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Verse
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Proverbs 30:4
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!
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!
NASB Who has ascended into heaven and descended? Who has gathered the wind in His fists? Who has wrapped the waters in His garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name or His Son’s name? Surely you know!
CSB Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in his hands? Who has bound 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 -- if you know?
NLT Who but God goes up to heaven and comes back down? Who holds the wind in his fists? Who wraps up the oceans in his cloak? Who has created the whole wide world? What is his name — and his son’s name? Tell me if you know!
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?

What does Proverbs 30:4 mean?

Prior verses used the concept of "hyperbole," meaning deliberate, obvious exaggeration. This verse uses the "rhetorical question:" a statement framed as a question, only because the reply should be apparent. The five questions asked here all have the same, intentionally obvious answer. Only God transcends heaven and earth. Only God can control the wind. Only God formed the clouds. Only God placed the earth in its place. Only God possesses the character of Deity. His Son is Jesus, who descended from heaven and returned to heaven. God's Son Jesus can control the wind (Matthew 14:32–33). God's Son created the heavens and the earth (John 1:3). And God's Son possesses all the nature of God the Father (Colossians 1:15–19). Sarcastic or serious, Agur's question points to a crucial reality about God's plan for salvation.

By stating, "Surely you know!" after asking these five questions, Agur may be continuing his poetic turn of phrase. Or he may be challenging those who criticized his beliefs. When God finally spoke to Job, He sarcastically suggested Job knew what it was like to create the world (Job 38:4–5). Of course, Job did not. Agur may be countering someone's claim to greater spiritual knowledge (Proverbs 30:2–3). Or, he may simply be expressing his desire to know God by literally "begging" for an answer.
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