Matthew Poole and continuators on Proverbs 30:1

1 THe words of Agur the son of Jakeh , even the prophecy : the man spake unto Ithiel, even unto Ithiel and Ucal .

A Person so called as appears from the designation of his own and his Fathers Name, who lived either in Solomon's time, or rather afterwards▪ and was famous in his Generation for Wisdom, and Prety, and Prophecy, and therefore his Proverbs were thought fit to be added to those of Solomon either by those men of Hezekiah, mentioned Ch. 25. 1. or by some other. But that this should be meant of Solomon may easily be supposed, but cannot be proved, nor is it probable, as being contrary both to the Style of the whole Chapter, and to the matter of some part of it, as v. 7, 8, 9. which agrees not to Solomon, and to the Laws of good Interpretation, one of which is that all words should be taken in their most natural and proper sence, when there is no evidence, nor necessity of understanding them improperly and figuratively, which is the present case.

The Prophetical instruction; for as the Prophets were publick Preachers as well as Foretellers of things to come, so their Sermons, no less than their Predictions, are commonly called their Prophesies.

Two Friends or Disciples, and contemporaries of Agur, called by those Names, who having a great and just opinion of his Wisdom, desired his instructions. Others, concerning Ithiel and Ucal; which they understand of Christ called Ithiel, which signifies God with me, and answers to Immanuel, which is God with us, and Ucal, which signifies power or prevalency. But if he had meant this of Christ, why should he design him by such obscure and ambiguous Names, as if he would not be understood? Why did he not call him by the Name of Shilo or Messiah, or some other Scripture Title belonging and ascribed to him? Besides, this Interpretation agrees not with the contents of this Chapter, wherein there is onely a short and occasional mention of Christ, but the Chapter consists in a manner wholly of counsels and Sentences of a quite other kind.