Proverbs 30:4

Proverbs 30:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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?
• New International Version (NIV)Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Whose hands have gathered up the wind? Who has wrapped up the waters in a 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!
• English Standard Version (ESV)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!
• New King James Version (NKJV)Who has ascended into heaven, or descended? Who has gathered the wind in His fists? Who has bound 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, If you know?

Context of Proverbs 30:4

2Surely I am more brutish and stupid than any man, And I do not have the understanding of a man [for I do not know what I do not know]. 3I have not learned [skillful and godly] wisdom, Nor do I have knowledge of the Holy One [who is the source of wisdom]. Who has ascended 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? Certainly you know! 5Every word of God is tested and refined [like silver]; He is a shield to those who trust and take refuge in Him. 6Do not add to His words, Or He will reprove you, and you will be found a liar.

Proverbs 30:4 word by word

מִ֤י עָלָֽה־שָׁמַ֨יִם׀ וַיֵּרַ֡ד מִ֤י אָֽסַף־ר֨וּחַ׀ בְּחָפְנָ֡יו מִ֤י צָֽרַר־מַ֨יִם׀ בַּשִּׂמְלָ֗ה מִ֭י הֵקִ֣ים כָּל־אַפְסֵי־אָ֑רֶץ מַה־שְּׁמ֥וֹ וּמַֽה־שֶּׁם־בְּ֝נ֗וֹ כִּ֣י תֵדָֽע׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Who hath ascended upעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: riseH5927
• into heavenשָׁמַיִםshâmayim shâmeh · heavenH8064
• or descendedיָרַדyârad · to go downH3381
• who hath gatheredאָסַף'âsaph · to gatherH622
• the windרוּחַrûach · spirit: breathH7307
• in his fistsחֹ֫פֶןchôphen · palmH2651
• who hath boundצָרַרtsârar · to constrainH6887
• the watersמַיmayim · waterH4325
• in a garmentשִׂמְלָהώimlâh · mantleH8071
• who hath establishedקוּםqûm · to arise: establishH6965
• all the endsאֶ֫פֶס'ephes · endH657
• of the earthאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
• his nameשֵׁםshêm · nameH8034
• his son’sבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• if thou canst tellיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045

Cross-references for Proverbs 30:4

• Deuteronomy 30:12It is not [a secret hidden] in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will go up to heaven for us and bring it to us, so that we may hear it and obey it?’
• John 3:13No one has gone up into heaven, but there is One who came down from heaven, the Son of Man [Himself—whose home is in heaven].
• Romans 10:6But the righteousness based on faith [which produces a right relationship with Him] says the following: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into Heaven?’ that is, to bring Christ down;
• Ephesians 4:9(Now this expression, “He ascended,” what does it mean except that He also had previously descended [from the heights of heaven] into the lower parts of the earth?
• Job 38:4Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell Me, if you know and have understanding.
• Psalms 104:2[You are the One] who covers Yourself with light as with a garment, Who stretches out the heavens like a tent curtain,
• Isaiah 40:2“Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, And call out to her, that her time of compulsory service in warfare is finished, That her wickedness has been taken away [since her punishment is sufficient], That she has received from the Lord’s hand Double [punishment] for all her sins.”
• Isaiah 53:8After oppression and judgment He was taken away; And as for His generation [His contemporaries], who [among them] concerned himself with the fact That He was cut off from the land of the living [by His death] For the transgression of my people, to whom the stroke [of death] was due?
• Genesis 32:29Then Jacob asked Him, “Please tell me Your name.” But He said, “Why is it that you ask My name?” And He declared a blessing [of the covenant promises] on Jacob there.
• Judges 13:18But the Angel of the Lord said to him, “Why do you ask my name, seeing it is wonderful (miraculous)?”
• Psalms 2:7“I will declare the decree of the Lord: He said to Me, ‘You are My Son; This day [I proclaim] I have begotten You.
• Isaiah 7:14Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Listen carefully, the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and she will call his name Immanuel (God with us).
• Isaiah 9:6For to us a Child shall be born, to us a Son shall be given; And the government shall be upon His shoulder, And His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
• Jeremiah 23:6In His days Judah will be saved, And Israel will dwell safely; Now this is His name by which He will be called; ‘The Lord Our Righteousness.’
• Matthew 1:21She will give birth to a Son, and you shall name Him Jesus (The Lord is salvation), for He will save His people from their sins.”
• Matthew 11:27All things have been handed over to Me by My Father; and no one fully knows and accurately understands the Son except the Father; and no one fully knows and accurately understands the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son [deliberately] wills to reveal Him.

Commentaries on Proverbs 30:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4Who 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…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4Man is to be humbled to the dust by the thought of the glory of God as seen in the visible creation. Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? - The thought is obviously that of the all-embracing Providence of God, taking in at once the greatest and the least, the highest and the lowest. The mysteries of the winds and of the waters baffle men‘s researches. What is his son‘s name - The primary thought is that man knows so little of the divine nature…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4-6Unlike Agur's lack of knowledge and power, God's strength and wisdom are evident (compare Psalm 18:30). This is encouraging to Agur, as he knows God protects everyone who seeks Him.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2-42-4. 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 comment

Topics related to Proverbs 30:4

• Continents
• Geology
• God
• Ignorance
• Jesus, the Christ
• Meteorology and Celestial Phenomena

In the dictionaries

• Ends of the Earth
• Agur
• Convenient
• Folk
• Food
• God
• Massa
• Proverbs, the Book of
• Wind
• Zoology

Commentaries on Proverbs 30

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings