Lives of Scripture

Agur son of Jakeh is known only from the sayings collected under his name in Proverbs 30, called "the oracle" he declared to Ithiel and Ucal (30:1). He opens with striking humility, confessing he is "more stupid than any man" and lacking the understanding others claim, before turning to praise God's flawless, trustworthy words and warning against adding to them (30:2-6). He follows with one of Scripture's most quoted prayers: "Two things I asked of You... Keep deception and lies far from me, give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is my portion, that I not be full and deny You and say, 'Who is the LORD?' or that I not be in want and steal, and profane the name of my God" (30:7-9) -- a request for contentment rooted in dependence on God rather than self-sufficiency. The rest of the chapter is built from numerical proverbs ("three things... four...") drawing lessons from nature: the mysterious paths of an eagle, a snake, and a ship; things never satisfied (Sheol, a barren womb, dry ground, fire); small creatures "exceedingly wise" despite their size (ants, rock hyraxes, locusts, lizards); and warnings against arrogance and mocking one's parents. Agur's voice in Scripture is distinct -- not a king's counsel but a humble man's honest wrestling with his own limits before God.