscripts and versions read wymwl[, (‘halu-mayv,) his youth, “the way of a man in his youth.” So the Septuagint, Vulgate, Arabic, etc. Some illustrate this passage thus: In countries where young women are kept secluded there is little opportunity of personal acquaintance, and of what we call courtship. There are few chances by which a young man can personally engage the affections of a young woman. She is not at her own disposal, and can but acquiesce in the choice of her parents and friends. “I have often been surprised,” says a certain writer, “to see with what little regret a lover, proposed to a virgin, has been abandoned by her for another, perhaps not at all better. She transfers her connexion and person with so little difficulty to the latter’s proposal, that however she might have encouraged the first, and even have adopted him as her husband elect, he appears to have left no more trace on her mind than the eagle leaves in the air.” — TAYLOR’S Calmet, under Al-mah. All this may be so, but it seems to be the way of a maid with a man, rather than, as the text demands, the way of a man with a maid. Conant’s note on “difficult things” is worthy of consideration. “It matters not that these things can be philosophically explained, and that we now understand how the eagle is sustained in the air by its reacting force, and moves upward or onward by the difference of forces. So can the ‘balancings of the clouds’ (Job 37:16) be now understood. The discovery that the air has weight, and is heavier than the pellicles of vapour, has explained the mystery. But there was a time when these were wonders, and to men as wise at least as we are in matters of greater concern than the truths of physical science. We all can remember when to us, too, they were wonders; and no illustrations of truth take stronger hold of the imagination and the heart than those drawn from our earliest impressions of nature. The Bible abounds in them, and in this is one secret of its hold on the human heart.”

Not less incomprehensible is the mysterious law of reproduction in the divinely appointed relation of the sexes. In purposed contrast with what follows, we have here the case of the bridegroom and bride, and their chaste intercourse, as a type of the sanctity and purity of that relation, for by “maid” is meant a young woman of marriageable age.

V. 20. Such is-So secret and undiscernible. Eateth-The bread of deceit in secret.

Verse 20. Such — So secret and undiscernible; is the way of an adulterous woman — Of one that secretly lives in the sin of adultery. As “artful men insinuate themselves into the affections of young women, and seduce them to their ruin, by an almost infinity of stratagems, which can never be all unravelled, so also the adulterous wife uses much ingenuity to impose on her husband, to shun detection, and to escape shame and punishment, by schemes and devices which cannot all be enumerated. Every new crime intended, or committed, gives rise to some new artifice; as the ship, in some degree, deviates every time from the course which it steered before. The object of the seducer is to prevail over his prey, and that of the adulteress to conceal her guilt; and the whole extent of their subtlety and ingenuity is employed to effect those purposes.” — Scott.

20. Such — ˆk, (ken,) so, a particle of comparison establishing a connexion with the preceding, and expressing the similitude between the way of an adulteress and the things just mentioned. “Just as incomprehensible in a moral view is the violation of the sacredness of marital rights by the adulteress, and her hardened indifference to the guilt of the crime.” — Conant. She eateth, and wipeth — Indulges her appetite, and removes all indication of guilt. And saith — By her manner, “I am innocent.” One moral of the passage may be a caution against implicit confidence in external or first appearances.

V. 21. Four-Which are intolerable in human societies.

Verse 21. For three things the earth is disquieted, and for four which it cannot bear] This is another enigma. Four things insupportable to men. 1. A slave, when he becomes ruler. 2. An overfed fool. 3. An ill-tempered woman, when mistress of a family. And, 4. A servant maid, when the rule of the house is committed to her.

1. A slave, when he comes to bear rule, is an unprincipled tyrant. It has been often observed both in America and in the West Indies, when it was judged necessary to arm some of the most confidential slaves, that no regiments were used so cruelly in the drill, &c., as those black regiments that had black officers.

2. The overfed fool. The intellectually weak man, who has every thing at his command, has generally manners which none can bear; and, if a favourite with his master, he is insupportable to all others.

3. An ill-tempered woman, when she gets embarrassed with domestic cares, is beyond bearing.

4. A servant maid, when, either through the death of the mistress, or the sin of the husband, she is in fact exalted to be head over the family, is so insolent and impudent, as to be hateful to every one, and execrated by all.

Verses 21-23. For three things the earth — That is, the inhabitants of the earth; is disquieted — By their insolence and impudence they cause great disturbances in the places where they live; for four it cannot rest — They are intolerable in human societies. For a servant when he reigneth — When he is advanced to great power and dignity; for such a one is ignorant and unfit for his place, and therefore commits many errors; he is poor, and therefore insatiable; he is proud and imperious, and usually injurious and cruel; and a fool — A conceited fool, or an obstinately wicked man; when he is filled with meat — When he is over fed, his meat and drink heating his blood, and stirring him up to many insolences: or, when he abounds in wealth, which, in that case, is like a sword in a madman’s hand, being an instrument and occasion of many acts of wickedness and mischief. For an odious woman — Proud and perverse, and full of other offensive qualities; when she is married — For then she displays all those ill humours which before she concealed. And a handmaid that is heir — Which great and sudden change transports her beside herself, and makes her insufferably proud and scornful.

