Proverbs 30:1

1. The prophecy המשׂא , ( hammassa,) the utterance, the oracle oracular saying or discourse. It may also mean parable or proverb. It is the word occurring so often in the prophets rendered “burden.” Hitzig, followed by others, throwing away the Masoretic points, takes Jakeh out of the category of proper names and puts Massa into it, reading, “the son of her who was obeyed in Massa,” or whose domain is Massa. The name Massa is found among the children of Ishmael, (Genesis 25:14,) and as Massa and Dumah are mentioned together, both there and in 1 Chronicles 1:30, his supposed that the country of Massa adjoined that of Dumah, where there was probably a colony of Israelites of the tribe of Simeon. Comp. 1 Chronicles 1:41-43.

Ithiel Separated into two words, לאי תיאל , lei thiel, issupposed to make the sense, I have toiled for God, or after God, or, “to God with me.” Miller.

Ucal By a little change of points this word becomes, I have ceased, desisted from, or ended, (my toil,) or, according to Miller, “I am able.” Those who take Ithiel and Ucal to be proper names, believe them to be the pupils of Agur, and it is conjectured that the different parts of Agur’s discourse is in answer to questions proposed by these pupils, after the manner of the ancient schools “hearing them, and asking them questions.” Luke 2:46.