Proverbs 30:4 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Who has ascended to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in his fists? Who has wrapped up the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son’s name? Surely you know!

NIV: Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Whose hands have gathered up the wind? Who has wrapped up the waters in a cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is the name of his son? Surely you know!

NASB: Who has ascended into heaven and descended? Who has gathered the wind in His fists? Who has wrapped the waters in His garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name or His Son’s name? Surely you know!

CSB: Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in his hands? Who has bound up the waters in a cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is the name of his son -- if you know?

NLT: Who but God goes up to heaven and comes back down? Who holds the wind in his fists? Who wraps up the oceans in his cloak? Who has created the whole wide world? What is his name — and his son’s name? Tell me if you know!

KJV: 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?

NKJV: Who has ascended into heaven, or descended? Who has gathered the wind in His fists? Who has bound the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name, and what is His Son’s name, If you know?

Prior verses used the concept of "hyperbole," meaning deliberate, obvious exaggeration. This verse uses the "rhetorical question:" a statement framed as a question, only because the reply should be apparent. The five questions asked here all have the same, intentionally obvious answer. Only God transcends heaven and earth. Only God can control the wind. Only God formed the clouds. Only God placed the earth in its place. Only God possesses the character of Deity. His Son is Jesus, who descended from heaven and returned to heaven. God's Son Jesus can control the wind (Matthew 14:32–33). God's Son created the heavens and the earth (John 1:3). And God's Son possesses all the nature of God the Father (Colossians 1:15–19). Sarcastic or serious, Agur's question points to a crucial reality about God's plan for salvation.

By stating, "Surely you know!" after asking these five questions, Agur may be continuing his poetic turn of phrase. Or he may be challenging those who criticized his beliefs. When God finally spoke to Job, He sarcastically suggested Job knew what it was like to create the world (Job 38:4–5). Of course, Job did not. Agur may be countering someone's claim to greater spiritual knowledge (Proverbs 30:2–3). Or, he may simply be expressing his desire to know God by literally "begging" for an answer.

Proverbs 30:1–4 introduces a new voice in the book of Proverbs. Most interpreters believe this is a reference to a person named Agur, who speaks to Ithiel and Ucal. Others interpret the Hebrew letters as references to personal weariness. The writer begins by proclaiming his own ignorance, seeming to exaggerate for the sake of effect. Agur desires to know God. The verses that follow explain how limited people can come to know the all-powerful Creator. Similar themes are seen in Psalm 8:3–4; Acts 14:15–17; and Acts 17:26–30.

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.