Ver. 21. For three things the earth is disquited, and for four which it cannot bear. He marked four grievances which were insupportable. A servant suddenly raised to power: here nature goes from one excess to another, and tyranny in him is intolerable. A fool full of meat and wine. An ignorant, talkative, immodest woman when she gets honoured with the nuptial tie: and an old maid who has lived with a matron till she is adopted for her heir.

21-23. Three… four — Hence follows another enigma, the four intolerable things. The earth is disquieted — The land is disturbed, thrown into commotion. A servant when he reigneth — When he becomes a ruler. Under Eastern governments slaves are sometimes promoted to office and become rulers. They are frequently the most imperious of tyrants. The same thing was, in the days of slavery, observed in this country when slaves were made overseers of their fellows, and in the West Indies, as Dr. Clarke remarks, where they were made drill masters of black regiments. This grows out of their previous condition and education, or, rather, their lack of education. (Comp. Proverbs 29:19.) A fool — lbn, (nabhal,) an ungodly dolt; the word implies wickedness and stupidity. (Compare Proverbs 19:10.) An odious woman — A hateful and hated woman. When she is married — Literally, when she is lorded, or husbanded; that is, when she gets married. (Comp. Proverbs 29:17, 18, 30; 31:1. Heir to her mistress — Literally, inherits her mistress; that is, inherits her place — disinherits her in the affections and honour of her husband. Comp. Proverbs 16:21.

V. 22. A servant-For such an one is commonly ignorant, and therefore commits many errors; he is poor, and therefore insatiable, he is proud and imperious, and usually injurious and cruel. A fool-A conceited fool. When-When he abounds in wealth.

Verses 21-23. For three things the earth — That is, the inhabitants of the earth; is disquieted — By their insolence and impudence they cause great disturbances in the places where they live; for four it cannot rest — They are intolerable in human societies. For a servant when he reigneth — When he is advanced to great power and dignity; for such a one is ignorant and unfit for his place, and therefore commits many errors; he is poor, and therefore insatiable; he is proud and imperious, and usually injurious and cruel; and a fool — A conceited fool, or an obstinately wicked man; when he is filled with meat — When he is over fed, his meat and drink heating his blood, and stirring him up to many insolences: or, when he abounds in wealth, which, in that case, is like a sword in a madman’s hand, being an instrument and occasion of many acts of wickedness and mischief. For an odious woman — Proud and perverse, and full of other offensive qualities; when she is married — For then she displays all those ill humours which before she concealed. And a handmaid that is heir — Which great and sudden change transports her beside herself, and makes her insufferably proud and scornful.

21-23. Three… four — Hence follows another enigma, the four intolerable things. The earth is disquieted — The land is disturbed, thrown into commotion. A servant when he reigneth — When he becomes a ruler. Under Eastern governments slaves are sometimes promoted to office and become rulers. They are frequently the most imperious of tyrants. The same thing was, in the days of slavery, observed in this country when slaves were made overseers of their fellows, and in the West Indies, as Dr. Clarke remarks, where they were made drill masters of black regiments. This grows out of their previous condition and education, or, rather, their lack of education. (Comp. Proverbs 29:19.) A fool — lbn, (nabhal,) an ungodly dolt; the word implies wickedness and stupidity. (Compare Proverbs 19:10.) An odious woman — A hateful and hated woman. When she is married — Literally, when she is lorded, or husbanded; that is, when she gets married. (Comp. Proverbs 29:17, 18, 30; 31:1. Heir to her mistress — Literally, inherits her mistress; that is, inherits her place — disinherits her in the affections and honour of her husband. Comp. Proverbs 16:21.

V. 23. An odious-Proud, and perverse. Married-For then she displays all those ill humours, which before, she concealed. Is heir-Which great and sudden change transports her beside herself, and makes her insufferably proud and scornful.

Verses 21-23. For three things the earth — That is, the inhabitants of the earth; is disquieted — By their insolence and impudence they cause great disturbances in the places where they live; for four it cannot rest — They are intolerable in human societies. For a servant when he reigneth — When he is advanced to great power and dignity; for such a one is ignorant and unfit for his place, and therefore commits many errors; he is poor, and therefore insatiable; he is proud and imperious, and usually injurious and cruel; and a fool — A conceited fool, or an obstinately wicked man; when he is filled with meat — When he is over fed, his meat and drink heating his blood, and stirring him up to many insolences: or, when he abounds in wealth, which, in that case, is like a sword in a madman’s hand, being an instrument and occasion of many acts of wickedness and mischief. For an odious woman — Proud and perverse, and full of other offensive qualities; when she is married — For then she displays all those ill humours which before she concealed. And a handmaid that is heir — Which great and sudden change transports her beside herself, and makes her insufferably proud and scornful.

