What does "disgraceful woman" mean? (Proverbs). Interpretation of the books of the Old Testament

28.12.2013

Matthew Henry

Interpretation of the books of the Old Testament. parables

CHAPTER 30

This and the next chapter are in addition to the parables of Solomon, but they are clearly called prophecies in the opening verses of both, which implies that their writers, whoever they were, were divinely inspired. This chapter was written by a man called Agur Ben Yakeev. It is not stated what tribe he belonged to or when he lived, but it is said that he wrote while inspired by the Holy Spirit. It is described here

(I) his profession of faith (v. 1-6);

(II) his prayer (v. 7-9);

(III) warning not to harm servants (v. 10);

(iv) four wicked generations (v. 11-14);

(v) four insatiable things (v. 15, 16), to which is added a clear warning to disobedient children (v. 17);

(vi) four incomprehensible things (v. 18-20);

(vii) the four intolerable things (vv. 21-23);

(viii) four little wise things (vv. 24-28) and

(IX) four great things (v. 29 to end).

Verses 1-6

Some consider that the word Agur does not mean the name of the author of this chapter, but his characteristic; he was a collector (what the word means), a collector who does not compose works himself, but collects wise sayings and the observations of others, and summarizes their writings, which some take as the basis for his saying (v. 3): "And I did not learn wisdom myself, but was a copyist, or secretary taking dictation, of other wise and learned men." Note, We must not bury our talent, even if it be but one, but, having received a gift, serve it, even if it be to collect the works of others. But we believe that it is rather his name, which no doubt was well known at that time, although it is no longer mentioned in Scripture. Are called

(1.) The names of his disciples, Ithiel and Ukal, whom he instructed and who consulted him as a prophet, having a great opinion of his wisdom and piety. Perhaps they wrote what he dictated, as Baruch wrote the words of Jeremiah's mouth, and through their efforts this work has been preserved; they were ready to confirm that he belonged to him, for these words he addressed to them; they both witnessed it. Or

(2) these names are mentioned as a topic of conversation. Iphiel means "God is with me" as Emmanuel means "God is with us". The Word calls him "God is with us", faith accepts this and calls Him "God is with me; He loves me, gave himself for me, I am allowed to fellowship and be in union with Him.” Ukal means "powerful", for help for us was entrusted to a powerful person. Therefore, many good interpreters apply this name to the Messiah, for all the prophecies testify to Him, why then not this? This is what Agur says about Ithiel, specifically about Ithiel (English translation), since this name is stressed, which is with us (Is. 7:14).

In these verses, the prophet has three goals:

I. Humiliate yourself. Before confessing his faith, he confesses his stupidity, weakness, and lack of reason, from which it follows that we must be guided and act according to faith. Before talking about the Savior, he says that he needs the Savior and without Him he is nothing; before we enter into Jesus Christ, we must go out of ourselves.

1. He speaks of himself as needing righteousness and acting very foolishly. Remembering his past, he admits: "Indeed, I am more ignorant than any of the people." "Every man is mad" (Jer. 10:14). But the man who knows his own heart knows more of the bad about himself than about anyone else, and therefore exclaims: “Truly, I cannot get rid of the thought that I am more ignorant than any of the people; Truly, no one has such an evil heart as mine. I acted like a man who does not have the mind of Adam, who has hopelessly deteriorated, lost the knowledge and righteousness inherent in the first man. Moreover, I have no sanity and human reason, otherwise I would not have done so. While some addressed Agur as a man wiser than others, he himself considered himself more stupid than others. Whatever high opinion others may have of us, it becomes us to think modestly of ourselves.

2. He speaks of himself as a man in need of revelation to lead him on the path of truth and wisdom. He admits (v. 3): “I did not learn wisdom by my own strength (its depth cannot be measured by my line and plumb line), and I do not have the knowledge of saints - the knowledge of angels, our first parents in the period of innocence, the knowledge of holy truths about God. I cannot penetrate them and judge them any more than God is pleased to reveal to me.” The natural man, the forces of nature cannot comprehend this; nay, they do not receive that which is of the Spirit of God. Some believe that Agur was asked, as in his time the prophet Apollo: "Who is the wisest man?" The answer is: "Who is aware of his own ignorance, especially in divine matters." Hoc tantum scio, me nihil scire - all I know is that I don't know anything.

II. To exalt Jesus Christ and in Him the Father (v. 4): "Who ascended into heaven ... etc."

1. Some hold that it speaks of God and his works, which are incomparable and unsearchable. He calls on mankind to think about heaven, winds, waters and earth: “Who can say that he ascended to heaven, considered celestial bodies and then descended to describe them? Who can say that he obeys the winds, that he can collect them in handfuls and control them like God? Who can bind the waves of the sea with sheets of the sea, as God did? Who has set all the limits of the earth, or can describe the strength of its foundations and the breadth of its borders? Tell me, what is the name of that person who would dare to compete with God or be His adviser, or, if he died, what is the name of the one to whom He bequeathed this great secret?

2. Others believe that these words are dedicated to Christ, Iphiel and Ukal, the Son of God, for the question is addressed both to the name of the Son and the Father, and the challenge is for anyone who is ready to compete with Him. We must not exalt Christ as the only Person who was revealed to us, for then we exalt Him as the only one who was hidden, about whom they knew something, but had a very vague and imperfect idea. With our ears we have heard a rumor about him, but we cannot describe him (Job 28:22). No doubt it was God who gathered the wind into handfuls and tied the water into a garment, but what is His name? This is the name I AM I AM (Ex. 3:14), which is to be admired but not understood. What is the name of His Son, through whom all this was done? The Old Testament saints believed that the Messiah is the Son of the Blessed One, and therefore He is spoken of here as a Person different from the Father, but His name remained a mystery. Note, The great Redeemer, in the glory of his providence and grace, cannot be compared with any, nor known in all perfection.

(1.) The glory of the kingdom of his grace is unsearchable and cannot be compared with anything; for who but him ascended into heaven and descended? Who, besides Him, is perfectly aware of both worlds and has free access to them, and who, on this basis, is suitable to establish communion between them and be a Mediator, like Jacob's ladder? He was in heaven in the bosom of the Father (John 1:1,18); thence He came down to put on our nature, and never again was there such indulgence. In this nature He ascended again (Eph. 4:9) to receive the promised glory of His exalted state. And who but Him could do it? (Rom. 10:6).

(2) The glory of the kingdom of His providence is also unsearchable and incomparable. Heaven and earth were reconciled by the Creator who created them, who directs everything. His control of the three lower substances - atmosphere, water and earth - is delineated here. The movements of the air obey His commands. Satan presents himself as a prince in the air, but even in this sphere Christ has all power: He commanded the winds, and they obeyed Him.

The boundaries of the water are also subject to His commands: He tied the water in a garment; hitherto it reaches and does not pass (Job 38:9-11).

He established the foundations of the earth. In the beginning He founded it and still maintains it. If Christ had not intervened, the foundations of the earth would crumble under the weight of the curse that fell upon the earth for the sin of man. Who and what is the One who does all this? We cannot find and fully comprehend God and the Son of God. O abyss of the knowledge of God!

