John Gill Commentary Proverbs 30

The words of Agur the son of Jakeh
Here begins, according to Aben Ezra, the fourth part of this book; though, according to others, it is the fifth; (See Gill on Proverbs 22:17); Who this Agur was is a matter of doubt; some of the Jewish writers, as Jarchi and Gersom, and likewise some Christian writers ^F6 , take him to be Solomon himself, who calls himself Agur, which is said to signify "a gatherer"; and so the Vulgate Latin version renders it, "the words of the gatherer, the son of the vomiter"; just as he calls himself Koheleth, or "the caller", or "preacher", (Ecclesiastes 1:1Ecclesiastes 1:12) . The reason given of this name is, because he gathered wisdom and the law ^F7 ; or, as Jarchi, he gathered wisdom, and vomited it; that is, delivered it out to others; so he did, he sought after and attained to more wisdom than any before him, for he was wiser than all men; and it may be added, that he "gathered" silver and gold, and the treasure of kings, and increased in riches more than any before him, (Ecclesiastes 1:13Ecclesiastes 1:16) (2:8) . But then all this does not agree with the person whose words these are; for he speaks of himself as being very ignorant, and as not having learned wisdom, (Proverbs 30:2Proverbs 30:3) ; and desires neither poverty nor riches, (Proverbs 30:8) ; besides, the word "Agur" signifies not "a gatherer", but "gathered", as Hillerus ^F8 renders it; and so Cocceius, who thinks also that Solomon is meant, yet not for the above reasons, but translates the clause thus, "the words of the recollected son of the obedient"; as if it described Solomon the son of David, the obedient one, the man after God's own heart, when he was restored by repentance; but it seems better, with Aben Ezra, to understand this of some very good, knowing, and worthy man, who lived in those times, either before the times of Solomon, or in the same, whose pithy sayings and sentences he had a great regard for, and joined them to his own; or who lived in the times of Hezekiah, or before, whose proverbs were collected by his men, and added to those of Solomon's they had copied in the preceding chapters; see (Proverbs 25:1) ;

[even] the prophecy ;
or "burden" ^F9 , as many of the prophecies are called; it designs something received from the Lord, taken up and carried to others; so Balaam is said to "take up his parable", (Numbers 23:7) . Here it does not design a prediction of future events, unless it can be thought that there is in the following words a prophecy of the Messiah; but an instruction, a declaration of things useful and profitable; so preaching in the New Testament is called prophesying often, (1 Corinthians 14:1 1 Corinthians 14:3 1 Corinthians 14:4) . This is a part of the word of God, of the prophecy which came not by the will of man, but by the inspiration of God, (2 Peter 1:19–21) ;

which prophecy the man spoke ,
this excellent good man Agur, who was divinely inspired; see (Numbers 24:3) (2 Samuel 23:1) ; unto Ithiel, even unto Ithiel and Ucal ;
who were either the children of Agur, whom he instructed in the knowledge of divine things; or they were, as Aben Ezra, either his companions with whom he conversed about sacred things, or his disciples who inquired of him about these things, and learned them of him. Some think ^F11 these are titles of God himself, to whom Agur directs his speech, and acknowledges his ignorance of the divine Being, whom he might justly call Ithiel and Ucal, that is, "God with me", and "the mighty One"; and certain it is that Agur does direct a prayer to God, (Proverbs 30:7–9) ; And some read these words themselves as a prayer, "let God be with me, and one shall prevail" ^F12 , that is, over all mine enemies; for, if God is on the side of his people, who shall be against them? or, "I shall be able" to do all things through the Lord's strength, (Romans 8:31) (Philippians 4:13) ;

But I rather think the words should be read, as Jarchi observes, "concerning Ithiel and Ucal" ^F13 ; that is, concerning the Messiah, to whom these names agree. Ithiel, or "God with me", is very similar to a phrase used by Christ himself in the days of his flesh, (John 8:29) (16:32) . God was with him as the eternal Word, and his only begotten Son, from all eternity, which denotes his co-existence, nearness of union, equality of nature, and distinction of persons; he was with him as Mediator before the world began, in the council of peace, which was between them both; in the covenant of grace made with him, in which all things were agreed upon respecting the salvation of his people; he was with him in the beginning of time down to his incarnation; he was with him in the creation of all things, in the sustentation of them; in the works of providence, and in the government of the church; he was with him during his state of humiliation; in his infancy, to protect him from the malice of Herod; he was with him when disputing with the doctors in the temple, to direct him; he was with him at his baptism, transfiguration, and other times; he was with him throughout his public ministry, from the beginning to the end of it; he did good and healed all manner of diseases, and wrought amazing miracles, God being with him, (John 3:2) (Acts 10:38) ; and he was with him in his sufferings and at his death; and so he is with him in his exalted state; he raised him from the dead, set him at his own right hand, and ever attends to his prevalent intercession; and will be with him in raising the dead and judging the world.

