Adam Clarke's Bible Commentary Verse 1. The words of Agur the son of Jakeh ] The words Agur, Jakeh, Ithiel, and Ucal, have been considered by some as proper names: by others, as descriptive characters. With some, Agur is Solomon; and Jakeh, David; and Ithiel and Ural are epithets of Christ.
The Vulgate translates, Verba congregantis filii vomentis: visio, quam locutus est sir, cum quo est Deus, et qui Deo secum morante confortatus, ait. "The words of the collector, the son of the vomiter: the vision of the man who has God with him, and who is fortified by God dwelling with him, saith." COVERDALE makes the following words a title to the chapter: "The wordes of Agur the sonne of Jake.
"The prophecie of a true faithfull man, whom God hath helped; whom God hath comforted and nourished." The whole might be thus translated, keeping near to the letter: - "The words of the epistle of the obedient son." Or, "The words of the collector, the son of Jakeh. The parable which rbgh haggeber, the strong man, the hero, spake unto him who is God with me; to him who is God with me, even the strong God."The visioun that a man spake with whiche is God, and that God with him, wonyng confortid". - Old MS. Bible.
From this introduction, from the names here used, and from the style of the book, it appears evident that Solomon was not the author of this chapter; and that it was designed to be distinguished from his work by this very preface, which specifically distinguishes it from the preceding work.
Nor can the words in ver. 2, 3, 8, 9, be at all applied to Solomon: they suit no part of Solomon's life, nor of his circumstances. We must, therefore, consider it an appendix or supplement to the preceding collection; something in the manner of that part which the men of Hezekiah, king of Judah, had collected. As to mysteries here, many have been found by them who sought for nothing else; but they are all, in my view of the subject, hazarded and precarious. I believe Agur, Jakeh, Ithiel, and Ural, to be the names of persons who did exist, but of whom we know nothing but what is here mentioned. Agur seems to have been a public teacher, and Ithiel and Ucal to have been his scholars; and what he delivers to them was done by prophesy. It was what the prophets generally term am massa, an ORACLE, something immediately delivered by the Holy Spirit for the benefit of man.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-6 - Agur speaks of himself as wanting a righteousness, and having done very foolishly. And it becomes us all to have low thoughts of ourselves. He speaks of himself as wanting revelation to guide him in the ways of truth and wisdom. The more enlightened people are, the more they lamen their ignorance; the more they pray for clearer, still cleare discoveries of God, and his rich grace in Christ Jesus. In very.#(4) there is a prophetic notice of Him who came down from heaven to be ou Instructor and Saviour, and then ascended into heaven to be ou Advocate. The Messiah is here spoken of as a Person distinct from the Father, but his name as yet secret. The great Redeemer, in the glorie of his providence and grace, cannot be found out to perfection. Had it not been for Christ, the foundations of the earth had sunk under the load of the curse upon the ground, for man's sin. Who, and what is the mighty One that doeth all this? There is not the least ground to suspect anything wanting in the word of God; adding to his words open the way to errors and corruptions.
Original Hebrew דברי1697 אגור94 בן1121 יקה3348 המשׂא4853 נאם5002 הגבר1397 לאיתיאל384 לאיתיאל384 ואכל׃401
