Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version “Four things on earth are small, yet they are extremely wise: New Living Translation There are four things on earth that are small but unusually wise: English Standard Version Four things on earth are small, but they are exceedingly wise: Berean Standard Bible Four things on earth are small, yet they are exceedingly wise: King James Bible There be four things which are little upon the earth, but they are exceeding wise: New King James Version There are four things which are little on the earth, But they are exceedingly wise: New American Standard Bible Four things are small on the earth, But they are exceedingly wise: NASB 1995 Four things are small on the earth, But they are exceedingly wise: NASB 1977 Four things are small on the earth, But they are exceedingly wise: Legacy Standard Bible Four things are small on the earth, But they are exceedingly wise: Amplified Bible There are four things that are small on the earth, But they are exceedingly wise: Christian Standard Bible Four things on earth are small, yet they are extremely wise: Holman Christian Standard Bible Four things on earth are small, yet they are extremely wise: American Standard Version There are four things which are little upon the earth, But they are exceeding wise: Contemporary English Version On this earth four things are small but very wise: English Revised Version There be four things which are little upon the earth, but they are exceeding wise: GOD'S WORD® Translation Four things on earth are small, yet they are very wise: Good News Translation There are four animals in the world that are small, but very, very clever: International Standard Version Four things on earth are small, but they are very, very wise: Majority Standard Bible Four things on earth are small, yet they are exceedingly wise: NET Bible There are four things on earth that are small, but they are exceedingly wise: New Heart English Bible "There are four things which are little on the earth, but they are exceedingly wise: Webster's Bible Translation There are four things which are little upon the earth, but they are very wise: World English Bible “There are four things which are little on the earth, but they are exceedingly wise: Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionFour [are] little ones of earth, "" And they are made wiser than the wise: Young's Literal Translation Four are little ones of earth, And they are made wiser than the wise: Smith's Literal Translation They four the small of the earth, and they are wise, being made wise: Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleThere are four very little things of the earth, and they are wiser than the wise: Catholic Public Domain Version Four things are least upon the earth, and they are wiser than the wise: New American Bible Four things are among the smallest on the earth, and yet are exceedingly wise: New Revised Standard Version Four things on earth are small, yet they are exceedingly wise: Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleThere are four things that are small upon the earth, but they are wiser than wise men: Peshitta Holy Bible Translated Four things are small in the Earth, and they are wiser than the wise: OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917There are four things which are little upon the earth, But they are exceeding wise: Brenton Septuagint Translation And there are four very little things upon the earth, but these are wiser than the wise: Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context The Words of Agur…23an unloved woman who marries, and a maidservant who supplants her mistress. 24Four things on earth are small, yet they are exceedingly wise: 25The ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer;… Cross References Proverbs 6:6-8 Walk in the manner of the ant, O slacker; observe its ways and become wise. / Without a commander, without an overseer or ruler, / it prepares its provisions in summer; it gathers its food at harvest. Job 12:7-10 But ask the animals, and they will instruct you; ask the birds of the air, and they will tell you. / Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you; let the fish of the sea inform you. / Which of all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this? ... Matthew 6:26 Look at the birds of the air: They do not sow or reap or gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Luke 12:24 Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storehouse or barn; yet God feeds them. How much more valuable you are than the birds! Psalm 104:24-25 How many are Your works, O LORD! In wisdom You have made them all; the earth is full of Your creatures. / Here is the sea, vast and wide, teeming with creatures beyond number, living things both great and small. Genesis 1:24-25 And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, land crawlers, and beasts of the earth according to their kinds.” And it was so. / God made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and everything that crawls upon the earth according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. Romans 1:20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood from His workmanship, so that men are without excuse. 