"Ucal", which has the signification of being able, strong, mighty, and powerful, agrees with Christ, who is the mighty God the most mighty, the Almighty; and which appears by the works he did before his incarnation, as the creation of all things out of nothing, the preservation of all things, and the several wonderful events in which he was; concerned, as the confusion of languages, the burning of Sodom and Gomorrah, the conducting the children of Israel through the wilderness, with others; also what he did when here on earth, the mighty works and miracles done by him, and especially the great work of man's redemption, and also the raising of himself from the dead: moreover, what he now does and will do for his people show him to be the mighty One; taking the care of all the churches and providing for them; supplying all the wants of his people, bearing all their burdens, supporting them under all their temptations, and delivering them out of them; strengthening them for his service, protecting them from their enemies, keeping them from falling, raising their dead bodies, and bringing all the sons of God to glory: or if the word should be rendered, as it may, "eaten" or "consumed" ^F14 , it is true of Christ, whose zeal ate him up, (Psalms 69:9) ; and who is the antitype of the sacrifice consumed by fire.

FOOTNOTES:

• F6: De Dieu, Cocceius, Teelman. Specimen. Explicat. Parabot. p. 378.
• F7: Jelammedenu apud Buxtorf. Lex. Rab. col. 26.
• F8: Onomastic. Sacr. p. 39.
• F9: (avmh) "onus", Mercerus; "prophetia gravis", Tigurine version.
• F11: Jermin in loc.
• F12: See Trapp in loc.
• F13: So Junius & Tremellius, Aamama, Calovius, Cartwright.
• F14: Vid. Teelman. Specimen. Expliicat. Parabol. p. 391.

Surely I am more brutish than [any] man
"Every man is [become] brutish in his knowledge"; man in his original state was a knowing creature but sinning lost his knowledge, and "became like the beasts that perish"; hence we read of the "brutish among the people": but Agur thought himself not only brutish among the rest, but more brutish than any. So Plato ^F15 says of some souls living on earth, that they are (yhriwdeiv) , of a brutish nature; see (Jeremiah 10:14) (Psalms 49:20) (94:8) .

Or I think the words may be rendered, "a brute [am] I [rather] than a man" ^F16 ; have more of the brute than of the man, especially in the sight and presence of God; a very beast before him, or in comparison of other wise, holy, and good men; or with respect to the knowledge of spiritual, divine, and heavenly things, (Psalms 73:22) ; or "a brute [was] I from [the time]", or "[ever since I was] a man" ^F17 ; as soon as he was born, being born in sin, and like a wild ass's colt, (Job 11:12) .

and have not the understanding of a man ;
or "of Adam" ^F18 ; who was made after the image of God, which consisted in knowledge as well as holiness; who knew much of God, his nature, perfections, and persons; of the creatures, and the works of his hands and of all things in nature; but affecting more knowledge than he should lost in a great measure what he had, and brought his posterity in and left them in a state of blindness and ignorance, one of whose sons Agur was: or his meaning is, that he had not the understanding, as not of Adam in innocence, and of prophets and other eminent men of God, so not of ordinary men of those who had, he least share of the knowledge of divine things.

Aben Ezra, who takes Ithiel and Ucal to be scholars or companions of Agur, supposes, that they asked him questions concerning the divine Being, nature, and perfections, to which he answers in this strain; showing his insufficiency to give them any instruction or satisfaction in such matters, or to discourse on such sublime subjects.

Or rather his view was to show the blindness and ignorance of human nature with respect to divine things he was about to treat of; and particularly to observe, that the knowledge of a Saviour, and salvation by him, were not from nature, and attainable by that; and that a man must first know himself, his own folly and ignorance, before he can have any true knowledge of Ithiel and Ucal, the mighty Saviour and Redeemer; of the need of him, and of interest in him.