21-23. Three… four — Hence follows another enigma, the four intolerable things. The earth is disquieted — The land is disturbed, thrown into commotion. A servant when he reigneth — When he becomes a ruler. Under Eastern governments slaves are sometimes promoted to office and become rulers. They are frequently the most imperious of tyrants. The same thing was, in the days of slavery, observed in this country when slaves were made overseers of their fellows, and in the West Indies, as Dr. Clarke remarks, where they were made drill masters of black regiments. This grows out of their previous condition and education, or, rather, their lack of education. (Comp. Proverbs 29:19.) A fool — lbn, (nabhal,) an ungodly dolt; the word implies wickedness and stupidity. (Compare Proverbs 19:10.) An odious woman — A hateful and hated woman. When she is married — Literally, when she is lorded, or husbanded; that is, when she gets married. (Comp. Proverbs 29:17, 18, 30; 31:1. Heir to her mistress — Literally, inherits her mistress; that is, inherits her place — disinherits her in the affections and honour of her husband. Comp. Proverbs 16:21.

Verse 24. There be four things] Of which it is said, they are very little but very wise. 1. The ants. 2. The rabbits. 3. The locusts. 4. The spider.

1. The ants show their wisdom by preparing their meat in the summer; seeking for it and storing it when it may be had; not for winter consumption, for they sleep all that time; but for autumn and spring. See Clarke’s note on “Proverbs 6:6”. The ants are a people; they have their houses, towns, cities, public roads, &c. I have seen several of these, both of the brown and large black ant.

2. The rabbits act curiously enough in the construction of their burrows; but the word שפנ shaphan probably does not here mean the animal we call coney or rabbit. It is most likely that this is what Dr. Shaw calls the Daman-Israel; a creature very like a rabbit, but never burrowing in the ground, but dwelling in clefts and holes of rocks.

3. The locusts. These surprising animals we have already met with and described. Though they have no leader, yet they go forth by troops, some miles in circumference, when they take wing.

4. The spider. This is a singularly curious animal, both in the manner of constructing her house, her nets, and taking her prey. But the habits, &c., of these and such like must be sought in works on natural history.

Verses 24-28. There be four things little, &c., but exceeding wise — Comparatively to other brute creatures, they act very wisely and providently, through the direction of Divine Providence, which secretly influences them to do those things for their own preservation which are most agreeable to the rules of wisdom. The design of this observation is, 1st, To commend wisdom to us, and to teach us to imitate the providence of these creatures, as we are excited, Proverbs 6:6, to imitate their diligence; 2d, To keep us from being proud of our own wisdom, because we are either equalled or exceeded therein by brute creatures, in the wise conduct of their affairs; and, 3d, To direct us to whom to apply for wisdom when we want and desire it, even to that God who inspires such wisdom even into irrational animals. The ants are a people — Which title is often given to insects, and other inferior creatures, both in the Scriptures, (see Joel 1:6, and 2:2,) and in Homer, and Virgil, and divers other authors; yet they prepare their meat in the summer — Of which see on Proverbs 6:6-8. The conies are but a feeble folk — Rather, the rock-rats, or mountain-mice: see on Leviticus 11:5. Yet make their houses in the rocks — In the holes of rocks, where they secure themselves against their too potent enemies. The locusts have no king — To rule and order them; yet they go forth all of them by bands — In great numbers, in several companies, and in exact order, as is observed in Scripture, and in other authors. The spider taketh hold — Of the threads which she spins out of her own bowels; with her hands — With her legs, which he calls hands, because they serve her for the same use to do her work, to weave her web, and to catch gnats or flies. And is in kings’ palaces — Is not only in poor cottages, but many times in palaces also.

Ver. 24. There be four things which are little upon the earth, but they are exceeding wise. He teaches us wisdom by four obscure insects. The ant in providing for winter, the coney who selects a safe and dry situation for her house, the instinct of the locust, and the industry of the spider.

24-28. Four things… little — Here is the enigma of the four small and contemptible things, that are yet esteemed for their wisdom and other qualities. The ants — See Proverbs 6:6; and notes there. The conies — Rabbits. But the coney of Scripture — the hyrax Syriacus, also called the daman — is a different animal from our rabbit. “It is small, gregarious, timid, easily tamed, and lives in the mouth of caves, or clefts of the rocks.”-Baird. Compare Leviticus 11:5; Psalm 104:18. The spider — tymmc, (semamith;) rather, the house lizard, which is tolerated even in palaces, because it helps to cleanse them of vermin. “Its principal food is flies, and these it springs upon and grasps with both its prehensiles, as if they were hands.” — Stuart. There have been various conjectures about the semamith. A writer in Calmet contends for the common house fly. The locusts — Compare Joel 2:7, 8. “The most striking fact about the flight of locust swarm’s is their apparent order and discipline, sweeping over the land like a great invading army.” — Speaker’s Commentary. Our Western “grasshoppers” are supposed to be a variety of the same insect.

