What is the significance of asking for only two things in Proverbs 30:7? Proverbs 30:7–9 “Two things I ask of You— do not refuse me before I die: Keep falsehood and deceitful words far from me. Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the bread that is my portion. Otherwise, I may have too much and deny You, saying, ‘Who is the LORD?’ Or I may become poor and steal, profaning the name of my God.” Literary Setting: Agur’s Personal Prayer Agur son of Jakeh, a sage outside the Solomonic royal line, writes the only first-person prayer in Proverbs. His “two things” form a tightly balanced couplet that governs verses 8–9. Hebrew parallelism allows one petition to be moral (“Remove falsehood”) and the other material (“Give me neither poverty nor riches”), yet both converge on protecting God’s honor. The Deliberate Limitation: Why Only Two Requests? Limiting the prayer to two petitions signals intentional simplicity. Agur models focused dependence, avoiding the scattershot lists common to paganism (cf. 1 Kings 18:26). The Old Testament frequently pairs “two or three” as completeness within restraint (Deuteronomy 17:6; Job 33:14). By settling on two essentials, Agur highlights what truly matters for life and godliness. Ethical Poles: Deception vs. Contentment The first request targets the heart (speech springs from the heart; Proverbs 4:23). The second targets circumstance. Sin originates either internally (lies) or through disordered desire for external conditions (greed or desperation). By bracketing both, Agur covers the moral spectrum. Theological Motif: Sanctifying God’s Name Agur’s rationale: either excess or lack can “profane the name of my God.” Yahweh’s reputation among nations depends on His people’s conduct (Ezekiel 36:22). The two requests insulate the petitioner from extremes that would dishonor God, paralleling the Third Petition—“Hallowed be Your name.” Wisdom Contrast: Riches, Poverty, and the Fear of the LORD Proverbs consistently links wealth with temptation (11:28) and poverty with vulnerability (10:15). Agur’s median plea reflects the golden mean of classical ethics yet is rooted in the “fear of the LORD” (Proverbs 1:7), not Aristotelian moderation. Christological Echoes Jesus embodied the prayer: • No deceit was found in His mouth (1 Peter 2:22). • He lived without wealth, yet without covetousness (2 Corinthians 8:9). His temptation narrative (Matthew 4) shows Satan attacking both areas—truthfulness (“If You are the Son of God…”) and physical provision (“Turn these stones to bread”). Christ’s victory validates Agur’s priorities. Polemic Against Prosperity Theology By asking not for riches but sufficiency, Agur rebukes any gospel that equates godliness with gain (1 Timothy 6:5-10). The prayer undercuts materialistic metrics of blessing, situating contentment as the true mark of divine favor. Practical Discipleship Applications • Craft prayers that prioritize character over comfort. • Assess lifestyle against the “too much / too little” dangers. • Use Agur’s twofold template in family and congregational worship. Eschatological Outlook The “before I die” phrase places these requests in a lifelong horizon, anticipating ultimate fulfillment when the resurrected saints neither lie nor lack (Revelation 21:4, 27). The temporal twofold plea hints at an eternal dual promise: perfect truth and perfect provision. Conclusion Asking for only two things in Proverbs 30:7 concentrates the believer’s heart on the twin pillars of integrity and contentment. This dual petition safeguards God’s name, mirrors Christ’s life, resists cultural extremes, and provides a timeless model for wise, faith-filled prayer. |
    |