Some think his view is to prove that his words, his prophecy, or what he was about to say, or did say, must be owing entirely to divine inspiration; since he was of himself; and without a divine revelation, so very blind, dark, and ignorant; it could not be owing to any natural sagacity of his, who was more brutish than any; nor to any acquired knowledge, or the instruction of men, since he had none, as follows; and so (yk) , with which the words begin, may be rendered "for" or "because" ^F19 , as it usually is, "for I am more brutish, than any man".

FOOTNOTES:

• F15: De Leg. l. 10. p, 959.
• F17: "Nam brutus sum ex quo vir sum", Junius & Tremellius, so Cartwright.
• F18: "Nec est mihi intelligentia Adami", Cartwright.
• F19: (yk) "nam", Junius & Tremellius; "quia", Pagninus, Montanus; "quoniam", Michaelis.

I neither learned wisdom
Natural wisdom or philosophy, so as to understand the nature of things, and reason about them in a philosophical manner; or political wisdom, so as to know how to govern states, and manage the affairs of kingdoms; or in a lower sphere to transact the affairs of life to any peculiar advantage; he had not a polite or liberal education: or spiritual and evangelical wisdom; that is, not of himself through the mere strength and force of his genius and natural capacity, or of others; he was not the son of a prophet, nor brought up in the schools of the prophets; he did not learn it, nor was he taught it by men; for this is not acquired by human teaching; it is what comes from above, from heaven, and by the revelation of God; nor have the knowledge of the holy ^F19 ;
or "holies"; either of holy persons, such knowledge as holy men of God had; or of the holy angels, not of their nature, capacities, influence and operations; nor such as they have: or rather of the holy Persons in the Trinity, Father, Son and Spirit; their nature modes of subsisting, perfections, purposes, and the like; at least not a full and comprehensive one: or of holy things, of the holy Scriptures, and the holy doctrines of them; however, not what is perfect and complete.

It may be rendered, "but I have the knowledge of the holy" ^F20 , though he had not the advantage of human literature, nor had ever been under the instructions of men on one account or another, and therefore what he knew, or was about to discourse of, was from God.

Some understand this verse and (Proverbs 30:2) of Ithiel, or Christ ^F21 , as in the esteem of men, (1 Corinthians 1:23) (John 7:15) .

FOOTNOTES:

• F19: (Myvdq) "sanctorum", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Mercerus, Gejerus, Cocceius, Schultens.
• F20: (eda Myvdq tedw) "ad cognitionem sanctorum novi", Michaelis; "expers sum humanarnm artium, et divinarum guarus sum", Vatablus in Gejerus.
• F21: Teelman. Specimen. Explicat. Parabol. p. 391.

Who has ascended up into heaven, or descended? &c.] That has been thither to fetch knowledge of God and divine things, and has returned to communicate it. Enoch was taken up to heaven before this time: and Elijah, as is very probable, after; but neither of them returned again, to inform mortals what was to be seen, known, and enjoyed there: since the Apostle Paul was caught up into the third heaven, and came back again; but then the things he heard were such as it was not lawful for a man to utter: and indeed, since the coming of Christ there is no need of any further revelation to be made nor of any such expedition, in order to obtain it, (Romans 10:6–8).

And, properly speaking, there never was any besides him, whose names are Ithiel and Ucal, that ever did this: he lay in the bosom of the Father, and was privy to his whole mind and will; he descended from heaven to earth not by local motion, but, by assumption of nature; and when he had made known his Father's will, and done his work, he ascended far above all heavens, and received gifts for men; to fill his churches and ministers with them, in order to communicate and improve spiritual and divine knowledge; and therefore, with great propriety and pertinence, he applies these words to himself, (John 3:13);

who has gathered the wind in his fists? not any mere creature; not any man or set of men; it is not in the power of any, either men or angels, to restrain or let loose the winds at pleasure; nor has Satan, though called the prince of the power of the air, that is, of the devils in the air, any such command of them; none but he that made them can command them to blow, or be still; even he who brings them out of his treasures, and his own son, whom the wind and seas obeyed; see (Psalms 135:7) (Matthew 8:26Matthew 8:27) (14:32); The Heathens ^F23 themselves are so sensible of this, that the power of the winds only belongs to God, that they have framed a deity they call Aeolus; whom the supreme Being has made a kind of steward or store keeper of the winds, and given him a power to still or raise them as he pleases ^F24 ;