III. Convince us of the truth of God's word and recommend it to us (v. 5, 6). Most likely, the disciples of Agur were instructed by him about God's truths. “Alas,” he says, “I cannot take upon myself the responsibility of instructing you; turn to the Word of God; see what He reveals there about Himself, about His mind and will; you don't need to know more than it teaches you, and you can rely on it because it is reliable and sufficient. Every word of God is pure; there is not the slightest admixture of lies and vice in it. Words written by men should be listened to and read with distrust and suspicion, but we have not the slightest reason to suspect that the word of God is inferior. It is like silver melted down seven times (Ps. 11:7), without the slightest impurity and debris. Your word is very pure (Ps. 119:140).

1. It is reliable, and therefore we must trust it and not be afraid to entrust our soul to it. God in His word and promise is a shield, a strong defense for all who trust in His protection and trust in Him. The Word of God, received by faith, will make us calm in the midst of the greatest dangers (Ps. 45:2,3).

2. It is sufficient, so we need not add anything to it (v. 6): “Do not add to his words, for they are pure and perfect. This verse forbids to put forward not only words that are contrary to the word of God, but also rival with it; even if we pronounce them under the plausible pretext of interpreting the word of God, but at the same time they claim equality with him, then by doing so we add to his words and not only condemn him for insufficiency, but also open the door to all kinds of errors and vices, for thousands commit a great foolishness, accepting the word of any person or group of people with the same faith and reverence as the word of God. We must content ourselves with what God has deemed sufficient for us to know of His own understanding, and not desire to be wiser than what is written, for

(1.) God will be indignant and take it as a disgusting insult: "He will reprove you, consider you a betrayer of his crown and dignity, and also lay on you the hard lot of those who add to or subtract from his words" (Deut. 4). :2;12:32).

(2) We will involve ourselves in a chain of endless errors: “You will be found to be a liar, perverting the word of truth, a propagator of heresy, guilty of terrible falsifications, counterfeiting the seal of heaven, and claiming to divine mission and inspiration, when in fact it is all a hoax. People can be deceived in this way, but God cannot be mocked.”

Verses 7-9

After confessing his faith and beliefs, Agur turns to God with a prayer, where we can pay attention:

I. To the preface to this prayer: "Two things I ask of You, O God!" Before turning to prayer, it is good to think about what we need and what we will ask God for. What do we need in this situation? What do our hearts desire? What do we want God to do for us? - so that we don't have to look for something to ask for when it's time to handle needs. He asks: "Do not refuse me before I die." When we pray, we should think about death and pray accordingly. “Lord, send me forgiveness, peace and grace before I go away and I am gone, for if I am not renewed and sanctified before my death, then this will not be done after it either. If I do not prevail in prayer before I die, then subsequent prayers will not succeed, Lord. In the grave, such wisdom will no longer be useful. Deny me not Thy grace, for without it I will die and perish; if You remain silent, then I will be like those who go down into the grave (Ps. 27:1). Do not refuse me before I die; as long as I live in the land of the living, let me live in the company of Your grace and gracious providence.”

II. For prayer itself. The two things he asks for are sufficient grace and daily bread.

1. Grace, which would be sufficient for his soul: “Remove vanity and falsehood from me; deliver me from sin, from vicious principles, deeds and attachments, from errors and delusions, which are the root of all sins, from love for this world and its blessings, which are all vanity and lies. Some believe that this is a prayer for the forgiveness of sin, for when God forgives sin, He removes and blots it out. But, rather, this prayer has the same essence as the words "lead us not into temptation." For us there is nothing more harmful than sin, so we should pray especially earnestly so as not to do evil. 2. Daily bread for his body. Having prayed for the actions of divine grace, here he prays for the favor of divine providence, but that this contribute to his good, and not harm the soul.

(1.) He prays that God will give him enough good things for this life: "...feed me with my daily bread, such bread as You think fit and can let me eat." We must ask for divine wisdom, as we ask for all other gifts of divine providence. Or he means “bread that is suitable for me as a husband, head of the family, corresponds to my position and living conditions in this world”, for what a person is, such is his material support. Our Savior seems to be referring to this passage when he teaches us to pray, "Give us our daily bread," just as this passage seems to refer to Jacob's oath when he desired only bread to eat and clothes to wear. We should be content with only our daily bread without any delicacies, various dishes and excesses, having what is necessary, in the absence of pleasures and decorations. We can pray for this with faith and trust in God that He will give what we ask.

(2) He prays that God will keep him from life situations which would be a temptation for him.

He prays against excessive wealth and need: "... do not give me poverty and wealth." Thus, he does not prescribe to God and does not try to teach Him what conditions of living He should provide him; nor does he pray that poverty and wealth be absolutely ruled out as containing evil, for by the grace of God every extreme can be sanctified and become a means to our good.

First, by this he wants to express how wise and pious people highly value the intermediate state between these extremes, and with submission to the will of God wishes that this was his position: there was neither great honors nor great contempt. We must learn to cope with both situations (as St. Paul, Phil. 4:12), and always want to be in between. Optimus pecuniae modus qui nec in paupertatem cedit nec procul a paupertate discedit - the best position is one that is not characterized by poverty, but not far from it (Seneca).

Secondly, by doing so, he speaks of his holy zeal for himself, that he will not be able to resist the temptations that accompany either a distressed or a prosperous state. Others may maintain their integrity in both positions, but he fears both. Therefore grace teaches him to pray against wealth, while nature against poverty; but Thy will be done, Lord.

He gives a godly reason for his prayer (v. 9). He does not say: “Don’t make me rich so that I am constrained by attention and neighbors envy me, so that I eat with a crowd of servants” or: “Don’t make me poor so that they trample on me, so that I have to work hard and hard to get bread ". He says: “So that when I become rich or poor, I would not sin.” In any position or situation, a godly person is most afraid of sinning. Nehemiah testifies: "... so that I would be afraid and do so and sin" (Neh. 6:13).

Firstly, he fears the temptations of a prosperous position and therefore even protests against it: “Lest I be fed up and deny You (as Israel, who grew fat, became stubborn and left God who created him, Deut. 32:15) and did not say how Pharaoh in his pride: "Who is the Lord that I should listen to His voice?" Prosperity makes people proud, and they forget about God, as if they did not need Him and did not owe Him anything. What will the Almighty do for them? (Job 22:17). Therefore, they do nothing for Him. Even godly people are afraid of sins - they consider their own hearts so crafty; they also know that the greatest gains in the world will not balance the least guilt.

Secondly, he fears the temptation of poverty, and therefore, and for no other reason, protests against it: "... so that the poor man does not steal." Poverty is a strong temptation to dishonest deeds, and those who are overcome by these temptations think that it serves as an excuse for them. But if they say: “I stole because I am poor,” then this will help them no more in the judgment of God than in the judgment of man. At the same time, if a person stole to feed his soul when he was hungry, then he deserves compassion (Prov. 6:30), and even some who obey the principles of honor can do it. But note that Agur fears poverty, not because he may be in danger, and does not say: “So that the obedient does not begin to steal and be hanged for this, beaten with a whip or chained in a log, or sold into slavery ...”, as the Jews did with poor thieves who did not have the necessary funds to repair the damage; he is afraid in such a situation to dishonor God: "So that the impoverished would not steal and use the name of my God in vain", that is, so that he would not discredit the profession of his faith by actions unusual for it. Or: “So that the impoverished person does not begin to steal, and when I am called to account for this, I do not begin to bear false witness against myself.” He is afraid of one sin, because another will follow, for the road of sin goes down. Notice that he calls God his God, and therefore, because of this relationship, he is afraid to do something that might offend Him.

