Agur
A'gur (Hebrew Agurs, אִָגוּר, gathered), the author of the sayings contained in Proverbs 30, which the inscription describes as composed of the precepts delivered by "Agur, the son of Jakeh," to his friends "Ithiel and Ucal." Some writers have regarded the name as an appellative, but differ as to its signification (Gesenius, Thes. Hebr. p. 22). The Vulg. has "Verba Congregantis filii Vomentis." Most of the rabbins and fathers think that Solomon himself is designated under this name, which they render collector, i.e. holder of a congregation (comp. Ec 12:14); and if the word is to be understood as an appellative, it may be as well to look for its meaning in the Syriac, where, according to Bar Bahlui (in Castell. Lex.), agur means qui sapientioe studiis se applicat, a sense that aptly designates Solomon. Most copies of the Sept. omit the chapter ascribed to Agur, as well as the first nine verses of the following chapter; but insert verses 1-14 of this chap. between verses 23 and 24 of chap. 24. That version renders the present verse thus: Τοὺς δὲ ἐμοὺς λόγους, υἱέ, φοβήθητι, καὶ δεξάμενος αὐτοὺς μετανόει. Τάδε λέγει ὁ ἀνὴρ τοῖς πιστεύουσιν Θεῷ, καὶ παύομαι. Son, fear my words, and receive them with penitence. These things says the man to those that believe God, and I cease. Winer (Realwort. s.v.) argues that by Agur must be designated some otherwise unknown Israelite, since he is designated as the son of Jakeh (בַּןאּיָקֶה, a rarer form for בֶּןאּ), and not Solomon, who, even in Ecclesiastes (1:1), is styled by his proper patronymic, "the son of David" (see Bertholdt, Einl. 5, 2193). SEE JAKEH. This argument, however, especially the latter part of it, is not of much force, since Solomon is elsewhere designated in Proverbs by a symbolical name, in connection with his parentage (31:1). SEE LEMUEL. Prof. Stuart
(Comment. in loc.) understands by Agur the son of a queen of Massa, a place which he locates near the head of the eastern fork of the Red Sea, and supposes to have been peopled by a Jewish colony. SEE MASSA.