who has bound the waters in a garment? either the waters above, which are bound in the thick clouds as in a garment which hold them from pouring out; or the waters of the sea, which are as easily managed by the Lord as an infant by its parent, and is wrapped about with a swaddling band, (Job 26:8) (Job 37:8Job 37:9). But can any creature do this? none but the mighty God; and his almighty Son the Ithiel and Ucal, who clothes the heavens with blackness, and makes sackcloth their covering: even he who is the Redeemer of this people, and has the tongue of the learned, to speak a word in season to them (Isaiah 50:2–4);

who has established all the ends of the earth? fixed the boundaries of the several parts of the world, Europe, Asia, Africa, and America, and the several countries in them? settled the foundations of the earth, and secured the banks and borders of it from the raging of the sea? None but these next mentioned; see (Job 38:4Job 38:5);

what [is] his name, and what is his son's name, if you can tell? if you are sure it is a mere man that does all these things tell his name; or, if he be dead, say what is the name of his son or of any of his family; so Jarchi and others interpret it: or rather, since it is the Lord alone and his own proper Son, to whom these things can be ascribed say what his name is; that is, his nature and perfections which are incomprehensible and ineffable; otherwise he is known by his name Jehovah and especially as his name is proclaimed in Christ and manifested by him and in his Gospel: and seeing he has a son of the same nature with him, and possessed of the same perfections, co-essential, and co-existent, and every way equal to him, and a distinct person from him, say what is his nature and perfections also; declare his generation and the manner of it; his divine filiation, and in what class it is; things which are out of the reach of human capacity, and not to be expressed by the tongue of men and angels; see (Matthew 11:27) (16:15-17).

Otherwise, though his name for a while was a secret, and he was only called the seed of the woman and of Abraham, (Genesis 3:15) (22:18) (32:29) (Judges 13:17Judges 13:18); yet he had many names given him under the Old Testament; as Shiloh, Immanuel, the Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, and Prince of peace; the Lord our righteousness, and the Man, the Branch: and under the New Testament, Jesus the Saviour, Christ the Anointed; the Head of the church, the Judge of the world; the Word of God, and King of kings, and Lord of lords.

This Scripture is a proof of Christ's being the eternal Son of God; of his equality with his divine Father as such, their name and nature being alike ineffable; of his co-existence with his Father as such; and of his omnipresence and omnipotence, expressed by the phrases here used of ascending and of his distinct personality from the Father; the same question being distinctly put of him as of the Father. Some render the last clause, "do you know?"

FOOTNOTES:

• F23: (keinon gar tamihn anemwn) Homer. Odyss. 10. v. 21, 22. "Aeole, namque tibi divum pater atque hominum rex, et mulcere dedit fluctus, et tollere vento", Virgil Aeneid. l. v. 69, 70.
• F24: See a Sermon of mine, called "Christ the Saviour from the Tempest", p. 17, 18.

Every word of God [is] pure
The whole word of God. "All Scripture", given by inspiration of God, to which Agur directs, as giving the best account of God, of his name, nature, and perfections; of his Son, person, offices, and grace; being pure, very pure, "purified" ^F26 like silver, purified in a furnace of earth. The whole of Scripture is pure, free from all falsehood and error; coming from the God of truth, who cannot lie, and therefore called "the Scriptures of truth": every promise is pure as well as precious, made without dissimulation, faithfully performed, and all yea and amen in Christ; every doctrine is pure, free from the mixtures and inventions of men; the sincere milk of the word; consistent and all of a piece, not yea and nay; and tending to promote purity of heart and life; wholesome words, and doctrines according to godliness; see (Psalms 12:6) (18:30) (119:140) ;

he [is] a shield unto them that put their trust in him ;
not the word, but God, whose the word is; and which represents him as a proper object of trust, both with respect to things temporal and spiritual, at all times; and as a shield to protect such, by his power and grace, from all their enemies, sin, Satan, and the world, and also from all errors and false doctrines; see (Psalms 3:3) (5:12) (18:35) (Psalms 84:9Psalms 84:11Psalms 84:12) .

FOOTNOTES:

• F26: (hpwru) "purgatus", Pagninus, Montanus, Tigurine version, Gejerus; "purgatissimus", Junius & Tremellius; Heb. "conflatus", Piscator, Mercerus, Cocceius, Schultens.