Proverbs 30:18

There are three things too wonderful for me, four that I cannot understand:

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — Agur speaks after pronouncing a curse on children who mock their parents, introducing a numbered list of natural phenomena that defy human comprehension.

The words — נִפְלְא֣וּ (nif.le.'U) means "they are too wonderful," paired with לֹ֣א יְדַעְתִּי (lo' ye.da'.Ti) meaning "I do not know," establishing the verse as a direct statement of cognitive limitation.

The thread — This pattern of human inability to grasp divine works appears in Job 42:3 and Psalms 139:6, where finite knowledge is repeatedly contrasted with God's unsearchable counsel.

Why it lands — The text requires the reader to acknowledge epistemic boundaries before attempting to analyze the four examples that follow.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

שְׁלֹשָׁ֣הshe.lo.Shahthree [things]הֵ֭מָּהHe.mahthey נִפְלְא֣וּnif.le.'Uthey are [too] wonderful מִמֶּ֑נִּיmi.Me./nifor/ me וְ֝אַרְבָּעָ֗הve./'ar.ba'and/ four [things]לֹ֣אlo'not יְדַעְתִּֽים׃ye.da'.Ti/mI know/ them

King James Version

There be three things which are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not:

Cross-references

Job 42:3 You asked, ‘Who is this who conceals My counsel without knowledge?’ Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.
Psalms 139:6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.