Who was Agur son of Jakeh (Proverbs 30)?

"The words of Agur, the son of Jakeh, even the prophecy: the man .spoke unto Ithiel, even unto Ithiel and Ural."

Whoever Agur may he, he refers to himself only as "the man." and his description of himself is humbling. Yet his name means "gathered," and he is the son of Jakeh. which means "he shall be cleared." If the chapter is the very exposure of man in his vanity. yet do these names not imply that God's grace can clear the guilty. and gather those whose disorder has scattered them? Moreover the prophecy is spoken to Ithiel, which means, "With me is God," and to Ucal, meaning "I shall be enabled." Thus, where man is manifested in his help­lessness, the promise of blessing is present, in the living God.

Some hold that Agur is another name for Solomon. This opinion is also upheld by the Talmud, which speaks of six names which belonged to the King: Solomon, Jedidiah, Koheleth, Son of Jakeh, Agur and Lemuel. But this opinion cannot be verified, nor do we know who Agur the son of Jakeh was. The Septuagint and the Vulgate have translated the Hebrew words and formed a sentence out of them. "Agur" means "assembler" and Jakeh has the meaning of "pious," so that some think that Agur means an unknown godly man who gathered these sayings and they were embodied in this book. We leave the name as it is, and believe that Agur, the son of Jakeh, is the name of the author of this chapter. "Whoever Agur was, he had a certain marked individuality; he combines meditation on lofty questions of theology with a sound theory of practical life. He was able to give valuable admonitions about conduct. But his characteristic delight was "to group together in quatrains visible illustrations of selected qualities or ideas" (R.F. Horton). The opening verse also tells us that he spoke to Ithiel (God with me) and Ucal (I shall be able). The Revised Version has a marginal reading instead of the two names Ithiel and Ucal: "I have wearied myself, O God. I have wearied myself O God, and am consumed." We do not adopt this.

Son of Jakeh, and author of the sayings in Prov. 30: which he spake unto Ithiel and Ucal. It was thought by many of the Fathers that this was a symbolical name for Solomon; but this is very improbable, as his father's name is given, and Solomon is described in the same book as son of David. The above names are omitted by the LXX.

One to whom Agur addressed his prophecy. Prov. 30:1.

Father of Agur, whose 'words' are in Proverbs 30.

But it is amazing to consider that in a book written by the wisest of men a book of highest wisdom, this one chapter should be inserted, written by another man, a man unknown. who confesses himself more brutish and ignorant than any man! Is this not intended to teach us, after the clearest possible declaration of principles of moral wisdom, that in reality this wisdom is beyond the ability man can find in himself to follow it? Even Solomon himself badly failed in keeping his own advice. And the honest confession of man's ignorance of God is the only basis upon which he can expect God to give him the wisdom he lacks. Consequently this very confession of ignorance is wisdom, and Agur in some respects shows more wisdom than Solomon in this chapter. Being a sixth section of this series, it is a plain manifestation of what man is, his frailty, his ignorance, his sinfulness; while God's victory is beautifully implied in the latter part of the chapter.

He speaks of not having learned wisdom. Thus human education had not given him wisdom in Divine things. Nor did he have the knowledge of the holy: this was not either a matter of human intuition. Yet, in what follows, the wisdom of Agur's words is most remarkable. But it is higher than human: it is a revelation from God, who uses this instrument in declaring things most valuable in regard to the blessing of souls. Indeed, in all cases, such instruments are those He can most effectively use.

This inability of the human mind by its own effort to discover and know God was clearly recognised by men of intelligence in ancient times. Zophar the Naamathite challenged Job as to it, when he asked, "Canst thou by searching find out God? Canst thou find out the Almighty to perfection?" (Job 11:7). And Agur the son of Jakeh appealed to Ithiel (whose name meant, There is a God) for help when he confessed his ignorance of God. "I have neither learned wisdom," said he, "nor have I the knowledge of the holy. Who has ascended up into heaven and descended? Who has gathered the wind in His fists; Who has bound the waters in a garment? Who has established the ends of the earth? What is His name and what is His Son's name, if thou canst tell?" As far as we know Ithiel had no answer to that appeal.

