29There are three things that are stately in their stride, and four that are impressive in their walk:
30a lion, mighty among beasts, refusing to retreat before anything;
31a 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
Thereהֵ֭מָּהH1992Pronoun - third person masculine pluralare three thingsשְׁלֹשָׁ֣הH7969Number - masculine singularthat are statelyמֵיטִ֣יבֵיH3190Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine plural constructin their strideצָ֑עַדH6806Noun - masculine singularand four thatוְ֝אַרְבָּעָ֗הH702Conjunctive waw | Number - masculine singularare impressiveמֵיטִ֥בֵיH3190Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine plural constructin their walkלָֽכֶת׃H1980Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Verse 30
Original words
a lionלַ֭יִשׁH3918Noun - masculine singularmightyגִּבּ֣וֹרH1368Adjective - masculine singularamong beastsבַּבְּהֵמָ֑הH929Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singularrefusingוְלֹא־H3808Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particleto retreatיָ֝שׁ֗וּבH7725Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularbeforeמִפְּנֵי־H6440Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural constructanythingכֹֽל׃H3605Noun - masculine singular
Verse 31
Cross-references
Original words
a strutting roosterזַרְזִ֣ירH2223Noun - masculine singular construct. . .מָתְנַ֣יִםH4975Noun - md. . .אוֹ־H176Conjunctiona he-goatתָ֑יִשׁH8495Noun - masculine singularand a kingוּ֝מֶ֗לֶךְH4428Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singularwith his armyאַלְק֥וּםH510Adverbaround himעִמּֽוֹ׃H5973Preposition | third person masculine singular
BSB notes
- Or a king against whom there is no rising up