21Under three things the earth trembles, under four it cannot bear up:
22a servant who becomes king, a fool who is filled with food,
23an unloved woman who marries, and a maidservant who supplants her mistress.
Focused Passage
Proverbs 30:21-23
The Sayings of Agur: Humility, the Word of God, Contentment, Wonder, and the Limits of Human Wisdom
The chapter moves from Agur's confession of human limitation, to confidence in God's flawless word, to prayer for truth and contentment, to warnings about arrogance, greed, and dishonor, to wonder at creation and the mystery of hidden ways, to social disorder, to wisdom learned from small creatures, and finally to restraint against self-exaltation and anger.
Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources
Study Helps
References and Original Words
Verse 21
Cross-references
Original words
Underתַּ֣חַתH8478Prepositionthree thingsשָׁ֭לוֹשׁH7969Number - feminine singularthe earthאֶ֑רֶץH776Noun - feminine singulartremblesרָ֣גְזָהH7264Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singularunderוְתַ֥חַתH8478Conjunctive waw | Prepositionfourאַ֝רְבַּ֗עH702Number - feminine singularit cannotלֹא־H3808Adverb - Negative particle. . .תוּכַ֥לH3201Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singularbear upשְׂאֵֽת׃H5375Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Verse 22
Cross-references
Original words
-תַּֽחַת־H8478Prepositiona servantעֶ֭בֶדH5650Noun - masculine singularwhoכִּ֣יH3588Conjunctionbecomes kingיִמְל֑וֹךְH4427Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singulara foolוְ֝נָבָ֗לH5036Conjunctive waw | Adjective - masculine singularwhoכִּ֣יH3588Conjunctionis filledיִֽשְׂבַּֽע־H7646Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularwith foodלָֽחֶם׃H3899Noun - masculine singular
Verse 23
Cross-references
Original words
-תַּ֣חַתH8478Prepositionan unloved womanשְׂ֭נוּאָהH8130Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - feminine singularwhoכִּ֣יH3588Conjunctionmarriesתִבָּעֵ֑לH1166Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person feminine singularand a maidservantוְ֝שִׁפְחָ֗הH8198Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singularwhoכִּֽי־H3588Conjunctionsupplantsתִירַ֥שׁH3423Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singularher mistressגְּבִרְתָּֽהּ׃פH1404Noun - feminine singular construct | third person feminine singular