Verses 24-28. There be four things little, &c., but exceeding wise — Comparatively to other brute creatures, they act very wisely and providently, through the direction of Divine Providence, which secretly influences them to do those things for their own preservation which are most agreeable to the rules of wisdom. The design of this observation is, 1st, To commend wisdom to us, and to teach us to imitate the providence of these creatures, as we are excited, Proverbs 6:6, to imitate their diligence; 2d, To keep us from being proud of our own wisdom, because we are either equalled or exceeded therein by brute creatures, in the wise conduct of their affairs; and, 3d, To direct us to whom to apply for wisdom when we want and desire it, even to that God who inspires such wisdom even into irrational animals. The ants are a people — Which title is often given to insects, and other inferior creatures, both in the Scriptures, (see Joel 1:6, and 2:2,) and in Homer, and Virgil, and divers other authors; yet they prepare their meat in the summer — Of which see on Proverbs 6:6-8. The conies are but a feeble folk — Rather, the rock-rats, or mountain-mice: see on Leviticus 11:5. Yet make their houses in the rocks — In the holes of rocks, where they secure themselves against their too potent enemies. The locusts have no king — To rule and order them; yet they go forth all of them by bands — In great numbers, in several companies, and in exact order, as is observed in Scripture, and in other authors. The spider taketh hold — Of the threads which she spins out of her own bowels; with her hands — With her legs, which he calls hands, because they serve her for the same use to do her work, to weave her web, and to catch gnats or flies. And is in kings’ palaces — Is not only in poor cottages, but many times in palaces also.

24-28. Four things… little — Here is the enigma of the four small and contemptible things, that are yet esteemed for their wisdom and other qualities. The ants — See Proverbs 6:6; and notes there. The conies — Rabbits. But the coney of Scripture — the hyrax Syriacus, also called the daman — is a different animal from our rabbit. “It is small, gregarious, timid, easily tamed, and lives in the mouth of caves, or clefts of the rocks.”-Baird. Compare Leviticus 11:5; Psalm 104:18. The spider — tymmc, (semamith;) rather, the house lizard, which is tolerated even in palaces, because it helps to cleanse them of vermin. “Its principal food is flies, and these it springs upon and grasps with both its prehensiles, as if they were hands.” — Stuart. There have been various conjectures about the semamith. A writer in Calmet contends for the common house fly. The locusts — Compare Joel 2:7, 8. “The most striking fact about the flight of locust swarm’s is their apparent order and discipline, sweeping over the land like a great invading army.” — Speaker’s Commentary. Our Western “grasshoppers” are supposed to be a variety of the same insect.

Verses 24-28. There be four things little, &c., but exceeding wise — Comparatively to other brute creatures, they act very wisely and providently, through the direction of Divine Providence, which secretly influences them to do those things for their own preservation which are most agreeable to the rules of wisdom. The design of this observation is, 1st, To commend wisdom to us, and to teach us to imitate the providence of these creatures, as we are excited, Proverbs 6:6, to imitate their diligence; 2d, To keep us from being proud of our own wisdom, because we are either equalled or exceeded therein by brute creatures, in the wise conduct of their affairs; and, 3d, To direct us to whom to apply for wisdom when we want and desire it, even to that God who inspires such wisdom even into irrational animals. The ants are a people — Which title is often given to insects, and other inferior creatures, both in the Scriptures, (see Joel 1:6, and 2:2,) and in Homer, and Virgil, and divers other authors; yet they prepare their meat in the summer — Of which see on Proverbs 6:6-8. The conies are but a feeble folk — Rather, the rock-rats, or mountain-mice: see on Leviticus 11:5. Yet make their houses in the rocks — In the holes of rocks, where they secure themselves against their too potent enemies. The locusts have no king — To rule and order them; yet they go forth all of them by bands — In great numbers, in several companies, and in exact order, as is observed in Scripture, and in other authors. The spider taketh hold — Of the threads which she spins out of her own bowels; with her hands — With her legs, which he calls hands, because they serve her for the same use to do her work, to weave her web, and to catch gnats or flies. And is in kings’ palaces — Is not only in poor cottages, but many times in palaces also.

24-28. Four things… little — Here is the enigma of the four small and contemptible things, that are yet esteemed for their wisdom and other qualities. The ants — See Proverbs 6:6; and notes there. The conies — Rabbits. But the coney of Scripture — the hyrax Syriacus, also called the daman — is a different animal from our rabbit. “It is small, gregarious, timid, easily tamed, and lives in the mouth of caves, or clefts of the rocks.”-Baird. Compare Leviticus 11:5; Psalm 104:18. The spider — tymmc, (semamith;) rather, the house lizard, which is tolerated even in palaces, because it helps to cleanse them of vermin. “Its principal food is flies, and these it springs upon and grasps with both its prehensiles, as if they were hands.” — Stuart. There have been various conjectures about the semamith. A writer in Calmet contends for the common house fly. The locusts — Compare Joel 2:7, 8. “The most striking fact about the flight of locust swarm’s is their apparent order and discipline, sweeping over the land like a great invading army.” — Speaker’s Commentary. Our Western “grasshoppers” are supposed to be a variety of the same insect.

