29 There are three things that are stately in their stride, and four that are impressive in their walk:
30 a lion, mighty among beasts, refusing to retreat before anything;
31 a strutting rooster; a he-goat; and a king with his army around him.
Focused Passage
Proverbs 30:29-31
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 29
Cross-references
Original words
There הֵ֭מָּה H1992 Pronoun - third person masculine plural are three things שְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה H7969 Number - masculine singular that are stately מֵיטִ֣יבֵי H3190 Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine plural construct in their stride צָ֑עַד H6806 Noun - masculine singular and four that וְ֝אַרְבָּעָ֗ה H702 Conjunctive waw | Number - masculine singular are impressive מֵיטִ֥בֵי H3190 Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine plural construct in their walk לָֽכֶת׃ H1980 Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Verse 30
Original words
a lion לַ֭יִשׁ H3918 Noun - masculine singular mighty גִּבּ֣וֹר H1368 Adjective - masculine singular among beasts בַּבְּהֵמָ֑ה H929 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular refusing וְלֹא־ H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle to retreat יָ֝שׁ֗וּב H7725 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular before מִפְּנֵי־ H6440 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct anything כֹֽל׃ H3605 Noun - masculine singular
Verse 31
Cross-references
Original words
a strutting rooster זַרְזִ֣יר H2223 Noun - masculine singular construct . . . מָתְנַ֣יִם H4975 Noun - md . . . אוֹ־ H176 Conjunction a he-goat תָ֑יִשׁ H8495 Noun - masculine singular and a king וּ֝מֶ֗לֶךְ H4428 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular with his army אַלְק֥וּם H510 Adverb around him עִמּֽוֹ׃ H5973 Preposition | third person masculine singular
BSB notes
- Or a king against whom there is no rising up