Proverbs 30

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 30:33

Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter ,.... Or the pressing of it. This is a thing well known and certain, that of milk, when pressed out of the udder, and put into a churn, and there is shook together, by a constant violent agitation or motion, called churning, butter is produced; and cheese is sometimes called pressed milk F25 "Pressi copia lactis", Virgil. Bucolic. eclog. 1. v. 82. "Et lactia massa coacti", Ovid. Metamorph. l. 8. v. 666. , and is pressed with the runnet,... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Proverbs 30

Agur's confession of faith, Proverbs 30:1-6 . His prayer, Proverbs 30:7-9 . Of wicked generations, Proverbs 30:10-14 . Things that are never satisfied, Proverbs 30:15 , Proverbs 30:16 . Of him who despises his parents, Proverbs 30:17 . Three wonderful things, Proverbs 30:18-20 . Three things that disquiet the land, Proverbs 30:21-23 . Four little but very intelligent animals, Proverbs 30:24-28 . Four things that go well, Proverbs 30:29-31 . A man should cease from doing... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Proverbs 30:1

The words of Agur the son of Jakeh - The words Agur, Jakeh, Ithiel, and Ucal, have been considered by some as proper names: by others, as descriptive characters. With some, Agur is Solomon; and Jakeh, David; and Ithiel and Ural are epithets of Christ. The Vulgate translates, Verba congregantis filii vomentis: visio, quam locutus est sir, cum quo est Deus, et qui Deo secum morante confortatus, ait . "The words of the collector, the son of the vomiter: the vision of the man who has God... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Proverbs 30:2

Surely I am more brutish - These words can in no sense, nor by any mode of speech, be true of Solomon: for while he was the wisest of men, he could not have said that he was more brutish than any man, and had not the understanding of a man. It is saying nothing to the purpose, to say he was so independently of the Divine teaching. Had he put this in, even by innuendo, it might be legitimate: but he does not; nor is it by fair implication to be understood. Solomon is not supposed to have... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Proverbs 30:3

I neither learned wisdom - I have never been a scholar in any of those schools of the wise men, nor have the knowledge of the holy, קדשים kedoshim , of the saints or holy persons. The Septuagint give this a different turn: yeov dedidace me sofian, kai gnwsin agiwn egnwka; "God hath taught me wisdom, and the knowledge of the saints I have known." This may refer to the patriarchs, prophets, or holy men, that lived before the days of Solomon. That is, the translators might have had... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Proverbs 30:4

Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? - Calmet paraphrases this passage thus: "Who hath descended, etc. In order to show the truth of what he was about to say, he observes: I have not the science of the saints; for how could I have acquired it? Who is he who could attain to that? Who has ascended to heaven to learn that science, and who has descended in order to publish it? Is the science of salvation one of those things that can be apprehended only by study? Is it not a pure gift... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Proverbs 30:5

Every word of God is pure - צרופה אלוה אמרת כל col imrath eloah tseruphah , "Every oracle of God is purified." A metaphor taken from the purifying of metals. Every thing that God has pronounced, every inspiration which the prophets have received, is pure, without mixture of error, without dross. Whatever trials it may be exposed to, it is always like gold: it bears the fire, and comes out with the same lustre, the same purity, and the same weight. He is a shield unto them - And this... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Proverbs 30:6

Add not thou unto his words - You can no more increase their value by any addition, than you can that of gold by adding any other metal to it. Take care that you do not any thing that this word forbids, nor leave undone any thing that it commands: for this is adding and diminishing in Scripture phrase. Lest he reprove thee - Lest he try thy word by fire, as his has been tried; and it appear that, far from abiding the test, the fire shows thine to be reprobate silver; and so thou be found... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Proverbs 30:7

Two things have I required of thee - These two petitions are mentioned in the next verse; and he wishes to have them answered before he should die. That is, he wishes the answer now, that he may live the rest of his life in the state he describes. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Proverbs 30:8

Remove far from me vanity and lies - שוא shav , all false shows, all false appearances of happiness, every vain expectation. Let me not set my heart on any thing that is not solid, true, durable, and eternal. read more

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