V. 27. Bands-Several companies, in exact order.

Verses 24-28. There be four things little, &c., but exceeding wise — Comparatively to other brute creatures, they act very wisely and providently, through the direction of Divine Providence, which secretly influences them to do those things for their own preservation which are most agreeable to the rules of wisdom. The design of this observation is, 1st, To commend wisdom to us, and to teach us to imitate the providence of these creatures, as we are excited, Proverbs 6:6, to imitate their diligence; 2d, To keep us from being proud of our own wisdom, because we are either equalled or exceeded therein by brute creatures, in the wise conduct of their affairs; and, 3d, To direct us to whom to apply for wisdom when we want and desire it, even to that God who inspires such wisdom even into irrational animals. The ants are a people — Which title is often given to insects, and other inferior creatures, both in the Scriptures, (see Joel 1:6, and 2:2,) and in Homer, and Virgil, and divers other authors; yet they prepare their meat in the summer — Of which see on Proverbs 6:6-8. The conies are but a feeble folk — Rather, the rock-rats, or mountain-mice: see on Leviticus 11:5. Yet make their houses in the rocks — In the holes of rocks, where they secure themselves against their too potent enemies. The locusts have no king — To rule and order them; yet they go forth all of them by bands — In great numbers, in several companies, and in exact order, as is observed in Scripture, and in other authors. The spider taketh hold — Of the threads which she spins out of her own bowels; with her hands — With her legs, which he calls hands, because they serve her for the same use to do her work, to weave her web, and to catch gnats or flies. And is in kings’ palaces — Is not only in poor cottages, but many times in palaces also.

24-28. Four things… little — Here is the enigma of the four small and contemptible things, that are yet esteemed for their wisdom and other qualities. The ants — See Proverbs 6:6; and notes there. The conies — Rabbits. But the coney of Scripture — the hyrax Syriacus, also called the daman — is a different animal from our rabbit. “It is small, gregarious, timid, easily tamed, and lives in the mouth of caves, or clefts of the rocks.”-Baird. Compare Leviticus 11:5; Psalm 104:18. The spider — tymmc, (semamith;) rather, the house lizard, which is tolerated even in palaces, because it helps to cleanse them of vermin. “Its principal food is flies, and these it springs upon and grasps with both its prehensiles, as if they were hands.” — Stuart. There have been various conjectures about the semamith. A writer in Calmet contends for the common house fly. The locusts — Compare Joel 2:7, 8. “The most striking fact about the flight of locust swarm’s is their apparent order and discipline, sweeping over the land like a great invading army.” — Speaker’s Commentary. Our Western “grasshoppers” are supposed to be a variety of the same insect.

V. 28. Hands-With her legs, which he calls hands, because they serve her for the same use, to do her work, to weave her web, and to catch gnats or flies. Palaces-Is not only in poor cottages, but many times in palaces also.

Verses 24-28. There be four things little, &c., but exceeding wise — Comparatively to other brute creatures, they act very wisely and providently, through the direction of Divine Providence, which secretly influences them to do those things for their own preservation which are most agreeable to the rules of wisdom. The design of this observation is, 1st, To commend wisdom to us, and to teach us to imitate the providence of these creatures, as we are excited, Proverbs 6:6, to imitate their diligence; 2d, To keep us from being proud of our own wisdom, because we are either equalled or exceeded therein by brute creatures, in the wise conduct of their affairs; and, 3d, To direct us to whom to apply for wisdom when we want and desire it, even to that God who inspires such wisdom even into irrational animals. The ants are a people — Which title is often given to insects, and other inferior creatures, both in the Scriptures, (see Joel 1:6, and 2:2,) and in Homer, and Virgil, and divers other authors; yet they prepare their meat in the summer — Of which see on Proverbs 6:6-8. The conies are but a feeble folk — Rather, the rock-rats, or mountain-mice: see on Leviticus 11:5. Yet make their houses in the rocks — In the holes of rocks, where they secure themselves against their too potent enemies. The locusts have no king — To rule and order them; yet they go forth all of them by bands — In great numbers, in several companies, and in exact order, as is observed in Scripture, and in other authors. The spider taketh hold — Of the threads which she spins out of her own bowels; with her hands — With her legs, which he calls hands, because they serve her for the same use to do her work, to weave her web, and to catch gnats or flies. And is in kings’ palaces — Is not only in poor cottages, but many times in palaces also.

