Today’s Reading (July 23rd) Proverbs 30-31
📖 Proverbs 30 Summary — The Sayings of Agur
• Agur confesses his own limitations in wisdom and understanding Yah.
• Emphasizes the purity of Yah’s Word and warns against adding to it.
• Offers two prayers: Give me neither poverty nor riches and feed me with my portion—a desire for contentment and humility.
• Lists patterns of life in numerical sayings (e.g. things never satisfied, things too wonderful to understand).
• Describes various types of people to avoid: arrogant, disrespectful, greedy, and unjust.
✨ Reflection on Proverbs 30
Agur’s humility is a powerful lesson. He doesn’t claim wisdom for himself—he exalts Yah’s Word as the true wisdom. As Torah-observant believers, this reminds us that Yah’s instructions are sufficient and perfect. His command not to add or take away from His Word (Deut. 4:2) echoes here.
Agur’s prayer also convicts us in a culture obsessed with abundance. He asks Yah to give him only what is needed—just enough to keep him faithful. May we also pray for contentment and guard against the extremes of greed and pride.
📖 Proverbs 31 Summary — The Words of King Lemuel & the Virtuous Woman
• Begins with a mother’s advice to her son, warning against promiscuity, drunkenness, and injustice.
• Encourages defending the rights of the poor and needy.
• The second half famously describes the Eshet Chayil—the virtuous woman:
• She is strong, wise, diligent, generous, and fears Yah.
• Her household is clothed in scarlet; she speaks with kindness and watches over her home.
• Her children and husband praise her.
• “Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears Yah is to be praised.”
✨ Reflection on Proverbs 31
This chapter is often seen as a high bar for women—but it’s more than that. It’s a picture of what it looks like to live a Torah-rooted life—fearing Yah, working diligently, caring for others, and being a blessing to your household.
It also teaches men to value spiritual strength and covenant faithfulness above appearance. This kind of woman is rare and praiseworthy—not because of perfection, but because of her reverent heart and enduring character. For all believers, the virtuous woman becomes a symbol of how Yah’s people are called to live—active, faithful, and full of wisdom.
💬 Discussion Questions
1. How can Agur’s prayer for “neither riches nor poverty” shape your view of provision and success?
2. In what ways do you see the danger today of adding to or taking away from Yah’s Word?
3. Whether man or woman, how can you embody the diligence, reverence, and compassion described in Proverbs 31?
4. Do you value spiritual integrity more than charm or appearance in yourself and others?
