The Words of Agur

30 The words of Agur son of Jakeh. The oracle.

The man declares, I am weary, O God;
    I am weary, O God, and worn out.
Surely I am too stupid to be a man.
    I have not the understanding of a man.
I have not learned wisdom,
    nor have I knowledge of the Holy One.
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! (Proverbs 30:1-4 ESV)

Some people, on the Internet mainly, not in serious books, have seen in this a reference to the Trinity, or to the pre-existence of Jesus. It’s difficult to address this from Bible commentaries because serious commentaries on Proverbs don’t even mention the possibility. Perhaps it is the reference to “ascended to heaven and come down” which makes some readers think that this is Jesus, except that in Trinitarian and Arian (preexistence) teaching Jesus literally was in heaven and came down, which is the reverse of this.

No. The point Agur is making is the same as John 3:13 and Acts 2:34 – no man has ascended into heaven. The point about what is his son’s name – from Agur son of Jakeh – is simply, what is the proof that such a man is known us. Where is such a man, and who are his family.

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