24-28. Four things… little — Here is the enigma of the four small and contemptible things, that are yet esteemed for their wisdom and other qualities. The ants — See Proverbs 6:6; and notes there. The conies — Rabbits. But the coney of Scripture — the hyrax Syriacus, also called the daman — is a different animal from our rabbit. “It is small, gregarious, timid, easily tamed, and lives in the mouth of caves, or clefts of the rocks.”-Baird. Compare Leviticus 11:5; Psalm 104:18. The spider — tymmc, (semamith;) rather, the house lizard, which is tolerated even in palaces, because it helps to cleanse them of vermin. “Its principal food is flies, and these it springs upon and grasps with both its prehensiles, as if they were hands.” — Stuart. There have been various conjectures about the semamith. A writer in Calmet contends for the common house fly. The locusts — Compare Joel 2:7, 8. “The most striking fact about the flight of locust swarm’s is their apparent order and discipline, sweeping over the land like a great invading army.” — Speaker’s Commentary. Our Western “grasshoppers” are supposed to be a variety of the same insect.

Verse 29. There be three things which go well] Here is another set of emblems; four things which walk beautifully and with majesty. 1. The lion.

2. The greyhound. 3. The he-goat. And, 4. A king.

1. Nothing can be more majestic than the walk of the lion. It is deliberate, equal, firm, and in every respect becoming the king of the forest.

2. The greyhound. מתנים זרזיר zarzir mothnayim, the girt in the loins; but what this beast is we do not distinctly know. It is most likely that this was the greyhound, which in the East are remarkably fine, and very fleet. Scarcely any thing can be conceived to go with greater fleetness, in full chase, than a greyhound with its prey in view: it seems to swim over the earth.

3. The goat, vyt tayish. This is generally allowed to be the he-goat; and how he walks, and what state he assumes, in the presence of his part of the flock, every one knows, who has at all noticed this animal. The ram also, which some suppose to be intended, is both fierce and majestic at the head of the sheep.

4. And a king, against whom there is no rising up. That is, a king whose court, counsels, and troops, are so firmly united to him, as to render all hopes of successful conspiracy against him utterly vain. He walks boldly and majestically about, being safe in the affections of his people. But the Hebrew is singular; it makes but two words; and these are they, µwqla Ëlmw umelech Alkum, “and King Alkum.” It is a doubt whether this may not be a proper name, as Agur abounds in them; see Ithiel, Ucal, and probably Alukah, Proverbs 30:15. But it is said, “We know nothing of a king named Alkum.” True; nor do we know any thing of Agur, Ithiel, Ucal, to say nothing of Alukah. And this might have been some remarkable chieftain, who carried his victories wherever he went, and was remarkably fortunate. If, however, we separate the word into la al, “not,” and µwq kum, “he arose,” we may make the interpretation above given.

Verses 29-31. There be three things which go well — That walk decently, and with great alacrity and courage, or whose motion is majestic; A lion, which turneth not away for any — Doth not flee from his pursuers, whether men or beasts, but walks away with a slow and majestic pace, as is observed by Aristotle, and many others; A greyhound — Called in the Hebrew µyntm ryzrz, girt in the loins, either because its loins are slender, and, as it were, girt up into a little compass, or because of its great agility and swiftness; for the girding of the loins was used for expedition, in going or working. The word is rendered by some, a horse, namely, a war-horse, having his armour girt about him, and marching to battle, which he does with great majesty and courage, as God himself observes at large, Job 39:19, &c. A he-goat also — Which marches at the head of the flock in a grave and stately manner, conducting them with great courage and resolution, and being ready to fight for them, either with beasts or men that oppose him. And a king — Hebrew, a king and his people with him, a king when he hath the hearts and hands of his people going along with him in his undertakings.

Ver. 29. Four things are comely in going. The lion in battle, the greyhound for swiftness in his course, the he-goat on the hills, leaping from rock to rock; and leaving danger far behind; and a king, a monarch, against whom all revolters must forfeit their life.—Thus the mind disposed to learn wisdom from the simple study of nature, has the volume ever open, where the manifold wisdom of God appears in all its strong characters.

29-31. Three… four… comely — The author here adds the four things of stately or majestic gait. A lion — The most heroic among the beasts, or, at least, so popularly held, and, therefore, called the king of beasts. A greyhound — Literally, girt-of-loins, or compressed of loins. This animal has to be guessed at. Among the guesses are, the war-horse, the zebra, the wrestler, the cock, (so Vulgate.) The chief critics prefer the greyhound, which is said to be a remarkably fine animal in the East, and exceedingly fleet. In full chase he seems to swim over the ground. A he goat — Which at the head of his flock puts on as much sturdiness as an Oriental pasha. A king, against whom… is no rising up — All this has only three words in the original — wm[ µwqla Ëlm, melekh alkum ‘himmo. The second word is supposed to be a compound, a very unusual thing in Hebrew: al, not, and kum, to stand, or rise up — no standing against him; or, let no one rise up against him. More satisfactory is the solution of Gesenius, who derives alkum from the Arabic, meaning the people, the populace, and reads: “A king with whom is the people” — in the midst of his people. Surrounded and supported by them. So, also, Conant and others. Such a king may well walk forth reliantly, having the affection and confidence of his subjects. The Septuagint has: “A king publicly speaking before a nation.”

