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

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

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

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

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

28 and 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 12:7 Classic cross-references Proverbs 30:15 Classic cross-references

Original words

Four אַרְבָּ֣עָה H702 Number - masculine singular things on earth אָ֑רֶץ H776 Noun - feminine singular . . . וְ֝הֵ֗מָּה H1992 Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - third person masculine plural are small קְטַנֵּי־ H6996 Adjective - masculine plural construct yet they הֵ֭ם H1992 Pronoun - third person masculine plural are exceedingly מְחֻכָּמִֽים׃ H2449 Verb - Pual - Participle - masculine plural wise חֲכָמִ֥ים H2450 Adjective - masculine plural

Verse 25

Cross-references

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

Original words

The ants הַ֭נְּמָלִים H5244 Article | Noun - feminine plural are creatures עַ֣ם H5971 Noun - masculine singular of little לֹא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle strength עָ֑ז H5794 Adjective - masculine singular yet they store up וַיָּכִ֖ינוּ H3559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural their food לַחְמָֽם׃ H3899 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural in the summer בַקַּ֣יִץ H7019 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular

Verse 26

Cross-references

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

Original words

the rock badgers שְׁ֭פַנִּים H8227 Noun - masculine plural are creatures עַ֣ם H5971 Noun - masculine singular of little לֹא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle power עָצ֑וּם H6099 Adjective - masculine singular yet they make וַיָּשִׂ֖ימוּ H7760 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural their homes בֵּיתָֽם׃ H1004 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural in the rocks בַסֶּ֣לַע H5553 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular

BSB notes

Or the coneys or the hyraxes

Verse 27

Cross-references

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

Original words

the locusts לָאַרְבֶּ֑ה H697 Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singular have no אֵ֣ין H369 Adverb king מֶ֭לֶךְ H4428 Noun - masculine singular yet they all כֻּלּֽוֹ׃ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular advance וַיֵּצֵ֖א H3318 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular in formation חֹצֵ֣ץ H2686 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular

Verse 28

Original words

and the lizard שְׂ֭מָמִית H8079 Noun - feminine singular can be caught תְּתַפֵּ֑שׂ H8610 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singular in one’s hands בְּיָדַ֣יִם H3027 Preposition-b | Noun - fd yet it וְ֝הִ֗יא H1931 Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - third person feminine singular [is found] in the palaces בְּהֵ֣יכְלֵי H1964 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct of kings מֶֽלֶךְ׃פ H4428 Noun - masculine singular

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