There be three things which are too wonderful for me ,.... Which were above his reach and comprehension; what he could not find out, nor account for, nor sufficiently admire; yea, four things which I know not ; the way of them; as follows. read more
The way of an eagle in the air ,.... And so of any other bird; but this is mentioned, because it flies swiftest, and soars highest: but the way in which it goes is not known, nor can it be seen with the eye; it cuts the air, and passes through it, but leaves no track behind it which may be pointed to, and it may be said, that is the way the eagle took and flew towards heaven out of sight; the way of a serpent upon a rock ; a smooth hard rock; and wonderful it is that it should creep up... read more
Such is the way of an adulterous woman ,.... It is equally unknown as the way of a man with a maid; it is difficult to detect her, she takes so much care and caution, and uses so many artful methods to conceal her wickedness from her husband; though she lives in adultery, it is in a most private manner, and carried on so secretly and artfully that she is not easily discovered; she eateth, and wipeth her mouth ; like one that eats what he should not, wipes his mouth that it might not be... read more
The way of an eagle - I borrow, with thanks, the very sensible note of the Rev. Mr. Holden on this passage. "The particle כן ken plainly shows that Proverbs 30:19 ; and Proverbs 30:20 ; are to be taken in connection; consequently, it is a comparison between the way of an adulterous woman, and the way of the things here described. "The adulterous woman goes about in search of her deluded victim, like as the eagle takes its flight into the air to spy out its prey. She uses every... read more
Part VII. FIRST APPENDIX TO THE SECOND COLLECTION , containing "the words of Agur." A short introduction, teaching that the Word of God is the source of wisdom ( Proverbs 30:1-6 ), is followed by apothegms on different subjects ( Proverbs 30:7-33 ). Cornelius a Lapide offers the following opinion concerning this appendix, which no one can hesitate to say is well founded, if he attempts to give it a spiritual interpretation, and to discern mysteries under the literal... read more
contain six groups of four sentences each, each quaternion having a certain connection in language and concinnity of idea. First ( Proverbs 30:11-14 ) come four generations that are evil—four being taken as the symbol of universality. The sins herein specified had become so general that they affected the whole generation. read more
There be three things which are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not. The great point is the fourth, to which the three previous things lead up, all of them being alike in this, that they leave no trace. The facts are marvellous; Agur feels like Job, "I have uttered that which I understood not, things too wonderful for me, which I knew not" ( Job 42:3 ). read more
The mystery of love Agur sees four things that cannot be traced out. 1 . "The way of an eagle in the air." No track is followed by the king of birds as it cleaves the invisible fluid and takes its own wild course from crag to crag. 2 . "The way of a serpent upon a rock." Creeping out of a dark cranny, the reptile lies and basks on the hot stone, and then at the approach of an intruder darts into another cranny—its course unknown. 3 . "The way of a ship in the midst of the sea."... read more
A proverb concerning four inscrutable things, connected with the last by mention of the eagle. read more
Get Bible verse every day in your inbox
Read on Mobile
Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Proverbs 30:18-23
Here is, I. An account of four things that are unsearchable, too wonderful to be fully known. And here, 1. The first three are natural things, and are only designed as comparisons for the illustration of the last. We cannot trace, (1.) An eagle in the air. Which way she has flown cannot be discovered either by the footstep or by the scent, as the way of a beast may upon ground; nor can we account for the wonderful swiftness of her flight, how soon she has gone beyond our ken. (2.) A serpent... read more