Verses 29-31. There be three things which go well — That walk decently, and with great alacrity and courage, or whose motion is majestic; A lion, which turneth not away for any — Doth not flee from his pursuers, whether men or beasts, but walks away with a slow and majestic pace, as is observed by Aristotle, and many others; A greyhound — Called in the Hebrew µyntm ryzrz, girt in the loins, either because its loins are slender, and, as it were, girt up into a little compass, or because of its great agility and swiftness; for the girding of the loins was used for expedition, in going or working. The word is rendered by some, a horse, namely, a war-horse, having his armour girt about him, and marching to battle, which he does with great majesty and courage, as God himself observes at large, Job 39:19, &c. A he-goat also — Which marches at the head of the flock in a grave and stately manner, conducting them with great courage and resolution, and being ready to fight for them, either with beasts or men that oppose him. And a king — Hebrew, a king and his people with him, a king when he hath the hearts and hands of his people going along with him in his undertakings.

29-31. Three… four… comely — The author here adds the four things of stately or majestic gait. A lion — The most heroic among the beasts, or, at least, so popularly held, and, therefore, called the king of beasts. A greyhound — Literally, girt-of-loins, or compressed of loins. This animal has to be guessed at. Among the guesses are, the war-horse, the zebra, the wrestler, the cock, (so Vulgate.) The chief critics prefer the greyhound, which is said to be a remarkably fine animal in the East, and exceedingly fleet. In full chase he seems to swim over the ground. A he goat — Which at the head of his flock puts on as much sturdiness as an Oriental pasha. A king, against whom… is no rising up — All this has only three words in the original — wm[ µwqla Ëlm, melekh alkum ‘himmo. The second word is supposed to be a compound, a very unusual thing in Hebrew: al, not, and kum, to stand, or rise up — no standing against him; or, let no one rise up against him. More satisfactory is the solution of Gesenius, who derives alkum from the Arabic, meaning the people, the populace, and reads: “A king with whom is the people” — in the midst of his people. Surrounded and supported by them. So, also, Conant and others. Such a king may well walk forth reliantly, having the affection and confidence of his subjects. The Septuagint has: “A king publicly speaking before a nation.”

V. 31. An he-goat-Which marches in the head of the flock in a grave and stately manner, conducting them with great courage and resolution, and being ready to fight for them, either with beasts or men that oppose him. A king-Heb. a king and his people with him, a king when he hath the hearts and hands of his people going along with him in his undertakings.

Verses 29-31. There be three things which go well — That walk decently, and with great alacrity and courage, or whose motion is majestic; A lion, which turneth not away for any — Doth not flee from his pursuers, whether men or beasts, but walks away with a slow and majestic pace, as is observed by Aristotle, and many others; A greyhound — Called in the Hebrew µyntm ryzrz, girt in the loins, either because its loins are slender, and, as it were, girt up into a little compass, or because of its great agility and swiftness; for the girding of the loins was used for expedition, in going or working. The word is rendered by some, a horse, namely, a war-horse, having his armour girt about him, and marching to battle, which he does with great majesty and courage, as God himself observes at large, Job 39:19, &c. A he-goat also — Which marches at the head of the flock in a grave and stately manner, conducting them with great courage and resolution, and being ready to fight for them, either with beasts or men that oppose him. And a king — Hebrew, a king and his people with him, a king when he hath the hearts and hands of his people going along with him in his undertakings.

29-31. Three… four… comely — The author here adds the four things of stately or majestic gait. A lion — The most heroic among the beasts, or, at least, so popularly held, and, therefore, called the king of beasts. A greyhound — Literally, girt-of-loins, or compressed of loins. This animal has to be guessed at. Among the guesses are, the war-horse, the zebra, the wrestler, the cock, (so Vulgate.) The chief critics prefer the greyhound, which is said to be a remarkably fine animal in the East, and exceedingly fleet. In full chase he seems to swim over the ground. A he goat — Which at the head of his flock puts on as much sturdiness as an Oriental pasha. A king, against whom… is no rising up — All this has only three words in the original — wm[ µwqla Ëlm, melekh alkum ‘himmo. The second word is supposed to be a compound, a very unusual thing in Hebrew: al, not, and kum, to stand, or rise up — no standing against him; or, let no one rise up against him. More satisfactory is the solution of Gesenius, who derives alkum from the Arabic, meaning the people, the populace, and reads: “A king with whom is the people” — in the midst of his people. Surrounded and supported by them. So, also, Conant and others. Such a king may well walk forth reliantly, having the affection and confidence of his subjects. The Septuagint has: “A king publicly speaking before a nation.”