Verses 10-14

It sounds here:

I. A warning not to insult other people's slaves, as well as your own, and not to harm them and their masters, as this is bad, outrageous and makes a person disgusting in the eyes of others (v. 10). Think:

(1) it will offend the slave, whose plight already makes him an object of compassion, therefore it is cruel to add suffering to the suffering person: language; especially this should not be done to a slave who is an unequal rival and whom we should rather protect if his master is harsh with him, and not inflame him even more.

(2) “It may harm us ourselves. If a slave is provoked in this way, he may curse you, accuse you and bring disaster, speak bad words against you and tarnish your reputation, or he may complain against you to God and incur the wrath of God, who is the Protector and protector of trampled innocence.

II. According to this warning, a description of some wicked generations of people, who were justly hated by all virtuous and godly people.

1. These include those who insult their parents, speak evil of them and wish them harm, call them bad names and actually harm them. There is a kind of such; young men of a similar disposition most often stick together and turn each other against their parents. The offspring of vipers are those who curse their natural parents, state power and their servants, because they cannot bear their yoke. By kinship, those who, although they have not yet reached such a degree of wickedness as to curse their parents, do not bless them, cannot say a good word to them and do not pray for them.

2. These include arrogant people who, under the guise of holiness, hide and keep secret from others and, possibly, from themselves, the depravity that reigns in them (v. 12). They are pure in their own eyes, as if in all respects they are what they should be. They have a very good opinion of themselves and their character, consider themselves not only righteous, but also rich good deeds(Rev. 3:17), but they did not cleanse themselves from all filthiness, from impurities in their hearts, which they consider to be their best part. They may be swept and adorned, but not washed and sanctified like the Pharisees, who were full of all uncleanness inside (Matt. 23:25,26).

3. Who is arrogant and despises everyone around (v.13). The author speaks of them, marveling at their unbearable pride and arrogance: “Oh, how arrogant their eyes are!” With what arrogance they look upon their neighbors, as if they were not worthy to be near the dogs guarding their herds! At what distance do they keep all people; and when they look at themselves, they become pompous and self-satisfied, like a peacock, thinking that they are making themselves famous, when in fact they become ridiculous! There is a generation upon which He who opposes the proud will pour out contempt.

4. They are those who are cruel to the poor, and rude to those who are at their mercy (v. 14). They have teeth of iron and steel; swords and knives are instruments of cruelty, with which they devour the poor with unimaginable pleasure, and with such greed, as if they were hungry, they cut their meat and eat it. God arranged everything in such a way that we will always have the poor and they will not disappear from the earth, but there are those who, not wanting to help them, out of hatred, if they could, exterminated them from the earth, from among people, especially the poor of God. Some believe that it speaks of those who hurt and destroy others by their slander and false accusations, and also severely condemn their eternal state; their tongues and teeth (which are also organs of speech) are swords and knives (Ps. 56:5).

Verses 15-17

The author has already spoken of those who devour the poor (v. 14), and spoke of them last, as the worst of the four generations listed; and now he speaks of their insatiability when they do this. To this they are inclined by their own cruelty and greed - the main features of their character. These are the two daughters of insatiability, worthy of her offspring, who cry: “Come on, come on, give more blood, more money for they are bloodthirsty; intoxicated with blood, they continue to feel thirsty and again seek blood. He who loves silver will never be satisfied with silver. And, devouring the poor under the influence of these two principles, they constantly trouble themselves, as enemies of David (Ps. 58:15,16). To further illustrate this:

I. The author defines the following four insatiable things, with which he compares these devourers and which will not say: "Enough" or: "This is wealth." A hungry person will never become rich. And these four objects that are constantly hankering are:

(1) hell, where crowds of people have fallen and still continue to fall; she absorbs them and brings none back. Hell and Abaddon are insatiable-we (Prov. 27:20). When our turn comes, we will see that the grave is ready for us (Job 17:1).

(2) A barren womb that looks forward to suffering because of its barrenness, and cries out like Rachel, "Give me children."

(3) A land that is not saturated with water during a drought (especially in hot countries) and absorbs rain when it is plentiful, but soon thirsts for water again.

(4) A fire which, having consumed an enormous amount of fuel, continues to consume all the combustible materials which are continued to be thrown at it. Just as insatiable are the vicious desires of sinners, and just as little they satisfy them when they are indulged.

1. That this generation includes not only those who curse their parents in anger and passion, but also

(1.) Those who make fun of them, even if only a contemptuous eye is involved, looking at them with disdain because of their bodily weakness, or looking embittered and stubborn when they instruct or give commands; such children are intolerant of restrictions and angry at their parents. God pays attention to the way in which children look at their parents, and perceives malicious looks as slander against them.

(2) Those who despise obedience to them and consider it beneath their dignity to be obedient to their parents, especially mother, and reject her control. And so, who endured them in sorrow, bears their attitude with even greater sorrow.

2. What will be their fate. Whoever dishonors his parents will become a monument to God's vengeance; he will be hung on chains and birds of prey will peck out his eyes - those eyes that looked with contempt on pious parents. The dead bodies of criminals were not supposed to hang all night, because even before nightfall the crows pecked out their eyes. If parents do not punish disobedient children, then God will do it, and He will cover with a terrible shame those who behave arrogantly with their parents. Many of those who ended their lives in disgrace admitted that the wicked ways that led to this began with contempt for the authority of their parents.

Verses 18-23

Presented here:

I. A description of four things, incomprehensible, too miraculous to be fully understood.

1. The first three are natural things, which are given as a comparison to illustrate the latter. We cannot trace

(1) The paths of the eagle in the sky: we cannot determine whence it came by a trace or smell, as the path of an animal on the earth, and we cannot describe it because of the wonderful swiftness of its flight - so quickly it disappears from sight.

(2) The ways of the serpent on the rock. We can find the path of the serpent on the sand, but not its path on the rock, just as we cannot describe how the serpent, not the name of the feet, climbs to the top of the rock in a short time.

(3) Ways of a ship in the midst of the sea. Of course, the leviathan leaves a luminous path behind him; the abyss seems to be gray (Job. 41:24), but the ship leaves no signs behind it, and sometimes it is so thrown by the waves that you wonder how it remains unharmed in the sea and reaches its goal. The realm of nature is full of miracles that the God of nature has created, and they cannot be understood.

