Proverbs 30:22 - Printer Friendly

ESV: a slave when he becomes king, and a fool when he is filled with food;

NIV: a servant who becomes king, a godless fool who gets plenty to eat,

NASB: Under a slave when he becomes king, And a fool when he is satisfied with food,

CSB: a servant when he becomes king, a fool when he is stuffed with food,

NLT: a slave who becomes a king, an overbearing fool who prospers,

KJV: For a servant when he reigneth; and a fool when he is filled with meat;

NKJV: For a servant when he reigns, A fool when he is filled with food,

These are the first two of four examples which bring instability and disruption (Proverbs 30:21). All four involve persons suddenly placed in situations for which they are not qualified. Agur (Proverbs 30:1) does not mean all persons should accept their state and never seek improvement. Rather, he means that suddenly thrusting a person into an unsuitable situation leads to disaster.

The first is a slave who becomes king; in Agur's context, this suggests a sudden or immediate rise to power. Rapidly gaining authority can mean being unprepared for associated challenges. If a person literally went from slave to king, in a moment's time, he would obviously lack necessary experience, knowledge, and context. No matter how moral, or wise, that person would be prone to exercise poor judgment. Those bad decisions would weigh heavily on those whom he governs, putting the nation in severe jeopardy.

Agur also insists that a fool who is entirely satisfied puts others at risk. The word "fool" identifies a person without spiritual perception or sensitivity (Proverbs 1:7, 22). When someone lacking good sense is provided with their every need, they become even less sensitive to God's will. That includes apathy for the needs of other people. In western fiction, this is often represented in a "spoiled rich child" figure. Jesus warned that material comfort tempts us to spiritual apathy (Mark 10:25). As with the other three examples in Agur's lesson, this leads to poor decisions, strife, and instability.

In Proverbs 30:15–31 Agur (Proverbs 30:1) gives several numerical observations. He lists four things which never lead to satisfaction, only increased desire. Another four ideas are said to be "wonderful," here meant in the sense of being hard to grasp. Next are four examples of the dangers of putting people in sudden positions of power. Then, four seemingly humble animals who achieve great tasks. The last is a series of examples showing the "stately" nature of confidence.

This chapter contains the teachings of Agur, who is only known through this passage. Humility and a sense of one's own limitations are key themes in this section. Agur prays for God's providence and warns about the sins of arrogance, greed, and rebelliousness. He marvels at how the ungodly can sin without care, not realizing their fate. He then notes the way some insignificant animals accomplish great things and comments on the effects of confidence. The chapter ends with a reminder that stirring up anger leads to trouble.

This chapter falls between a collection of Solomon's wise sayings (Proverbs 25—29) and King Lemuel's proverbs (Proverbs 31). Chapter 30 contains the wise sayings of Agur, who is otherwise unknown. He may have been the son of Jakeh. His teachings are called an oracle: a weighty message from God. Humility and warnings about arrogance are recurring themes in this chapter.

Proverbs is best understood in context with the books of Ecclesiastes and Job. In Proverbs, “wisdom” is given in short, simple, general terms. Ecclesiastes represents wisdom based on observation and experience. This often shows how the general principles of the book of Proverbs don’t apply in absolutely every circumstance. Job represents wisdom based on the experience of suffering and injustice. All three come to the conclusion that God does indeed know best, and the most sensible course of action is to follow His will.