Focused Passage

Proverbs 30:24-28

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

24Four things on earth are small, yet they are exceedingly wise:

25The ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer;

26the rock badgers are creatures of little power, yet they make their homes in the rocks;

27the locusts have no king, yet they all advance in formation;

28and the lizard can be caught in one’s hands, yet it is found in the palaces of kings.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 24

Cross-references

Job 12:7Classic cross-references Proverbs 30:15Classic cross-references

Original words

Fourאַרְבָּ֣עָהH702Number - masculine singularthings on earthאָ֑רֶץH776Noun - feminine singular. . .וְ֝הֵ֗מָּהH1992Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - third person masculine pluralare smallקְטַנֵּי־H6996Adjective - masculine plural constructyet theyהֵ֭םH1992Pronoun - third person masculine pluralare exceedinglyמְחֻכָּמִֽים׃H2449Verb - Pual - Participle - masculine pluralwiseחֲכָמִ֥יםH2450Adjective - masculine plural

Verse 25

Cross-references

Proverbs 6:6Classic cross-references Proverbs 6:8Classic cross-references Proverbs 10:5Classic cross-references

Original words

The antsהַ֭נְּמָלִיםH5244Article | Noun - feminine pluralare creaturesעַ֣םH5971Noun - masculine singularof littleלֹא־H3808Adverb - Negative particlestrengthעָ֑זH5794Adjective - masculine singularyet they store upוַיָּכִ֖ינוּH3559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluraltheir foodלַחְמָֽם׃H3899Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine pluralin the summerבַקַּ֣יִץH7019Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular

Verse 26

Cross-references

Psalms 104:18Classic cross-references Leviticus 11:5Classic cross-references

Original words

the rock badgersשְׁ֭פַנִּיםH8227Noun - masculine pluralare creaturesעַ֣םH5971Noun - masculine singularof littleלֹא־H3808Adverb - Negative particlepowerעָצ֑וּםH6099Adjective - masculine singularyet they makeוַיָּשִׂ֖ימוּH7760Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluraltheir homesבֵּיתָֽם׃H1004Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine pluralin the rocksבַסֶּ֣לַעH5553Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular

BSB notes

Or the coneys or the hyraxes

Verse 27

Cross-references

Joel 2:7Classic cross-references Exodus 10:4Classic cross-references Joel 1:6Classic cross-references Joel 2:25Classic cross-references Proverbs 6:7Classic cross-references

Original words

the locustsלָאַרְבֶּ֑הH697Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singularhave noאֵ֣יןH369Adverbkingמֶ֭לֶךְH4428Noun - masculine singularyet they allכֻּלּֽוֹ׃H3605Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularadvanceוַיֵּצֵ֖אH3318Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularin formationחֹצֵ֣ץH2686Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular

Verse 28

Original words

and the lizardשְׂ֭מָמִיתH8079Noun - feminine singularcan be caughtתְּתַפֵּ֑שׂH8610Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singularin one’s handsבְּיָדַ֣יִםH3027Preposition-b | Noun - fdyet itוְ֝הִ֗יאH1931Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - third person feminine singular[is found] in the palacesבְּהֵ֣יכְלֵיH1964Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural constructof kingsמֶֽלֶךְ׃פH4428Noun - masculine singular

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