Proverbs 30:7-9
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This isn't just a general request for help; it's a profound statement about the urgency of needing God's intervention now, while life lasts. The phrase "before I die" emphasizes that these two things are not just nice-to-haves, but essential for living a life that honors God from this moment forward.
Two things I ask of you; deny them not to me before I die: Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, lest I be full and deny you and say, “Who is the LORD?” or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The speaker, Agur, is presenting a series of numerical proverbs, and this verse marks the beginning of a personal prayer. He's directly addressing God, asking for two essential things to be granted to him throughout the remainder of his life, before he dies. This sets the stage for the specific requests that follow in the subsequent verses.
Why is the request so urgent? The urgency isn't just about when the prayers are answered, but about the duration of the answer.
Agur frames his requests with a powerful plea: 'before I die.' This isn't just a temporal marker, but an emphasis on the need for these blessings to shape his entire life. It speaks to a desire for God's grace to permeate every season, not just a fleeting moment.
A Continuous Need
Commentators note that 'before I die' means 'while I live.' Agur isn't asking for a one-time fix, but for ongoing provision and protection. He wants these two things to be his constant companions through all his days.
Essential for Service
This lifelong grace is crucial for Agur's desire to honor God. As Benson suggests, these are things 'of great and continual necessity, for thy honour and service, and my own good.' Living a life pleasing to God requires sustained help, not just occasional intervention.
Agur identifies two extremes he fears. What are they, and why are they so dangerous?
Agur's prayer, as further detailed in the following verses, centers on avoiding the twin perils of 'vanity' (often associated with excessive pride or falsehood) and 'lies,' and then the extremes of 'poverty' and 'riches.'
The Danger of Extremes
Scholarly insights point out that poverty can lead to desperation, potentially causing one to lie or compromise their integrity. Conversely, riches can foster arrogance, a false sense of self-sufficiency, and a temptation to forget God.
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Seeking Contentment
The underlying request is for contentment – a state where one is satisfied with what God provides, whether it's little or much. This middle path, as Benson and Henry observe, is often the safest ground for maintaining a life of faithfulness and true service to God.
Understand the original words
shaw · Hebrew Noun
A comprehensive term for anything that is not true, deceptive, or vain. In Scripture, it represents a departure from the character and reality of God.
dabar kazab · Hebrew Noun phrase
The deliberate act of speaking untruths; it stands in direct opposition to God, who is the Truth, and reflects a corrupt heart.
YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
The personal name of the Creator God of Israel, the covenant-keeping God who is self-existent and holy.
taphas/taphastiy · Hebrew Verb
To treat something holy as common or unclean; in this context, it refers to dishonoring or blaspheming God's reputation by one's sinful behavior.
Elohim · Hebrew Proper Noun
The Hebrew word often used for God as the Almighty, the strong and sovereign Creator who is entitled to the reverence and service of His creatures.
This passage echoes Agur's desire for contentment by urging believers to present their requests to God with thankfulness, preventing anxieties that often stem from lacking or having too much.
Matthew 6:11Agur's plea for 'food convenient for me' directly parallels the Lord's Prayer's request for 'daily bread,' highlighting a shared understanding of needing God's provision for our essential needs.
1 Timothy 6:8The wisdom in Agur's prayer is reinforced here, stating that 'having food and covering, we shall be therewith content,' which is the essence of the balance he seeks between poverty and riches.
1 John 2:16Agur's prayer against 'vanity' is a plea against the 'lure of the flesh, the lure of the eyes, and the pride of life,' all of which can distract from a sincere walk with God.
pooleProverbs 30:7: "Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I die:"
Have I required; I do earnestly and especially desire Deny me them not before I die , Heb. withhold them not from me before I die, i.e. whilst I live, as things of great and continual necessity for thy honour and service, and my own good.
clarkeProverbs 30:7: "Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I die:"
Two things have I required of thee - These two petitions are mentioned in the next verse; and he wishes to have them answered before he should die. That is, he wishes the answer now, that he may live the rest of his life in the state he describes.
This isn't just a general request for help; it's a profound statement about the urgency of needing God's intervention now, while life lasts. The phrase "before I die" emphasizes that these two things are not just nice-to-haves, but essential for living a life that honors God from this moment forward.
The speaker, Agur, is presenting a series of numerical proverbs, and this verse marks the beginning of a personal prayer. He's directly addressing God, asking for two essential things to be granted to him throughout the remainder of his life, before he dies. This sets the stage for the specific requests that follow in the subsequent verses.
The speaker, Agur, is presenting a series of numerical proverbs, and this verse marks the beginning of a personal prayer. He's directly addressing God, asking for two essential things to be granted to him throughout the remainder of his life, before he dies. This sets the stage for the specific requests that follow in the subsequent verses.
"Two things I ask of you; deny them not to me before I die: Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, lest I be full and deny you…" — This isn't just a general request for help; it's a profound statement about the urgency of needing God's intervention now, while life lasts. The phrase "before I die" emphasizes that these two th…
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Last reviewed October 2026
