An Inspired Utterance Ch 30
a Proverbs 30 tapestry
The other day I noticed that the book of Proverbs seems to have a preface and conclusion. The first 9 chapters seem like an introduction where two women are compared: Lady Wisdom and Adulterous Folly. The last two chapters seem like a conclusion of sorts.
In this scripture rewrite, I examine Chapter 30 alongside similar scriptures. This is such a seemingly disjointed chapter or Proverbs, but I discovered, that by adding words such as likewise, so that, or just like, the sections tied together beautifully. I have indicated such additions with brackets. Subtractions are indicated with ellipses. Verb tense changes and pronoun changes are not noted. The original NIV Proverb’s chapters are italicized, but I did use some ESV for cross-referenced verses. All scripture is footnoted throughout.
Next week is the last chapter in this series. Click the links below to return to a previous chapter. The final chapter link will be available at the end once released.
Proverbs Chapter 30
The sayings of Agur son of Jakeh—an inspired utterance. This man’s utterance to Ithiel. [He said]:
I am weary, God, …[how] can I prevail? Surely I am only a brute, not a man. I do not have human understanding. I have not learned wisdom, nor have I attained to the knowledge of the Holy One.1 … I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?2
Who has gone up to heaven and come down?3 … [Where] is a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reaches to heaven. And behold, …[where do] the angels of God ascend and descend on it,4 …leading a host of captives, and . . . giving gifts to men?5 Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place. He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully.6
[And] whose hands have gathered up the wind,7 [saying] “Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live”? 8 Who has wrapped up the waters in a cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth?9 …[Who] founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers?10 What is his name, and what is the name of his son?11
He is the true vine, and his Father is the gardener.12 He is the bread of life13 . . . [and] the light of the world.14 … He is the way and the truth and the life. [And] no one comes to the Father except through him.15
Surely you know every word of God is flawless. He is a16 the gate for the sheep,17 [and] shield to those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar,18 [saying,] “Your teachings are merely human rules. You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.”19
Two things I ask of you, Lord. Do not refuse me before I die. Keep falsehood and lies far from me20 [so I may] not give false testimony against my neighbor.21 [And] give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, “Who is the Lord?”22 [And] “By the strength of my hand I have done this, and by my wisdom, because I have understanding. I removed the boundaries of nations, I plundered their treasures. Like a mighty one I subdued their kings.”23 Or, [if I have too little], I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.24
“Do not slander a servant to their master, or [both of them] will curse you, and you will pay for it. [You will be like] . . . those who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers; those who are pure in their own eyes and yet are not cleansed of their filth; those whose eyes are ever so haughty, whose glances are so disdainful; those whose teeth are swords and whose jaws are set with knives to devour the poor from the earth and the needy from among mankind. [They are like] the leech [who] has two daughters. “Give! Give!” they cry. … [Such people are like these] three things that are never satisfied, four that never say, “Enough!”: the grave, the barren womb, land, which is never satisfied with water, and fire, which never says, ‘Enough!’
The eye that mocks a father, that scorns an aged mother, will be pecked out by the ravens of the valley, will be eaten by the vultures.25 God puts out the light of the man who curses his father or mother.26 [And God] will come to him and remove his lampstand from its place.27 The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness.28
[Such fools are like] … the three things that are too [bewildering] for me, four that I do not understand: the way of an eagle in the sky, the way of a snake on a rock, the way of a ship on the high seas, and the way of a man with a young woman.29
Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.30 [For,] this is the way of an adulterous woman. She eats and wipes her mouth and says, “I’ve done nothing wrong.” Under three things [like her] the earth trembles, under four it cannot bear up: a servant who becomes king, a godless fool who gets plenty to eat, a contemptible woman who gets married, and a servant who displaces her mistress.31 But what does Scripture say? “Get rid of the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman’s son.”32
[In contrast, be like the] four things on earth [that] are small, yet . . . are extremely wise. [One:] ants are creatures of little strength,33 a bruised reed they will not break,34 yet they store up their food in the summer. [Two:] hyraxes are creatures of little power,35 [but that is because their] kingdom is from another place36 . . . they make their home in the crags. [Three:] locusts have no king, yet they advance together in ranks,37 harvesting where they did not sow and gathering where they had not scattered seed.38 [And four:] a lizard can be caught with the hand, yet it is found in kings’ palaces.39 For many are called, but few are chosen.40
[Such people are like] . . . three things that are stately in their stride, four that move with stately bearing: a lion, mighty among beasts, who retreats before nothing; a strutting rooster, a he-goat, and a king secure against revolt.41 Love and faithfulness keep a king safe. Through love his throne is made secure.42
If you play the fool and exalt yourself,43 . . . thinking of yourself more highly than you ought,44 [and saying] “I don’t need you!”45 Or if you plan evil, clap your hand over your mouth! For as churning cream produces butter, and as twisting the nose produces blood, so stirring up anger produces strife.46 Where there is strife, there is pride, but wisdom is found in those who take advice.47
Proverbs 30:1-3
Romans 7:23-24
Proverbs 30:4
Genesis 28:12
Ephesians 4:8a-c
Psalm 24:3-4
Proverbs 30:4b
Ezekiel 37:9d-e
Proverbs 30:4c-d
Psalm 24:2
Proverbs 30:4e
John 15:1
John 15:48
John 8:12b
John 14:6
Proverbs 30:4f-5b
John 10:7c
Proverbs 30:5b-6
Mark 7:7b-8
Proverbs 30:7-8a
Exodus 20:16
Proverbs 30:8b-9a
Isaiah 10:13
Proverbs 30:9b
Proverbs 30:10-17
Proverbs 20:20
Revelation 2:5c
Matthew 6:22-23a
Proverbs 30:18-19
Exodus 21:17
Proverbs 30:20-23
Galatians 4:30
Proverbs 30:24-25a
Isaiah 42:3a
Proverbs 30:25b-26a
John 18:36c
Proverbs 30:26b-27
Matthew 25:24c-d
Proverbs 30:28
Matthew 22:14
Proverbs 30:29-31
Proverbs 20:28
Proverbs 30:32a
Romans 12:3b
1 Corinthians 12:21f
Proverbs 30:32b-33
Proverbs 13:10