1 Corinthians 1:27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. Psalm 19:1-4 For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands. / Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. / Without speech or language, without a sound to be heard, ... Matthew 10:29-31 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. / And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. / So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. Job 38:39-41 Can you hunt the prey for a lioness or satisfy the hunger of young lions / when they crouch in their dens and lie in wait in the thicket? / Who provides food for the raven when its young cry out to God as they wander about for lack of food? Isaiah 40:26 Lift up your eyes on high: Who created all these? He leads forth the starry host by number; He calls each one by name. Because of His great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing. Psalm 147:9 He provides food for the animals, and for the young ravens when they call. Ecclesiastes 3:18-21 I said to myself, “As for the sons of men, God tests them so that they may see for themselves that they are but beasts.” / For the fates of both men and beasts are the same: As one dies, so dies the other—they all have the same breath. Man has no advantage over the animals, since everything is futile. / All go to one place; all come from dust, and all return to dust. ... Matthew 13:31-32 He put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a man took and planted in his field. / Although it is the smallest of all seeds, yet it grows into the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.” Treasury of Scripture There be four things which are little on the earth, but they are exceeding wise: little Job 12:7 But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee: exceeding wise or wise or made wise Jump to Previous Earth Exceeding Exceedingly Extremely Four Little Ones Small Wise WiserJump to Next Earth Exceeding Exceedingly Extremely Four Little Ones Small Wise WiserProverbs 30 1. Agur's confession of his faith7. The two points of his prayer 10. The meanest are not to be wronged 11. Four wicked generations 15. Four things insatiable 24. four things exceeding wise 29. Four things stately 32. Wrath is to be prevented Four things on earth This phrase introduces a list of four creatures, emphasizing their earthly nature. The number four often symbolizes completeness in the Bible, suggesting a comprehensive lesson from creation. The focus on "earth" highlights the tangible, observable world, inviting readers to learn from God's creation. This aligns with the biblical theme that nature reveals God's wisdom and order (Psalm 19:1-4). are small yet they are exceedingly wise Persons / Places / Events 1. AgurThe author of Proverbs 30, Agur son of Jakeh, is a figure about whom little is known. His sayings are included in the wisdom literature of the Bible, emphasizing practical insights and observations about life. 2. The Earth The setting for the observations in Proverbs 30:24, representing the natural world where these small creatures exhibit wisdom. 3. The Four Creatures While not mentioned in this specific verse, the subsequent verses (Proverbs 30:25-28) identify the ant, the rock badger, the locust, and the lizard as examples of small creatures that demonstrate wisdom. Teaching Points Wisdom in HumilityThe small size of these creatures highlights that wisdom is not dependent on strength or stature. We should seek wisdom regardless of our position or power. Learning from Creation God's creation is a source of wisdom. Observing nature can teach us valuable lessons about diligence, community, and resourcefulness. Value of Preparation Like the ant, we should prepare and plan for the future, using our resources wisely and diligently. Community and Cooperation The locusts, which have no king yet advance in ranks, teach us the importance of working together harmoniously without needing a central authority. Adaptability and Resourcefulness The lizard, which can be caught with the hand yet is found in kings' palaces, shows us the value of adaptability and finding ways to thrive in various environments.Verses 24-28. - Four things small and weak, and yet wise. Verse 24. - There be four things which are little upon the earth, in contrast with the intolerable pretensions of the last group. The Vulgate has minima; but the original is not superlative, which would not be true of some of the creatures named. But they are exceeding wise; "quick of wit, wise," the participle מְחֻכִּמִים meaning "rendered wise, cunning" (Delitzsch). The Septuagint and Vulgate translate in the comparatives. "These are wiser than the wise," the instincts of these animals being more marvellous than human wisdom. Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew Fourאַרְבָּ֣עָה (’ar·bā·‘āh) Number - masculine singular Strong's 702: Four things on earth אָ֑רֶץ (’ā·reṣ) Noun - feminine singular Strong's 776: Earth, land are small, קְטַנֵּי־ (qə·ṭan·nê-) Adjective - masculine plural construct Strong's 6996: Small, young, unimportant yet they הֵ֭ם (hêm) Pronoun - third person masculine plural Strong's 1992: They are exceedingly מְחֻכָּמִֽים׃ (mə·ḥuk·kā·mîm) Verb - Pual - Participle - masculine plural Strong's 2449: To be wise wise: חֲכָמִ֥ים (ḥă·ḵā·mîm) Adjective - masculine plural Strong's 2450: Wise Links Proverbs 30:24 NIVProverbs 30:24 NLT Proverbs 30:24 ESV Proverbs 30:24 NASB Proverbs 30:24 KJV Proverbs 30:24 BibleApps.com Proverbs 30:24 Biblia Paralela Proverbs 30:24 Chinese Bible Proverbs 30:24 French Bible Proverbs 30:24 Catholic Bible OT Poetry: Proverbs 30:24 There are four things which are little (Prov. Pro Pr) |
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