Proverbs 30 · Verse 4

Proverbs 30:4

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?

Proverbs 30:4, King James Version

Proverbs 30:4 in other translations

BSB	Who has ascended to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in His hands? Who has bound up the waters in His 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!
WEB	Who has ascended up into heaven, and descended? Who has gathered the wind in his fists? Who has bound the waters in his garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son’s name, if you know?
ASV	Who hath ascended up into heaven, and descended? Who hath gathered the wind in his fists? Who hath bound the waters in his garment? Who hath established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son’s name, if thou knowest?
YLT	Who went up to heaven, and cometh down? Who hath gathered the wind in his fists? Who hath bound waters in a garment? Who established all ends of the earth? What is His name? and what His son's name? Surely thou knowest!
DARBY	Who hath ascended up into the heavens, and descended? Who hath gathered the wind in his fists? Who hath bound the waters in a mantle? Who hath established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou knowest?
BBE	Who has gone up to heaven and come down? who has taken the winds in his hands, prisoning the waters in his robe? by whom have all the ends of the earth been fixed? what is his name, and what is his son's name, if you are able to say?
Webster	Who hath ascended 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?

What does Proverbs 30:4 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Proverbs 30:2-4

2-4. brutish--stupid, a strong term to denote his lowly self-estimation; or he may speak of such as his natural condition, as contrasted with God's all-seeing comprehensive knowledge and almighty power. The questions of this clause emphatically deny the attributes mentioned to be those of any creature, thus impressively strengthening the implied reference of the former to God (compare De 30:12-14; Is 40:12; Ep 4:8).

Read the full comment on Proverbs 30:2-4 →

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 4 Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? - Calmet paraphrases this passage thus: "Who hath descended, etc. In order to show the truth of what he was about to say, he observes: I have not the science of the saints; for how could I have acquired it? Who is he who could attain to that? Who has ascended to heaven to learn that science, and who has descended in order to publish it? Is the science of salvation one of those things that can be apprehended only by study? Is it not a pure gift of the goodness of God? Moses, after having shown to the people the will of God, said to them: 'This commandment which I command thee this day is not hidden from thee; neither is it far off. It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?' Deu 30:11, Deu 30:12. The person whose words we are here examining speaks a knowledge more sublime than that contained in the simple laws of the Lord, common to all the people of Israel. He speaks of the sublime science of the designs of God, of his ways, and of his secrets; and in this sense he affirms he has no knowledge." Who hath gathered the wind in his fists? - It is as difficult for a mortal man to acquire this Divine science by his own reason and strength, as to collect the winds in his fists. And who can command the spirit of prophecy, so that he can have it whensoever he pleases? What is his name? - Show me the nature of this Supreme Being. Point out his eternity, omniscience, omnipresence, omnipotence; comprehend and describe him, if thou canst. What is his son's name - Some copies of the Septuagint have η τι ονομα τοις τικνοιο αυτου; "Or the name of his sons;" meaning, I suppose, the holy angels, called his saints or holy ones, Pro 30:3. The Arabic has, What is his name? and what is the name of his father? him who begat him. But the Chaldee, the Syriac, and the Vulgate, read as the Hebrew. Many are of opinion that Agur refers here to the first and second persons of the everblessed Trinity. It may be so; but who would venture to rest the proof of that most glorious doctrine upon such a text, to say nothing of the obscure author? The doctrine is true, sublimely true; but many doctrines have suffered in controversy, by improper texts being urged in their favor. Every lover of God and truth should be very choice in his selections, when he comes forward in behalf of the more mysterious doctrines of the Bible. Quote nothing that is not clear: advance nothing that does not tell. When we are obliged to spend a world of critical labor, in order to establish the sense of a text which we intend to allege in favor of the doctrine we wish to support, we may rest assured that we are going the wrong way to work. Those who indiscriminately amass every text of Scripture they think bears upon the subject they defend, give their adversaries great advantage against them. I see many a sacred doctrine suffering through the bad judgment of its friends every day. The Godhead of Christ, salvation by faith, the great atoning sacrifice, and other essential doctrines of this class, are all suffering in this way. My heart says, with deep concern, Non tali auxilio, nec defensoribus istis, Tempus eget. When truth is assailed by all kinds of weapons, handled by the most powerful foes, injudicious defenders may be ranked among its enemies. To such we may innocently say, "Keep your cabins; you do assist the storm."