This inability of the human mind by its own effort to discover and know God was clearly recognised by men of intelligence in ancient times. Zophar the Naamathite challenged Job as to it, when he asked, “Canst thou by searching find out God? Canst thou find out the Almighty to perfection?” (Job 11:7). And Agur the son of Jakeh appealed to Ithiel (whose name meant, There is a God) for help when he confessed his ignorance of God. “I have neither learned wisdom,” said he, “nor have I the knowledge of the holy. Who hath ascended up into heaven and descended? Who hath gathered the wind in His fists; Who hath bound the waters in a garment? Who hath established the ends of the earth? What is His name and what is His Son's name, if thou canst tell?” As far as we know Ithiel had no answer to that appeal.

Though Agur speaks of himself as being more stupid than any man (Prov. 30:2), he asks questions that should have profoundly stirred the intelligence of any Israelite who read them: "Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in His fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is His name, and what is His Son's name, if thou canst tell?" (Prov. 30:4). But let us remember that this is Scripture, and therefore God is asking us these questions. We are faced with the great glory of the Creator, then we are asked, "what is His name, and what is His Son's name, if thou canst tell?" He does not ask, "what will be the name of one who becomes God's Son in the future," but "what is His name, and what is His Son's name?" Was Christ the Son of God at the time Agur wrote? Absolutely! There is no escape from this certainty.

In passing, I turn to Proverbs 30. The words of Agur are a prophecy, the utterance of an oracle. There is little doubt that we have therein a broad survey of the generations of mankind, of the developments of good and evil on the earth, and of the incoming of the Ruler Who will subdue all to God. But ere the writer unfolds his theme, and with a humble confession that what he writes is no fruit of earthly scholarship, he asks six questions in v. 4 which refer to the invisible and eternal God. The first embraces the wonders of the heavens above, a region inaccessible to man. The second is concerning the air, invisible and uncontrollable by man. The third relates to the waters no man can manage, the fourth to the earth, the establishment and maintenance of which could only be the work of God. That there must be a God is clear; yet can a man by searching find out the Almighty? If God did not give a revelation, the questions Who? Who? would have to travel round the world unanswered.

In Proverbs, that book of wisdom, we have the prophecy of Agur, the son of Jakeh, (Prov. 30). The word prophecy there is the same word as that used in relation to Chenaniah the master of music. Ithiel means "God is;" Ucal means "God must prevail." I can understand that any prophecy with those thoughts in mind will take on the feature of music. Prophesying as having what Ithiel and Ucal represent in mind will cause the hearts of the saints to skip like lambs and bound in responsive joy to Christ. This prophecy was an utterance, and that utterance means there had been a discourse in his own heart, and he had the sense of confirmation in his own spirit that what he said would be established. We have this music ringing in our hearts tonight. We are assured that every word God has said in relation to that blessed Man is going to be established. God is, let the agnostic go out of sight, "he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him." What will the reward be? — constant, continuous, fresh and blessed impressions of the preciousness of Jesus. The winds must be gathered, winds which the devil has raised in this world in his antagonism to God. Such an attempt was seen on the lakes of Gennesaret; but he did not know Who was there. Let us adoringly contemplate the majesty of the Man Who could stand up and say to the waves "be still."

Proverbs 30:1-6 is a most important passage, humbling us to profit, and yet opening to faith what man cannot enter into - a very important passage.

