Proverbs 30:9

Proverbs 30:9 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the Lord? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.
• New International Version (NIV)Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.
• English Standard Version (ESV)lest I be full and deny you and say, "Who is the Lord?" or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Lest I be full and deny You, And say, “Who is the Lord?” Or lest I be poor and steal, And profane the name of my God.

Context of Proverbs 30:9

7God, I ask you to do two things for me. Please do them before I die: 8Do not let me ever deceive people with lies. Do not let me be too rich or too poor. Give me only as much food as I need each day. If I have more than enough, I might say that I do not know you. I might say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ But if I am poor, I might rob people. That would insult my God's good name. 10Do not say bad things about a servant to his master. If you do, the servant may curse you, and then you will be guilty. 11There are some people who curse their fathers. They do not bless their mothers.

Proverbs 30:9 word by word

פֶּ֥ן אֶשְׂבַּ֨ע׀ וְכִחַשְׁתִּי֮ וְאָמַ֗רְתִּי מִ֥י יְה֫וָ֥ה וּפֶֽן־אִוָּרֵ֥שׁ וְגָנַ֑בְתִּי וְ֝תָפַ֗שְׂתִּי שֵׁ֣ם אֱלֹהָֽי׃ פRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Lest I be fullשָׂבֵעַώâba‛ ώâbêa‛ · to satisfyH7646
• and denyכָּחַשׁkâchash · to deceiveH3584
• and sayאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• or lest I be poorיָרַשׁyârash yârêsh · to possess: poorH3423
• and stealגָּנַבgânab · to stealH1589
• and takeתָּפַשׂtâphaώ · to captureH8610
• the nameשֵׁםshêm · nameH8034
• of my Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430

Cross-references for Proverbs 30:9

• Deuteronomy 6:10The Lord your God will soon bring you into a land that has large, beautiful cities that you did not build. That is the land that he promised to give to your ancestors, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
• Deuteronomy 8:10You can eat all the food that you want. Then remember to thank the Lord your God for the good land that he has given to you.
• Deuteronomy 31:20I will take them into this land, where there is plenty of food and drink, enough for everyone. It is the land that I promised to give to their ancestors. When they live there, they will eat as much food as they want. They will be fat and healthy. But then they will start to worship other gods. They will turn against me. They will not obey the covenant that I made with them.
• Deuteronomy 32:15The Israelites became rich and fat. They turned against God. They were full of good food, but they turned away from God. He was the one who made them. He was the strong Rock who kept them safe. But they no longer respected him.
• Nehemiah 9:25They took their strong cities and their good land for themselves. The houses of those people were full of many good things. Your people could use the things that were already there. They had their wells, their vineyards, their olive trees and other fruit trees. They had as much food as they could eat, so they became fat. The many good things that you gave them made them very happy.
• Job 31:24I have not trusted in money or in gold. I have never thought that they would make me strong.
• Jeremiah 2:31Listen to the Lord's message, you people who are alive today: ‘People of Israel, why do you not trust me? Have I become like a desert for you? Have I become a dark and dangerous land for you to live in? No! But you say, “We are free to go where we like. We do not need to serve you any more.”
• Ezekiel 16:14The people of other nations heard news about your beauty. That was because of all the good things that I had given you to make you very beautiful. That is what the Almighty Lord says.
• Daniel 4:17The holy angels who take care of the earth have decided this. It is their command. Now everyone will be sure that the powerful God above rules over human kingdoms. He gives authority to rule to anyone that he chooses. He causes humble men to rule as kings.” ’
• Hosea 13:6I gave food to my people, so that they were not hungry. But when they had enough to eat, they became proud. As a result, they forgot about me.
• Acts 12:22When he spoke, the people shouted, ‘This is not a man who is speaking to us. This is the voice of a god!’
• Exodus 5:2But Pharaoh said, ‘The Lord is not my god. I do not need to obey him. I do not have to let the Israelites go. I do not know the Lord. I will not let the Israelites go.’
• 2 Chronicles 32:15Do not let Hezekiah deceive you with his lies. Do not believe him. No god of any nation or kingdom has been able to save his people from me or from my ancestors. So your God certainly cannot save you from my power! ’
• Proverbs 6:30People may excuse someone who steals food because he is hungry.
• Psalms 125:3Wicked people will not rule over God's own people. They will not rule the land where righteous people live. If they did, the righteous people might also do bad things.
• Proverbs 29:24If you help a robber, you are bringing punishment on yourself. If you tell the truth in court, or if you keep quiet, you will receive your punishment.

Commentaries on Proverbs 30:9

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9The special dangers of the two extremes. Wealth tempts to pride, unbelief, and a scorn like that of Pharaoh Exodus 5:2; poverty to, dishonesty, and then to perjury, or to the hypocritical profession of religion which is practically identical with it.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7-9Verses 7-9 Agur wisely prayed for a middle state, that he might be kept at a distance from temptations; he asked daily bread suited to his station, his family, and his real good. There is a remarkable similarity between this prayer and several clauses of the Lord's prayer. If we are removed from vanity and lies; if we are interested in the pardoning love of Christ, and have him for our portion; if we walk with God, then we shall have all we can ask or…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7-9Agur asks God for two things: Help to avoid lying (compare Proverbs 6:16–19; 14:5, 25; 25:18; 26:18–19) To not have too much or too little Being rich (Proverbs 3:9–10, 15–16; 10:15, 22) or poor (3:27; 11:24; 28:27; 29:7, 14) is not sinful, but Agur wisely wants to avoid the problems of both.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 7-97-9. A prayer for exemption from wickedness, and the extremes of poverty and riches, the two things mentioned. Contentment is implied as desired.Read the comment

Topics related to Proverbs 30:9

• Blasphemy
• Covetousness
• God
• Poverty
• Riches

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Agur
• Convenient
• Folk
• Food
• Deny
• Massa
• Proverbs, the Book of
• 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