2. The fourth is the mystery of iniquity, which is the most difficult to describe; it belongs to the depths of Satan and is the result of deceit and extreme corruption of the heart, which cannot be comprehended (Jer. 17:9). It is dual:

(1.) The accursed art by which the vile tempter seduces the maiden and persuades her to submit to his impious and vile lust. The dissolute poet wrote a whole book about this, De arte amandi - about the art of love. With what pretense and solemn declarations of love, all kinds of powerful charms, promises of marriage, assurances of secrecy and reward, many gullible maidens agreed to sell their chastity, honor, peace, soul - and all this for a vile traitor; all this serves sinful lust in the realm of love. The more skillfully the temptation is planned, the more vigilant and resolute must be the pure heart that opposes it.

(2.) The accursed art by which a vile adulteress hides her depravity, especially from her husband, from whom she treacherously departs. Her intrigues with dissolute accomplices are so secret and so masterfully disguised that it is impossible to reveal them, as well as to follow the path of an eagle in the sky. She eats the forbidden fruit, which is very similar to Adam's crime, wipes her mouth so as not to give herself away, and then, with a brazen and shameless face, declares: "I did nothing wrong."

To the world, she denies this fact and is ready to swear that she is chaste and modest, like any woman, and has never acted wickedly, which she is suspected of. The deeds of darkness can be called those deeds that are carefully guarded so that they do not come into the light.

To her own conscience (if she still has it), she denies this offense and does not agree that any evil is a great evil, but considers it innocent entertainment (see Hos. 12:7,8). Thus thousands of people destroy their souls, calling evil good and confusing their reproofs with self-justification.

II. A description of the four unbearable things, that is, the four kinds of people who cause the most problems for the places where they live, for relatives and friends with whom they communicate. The earth shakes and groans from them, as if from an unbearable burden; and they are all similar.

1. The promoted slave, who was entrusted with power, becomes the most impudent and despotic of all other slaves (testifies Tobiah, the Ammonite slave, Nehemiah 2:10).

2. A stupid and stupid, rude, noisy and vicious person, having become rich and becoming participants in feasts, will disturb the whole company with his ridiculous conversations, offending others.

3. An evil, obstinate woman who got a husband. Previously, with her wickedness and pride, she made herself disgusting in the eyes of her loved ones, and therefore no one thought that anyone could love her at all. However, if she still manages to get married, then this honorable position makes her more intolerable, arrogant and contemptuous. It is a pity when an event that should make a person more tender has the opposite effect. A pious woman, having married, becomes more obedient.

4. An old maid who took the place of her mistress, because she indulged her and, as we say, knew her weaknesses, to whom the mistress leaves what she has, or who is dear to her, as if she were an heiress. Such a servant, if something is left to another, becomes unbearably proud and angry, believes that the mistress gives her too little, and herself - offended. Therefore, those whom providence has advanced in honor from their original low station should be vigilant and guard against this sin, to which they may be particularly subject. Their pride and arrogance before others will be especially unbearable and unforgivable; let such humble themselves, remembering the rock from which they were hewn.

Verses 24-28

I. Agur, having defined four things which seemed great, but were really contemptible, here denotes four things which may seem insignificant, but are really admirable. It is great in miniature, as Bishop Patrick observes; and here the author gives us some good lessons.

1. Do not admire the bodily volume, beauty or strength of people, do not give preference to them and do not evaluate them according to these criteria, but judge people by their wisdom, behavior, diligence and ability to do business. These characteristics really deserve respect.

2. To admire the wisdom and power of the Creator, manifested even in the smallest and most contemptible animals, such as the ant, as well as in the elephant.

3. To blame ourselves if we act contrary to our own good, as the most insignificant creatures do for their own well-being.

4. Do not despise the weaknesses of this world. There are beings who can be called small on earth, poor in this world, unworthy of attention, but at the same time they are wiser than the wise; they are wise for the sake of their soul and the other world, wiser than the wise, wiser than their neighbors. They are wise, created wise thanks to a special natural instinct (written in the margin). All that is wise unto salvation is made wise by the grace of God.

1. Ant. The smallest animals are very weak, at the same time, while collecting suitable food, they are very industrious and show incomprehensible clairvoyance, collecting it in the summer, at the right time. This is a good example of wisdom, so that we can learn from them to be wise for the future (Prov. 6:6). When the skimms are poor and starving, the industrious ants have enough and know no need.

2. Rabbits (English translation), or, as some understand, Arabian mice, field mice, weak creatures, very timid, at the same time they have wisdom enough to build their houses on a rock, where they are well guarded, and weakness makes them to build shelters in natural fortresses and strongholds. The consciousness of our own weakness and need should draw us to the One who is the Rock, above us, in order to find refuge and support there. So let's build a home there. 3. Locust. They are also small in size, and they have no king, like bees, but she acts in squadrons, like an army lined up for battle, and, observing the good order in their ranks, it can be seen that they do not feel inconvenience from the fact that they have no king. They are called the great army of God (Joel. 2:25), for when He pleases, He collects, builds them up and with their help makes war, as it was in Egypt. She performs harmoniously (it is written in the margins). The awareness of our own weakness should motivate us to stick together so that we can strengthen each other's hands. 4. Spider. This is an insect, but it is the same example of diligence in our homes, as ants are in the fields. Spiders are very skilled in weaving webs, which are very beautiful and precise, in which no one can compare with them. The spider clings with its paws and weaves a beautiful thread from its bowels, doing it very skillfully. They live not only in poor peasant houses, but also in royal palaces, despite all the efforts of people to kill them. Providence miraculously maintains the existence of these kinds of creations, about which people not only do not care, but on which the hand of everyone rises, trying to destroy. Who cares about his business, who clings to it with his own hands, he will remain in the royal halls. Sooner or later they will advance and will continue to move in spite of the difficulties and sorrows they will have to face. If one beautiful web is swept away, he will make another.

Verses 29-33

Here:

I. Four things are listed that look majestic and grandiose when making a procession.

1. This is a lion, the king of beasts, as he is a strong man among the beasts. Among beasts, it is strength that gives advantage, but it is a pity that the same is observed among people whose honor is wisdom, not strength. The lion will not step aside in front of anyone, will not turn off the path for fear of the pursuers, because he knows that he is strong enough to compete with them. This is why it is said that the righteous man is bold as a lion, because he does not back down from his duty for fear of the difficulties he encounters in doing it.

2. Greyhound (English translation), whose loins are girded, ready to run; or (as written in the margin) a horse that cannot be missed, listing those who have a slender gait, especially when he is dressed in a harness or covered with a blanket.

3. A goat whose majesty stands out especially when he goes first and leads the flock. Christians look just as majestic when they come out first, doing good deeds, and leading others on the right path.

4. The king, who, when he appears in all his majesty, is looked upon with reverence and reverence, and then everyone comes to the conclusion that no one rises against him (English translation). No one can compete with him, no one can resist him, whoever he may be, because for him this is death. And if no one rebels against the earthly king, then woe to him who quarrels with his Creator. From the lion, we must learn to be brave and steadfast in all situations and not turn off the path because of the difficulties we face; in the greyhound - swiftness and diligence; at the goat - care for the family and those who are entrusted to our care; among kings, the ability to keep children in subjection with all seriousness; and all of them - to perform harmoniously and arrange the steps of their lives so as not only to be safe, but also to look attractive and harmonious.