V. 32. Thought-Designed any injury against thy neighbour. Lay thine hand-Do not open thy mouth to excuse it, but repent of it, and do so no more.

Verse 32. If thou hast done foolishly] And who has not, at one time or other of his life?

Lay thine hand upon thy mouth.] Like the leper; and cry to God, Unclean! unclean! and keep silence to all besides. God will blot out thy offence, and neither the world nor the Church ever know it, for he is merciful; and man is rarely able to pass by a sin committed by his fellows, especially if it be one to which himself is by nature not liable or inclined.

Verse 32. If thou hast done foolishly — “If thy pride or thy passion hath engaged thee in some foolish action, whereby thou hast disgraced thyself; or made thee contrive and endeavour any thing that is unwarrantable, do not add one fault to another, by excusing it, or blaming any body but thyself for it, much less by quarrelling at those that admonish thee of it, and reprehend thee for it; but stop at the first motion to this, and silently acknowledge thy error.” — Bishop Patrick.

32. Done foolishly, etc. — Variously rendered: “If thou hast played the fool in exalting thyself; or if thou hast craftily devised with thy hand to thy mouth.” — Stuart. This gives us a protasis in two members, but no apodosis, which he thinks may be mentally supplied, thus: Thou hast acted wickedly. The last clause is elliptical; literally, hand to mouth! and, as Conant observes, this spirited expression should not be toned down to common place tameness, by supplying lay, or put, as is sometimes done. Hand to mouth! Confess, leper-like, thine uncleanness!

V. 33. The forcing-The stirring up of wrath, either in a man’s self towards others, by giving way to passion; or in others by reproaches, or any other provocations. Bringeth forth-Is the cause of many quarrels.

Verse 33. And the wringing] Who hugeli snytith drawith out blood.—Old MS. Bible. This is well expressed in homely phrase. The Septuagint have, “draw the milk, and you may have butter; if you press the nostrils you may bring out blood; and if you draw out your discourse to a great length, you may have strife and contention.” Avoid, therefore, all strong excitements and irritations. Coverdale’s translation of this verse is very simple: “Whoso chyrneth mylck maketh butter; he that rubbeth his nose maketh it blede; and he that causeth wrath bryngeth forth strife.”

PROVERBS

Verse 33. Surely the churning of milk — This verse, which is connected with that preceding, is thus paraphrased by the last-mentioned author: “For from little things there is an easy progress unto greater. And just as you see milk is first pressed out of the cow’s udders, and then, being shaken in the churn, is forced into butter; and as the nose, being wrung, though at first it only purge itself, yet, if it be harder pressed, there comes out blood; even so words, passing to and fro, raise a heat, and that, if continued, stirs up anger, which frequently ends in broils and irreconcileable quarrels.”

33. Churning of milk, etc. — Our excellent Authorized Version has here failed to give the spirit of the original. The same verbs occur in each clause of the verse, and should be translated accordingly. For as the pressing of milk bringeth forth cheese, (or whey,) and the pressing of the nose bringeth forth blood, so the pressing of anger bringeth forth strife. Miller translates the last clause: “So the pressing down of passion presses away strife.” He makes the apodosis of verse 32, and of part of this. Butter — hamj, (hhemah,) is supposed to mean milk in general, sometimes curdled milk, curds, cheese; but Miller contends stoutly for whey. The wringing of the nose — Thomson (Land and Book, vol. i, p. 373) describes the Oriental mode of churning to be by squeezing or pressing a leathern bag (the goatskin bottle of the East) containing the milk. This makes more apparent the meaning of the comparison in the last verse.

So end the twdyj, (hhidhoth,) enigmas of Agur, “in the which are some things hard to be understood.” They have exercised the ingenuity of wise and learned men for ages. We can do little more than repeat their guesses, though, by comparing one with another, we may, perhaps, make a little advance. Among the more probable of these guesses are those of Dr. Miller, who allegorizes the whole book, and this part in particular. According to him, verses 10-14 represent sin as progressive; verses 15, 16, as insatiable; verses 18-29, as insidious; verses 21-23, as intolerable; verses 24-28, how to get rid of it; verses 29-33, the practical application. Whether the learned doctor has hit the meaning of the wise man or not, he has given good sound doctrine, put in very forcible language. That the object of these Proverbs is, as Dr. Conant remarks, moral instruction, there can be little doubt. Hence the thought that they are simply an amusing play of the fancy is to be dismissed at once.

In the Septuagint Version this chapter is split up and scattered, a part in one place and a part in another. Verses 1-14 come in after Proverbs 24:22; the remainder after Proverbs 24:37. This is followed again by the first nine verses of chap. 31. Then come in chapters 25, 26, 27, 28, and 29; the book concluding with the remainder of chapter 31, verses 10-31.