Charles Ellicott Commentary Proverbs 30:1

"The words of Agur the son of Jakeh; The oracle. The man saith unto Ithiel, unto Ithiel and Ucal:" — Proverbs 30:1 (ASV)

THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON END HERE. THE REST OF THE BOOK IS COMPOSED OF THREE APPENDICES: (a) THE WORDS OF AGUR; (b) THE WORDS OF KING LEMUEL; AND (c) THE PRAISE OF A GOOD WIFE (Proverbs 30:31).

APPENDIX (a).

The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, even the prophecy. — Jewish interpreters have seen in these titles (but apparently without a shadow of reason) a designation of Solomon himself, the “convener” and instructor of assemblies (Ecclesiastes 1:1; Ecclesiastes 12:11), son of the “obedient” man after God’s own heart. But they in all probability belong to some otherwise unknown sage, whose utterances were thought not unworthy of being joined with those of the wise King of Israel himself. In support of this view, 1 Kings 4:30 may be cited as a proof of the regard for the wisdom of foreign nations at this time. The book of Job also, which was possibly added then to the canon of Scripture, is certainly of foreign, probably of Arabian, origin.

Some light may be thrown upon the nationality of Agur by the words translated in the Authorized Version “the prophecy” (massâ). This is the term constantly used to express the “utterance,” or, more probably, the message which a prophet “bore” to his hearers, often one of gloomy meaning (Isaiah 13:1 and following).

But the term is not very appropriate to the contents of this chapter, nor to the “words of King Lemuel,” in Proverbs 31:1, and the expression, “the prophecy,” standing quite alone, with no other words to qualify it, is very unusual. For these reasons it has been proposed to translate the beginning of the verse as follows: “The words of Agur the son of Jakeh the Massan,” i.e., a descendant of Massa mentioned in Genesis 25:14 as a son of Ishmael. This would place his home probably in North Arabia, and Lemuel would be king of the same tribe.

The man spake.— The word translated “spake” is most frequently used of the revelation of God to prophets, rarely (Numbers 24:3 and 2 Samuel 23:1) of the utterances of inspired prophets; never of the words of ordinary men.

Unto Ithiel, even unto Ithiel and Ucal.— These most probably were disciples of his. As their names may mean “God with me,” and “I am strong,” an imaginative portrayal of their characters, in the style of the “Pilgrim’s Progress,” has been attempted by some writers. And a mystical interpretation of them, “You must have God with you, if you are to be strong,” may be found in Bishop Wordsworth’s Commentary.

It has been proposed also, as is possible with a slight change in the pointing, to translate these words as follows: “I am weary, O God, I am weary, and am weak,” or, “have made an end,” and to make them an introduction to Proverbs 30:2, which supplies the reason for this weariness, For I am more brutish, etc. Thus is described, it has been thought, the sinking at heart of one who has sought after God, and the more he has realised the divine excellence, has become the more conscious of his own nothingness. But this rendering is unnecessary, as the Authorized Version gives a good sense.