Pro 30:2-3, 8-9 | Clarke | e4.org | Verse 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 written the Proverbs after he fell from God . Then indeed he might have said he had been more brutish than any man . But Agur might have used these words with strict propriety, for aught we know; for it is very probable that he was a rustic , without education, and without any human help, as was the prophet Amos; and that all that he knew now was by the inspiration of the Almighty, independently of which he was rustic and uneducated .

‏ Proverbs 30:2-3

Verse 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 written the Proverbs after he fell from God. Then indeed he might have said he had been more brutish than any man. But Agur might have used these words with strict propriety, for aught we know; for it is very probable that he was a rustic, without education, and without any human help, as was the prophet Amos; and that all that he knew now was by the inspiration of the Almighty, independently of which he was rustic and uneducated.

Verse 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, kedoshim, of the saints or holy persons.

The Septuagint give this a different turn: θεοςδεδιδαχεμε σοφιανκαιγνωσιναγιωνεγνωκα; "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 these in view.

‏ Proverbs 30:8-9

Verse 8. Remove far from me vanity and lies.] 1. 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. 2. Lies, debar cazab, all words of deception, empty pretensions, false promises, uncertain dependences, and words that FAIL; promises which, when they become due, are like bad bills; they are dishonoured because they are found to be forged, or the drawer insolvent.

From the import of the original, I am satisfied that Agur prays against idolatry, false religion, and false worship of every kind. shau is used for an idol, a false god. Jer 18:15: "My people have forsaken me; they have burnt incense to VANITY;" lashshav, "to an IDOL." Ps 31:6: "I have hated them that regard lying VANITIES;" habley shave, "vain IDOLS." See also Ho 12:11; Jon 2:8. And cazab, a thing that fails or deceives, may well apply to the vain pretensions, false promises, and deceptive religious rites of idolatry. So Jer 15:18: "Wilt thou be unto me as a liar," kemo achzob, like the false, failing promises of the false gods; "and as waters that fail;" lo neemanu, that are not faithful; not like the true God, whose promises never fail. According to this view of the subject, Agur prays, 1. That he may be preserved from idolatry. 2. That he may put no confidence in any words but those pure words of God that never fail them that trust in him.

Give me neither poverty nor riches] Here are three requests: 1. Give me not poverty. The reason is added: Lest, being poor, I shall get into a covetous spirit, and, impelled by want, distrust my Maker, and take my neighbour's property; and, in order to excuse, hide, or vindicate my conduct, I take the name of my God in vain; taphasti, "I catch at the name of God." Or, by swearing falsely, endeavour to make myself pass for innocent. Forswere the name of my God.-Old MS. Bible. Coverdale, "deny or apostatize from him."

2. Give me not riches. For which petition he gives a reason also: Lest I be full, and addict myself to luxurious living, pamper the flesh and starve the soul, and so deny thee, the Fountain of goodness; and, if called on to resort to first principles, I say, Who is Jehovah! Why should I acknowledge, why should I serve him? And thus cast aside all religion, and all moral obligation.

3. The third request is, Feed me with food convenient for me, hatripheni lechem chukki; the meaning of which is, "give me as prey my statute allowance of bread," i.e., my daily bread, a sufficient portion for each day. There is an allusion made to hunting: "Direct so by thy good providence, that I may each day find sufficient portion to subsist on, as a hunter in the forest prays that he may have good speed." It is the province of a preacher to show the importance and utility of such a prayer, and dilate the circumstances, and expand the reasons, after the commentator has shown the literal sense.