II. A warning to all of us to control our mood always and in all provoking situations, to beware of excessively expressing our indignation in any situation, especially when it comes to the king, against whom no one rebels, if the ruler or boss is insulted. The rule is the same for everyone.

1. We should curb and suppress our passions and be ashamed when we are justly accused of it, and not insist on our own innocence. If in our arrogance, either because of proud conceit, or because of dissatisfaction with those in authority, we acted contrary to the laws corresponding to our place and position, then we did stupidity. Who exalts himself, opposing others, who is arrogant and arrogant, he dishonors himself and betrays his own weakness. Moreover, even if we thought evil, but realized that we allowed evil thoughts to settle in our mind or they were offered to us, then we must put our hand on our mouth, that is

(1) humble themselves because of their transgressions and even lie down in the dust before God in sorrow, as Job did, repenting of his foolish words: "I put my hand on my mouth" (Job. 40: 4), like a reproved leper who before the mouth must be closed. If we have done stupidity, then we should not demonstrate it in front of people, but acknowledge our own guilt in silence, which will in the best possible way appease the offended.

(2) We must hold back the bad thoughts that have arisen in our mind and not let them come out in the form of evil words. Do not give evil thoughts imprimatur - permission; do not advertise them, but put your hand on your mouth; apply holy violence to yourself, if necessary, and enjoy silence; so Christ did not allow evil spirits speak. It is bad to have evil thoughts, but it is even worse to pronounce them, for this implies agreement with them and a desire to infect others with them.

2. We must not arouse the passions of other people. Some provoke so much by their words and behavior that they arouse anger and irritate those around them, regardless of their own state, arousing passions not only in those who are not inclined to be angry, but also in those who have decided not to succumb to anger. Such arousal of anger produces a quarrel, and where there is quarrelsomeness, there is disorder and everything bad. Just as churning milk brings out the best of it, and a blow to the nose produces blood, so inciting anger exhausts the body and spirit of a person, depriving him of all the best. Just as the churning of milk and a push in the nose are done with the use of force, since otherwise it cannot be done, so the spirit is gradually inflamed with strong passions. One angry word begets another, and that a third; one passionate discussion becomes the beginning of another, and so on until it ends in irreconcilable enmity. Therefore, let's make sure that our words do not inflame passions, but are accompanied by gentleness and calmness.

VI. Sayings of Agur (chapter 30)

A. Introduction (30:1)

Prov. 30:1. Who this Agur was is unknown. But the modesty and humility of this man (verses 2-4), his inquisitiveness and observation (verses 5-33) attract attention. The phrase inspired sayings sounds in English. translations of the Bible as "prophecy" (in the sense of some important message). It is not known who were Iphiel and Ukal, to whom Agur addressed.

B. Knowledge of God (30:2-9)

1. GOD IS UNKNOWABLE TO MAN (30:2-4)

Prov. 30:2-3. Agur begins his conversation with Ufiil and Ukal by stating the extreme limitations of understanding and knowledge that are inherent in people in general and him in particular. The fact that he puts himself in this sense below other people, rather testifies to his humility than to the actual state of affairs. The end of verse 3 in English. the translation sounds like the knowledge of the Holy One (i.e., God; compare Prov. 9:10) I do not have.

Prov. 30:4. The only answer to the questions posed here is the word "God". They are consonant with what the Creator Himself asks Job (Job 38). The first phrase of verse 4 is reminiscent of Jesus Christ (Eph. 4:8-10). It is likely that the "clothes" in which God tied the water are called clouds (compare Job 26:8). In general, this entire verse is a poetic expression of the idea that it is impossible for people to penetrate any deep into the mysteries of creation and the world order established by God, as well as into the mystery of His Personality. The question about the name of God, to which man has no answer, is the question about His nature.

Even less able was the man of the Old Testament time to answer the question about "the name of His son." But Agur, who placed him, in essence means: "Did He transfer His nature and properties to someone else, who as a result of this could be called His son?" Let us note in this connection that some theologians are inclined to see a vague premonition (and the Old Testament time) of the presence and activity of the Son in the universe in the description of the "birth" and activity of the Wisdom of God (Prov. 8:22 et seq.).

2. ACCESS TO THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD MAN GETS THROUGH HIS WORD (30:5-6)

Prov. 30:5-6. Verse 4 emphasizes man's inability to independently know the nature of God. And in verses 5-6 it is given to understand that a person can still know the Creator, but only through His word. It is pure, that is, devoid of any far-fetched "impurities", because there is a revelation of God Himself about Himself. Those who trusted Him come into direct contact with Him, and He becomes for them a shelter and protection ("shield") from life's troubles. Prov. 30:5 sounds almost identical to Ps. 17:31.

The warning "not to add to His words" (compare Deut. 4:2; Rev. 22:18-19) implies the danger threatening people to "complement" God's pure revelation with their own speculations. Theology cannot be based on human ideas, but must proceed from the written word of God. It is dangerous for a person to think that he is able to know more about God than He wishes to reveal to him about Himself. Those who think this way can stray so far from the truth that they become "liars" in the eyes of God.

3. PRAYER OF AGHUR (30:7-9)

Prov. 30:7-9. The phrase Two things puts this statement in a kind of "numerical form". We encounter it in five more sentences in this chapter: verses 15b-16, 18-19, 21-23, 24-28, 29-31. The request at the beginning of the prayer (verse 8) confirms Agur's humility (compare verses 2-3). And she speaks of his wisdom, for, realizing his human weakness and the moral instability associated with it, he asks God to help him, while he is alive, in two things, so that they do not serve to remove Agur from Him: may God not let him obey vanity and falsehood prevailing in this world, and save it from the temptations that come with extreme poverty and excessive wealth.

Agur asks the Creator for only moderate prosperity - "daily bread" for every day (compare Matt. 6:11). After all, having become rich, he may imagine that he no longer needs God (compare Deut. 8:12-17), but, having fallen into poverty, be tempted by theft; it is "easy" for a man who has fallen to pronounce the name of God without proper reverence.

C. Observations on life (30:10-33)

1. ADVICE (30:10)

Prov. 30:10. Here is a warning against interfering in domestic affairs. strangers. The curse can fall on the head of the one who falsely accused another's slave, either on his part or on the part of his master. And this curse - not "deserved" (cf. 26:2) - can, figuratively speaking, "achieve its purpose."

2. THE FOUR KINDS OF PEOPLE DESERVING JUDGMENT (30:11-14)

These are children who hate their parents (verse 11), they are narcissistic hypocrites and arrogant people, and, finally, they are heartless oppressors of the "poor".

Prov. 30:12. Those who are mired in moral impurity and pride (otherwise they would not be pure in their own eyes!), often think that they are "clean" in the eyes of God. These are called hypocrites.

Prov. 30:13. Arrogance and arrogance are often condemned in Proverbs and elsewhere in the Bible. Prov. 6:16-17; 21:4; Ps. 17:28; 100:5; Is. 10:12.

Prov. 30:14. Those who do not know pity for the poor, who profit at their expense, are likened to a predatory beast. compare Ps. 13:4.