One word of God outweighs all other words. "Every word of God is pure." It is noteworthy that the passage which precedes these words bears explicit witness to Sonship in the Godhead. We have here the remarkable sevenfold question of Agur as to Creation and then as to the names of Creator and His Son. "What is His name, and what is His Son's name if thou canst tell" (Prov. 30:4). This is evaded in the usual way, it is prophetical. Are we not told as much? Well at any rate it is not a prophecy that the Creator should have a Son: that is taken for granted, but as to that Son's name. There is nothing really prophetical in the passage. As a matter of fact the word translated here "prophecy," is only so translated in one other of its 70 occurrences in the Old Testament, and that is in the following chapter 31:1, "the prophecy that his mother taught him," where again there is nothing prophetical in the whole context, but rather a weighty warning against vice and strong drink. The root meaning is really "a burden" or something of weight. Gesenius translates in Prov. 32:1, "sentences": the Revised Version in both places "burden" or "oracle." It is what we would call a "weighty statement." Surely to affirm then that Sonship in the Godhead is unknown in the Old Testament is to deny what is plainly written. Agur had no pretension, as he tells us himself, to be highly educated or gifted or deeply taught in divine truth, but he knew more than some who make these claims to-day, and yet have let go what he knew. May the Lord give us more Agurs, simple men who hold the truth tenaciously, and enquire for more!

That in the next place the Word of God is mentioned, that is the written revelation of God, is not without meaning. Man needs this revelation to know the Lord, and have the question answered which human speculation and scientific research can never answer. On account of the statement "add thou not unto His words" critics have surmised that the canon of the Old Testament must have been completed when this chapter was written. They have put the date long after the exile. But such a conclusion is unwarranted. God had commanded long before that nothing should be added to His words (Deut. 4:2). The prayer of Agur in verses 7-9 is closely linked with the foregoing verses. He prays for deliverance from vanity and lies, that he may have a true and honest heart, so necessary for the reception of the truth of God; then he prays to have neither poverty nor riches. Poverty might induce to steal and take the name of God in vain, then His Word would be rejected by him; and riches would mean the same, as it might lead him to say, Who is the Lord?

Next comes a prayer by Agur the son of Jakeh (verses 7-9).

But he prays also that God would supply him with necessities, but allow him neither poverty nor riches. Agur has spoken of his ignorance, but certainly this prayer is far wiser than what generally characterizes men. He knows the serious dangers of wealth, wherein men too often trust, and in doing so, show little regard for the God who has blessed them. Even Solomon, with all his wisdom, proved to be unequal to the trust committed to him in the way of riches and honor. He used it to allow his own heart to he led astray.

Four disquieting things are given in verses 21-23. In verses 24-28 the four little things, yet wise, are pictured. They are the ants, the conies, the locusts and the lizard (not spider as in the A.V.). Here are lessons for man: the sluggard, the fool, the evil man, and other characters touched upon in proverbs are put to shame by the sagacity of these little things. Four graceful things conclude these sayings: A lion, a greyhound, an he-goat and a king, against whom there is no rising up. So may the righteous man act. Bold as a lion, swift as the greyhound to carry out the Lord's will in the Lord's service, climbing the steeps like the he-goat, and always victorious like a king undefeated. We see that these statements of Agur have a definite bearing upon the entire book of Proverbs inasmuch as they restate and illustrate the different characters, such as the ungodly, the unwise, the fool, the sluggard, the proud, the righteous, the godly, the humble, etc., mentioned in the book. Agur's message ends with a word of counsel to exercise self-restraint.

The Book of Proverbs. The whole of these proverbs were spoken by Solomon, save those contained in the two last chapters. We may regard these wise principles and maxims as part of the three thousand uttered by the illustrious monarch of Israel (1 Kings 4:32), and as the fruit of that wisdom he asked from the Lord at the commencement of his reign (1 Kings 3:12); his name is introduced at the beginning of each of the three divisions of the book (see chapters 1, 10, 25), and which are here selected and arranged by inspiration of God. The compiler was probably one of the prophets living in the days of Hezekiah, if, indeed, that monarch himself did not do so; we know at least that his servants copied out a number of these proverbs (Prov. 25:1). We know nothing of Agur (Prov. 30:1), nor of King Lemuel (Prov. 31:1); their names alone have been handed down to posterity.