Proverbs 30: The Gatherer
This is one of my favorite chapters in Proverbs. I’m always amazed at how smart this Agur is about the honor and glory due to God, even though he calls himself too stupid to know these things.
Proverbs Chapter 30 is filled with an abundance of great advice and good to read on the 30th of every month (except February when you read all the final chapters on the 28th, of course) to remind yourself of its wise life applications. It’s overflowing with spiritual life hacks we can all use, and they are gathered into this one chapter by a guy called Agur.
Note: In doing a little study on Agur and the audience he’s writing to named Ithiel and Ucal, it’s possible these are not names at all. They may actually just represent their positions. Agur means gatherer (hence the title of the post and the image), he’s the son of Jakeh which means obedient one, Ithiel means with God, and Ucal means I am consumed. Young’s Literal Translation picks up on this, and its verse 1 reads…
Proverbs 30:1 YLT98
[1] Words of a Gatherer, son of an obedient one, the declaration, an affirmation of the man: — I have wearied myself [for] God, I have wearied myself [for] God, and am consumed.
https://bible.com/bible/821/pro.30.1.YLT98
So this gatherer, if he is a real person, is probably like some folks we know or have known in our lives. They are not big or important in the world, or even in the church. They sit quietly and observe, and they pray, A LOT. They may not preach, but if you have a biblical or spiritual question, they are dependable to either know it or study to find out. They quietly gather wisdom from studying God’s Word and through prayer, and many can sense God’s Holy Spirit around them. Especially if they’ve been praying. It’s as if they don’t ever actually leave prayer behind but keep it constant, and you can be sure they’ve tarried on their spiritual knees until they’ve gotten an audience with The Almighty. Like Abraham, even the angels talk about the lawful heart of that one.
Many Bible versions have verse 3 saying that this gatherer does not know The Holy One. But YLT (Young’s) says the opposite and it matches the next two verses about God’s omnipresence much better…
Proverbs 30:3-5 YLT98
[3] Nor have I learned wisdom, Yet the knowledge of Holy Ones I know. [4] Who went up to heaven, and cometh down? Who hath gathered the wind in his fists? Who hath bound waters in a garment? Who established all ends of the earth? What [is] His name? and what His son's name? Surely thou knowest! [5] Every saying of God [is] tried, A shield He [is] to those trusting in Him.
https://bible.com/bible/821/pro.30.3-5.YLT98
This gatherer even seems a bit prophetic in speaking of a generation of godless people (like the ones uplifted and celebrated by current society). Verses 11-14 in the Christian Standard Bible read…
Proverbs 30:11-14 CSB
[11] There is a generation that curses its father and does not bless its mother. [12] There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes, yet is not washed from its filth. [13] There is a generation — how haughty its eyes and pretentious its looks. [14] There is a generation whose teeth are swords, whose fangs are knives, devouring the oppressed from the land and the needy from among mankind.
https://bible.com/bible/1713/pro.30.11-14.CSB
I love studying different versions of the Bible and often look up words in Strong’s to compare deeper meanings. Many translations have the last verse of this next set being all about a young man with a girlfriend, but I prefer YLT and even The Message Bible (MSG) as they make more sense to me. Here’s The Message version…
Proverbs 30:18-19 MSG
[18-19] Three things amaze me, no, four things I’ll never understand— how an eagle flies so high in the sky, how a snake glides over a rock, how a ship navigates the ocean, why adolescents act the way they do. * * *
https://bible.com/bible/97/pro.30.18-19.MSG
And I’ll close with Agur’s commentary on wise creatures from YLT where it says spiders, using their hands, take hold of King’s palaces instead of saying how people can catch lizards but they enter King’s palaces…
Proverbs 30:24-28 YLT98
[24] Four [are] little ones of earth, And they are made wiser than the wise: [25] The ants [are] a people not strong, And they prepare in summer their food, [26] Conies [are] a people not strong, And they place in a rock their house, [27] A king there is not to the locust, And it goeth out — each one shouting, [28] A spider with two hands taketh hold, And is in the palaces of a king.
https://bible.com/bible/821/pro.30.24-28.YLT98
I hope you readers are among those many people standing with baskets to fill from the farm and that you’ve enjoyed this gathering of wisdom. And I just have to add one more thing; some interesting info I found about conies at Bible Hub…
Conies are mentioned in several passages in the Old Testament, where they are noted for their wisdom and ability to thrive in rocky environments.
The mention of conies in Scripture serves as a reminder of God’s creation and the wisdom inherent in nature. It underscores the biblical theme that strength is not solely physical but can also be found in wise decision-making and reliance on God’s provision. The cony’s ability to find refuge in the rocks can be seen as an allegory for believers finding refuge in the Lord, who is often described as a rock and fortress in the Psalms. Read the full info: https://biblehub.com/topical/c/conies.htm
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