Lectionary Calendar
Saturday, July 12th, 2025
the Week of Proper 9 / Ordinary 14
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Read the Bible

Contemporary English Version

Proverbs 30:3

I never was wise, and I don't understand what God is like."

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Humility;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Proverb, the Book of;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Pardon;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Proverbs, Book of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Agur;   Jakeh;   Massa;   Proverbs, Book of;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Proverbs, Book of;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Eliezer B. Nathan of Mayence;   Holiness;   She'elot U-Teshubot;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
I have not gained wisdom,and I have no knowledge of the Holy One.
Hebrew Names Version
I have not learned wisdom, Neither do I have the knowledge of the Holy One.
King James Version
I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy.
English Standard Version
I have not learned wisdom, nor have I knowledge of the Holy One.
New American Standard Bible
Nor have I learned wisdom, Nor do I have the knowledge of the Holy One.
New Century Version
I have not learned to be wise, and I don't know much about God, the Holy One.
Amplified Bible
I have not learned [skillful and godly] wisdom, Nor do I have knowledge of the Holy One [who is the source of wisdom].
World English Bible
I have not learned wisdom, Neither do I have the knowledge of the Holy One.
Geneva Bible (1587)
For I haue not learned wisedome, nor atteined to the knowledge of holy things.
Legacy Standard Bible
Neither have I learned wisdom,Nor do I know the knowledge of the Holy One.
Berean Standard Bible
I have not learned wisdom, and I have no knowledge of the Holy One.
Complete Jewish Bible
I have not learned enough wisdom to know the Holy One.
Darby Translation
I have neither learned wisdom, nor have I the knowledge of the Holy.
Easy-to-Read Version
I have not learned to be wise. I know nothing about the Holy One.
George Lamsa Translation
I know not wisdom, nor have I learned the knowledge of the holy men.
Good News Translation
I have never learned any wisdom, and I know nothing at all about God.
Lexham English Bible
And I have not learned wisdom, nor will I know knowledge of the Holy One.
Literal Translation
I have not learned wisdom, but I do know the knowledge of holiness.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
(for I neuerlerned wi?dome) yet haue I vnderstodinge & am wel enfourmed in godly thinges.
American Standard Version
And I have not learned wisdom, Neither have I the knowledge of the Holy One.
Bible in Basic English
I have not got wisdom by teaching, so that I might have the knowledge of the Holy One.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And I have not learned wisdom, that I should have the knowledge of the Holy One.
King James Version (1611)
I neither learned wisedome, nor haue the knowledge of the holy.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
I neuer learned wisdome, nor had knowledge of holy thynges.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
A bold man oppresses the poor by ungodly deeds. As an impetuous and profitable rain,
English Revised Version
And I have not learned wisdom, neither have I the knowledge of the Holy One.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Y lernede not wisdom; and Y knew not the kunnyng of hooli men.
Update Bible Version
And I have not learned wisdom, Neither have I knowledge of the Holy One.
Webster's Bible Translation
I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy.
New English Translation
I have not learned wisdom, nor do I have knowledge of the Holy One.
New King James Version
I neither learned wisdom Nor have knowledge of the Holy One.
New Living Translation
I have not mastered human wisdom, nor do I know the Holy One.
New Life Bible
I have not learned wisdom, and I do not know much about the Holy One.
New Revised Standard
I have not learned wisdom, nor have I knowledge of the holy ones.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Neither have I learned wisdom, nor, the knowledge of the Holy Ones, can I acquire.
Douay-Rheims Bible
I have not learned wisdom, and have not known the science of saints.
Revised Standard Version
I have not learned wisdom, nor have I knowledge of the Holy One.
Young's Literal Translation
Nor have I learned wisdom, Yet the knowledge of Holy Ones I know.
THE MESSAGE
"I flunked ‘wisdom.' I see no evidence of a holy God. Has anyone ever seen Anyone climb into Heaven and take charge? grab the winds and control them? gather the rains in his bucket? stake out the ends of the earth? Just tell me his name, tell me the names of his sons. Come on now—tell me!"
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Neither have I learned wisdom, Nor do I have the knowledge of the Holy One.

