Proverbs 30:6

Do not add to His words, lest He rebuke you and prove you a liar.

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — Agur speaks this warning in a wisdom discourse, framing the reception of divine instruction as a bounded act. The statement functions as a procedural boundary for the community receiving God’s revelation.

The words — תּ֥וֹסְףְּ (Tosp) carries the literal sense “you add,” while יוֹכִ֖יחַ (yo.Khi.ach) means “he should rebuke.” These terms anchor the verse in a direct prohibition against textual expansion and its consequent divine correction.

The thread — The prohibition against altering divine speech appears in Deuteronomy 12:32, Deuteronomy 4:2, and Revelation 22:18. Each reference enforces the same boundary: received revelation must remain unmodified.

Why it lands — The text commands readers to accept the supplied words exactly as given and to avoid editorial expansion. It states plainly that modification triggers divine rebuke and exposes the modifier as untruthful.

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

אַל־'al-may not תּ֥וֹסְףְּTospyou add עַל־'al-to דְּבָרָ֑יוde.va.Ra/vwords/ his פֶּן־pen-lest יוֹכִ֖יחַyo.Khi.achhe should rebukeבְּךָ֣be./Kha<in>/ youוְנִכְזָֽבְתָּ׃ פve./nikh.Za.ve.taand/ you will be proved a liar

King James Version

Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.

Cross-references

Deuteronomy 12:32 See that you do everything I command you; do not add to it or subtract from it.
Deuteronomy 4:2 You must not add to or subtract from what I command you, so that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God that I am giving you.
Revelation 22:18 I testify to everyone who hears the words of prophecy in this book: If anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book.
Job 13:7 Will you speak wickedly on God’s behalf or speak deceitfully for Him?
1 Corinthians 15:15 In that case, we are also exposed as false witnesses about God. For we have testified about God that He raised Christ from the dead, but He did not raise Him if in fact the dead are not raised.