Pro 30:1 | KingComments | STEP | This chapter owes much of its impressiveness to the author’s profound humility. He professes that humility in . From that attitude, he shows both his abhorrence of arrogance in all its forms and his fascinating, frank description of his perception of the world and its manners. The groups of people and animals he describes teach us lessons without imposing these lessons. The predominant attitude is that of keen and often joyful interest. This interest invites us to look afresh at our world with the eye of a man of faith who is a characterful artist of words and observer. Who “Agur” was, we do not know. We do know that he is “the son of Jakeh”, but we do not know Jakeh either. That his father is mentioned may mean that he is a wise son who listened to the teaching of his father. That he is a wise son is evident from the wise words we have from him in this chapter. His father must have rejoiced in his wise son. We have seen this father-son relationship several times in the previous chapters. This relationship is the basis for the teaching of this book. That Agur is mentioned only here and is otherwise unknown to us may mean that it is not so much about his person as about his “words”. This makes him at the same time an example for us. We all have a name, but who knows us? Only a few know us. But if our name is connected to our wise words, our name will live on because of our wise words. Nor are the words spoken by Agur just words. They are words called “the oracle” or “the burden”. This word we often encounter with the prophets ( ; ). The words of Agur contain a prophetic message placed by God’s Spirit as a burden on his heart. He feels its weight. He experiences what he writes. That makes him a prophet who speaks to our hearts and consciences (cf. ). He speaks as “the man”. There is no pomposity with him. The haughty claim ‘thus speaks the LORD’ that people sometimes utter in order to draw attention only to themselves is absent with him. He takes the humble place of a man because he knows himself in the presence of God. At the same time, this makes it clear that this man speaks by the Spirit (cf. ; ). Also of Ithiel and Ucal we do not know more than their names mentioned here. Possibly they are his children whom he teaches in the knowledge of Divine things. They may also be disciples whom he wishes to teach wisdom. In any case, he has had dealings with these two persons from a personal involvement. It is notable that he speaks to “to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal”. He mentions the name of Ithiel twice. As an application, perhaps this can be seen to mean that he has responded to questions raised by Ithiel alone and to questions raised by Ithiel and Ucal together. His attention is on personal and communal questions.

‏ Proverbs 30:1

Introduction

This chapter owes much of its impressiveness to the author’s profound humility. He professes that humility in Pro 30:1-9. From that attitude, he shows both his abhorrence of arrogance in all its forms and his fascinating, frank description of his perception of the world and its manners. The groups of people and animals he describes teach us lessons without imposing these lessons. The predominant attitude is that of keen and often joyful interest. This interest invites us to look afresh at our world with the eye of a man of faith who is a characterful artist of words and observer.

The Speaker and the Addressees

Who “Agur” was, we do not know. We do know that he is “the son of Jakeh”, but we do not know Jakeh either. That his father is mentioned may mean that he is a wise son who listened to the teaching of his father. That he is a wise son is evident from the wise words we have from him in this chapter. His father must have rejoiced in his wise son. We have seen this father-son relationship several times in the previous chapters. This relationship is the basis for the teaching of this book.

That Agur is mentioned only here and is otherwise unknown to us may mean that it is not so much about his person as about his “words”. This makes him at the same time an example for us. We all have a name, but who knows us? Only a few know us. But if our name is connected to our wise words, our name will live on because of our wise words.

Nor are the words spoken by Agur just words. They are words called “the oracle” or “the burden”. This word we often encounter with the prophets (Isa 13:1 ; Isa 14:28 ; Isa 15:1 ; Isa 17:1 ; Isa 19:1; Hab 1:1). The words of Agur contain a prophetic message placed by God’s Spirit as a burden on his heart. He feels its weight. He experiences what he writes. That makes him a prophet who speaks to our hearts and consciences (cf. Jn 4:17-19).

He speaks as “the man”. There is no pomposity with him. The haughty claim ‘thus speaks the LORD’ that people sometimes utter in order to draw attention only to themselves is absent with him. He takes the humble place of a man because he knows himself in the presence of God. At the same time, this makes it clear that this man speaks by the Spirit (cf. Num 24:3; 2Sam 23:1).

Also of Ithiel and Ucal we do not know more than their names mentioned here. Possibly they are his children whom he teaches in the knowledge of Divine things. They may also be disciples whom he wishes to teach wisdom. In any case, he has had dealings with these two persons from a personal involvement.

It is notable that he speaks to “to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal”. He mentions the name of Ithiel twice. As an application, perhaps this can be seen to mean that he has responded to questions raised by Ithiel alone and to questions raised by Ithiel and Ucal together. His attention is on personal and communal questions.