Proverbs 30:1

Inspiration means everything. The writer means little. God’s words are what count. Who wrote His words down barely counts. All scripture is profitable, including this verse. Do you understand the privilege and the responsibility when God reveals His words to you?

Here is the inspired introduction to Proverb’s penultimate chapter. Using various writers, God is the Bible’s author. The prophet Agur was one of His men. He taught the proverbs in this chapter, and King Lemuel recorded his mother’s inspired words in the last chapter. These two chapters were appended to Solomon’s selected proverbs (Pr 1:1; 10:1; 25:1).

Nothing is known about Agur beyond what is written in this chapter. He is unknown to the rest of the Bible and to history. But because God gave him perfect wisdom for these lessons of wisdom, they are recorded for you in the Bible. It is part of the divine library, in which God has preserved wisdom for prosperous living for His adopted children.

This chapter has the words of Agur, in that God gave His words to Agur to form this part of the Bible. Inspiration is God’s miracle by which He puts His words in men to write down for later generations, including you (Ps 45:1; Is 30:8; II Pet 1:21). The words were inspired, for they are described here as a prophecy, which is a revelation from God.

Agur’s father was Jakeh. We know nothing more about either man. But Proverbs teaches about fathers and sons. Fathers teach wisdom to their sons (Pr 22:6; 1:8; 4:1-4; 6:20). Sons humble themselves to their fathers’ words (Pr 2:1; 3:1; 4:20; 23:26). Father! Have you fulfilled your role? Son! Have you heard and retained your father’s doctrine?

Agur spoke to Ithiel and Ucal; they were his students. God chose to convey wisdom from one generation to the next by verbal communication, based on His written word (Pr 10:21; 22:17-21; Mal 2:7; Rom 10:14-15; I Cor 1:21; II Tim 2:2). A part of your prayers should be for God to send preachers and bless their efforts (Luke 10:2; II Thes 3:1-2).

Ithiel and Ucal were wise for seeking a teacher of truth and hearing his words. Though Agur’s words are blunt and plain, they made a very wise choice. Only a few men will separate from worldly activities to seek wisdom (Pr 18:1; Acts 17:11). Only a few ever have the blessing and joy of a preaching service like that under Nehemiah (Neh 8:1-12).

Reader, are you like Ithiel and Ucal? Have you sought a preacher like Agur to instruct you in the truth of God, like Cornelius sought Peter (Acts 10:1-8,30-33)? Have you humbled yourself to that teacher’s instruction, like the Ethiopian eunuch did to Philip (Acts 8:26-40)? Once you find such a teacher of God’s words, do not despise or disobey his preaching, lest God judge you for it (Luke 8:18; I Thess 5:20; Ezek 33:30-33).

Are you like Agur? Have you shared with others the certain words of truth like Elihu did with Job and his friends (Job 32:1-22)? King Solomon wrote the Proverbs in chapters 1-29 for you to learn and know the certain words of truth to share with others (Pr 22:17-21). Are you confident of the truth and want to help others like Luke wrote to Theophilus (Luke 1:1-4; Acts 1:1-5), for that is part of your Christian duty and privilege (I Pet 3:15).