3. ON THE GLAVORITY OF THE "FOUR" (30:15-16)

Prov. 39:15-16. Insatiability in the Russian text (verse 15) corresponds to the Hebrew alu-ka (English Liich), which means "leech" (which symbolizes "insatiability"). Regarding the stylistic feature expressed by the number three followed by four (X and X, plus I), which is also inherent in verses 18,21,29, in the commentary on Prov. 6:16. The four insatiable are personified: they, like people, will never say: "enough!" These are the underworld (sheol) that devours all the new dead (compare 27:20), the womb of a barren woman, thirsting for the birth of life in herself, the earth, heated by heat, ready to absorb water endlessly, and, finally, the fire that will not go out, as long as there is something to burn.

4. WARNING (30:17)

Prov. 30:17. It speaks figuratively of the fate of those who “neglect” their father and mother (compare with verse 11). The implication is that after death (cf. 20:20) they will remain unburied and fall prey to birds of prey. (Ravens of the valley means "ravens from the valley").

5. ABOUT FOUR THINGS AMAZING AND INCOMPLETE, AND ABOUT THE FIFTH COMPARISON WITH THEM (30:18-20)

Prov. 30:18-20. It would seem that what do the "ways" listed in verse 19 have in common? However, they find "common" in them: this is their mystery and "inconspicuousness" (inconspicuousness). It may sound somewhat unexpected to compare with them the "fifth way": a depraved woman to a man (implied in verse 20). It is again explained by incomprehensibility (here from the point of view of common sense; after all, the abomination of the behavior of an adulterous wife, for whom it is no more difficult to sin than to eat, would seem obvious: why is her path to a man so easy?).

6. THE FOUR INCREDIBLE THINGS (30:21-23)

Prov. 30:21-23. The figurative speech of verse 21 contains hyperbole and the device of metonymy: by "the shaking earth, which cannot endure" the perverse phenomena enumerated then, are meant the people living on the earth. The parable conveys the idea of ​​the need for harmony in the family and society, in which everyone takes his proper place. Violation of this principle is associated with many troubles. Thus, it is worthless for a slave, i.e., a person incompetent in matters of government and, moreover, possessing the features of the so-called "slave psychology", i.e., flattering, crafty, lazy and ruthless, to become a king.

For the same reasons, it is unsuitable for a maid to take the place of her mistress. By "stupid" in verse 22 is meant a person who is morally stupid, who, given the opportunity to eat his fill, will completely lose the ability to perceive things correctly and respond to the needs of others. A "shameful woman" (according to other translations - "hated", "unloved"), having married, she herself will not find happiness and will not bring it to her family.

7. FOUR SMALL BUT WISE IN THIS WORLD (30:24-28)

These verses are united by the idea of ​​the superiority of wisdom over physical strength (compare 21:22, 24:5). The concept of "wisdom" of animals and insects here includes their industriousness, coordination of actions, perseverance in achieving goals.

Prov. 30:24-28. Tiny weak ants survive by their foresight (compare 6:6-8). The same applies to "mountain mice" (or "rabbits" in other translations), which flee from strong animals in their mountain burrows (compare with Ps. 103:18, which speaks of "hares" having shelter among stone cliffs) .

The locust, which does not have a "leader" - the king, nevertheless, observes an amazing order when moving and therefore is able to devastate kilometers of sown fields. In verse 28, it is more correct to read not a spider, but "lizard." Lizards, although weak creatures, are dexterous, and therefore run and huddle in the royal halls.

8. OF THE FOUR MAGNIFICENT BEINGS (30:29-31)

Prov. 30:29-31. Their majesty (apparently contrasted with the physical insignificance of the creatures listed in verses 25-28) is figuratively expressed in the ability to "step and walk in harmony." The enumeration of representatives of the animal world unexpectedly ends with the "king" as a strong and majestic personality among his people. Here is a hint at the need for a firm royal power for the improvement human society. They also see here a hint of God's order of things, in which everything in the world has its place: both small and strong.

9. COUNCIL (30:32-33)

Prov. 30:32-33. Putting your hand on your mouth in the context of verse 32 means "Calm down, stop doing stupid things and thinking evil." Because otherwise, quarrels and misfortunes cannot be avoided.

Some unbearable, unbearable phenomena are listed. One of them is "a shameful woman when she marries." What is this verse talking about? What does "disgraceful woman" mean? The first guess may be wrong, because there is a mistranslation here.

From three the earth trembles, from four it cannot bear: 22 a servant when he becomes king; stupid when he eats bread to the full; 23 shameful woman, when she marries, and a servant when she takes the place of her mistress.

What associations does the expression "shameful woman" generate? Naturally, the reader thinks of a harlot, a harlot, a prostitute.

Hebrew word Sanuah(sanua), which is translated as "shameful woman" * comes from sane(hate, dislike), rather means "hated" or "unloved". Compare with other Scriptures:

If anyone has two wives, one beloved and the other unloved…

If anyone takes a wife and goes in to her, and hate her…

If anyone takes a wife and becomes her husband, and she will not find favor in his eyes because he finds something nasty in her, and he will write her a bill of divorce, and give it to her, and let her go out of his house, 2 and she will go out of his house, go and marry another husband, 3 but also this last husband hate and write her a bill of divorce, and give it into her hands, and let her go out of his house...

The meaning of the verb “hate” can be established from the verse, where it is said about the same attitude of the husband towards the wife that she did not find the favor (favor, good disposition) of her husband. Authors Synodal translation, undoubtedly caught this shade of meaning, since they translated it quite correctly. In all the above passages, including the one to which this note is devoted, the word sane means a woman whom her husband does not love (or no one loves - and therefore she remains unmarried).

The mistake of the authors of the Synodal translation is also repeated by Ivan Ogienko, who translates Sanuah as a "pervert". It can be assumed that both Ivan Ogienko and the authors of the Synodal Translation reasoned something like this: “What kind of woman is hated by God? Depraved, shameful - that is, a harlot. This is just an assumption, and we cannot know the motives of the translators for sure, but we can know for sure how our passage is translated correctly: “the situation or behavior of a woman whom no one loved and who got married is intolerable, intolerable.”

Keil & Delitzsch write in their comment that this woman must be an old maid who has never been loved by anyone and married after a long period of loneliness; such a woman, they write, can become haughty and arrogant, intolerable behavior giving vent to accumulated pain. Their interpretation fits well with the correct translation above.

*) The word "woman" is not in the original source at all, it is implied through the use of a substantivized feminine participle. The substantiated part of speech is the part of speech that plays the role of a noun; examples include the ethnonym "Russian": this undoubted adjective can mean "Russian people", "representative of the Russian people".

© 2016 Nikolay Gudkovich.

1. Inscription. 2–6. An introduction to what follows, with reflections on the immensity of the universe, on the greatness and omnipotence of God, and on the meaning and immutability of the word of God. 7–10. a tributary to God about saving him from extremes in the possession of material goods and from the temptations of unbelief and wickedness; in connection with the foregoing, the instruction (v. 10), forbidding slandering a slave in the presence of his master. 11–14. Four parables about different types of wickedness. 15–16. About insatiability different types. 17. An intercalary judgment on the severity of tria disrespect to parents. 18–20. Incomprehensible in the physical and human world. 21–23. Something difficult to bear due to seeming unnaturalness. 24–26. Small in appearance and at the same time great in meaning. 29–31. Analogy of the king in the animal kingdom. 32–33. Warning against arrogance and anger.

