Agur, Son of Jakeh

AGUR, son of JAQEH. — An unknown sage, author of a group of maxims in Prov. 30. St. Girolamo in the Vulgate, identifying him with Solomon, interpreted the two names as symbolic appellations: «Verba Congregantis (Salomone = he who holds an assembly, like Qóhélet) filii Vomentis (David)», but the true meaning of A. is “taken for wages,” whereas nothing is known about Jaqeh. In the Hebrew text this is followed by ham-massá (Vulgate: visio), which seems to indicate A.’s origin from Massa, that is, from the same Transjordanian region (cf. Gen. 25:14) to which Lamuele belonged, author of chapter 31 or of its first part. A. would therefore be an Ishmaelite. In the Masoretic text there follows the name of two interlocutors of A., 'Ithl'el and 'Ukhakl, which the Vulgate understands as: cum quo et Deus, and confortatus. Modern scholars see in them the beginning of A.’s words and translate: “I have wearied myself, O God, and I have grown faint.”

Enrico Galbiati