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Proverbs 30:1-6

Agur speaks of himself as wanting a righteousness, and having done very foolishly. And it becomes us all to have low thoughts of ourselves. He speaks of himself as wanting revelation to guide him in the ways of truth and wisdom. The more enlightened people are, the more they lament their ignorance; the more they pray for clearer, still clearer discoveries of God, and his rich grace in Christ Jesus. In ver.#(4)…

Read the full comment on Proverbs 30:1-6 →

Proverbs 30:4 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

מִ֤יmiwho?H4310

עָלָֽה\־'a.lah-has he gone upH5927

שָׁמַ֨יִם\׀sha.Ma.yimheavenH8064

וַיֵּרַ֡דvai.ye.Radand has he come down?H3381

מִ֤יmiwho?H4310

אָֽסַף\־'a.saf-has he gatheredH622

ר֨וּחַ\׀Ru.ach[the] windH7307

בְּחָפְנָ֡יוbe.cha.fe.Navin hands hisH2651

מִ֤יmiwho?H4310

צָֽרַר\־tza.rar-has he wrappedH6887

מַ֨יִם\׀Ma.yim[the] watersH4325

בַּשִּׂמְלָ֗הba.sim.Lahin <the> cloakH8071

מִ֭יmiwho?H4310

הֵקִ֣יםhe.Kimhas he set upH6965

כָּל\־kol-allH3605

אַפְסֵי\־'af.sei-[the] ends ofH657

אָ֑רֶץ'A.retz[the] earthH776

מַה\־mah-what?H4100

שְּׁמ֥וֹshe.Mo[is] name hisH8034

וּמַֽה\־u.mah-and what?H4100

שֶּׁם\־shem-[is] [the] name ofH8034

בְּ֝נ֗וֹbe.Noson hisH1121

כִּ֣יkiforH3588

תֵדָֽע\׃te.Da'you knowH3045

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Proverbs 30:4

John 3:13
And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.
Ephesians 4:8-10
Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)
Job 26:8
He bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds; and the cloud is not rent under them.
Isaiah 9:6
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 7:14
Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
Deuteronomy 30:12
It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?
Matthew 1:21-23
And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
Isaiah 40:12-31
Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance? Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord, or being his counsellor hath taught him? With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way of understanding? Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little thing. …
Revelation 19:12
His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.
Exodus 34:5-7
And the Lord descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord. And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.
Job 38:4-41
Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding. Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it? Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof; When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy? …
Deuteronomy 28:58
If thou wilt not observe to do all the words of this law that are written in this book, that thou mayest fear this glorious and fearful name, THE LORD THY GOD;

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Who hath ascended.
De 30:12; Joh 3:13; Ro 10:6; Eph 4:9,10
who hath gathered.
Job 38:4-41; Ps 104:2-35; Isa 40:12-31; 53:8
what is his name.
Ex 3:13-15; 6:3; 34:5-7; De 28:58
and what.
Ge 32:29; Jud 13:18; Ps 2:7; Isa 7:14; 9:6; Jer 23:6; Mt 1:21-23
Mt 11:27; Lu 10:22

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Proverbs 30:3
I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy.
Proverbs 30:4
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?
Proverbs 30:5
Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.

Read all of Proverbs 30

Proverbs 30:4 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	¿Quién subió al cielo, y descendió? ¿quién encerró los vientos en sus puños? ¿quién ató las aguas en un paño? ¿quién afirmó todos los términos de la tierra? ¿cuál es su nombre, y el nombre de su hijo, si sabes?
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Qui est monté dans les cieux, et qui en est descendu? Qui a rassemblé le vent dans le creux de ses mains? Qui a serré les eaux dans un manteau? Qui a établi toutes les bornes de la terre? Quel est son nom, et quel est le nom de son fils, si tu le sais?
German Elberfelder 1871	Wer ist hinaufgestiegen gen Himmel und herniedergefahren? wer hat den Wind in seine Fäuste gesammelt? wer die Wasser in ein Tuch gebunden? wer hat aufgerichtet alle Enden der Erde? Was ist sein Name, und was der Name seines Sohnes, wenn du es weißt?
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Quis ascendit in cælum, atque descendit? quis continuit spiritum in manibus suis? quis colligavit aquas quasi in vestimento? quis suscitavit omnes terminos terræ? quod nomen est ejus, et quod nomen filii ejus, si nosti?