. The words of Agur son of Jakeev. Inspirational sayings that this man said to Ithiel, Ithiel and Ukal:

The meaning and meaning of this inscription, as well as inscriptions, in ancient times and in modern times were understood differently, depending on whether the Hebrew Agur was taken as a proper name, a common noun, or in another way. The Targum recognizes this word as the proper name of the unknown king, the Midrash, on the contrary, considers that the same allegorical name of Solomon, like Kogelet or Ecclesiastes, also many rabbis, as well as the blessed. Jerome, who sees Solomon in Agura and David in Jacaea, verba congregantis filii vomentis (Vulg.). LXX, in their translation, eliminate the very idea of ​​any Agura-king. Slav.: " this man says to those who believe in God, and I rest:". In modern times, many Western interpreters were ready to see in Agur, as then in Lemuel, a king or in general the ruler of the Idumean region Massa (; ), meaning used in both cases - and - Heb. weight; while both of these persons, Agur and Lemuel, are revered either by pagans or proselytes of Judaism. With all accuracy and indisputability, the question can hardly be decided. However, it is more thorough to consider both names proper names some teachers of the sages, of whom Lemuel was undoubtedly the king (), probably the ruler of the said Mass. This is not directly stated about Agura - Heb. mass in has a nominal meaning: "saying e". It is quite possible to assume that in the sayings of Agur () and Lemuel () we have a product or at least an echo of the intellectual culture of the “sons of the east" - Arabs, Edomites, etc., as in the book of Job (), but under the defining and transformative influence biblical-Hebrew, so that neither in content nor in the form of speech, both sections differ from the rest of the book. The name Iphiel is found as the name of a person, in. Like Agur's name, Ithiel and Ukal must designate well-known persons, perhaps listeners of Agur's disciples.

. truly, I am more ignorant than any of the people, and I have no human mind,

. and I have not learned wisdom, and I do not have the knowledge of saints.

. Who ascended to heaven and descended? who gathered the wind into his handfuls? who tied water in clothes? who set all the ends of the earth? what is his name? and what is the name of his son? Do you know?

At the forefront of his influx teaching, Agur considers a resolute recognition of the complete limitation of understanding and knowledge (vv. 2–3) of his own, and of course, of people in general, a recognition full of truly religious humility (cf.), and at the same time characteristic of true philosophy (You can recall Socratic: “I only know that I know nothing”). Questions Art. 4, like the questions of Jehovah's speech in the book of Job (), the essence is an oratorical, poetic way of expressing the thought that none of the people is able to penetrate the secrets of God's peacemaking and world-providing activity: man is a complete ignoramus in understanding the wonders of nature; the phenomena of the atmosphere, rain, snow, wind, clouds are only an object of amazement for a person, forming his own, inaccessible to a mortal, area of ​​dominion of the Creator. Nevertheless, of course, it can by itself learn about the essence of the Creator himself, or - especially in the Old Testament times - His Son (what was said in the words about the peace-making activity of the Hypostatic Wisdom of God - the Son of God, apparently constituted rather a vague foreboding of the existence and activity of the Son of God, than certain concept of Him, which was made possible only in the New Testament).

. Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who trust in Him.

. Do not add to His words, lest He rebuke you and you turn out to be a liar.

Instead of fruitless and unsafe speculations about the inner life of the Divine and about the mysteries of creation inaccessible to human understanding, man must carefully and holily preserve the revealed word of God, proclaiming to man everything necessary for his good and salvation. The word of God is pure (v. 5, sn.), i.e., purified and free from impurities of human reasoning; and so it should remain: a person should not add anything to it, nor take anything away from it (v. 6, sn.; cf.), because both would be a distortion for the holiness of the word of God, and the one guilty of distorting it turned out to be would be a liar. The connection between Art. 4 on the one hand, and 5-6 on the other, is thus characterized by a transition from nature to revelation, from doubt and skepticism to positive faith and certainty of the truth.

. Two things I ask of You, do not refuse me before I die:

. remove vanity and falsehood from me, give me no poverty and riches, feed me with daily bread,

. lest I be satiated and deny you and say, “Who is the Lord?” and that, having become impoverished, he should not steal and use the name of my God in vain.

In a peculiar numerical form (cf.) of the parable, the tributary turning to God with a prayer indicates two main reasons for the sin of blasphemy and apostasy: this, firstly, is all kinds of vanity and insignificance, and especially lies of various kinds, and, secondly, the temptations of extreme poverty and excessive wealth (v. 8), in return for which Agur asks God to grant him moderate prosperity daily bread(cf.). That really excessive wealth and extreme poverty can dispose a person to those religious and moral offenses referred to in Art. 9 of the chapter under consideration, this is also confirmed by other biblical places, according to which excessive satiety with the blessings of the world easily leads to forgetfulness of God - for example, it happened more than once with the whole people of God (sl.); in turn, extreme need embitters people, causing them to slander, grumble, and even blasphemy ().

. Do not slander a slave before his master, lest he curse you and you remain guilty.

Outside of connection with the previous and subsequent, it is forbidden to take part in disputes between the master and the slave, so that the aggravation of the latter's guilt does not have unpleasant consequences for the person who interfered in their mutual relations.

. There is a generation that curses its father and does not bless its mother.

. There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes, while it is not washed from its impurities.

. There is a race - oh, how arrogant his eyes are, and how his eyelashes are lifted!

. There is a race whose teeth are swords and whose jaws are knives, to devour the poor on earth and the poor among men.

In this quatrain, each verse serves as a theme for the subsequent disclosure. So, the idea of ​​Art. 11, which speaks of the severity of the sin of disrespect to parents (cf. ;), is repeated with greater force in v. 17; idea of ​​Art. 12 about the moral impurity of a person who thinks he is clean, is more specifically disclosed below in Art. 18–20; about arrogance not only says Art. 13, but in more detail see Art. 21–23; mention in Art. 14 about the disruption of normal social life introduced by rapists serves as a pretext for a detailed disclosure of the idea of ​​the good of public and state improvement - in Art. 24–31.

Whereas in verses 11, 13, 14 the vices scourged by the tributary are called directly by name, in v. 12 sexual promiscuity is denoted by a common and actually metaphorical name - "uncleanness a", Heb. tsoa, actually: feces, litter (;), any excrement (), and then already - the moral licentiousness of women () and men.

. Insatiability has two daughters: "come on, come on!" Here are three insatiable, and four who will not say: "Enough!"

. Hell and a barren womb, earth that is not satisfied with water, and fire that does not say, “Enough!”

