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Read the Bible

Easy-to-Read Version

Proverbs 30:3

I have not learned to be wise. I know nothing about the Holy One.

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.
Contemporary English Version
I never was wise, and I don't understand what God is like."
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.
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 wise sayings of Agur son of Jakeh from Massa. He says, "God, I am tired, so tired. How can I keep going?" 2 I am stupid. I am not as smart as other people are. 3 I have not learned to be wise. I know nothing about the Holy One. 4 Who has ever gone up to heaven and come back down? Who gathered the winds in his hand? Who can gather up all the water in his lap? Who set the limits for the world? What is his name, and what is his son's name? Do you know? 5 You can trust this: Every word that God speaks is true. God is a safe place for those who go to him. 6 So don't try to change what God says. If you do, he will punish you and prove 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
Jacob became angry with Rachel and said, "I am not God. He is the one who has caused you to not have children."
Genesis 30:3
Then Rachel said, "You can have my maid Bilhah. Sleep with her, and she will have a child for me. Then I can be a mother through her."
Genesis 30:9
Leah saw that she could have no more children. So she gave her slave girl Zilpah to Jacob.
Genesis 50:23
During Joseph's life Ephraim had children and grandchildren. And his son Manasseh had a son named Makir. Joseph lived to see Makir's children.
Ruth 4:11
So all the elders and the people who were near the city gates said, "We are witnesses to all of this. And may the Lord bless this woman who is coming into your home to be like Rachel and Leah. They are the ones who had many children to make the people of Israel strong. And may you become powerful in the tribe of Ephrathah and famous in Bethlehem!
Job 3:12
Why did my mother hold me on her knees? Why did her breasts feed me?

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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