God’s Word Translation
Proverbs 30:4
4“Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in the palm of his hand? Who has wrapped water in a garment? Who has set up the earth from one end to the other? What is his name or the name of his son? Certainly, you must know!
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
2I’m more ⌞like⌟ a dumb animal than a human being. I don’t ⌞even⌟ have human understanding. 3I haven’t learned wisdom. I don’t have knowledge of the Holy One. “Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in the palm of his hand? Who has wrapped water in a garment? Who has set up the earth from one end to the other? What is his name or the name of his son? Certainly, you must know! 5“All of God’s word has proven to be true. He is a shield to those who come to him for protection. 6Do not add to his words, or he will reprimand you, and you will be found to be a liar.
Read all of Proverbs 30Proverbs 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’s not in heaven. You don’t have to ask, “Who will go to heaven to get this command for us so that we can hear it and obey it?”
- John 3:13No one has gone to heaven except the Son of Man, who came from heaven.
- Romans 10:6However, Scripture says about God’s approval which is based on faith, “Don’t ask yourself who will go up to heaven,” (that is, to bring Christ down).
- Ephesians 4:9Now what does it mean that he went up except that he also had gone down to the lowest parts of the earth?
- Job 38:4“Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me if you have ⌞such⌟ insight.
- Psalms 104:2You cover yourself with light as though it were a robe. You stretch out the heavens as though they were curtains.
- Isaiah 40:2“Speak tenderly to Jerusalem and announce to it that its time of hard labor is over and its wrongs have been paid for. It has received from the Lord double for all its sins.”
- Isaiah 53:8He was arrested, taken away, and judged. Who would have thought that he would be removed from the world? He was killed because of my people’s rebellion.
- Genesis 32:29Jacob said, “Please tell me your name.” The man answered, “Why do you ask for my name?” Then he blessed Jacob there.
- Judges 13:18The Messenger of the Lord asked him, “Why do you ask for my name? It’s a name that works miracles.”
- Psalms 2:7I will announce the Lord’s decree. He said to me: “You are my Son. Today I have become your Father.
- Isaiah 7:14So the Lord himself will give you this sign: A virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and she will name him Immanuel [God Is With Us].
- Isaiah 9:6A child will be born for us. A son will be given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. He will be named: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
- Jeremiah 23:6In his lifetime, Judah will be saved, and Israel will live in safety. This is the name that he will be given: The Lord is our righteousness.
- Matthew 1:21She will give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus [He Saves], because he will save his people from their sins.”
- Matthew 11:27“My Father has turned everything over to me. Only the Father knows the Son. And no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son is willing 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
In the dictionaries
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
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