In this couplet, using the example of those who are never satiated: the underworld, the womb of a barren red-hot thirsty earth and fire (v. 16), the idea of ​​the boundlessness of greed, insatiability is revealed. This idea is symbolically represented in the name aluka(Art. 15). LXX convey this name in a word: βδέλλη, Vulgate - sanguisuga, glory. »leech«. In this name, interpreters see an indication of some female demonic creature - a ghost (similar to that mentioned in lilith), - one of those with which the popular faith and superstition of the Jews (especially the later ones) and other peoples of the East (Arabs, Hindus, Persians) inhabited deserts and areas of human dwellings; according to the word ( aluka from alak, elbow), in a word aluka it was the demonic monster that sucked blood from people (in the genus of a vampire of Western beliefs), which corresponds to the Latin “sanguisuga” and Slavic: “leech”. Not unbelievable is the assumption (Zekkler and others) about borrowing both the name aluk and the entire saying of Art. 15-16 from foreign beliefs (Indian, etc.), traces of which are most naturally found among the sayings of Agur, as in the book of Job (see O. Zokler in Lange Bibelwerk. Due Sprche Salomonis. s. s. 211-212. Cf. at A Glagoleva, Old Testament biblical teaching about angels. Kyiv 1900. p. 626).

. The eye that mocks the father and scorns obedience to the mother will be pecked out by the ravens of the valley, and the eagles will devour it!

. Three things are incomprehensible to me, and four I do not understand:

. the path of an eagle in the sky, the path of a serpent on a rock, the path of a ship in the midst of the sea, and the path of a man to a maiden.

. Such is the way of an adulterous wife; she ate and wiped her mouth, and said: "I did nothing wrong."

In this tercet, his main thought, representing the disclosure of the thought of Art. 12th, expressed in v. 20: This is the thought of the abomination and shamelessness of adultery. But this thought in Art. 18-19 is prepared by four comparisons: compared - 1) the path of an eagle in the sky; 2) the path of the snake on the rock; 3) the path of the ship in the middle of the sea; 4) and the path of the man to the girl. The point of comparison of all these objects is partly the inconspicuousness of their movement, but mainly their mysteriousness, incomprehensibility. The first feature connects with these verses also verse 20, which most closely adjoins the last comparison of v. 19th. Heb. alma, transmitted from the LXX usually: παροένος, by its root meaning - puelta nubilis, virgo matara, a girl who has reached puberty (see; ; ; . a shameful woman when she marries, and a maidservant when she takes the place of her mistress.

Here the idea of ​​Art. 13 about the perniciousness of arrogance and pride, and the special unbearability of pride is set off when people of low status reach a high economic and social position. All cases of this kind, named in Art. 22-23, seem abnormal to the tributary, violating the moral world order in human relations, and since the world of nature is also connected with the human world, those anomalies human life referred to in Art. 22-23, according to vv. 21 are unbearable even for the earth itself, and it trembles from them (cf.).

. the spider clings with its paws, but it happens in the royal halls.

The idea of ​​the intrinsic value of objects, apparently small, is developed here exclusively in comparisons from the world of animals and insects, by the example of which the necessity and benefits of wisdom, energy, harmonious subordination and perseverance in achieving goals are shown. In Art. 28 Hebrew word semamite, transferred to Russian. synod. “spider”, the Jewish tradition, confirmed by the data of archeology, was understood as: “lizard” (see Prof. A. A. Olesnitsky, Old Testament Temple, p. 854), LXX: καλαβώτης, Vulg.: Stellio).

. Here are three with a slender gait, and four are slender in appearance:

. the lion, the strong man among the beasts, will not step aside before anyone;

. horse and goat, [leader of the flock,] and a king among his people.

It is only at the end of this three-verse that the idea of ​​the importance and significance of royal power for the improvement of society is expressed - the thought in Art. 30 and 31a expressed only figuratively. And the connection with the previous section (vv. 24-28) is as follows: if, even in the absence of power, a private initiative of wisdom, energy, solidarity can produce favorable results, then in the presence of firm royal power, the benefits of all this increase tremendously.

. If you have done foolishness in your arrogance and thought evil, then put your hand on your mouth;

. for as churning milk produces butter, and a blow to the nose produces blood, so the arousal of anger produces quarrel.

The exhortation to restore the disturbed peace represents development.

1 Words of Agur: God is unsearchable; 5 the perfection of the words of God; 7 “give me neither poverty nor riches”; 10 "do not slander a servant before his master"; 11 generation of the wicked; 15 that is never satisfied; 17 mocking his father and mother; 18 incomprehensible; 21 what cannot be endured; 24 four creatures, small and wise; 29 "four harmoniously act"; 32 arousing anger.

1 The words of Agur son of Jakeev. inspirational sayings, which This man said to Ithiel, Ithiel and Ukal:

2 verily, I am more ignorant than any man, and I have no human understanding,

3 I have not learned wisdom, and I have no knowledge of the saints.

4 Who ascended into heaven and descended? who gathered the wind into his handfuls? who tied water in clothes? who set all the ends of the earth? what is his name? and what is the name of his son? Do you know?

5 Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who trust in Him.

6 Do not add to His words, lest He rebuke you, and you turn out to be a liar.

7 Two things I ask of You, do not refuse me before I die:

8 Remove vanity and falsehood from me; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with my daily bread,

9 lest, having had my fill, I renounce You and did not say, "Who is the Lord?" and that, having become impoverished, he should not steal and use the name of my God in vain.

10 Do not speak evil of a servant before his master, lest he curse you and you remain guilty.

11 There is a generation that curses its father and does not bless its mother.

12 There is a generation that is pure in their own eyes, while not washed from their filthiness.

13 There is a generation - oh, how arrogant his eyes are and how his eyelashes are raised!

14 There is a generation whose teeth are swords and their jaws are knives, to devour the poor on the earth and the poor among men.

15 Insatiability has two daughters: “come on, come on!” Here are three insatiable, and four who will not say: "Enough!" -

16 Hell and a barren womb, earth that is not satisfied with water, and fire that does not say, “Enough!”

17 The eye that mocks the father and disregards the obedience to the mother, the ravens of the valley will peck out and devour the eagles' chicks!

18 Three things are incomprehensible to me, and four I do not understand:

19 the way of the eagle in the sky, the way of the serpent on the rock, the way of the ship in the midst of the sea, and the way of the man to the maiden.

20 Such is the way of an adulterous wife; she ate and wiped her mouth, and said: "I did nothing wrong."

21 Three make the earth tremble, four it cannot bear:

22 servants when he becomes king; stupid when he eats bread to the full;

23 a disgraceful woman when she marries, and a maidservant when she takes the place of her mistress.

24 These are four little ones on earth, but they are wiser than the wise:

25 Ants are not a strong people, but in the summer they prepare their food;

26 Mountain mice are a weak people, but they make their houses on the rock;

27 The locusts have no king, but they all stand out in harmony;

28 The spider clings with its paws, but it happens in the royal halls.

29 Behold, three have a graceful gait, and four walk gracefully:

30 the lion, strong among the beasts, will not stand aside before anyone;

31 a horse and a goat, and a king among his people.

32 If in your arrogance you have done foolishness and thought evil, then put hand on mouth;

33 For just as churning milk produces butter, and a blow to the nose produces blood, so inciting anger produces strife.

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Proverbs of Solomon, 30 chapter