Home People Ithai Ithai is a person mentioned in Proverbs 30 :1 as one of the recipients of Agur's words of wisdom. Very little is known about him beyond this reference. The name likely means 'God is with me' in Hebrew, and he is mentioned alongside Ukal as an audience for Agur's oracle.
Topics require JavaScript.
Key events Ithai is mentioned at the beginning of Proverbs chapter 30 as one of those to whom Agur, son of Jakeh, directed his words of wisdom.
1 The words of Agur son of Jakeh—an oracle. This is what the man declared to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal: Heb דִּבְרֵ֤י ׀ אָג֥וּר בִּן־יָקֶ֗ה הַמַּ֫שָּׂ֥א נְאֻ֣ם הַ֭גֶּבֶר לְאִֽיתִיאֵ֑ל לְאִ֖יתִיאֵ֣ל וְאֻכָֽל׃
In the context where Ithai is mentioned, Agur expresses his own limited understanding and God's infinite wisdom, which forms the basis for the words of wisdom that Ithai received.
2 Surely I am more like a brute than a man; I do not have human understanding. Heb כִּ֤י בַ֣עַר אָנֹכִ֣י מֵאִ֑ישׁ וְלֹֽא־בִינַ֖ת אָדָ֣ם לִֽי׃
3 I have not learned wisdom, nor have I gained knowledge of the Holy One. Heb וְלֹֽא־לָמַ֥דְתִּי חָכְמָ֑ה וְדַ֖עַת קְדֹשִׁ֣ים אֵדָֽע׃
4 Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in the hollow of his hands? Who has wrapped up the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son's name? Surely you know! Heb מִ֤י עָלָֽה־שָׁמַ֨יִם ׀ וַיֵּרַ֡ד מִ֤י אָֽסַף־ר֨וּחַ ׀ בְּחָפְנָ֡יו מִ֤י צָֽרַר־מַ֨יִם ׀ בַּשִּׂמְלָ֗ה מִ֭י הֵקִ֣ים כָּל־אַפְסֵי־אָ֑רֶץ מַה־שְּׁמ֥וֹ וּמַֽה־שֶּׁם־בְּ֝נ֗וֹ כִּ֣י תֵדָֽע׃
Among the words directed to Ithai is a prayer to be kept from falsehood and vanity, as well as to be neither rich nor poor.
7 Two things I ask of you; do not withhold them from me before I die: Heb שְׁ֭תַּיִם שָׁאַ֣לְתִּי מֵאִתָּ֑ךְ אַל־תִּמְנַ֥ע מִ֝מֶּ֗נִּי בְּטֶ֣רֶם אָמֽוּת׃
8 Keep falsehood and lying far from me. Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the bread I need, Heb שָׁ֤וְא ׀ וּֽדְבַר־כָּזָ֡ב הַרְחֵ֬ק מִמֶּ֗נִּי רֵ֣אשׁ וָ֭עֹשֶׁר אַל־תִּֽתֶּן־לִ֑י הַ֝טְרִיפֵ֗נִי לֶ֣חֶם חֻקִּֽי׃
9 or I may have too much and deny you, saying, "Who is the LORD?" Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God. Heb פֶּ֥ן אֶשְׂבַּ֨ע ׀ וְכִחַשְׁתִּי֮ וְאָמַ֗רְתִּי מִ֥י יְה֫וָ֥ה וּפֶֽן־אִוָּרֵ֥שׁ וְגָנַ֑בְתִּי וְ֝תָפַ֗שְׂתִּי שֵׁ֣ם אֱלֹהָֽי׃ פ
The words of wisdom spoken to Ithai include a series of numerical proverbs that describe patterns in nature and human life.
15 The leech has two daughters: "Give!" and "Give!" Three things are never satisfied, four never say, "Enough!": Heb לֽ͏ַעֲלוּקָ֨ה ׀ שְׁתֵּ֥י בָנוֹת֮ הַ֤ב ׀ הַ֥ב שָׁל֣וֹשׁ הֵ֭נָּה לֹ֣א תִשְׂבַּ֑עְנָה אַ֝רְבַּ֗ע לֹא־אָ֥מְרוּ הֽוֹן׃
16 the grave, the barren womb, land that never has enough water, and fire, which never says, "Enough!" Heb שְׁאוֹל֮ וְעֹ֢צֶ֫ר רָ֥חַם אֶ֭רֶץ לֹא־שָׂ֣בְעָה מַּ֑יִם וְ֝אֵ֗שׁ לֹא־אָ֥מְרָה הֽוֹן׃
17 The eye that mocks a father and scorns obedience to a mother will be picked out by the ravens of the valley and eaten by the young vultures. Heb עַ֤יִן ׀ תִּֽלְעַ֣ג לְאָב֮ וְתָב֢וּז לִֽיקֲּהַ֫ת־אֵ֥ם יִקְּר֥וּהָ עֹרְבֵי־נַ֑חַל וְֽיֹאכְל֥וּהָ בְנֵי־נָֽשֶׁר׃ פ
18 Three things are too wonderful for me, four I cannot understand: Heb שְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה הֵ֭מָּה נִפְלְא֣וּ מִמֶּ֑נִּי *וארבע **וְ֝אַרְבָּעָ֗ה לֹ֣א יְדַעְתִּֽים׃
19 the way of an eagle in the sky, the way of a snake on a rock, the way of a ship on the open sea, and the way of a man with a young woman. Heb דֶּ֤רֶךְ הַנֶּ֨שֶׁר ׀ בַּשָּׁמַיִם֮ דֶּ֥רֶךְ נָחָ֗שׁ עֲלֵ֫י צ֥וּר דֶּֽרֶךְ־אֳנִיָּ֥ה בְלֶב־יָ֑ם וְדֶ֖רֶךְ גֶּ֣בֶר בְּעַלְמָֽה׃
Mentioned in the Bible (2)