Contextual Overview

1 These are the sayings and the message of Agur son of Jakeh. Someone cries out to God, "I am completely worn out! How can I last? 2 I am far too stupid to be considered human. 3 I never was wise, and I don't understand what God is like." 4 Has anyone gone up to heaven and come back down? Has anyone grabbed hold of the wind? Has anyone wrapped up the sea or marked out boundaries for the earth? If you know of any who have done such things, then tell me their names and their children's names. 5 Everything God says is true— and it's a shield for all who come to him for safety. 6 Don't change what God has said! He will correct you and show that you are a liar.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

neither: Amos 7:14, Amos 7:15, Matthew 16:17

nor: Job 11:7-9, Matthew 11:27, John 17:3, Romans 11:33, Ephesians 3:18, Ephesians 3:19

have: Heb. know

the holy: Isaiah 6:3, Isaiah 6:10, Isaiah 30:11, Isaiah 57:15, Revelation 3:7, Revelation 4:8

Reciprocal: Job 37:23 - we Psalms 73:16 - When Proverbs 9:10 - the knowledge Ecclesiastes 8:17 - that a man John 9:36 - Who Acts 8:31 - How Ephesians 3:8 - who am

Cross-References

Genesis 30:2
But Jacob became upset with Rachel and answered, "Don't blame me! I'm not God."
Genesis 30:3
"Here, take my servant Bilhah," Rachel told him. "Have children by her, and I'll let them be born on my knees to show that they are mine."
Genesis 30:9
When Leah realized she could not have any more children, she let Jacob marry her servant Zilpah,
Genesis 50:23
Joseph lived long enough to see Ephraim's children and grandchildren. He also lived to see the children of Manasseh's son Machir, and he welcomed them into his family.
Ruth 4:11
The town leaders and the others standing there said: We are witnesses to this. And we pray that the Lord will give your wife many children, just as he did Leah and Rachel, the wives of Jacob. May you be a rich man in the tribe of Ephrath and an important man in Bethlehem.
Job 3:12
Why was I accepted and allowed to nurse at my mother's breast?

Gill's Notes on the Bible

I neither learned wisdom,.... Natural wisdom or philosophy, so as to understand the nature of things, and reason about them in a philosophical manner; or political wisdom, so as to know how to govern states, and manage the affairs of kingdoms; or in a lower sphere to transact the affairs of life to any peculiar advantage; he had not a polite or liberal education: or spiritual and evangelical wisdom; that is, not of himself through the mere strength and force of his genius and natural capacity, or of others; he was not the son of a prophet, nor brought up in the schools of the prophets; he did not learn it, nor was he taught it by men; for this is not acquired by human teaching; it is what comes from above, from heaven, and by the revelation of God;

nor have the knowledge of the holy; or "holies" s; either of holy persons, such knowledge as holy men of God had; or of the holy angels, not of their nature, capacities, influence and operations; nor such as they have: or rather of the holy Persons in the Trinity, Father, Son and Spirit; their nature modes of subsisting, perfections, purposes, and the like; at least not a full and comprehensive one: or of holy things, of the holy Scriptures, and the holy doctrines of them; however, not what is perfect and complete. It may be rendered, "but I have the knowledge of the holy" t, though he had not the advantage of human literature, nor had ever been under the instructions of men on one account or another, and therefore what he knew, or was about to discourse of, was from God. Some understand this verse and Proverbs 30:2 of Ithiel, or Christ u, as in the esteem of men, 1 Corinthians 1:23.

s קדשים "sanctorum", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus, Junius Tremellius, Piscator, Mercerus, Gejerus, Cocceius, Schultens. t ודעת קדשים אדע "ad cognitionem sanctorum novi", Michaelis "expers sum humanarnm artium, et divinarum guarus sum", Vatablus in Gejerus. u Teelman. Specimen. Explicat. Parabol. p. 391.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

He found, when he looked within, that all his learning was as nothing. He had heard of God only “by the hearing of the ear” Job 42:5, and now he discovered how little that availed.

The holy - The Holy One. Compare Proverbs 9:10.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Proverbs 30:3. I neither learned wisdom — I have never been a scholar in any of those schools of the wise men, nor have the knowledge of the holy, קדשים kedoshim, of the saints or holy persons.

The Septuagint give this a different turn: θεος δεδιδαχε με σοφιαν και γνωσιν αγιων εγνωκα; "God hath taught me wisdom, and the knowledge of the saints I have known."

This may refer to the patriarchs, prophets, or holy men, that lived before the days of Solomon. That is, the translators might have had these in view.


 
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