Proverbs 30:24-25

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 30:24-28

Success within success Many things go to make a man successful, in a true and large sense of that word. A man may have many elements of success, and yet, for want of one more, he may fail. The best part of our succeeding is this—that if we are labouring for some present and visible reward, we are, whilst so doing and in the very act, securing a deeper and a larger good, as the schoolboy seeking the prize is really storing up knowledge and power. We may learn from some of the least and... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 30:25

The ants are a people not strong. The ant is proposed as an example to the sluggard ( Proverbs 6:6 , etc.). He calls the ants a people, am , because they live in a community, and have authorities which they obey, and their actions are regulated by certain definite laws. So Joel ( Joel 1:6 ) calls the locusts a nation, and Homer ('Iliad,' 2.87) speaks of ἔθνεα μελισσάων ἀδινάων , "the tribes of thronging bees." Yet they prepare their meat in the summer. In countries where... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Proverbs 30:24-28

Proverbs 30:24-28. There be four things little, &c., but exceeding wise Comparatively to other brute creatures, they act very wisely and providently, through the direction of Divine Providence, which secretly influences them to do those things for their own preservation which are most agreeable to the rules of wisdom. The design of this observation Isaiah , 1 st, To commend wisdom to us, and to teach us to imitate the providence of these creatures, as we are excited, Proverbs 6:6, to... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Proverbs 30:10-33

The wise sayings of Agur (30:10-33)It is wise not to be hasty in reporting a person for a supposed wrongdoing. Such action could rebound with harm to the talebearer if the person is innocent (10). The arrogant despise those whom they should respect, while considering that they themselves are not only blameless, but superior to their fellows. They are merciless in their treatment of those whom they should rather help (11-14).The expression ‘three things . . . and four’ in the proverbs that... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Proverbs 30:24

little upon the earth = earth's little ones. exceeding wise. Hebrew "wise, made wise". Figure of speech Polyptoton. App-6 . The Septuagint and Vulg, render "wiser than the wise". read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Proverbs 30:25

a people. So are those "made wise" (2 Timothy 3:15 ) who are God's People (Psalms 100:3 ). not strong = very weak. Figure of speech Tapeinosis. So Romans 5:6 (compare Isaiah 40:29 ; Isaiah 45:24 .Job 12:13; Job 12:13 ). prepare = will prepare. Hebrews 10:5 . read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Proverbs 30:24

5"There are four things which are little upon the earth,But they are exceeding wise:The ants are a people not strong,Yet they provide their food in the summer;The conies are but a feeble folk,Yet make they their houses in the rocks;The locusts have no king,Yet go they forth all of them by bands;The lizard taketh hold with her hands,Yet is she in king's palaces."Other translations give us "badgers"[21] for `conies' in Proverbs 30:26, or "rock-rabbits,"[22] "mormats,"[23] or "the rabbit."[24] Why... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Proverbs 30:24

24-31. These verses provide two classes of apt illustrations of various aspects of the moral world, which the reader is left to apply. By the first ( :-), diligence and providence are commended; the success of these insignificant animals being due to their instinctive sagacity and activity, rather than strength. The other class (Proverbs 30:30; Proverbs 30:31) provides similes for whatever is majestic or comely, uniting efficiency with gracefulness. read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Proverbs 30:1-33

VI. COLLECTION 6: THE WISDOM OF AGUR CH. 30Chapters 30 and 31 form a distinct section in Proverbs, because neither Solomon (Proverbs 1:1 to Proverbs 22:16; chs. 25-29), nor the unnamed sages (Proverbs 22:17 to Proverbs 24:34), wrote them. Two other wise men, whose names the text records, did. Some expositors speculate that because these men’s discourses occur at the end of the book, the writers probably lived later than the men of Hezekiah. [Note: E.g., Toy, p. 517.] Nevertheless who Agur and... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Proverbs 30:10-33

C. Wisdom about life 30:10-33Though his view of and awareness of God are very much behind what Agur said in the rest of this chapter, his counsel deals primarily with practical prudence from this point on. read more

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