Proverbs 30:7-9 Meaning: Two Things I Ask Before I Die
7“Two things I have asked of you. Don’t deny me before I die.
8Remove far from me falsehood and lies. Give me neither poverty nor riches. Feed me with the food that is needful for me,
9lest I be full, deny you, and say, ‘Who is Yahweh?’ or lest I be poor, and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.
7Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I die:
8Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:
9Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the Lord? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.
7Two things have I asked of thee; Deny methemnot before I die:
8Remove far from me falsehood and lies; Give me neither poverty nor riches; Feed me with the food that is needful for me:
9Lest I be full, and denythee, and say, Who is Jehovah? Or lest I be poor, and steal, And use profanely the name of my God.
7Two things I have asked from Thee, Withhold not from me before I die.
8Vanity and a lying word put far from me, Poverty or wealth give not to me, Cause me to eat the bread of my portion,
9Lest I become satiated, and have denied, And have said, `Who is Jehovah?' And lest I be poor, and have stolen, And have laid hold of the name of my God.
7Two things do I ask of thee; deny me [them] not before I die:
8Remove far from me vanity and lies; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the bread of my daily need:
9lest I be full and deny [thee], and say, Who is Jehovah? or lest I be poor and steal, and outrage the name of my God.
Meaning in one sentence
Agur's prayer asks God for honesty and daily bread, knowing both plenty and poverty can pull us away from Him.
Context
Proverbs 30 comes from a man named Agur, who opens by saying he is not wise, but he knows enough to ask God for what he truly needs. After a hymn to God's power and a warning not to add to His words (verses 1, 6), Agur turns to prayer. He asks for just two things before he dies: that God would keep falsehood far from him, and that he would receive neither too much nor too little, but only the food appointed for him. His urgency is honest. He knows how quickly the heart drifts when life is easy or when it is hard. This is not a prayer for comfort; it is a prayer for faithfulness in the short time we have.
Key Words
Three Hebrew words mark out the shape of this prayer. Agur asks God to remove shav, emptiness that looks like substance, a hollow promise that pretends to satisfy. With it he names kazav, a lie that is not just a false word but a deceptive, broken trust. Together they ask for integrity from the inside out.
For daily bread he uses lechem chukki, literally “the bread of my appointed portion.” This is not bare minimum; it is what God assigns for this season, like the daily manna in the wilderness. The word chok is often used for a boundary or a decree, a wise man learns to live within the portion God sets.
And when he fears being full, he uses kachash for “deny”, a word that means to deceive or act falsely. Fullness does not just make him forget God; it tempts him to betray the relationship. Agur is not managing his diet. He is protecting his soul.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians across traditions have treasured these verses as a pattern for simple, honest prayer. Early Protestant commentators like Matthew Henry saw in them a model of contentment: Agur asks for only what he needs, neither grasping nor anxious. Wesley and Clarke both emphasized that the first petition, removal of vanity and lies, is about worship: shav can mean an idol, so Agur prays against false religion in any form.
Catholic readers often connect the “bread of my portion” to the petition in the Lord’s Prayer for daily bread, seeing an invitation to trust God’s provision rather than accumulate. Orthodox tradition highlights the urgency: the prayer is made with death in view, giving each request its full weight. What all share is a recognition that both wealth and poverty can be spiritually dangerous, and that a faithful life depends on God’s daily gift.
A common misunderstanding
Some read this as a prayer for a comfortable middle-class life, not too poor, not too rich. In fact, Agur is not aiming at comfort at all. His concern is spiritual: he knows that abundance tempts him to pretend he does not need God, and that scarcity tempts him to steal and dishonor God’s name. The prayer is not about financial moderation; it is about keeping his heart faithful through whatever comes.
Living This Out
This week, try praying Agur’s prayer as your own. Before you check your bank account or make plans for the weekend, stop and ask God for two things: truth in your inner life, and just enough for today. Notice when you start reaching for more than you need, more money, more approval, more control, and ask yourself whether you are trusting the portion God has given. If you are facing a tight month, tell Him honestly that you fear what you might do. If you are comfortable, name the quiet danger of forgetting Him. Agur’s prayer is not a one-time request; it is a way of living each day aware of your need.
Main takeaway: Agur prays for honesty and daily bread, knowing that both plenty and poverty can pull a heart away from God.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Agur asked God for two things: help me tell the truth, and give me just enough food for today. You can ask God the same thing every morning.
For ages 9, 12
Agur was smart enough to know that having too much can make us think we don’t need God, and having too little can make us do wrong things we would never do otherwise. So he asked God for what he called “the bread of my portion”, exactly what God knew he needed for that day. It’s a prayer that keeps us close to God no matter what we have or don’t have.
Questions People Ask
What are the two things Agur asks for in Proverbs 30:7-9?
First, he asks God to remove falsehood and lies from him. Second, he asks that God give him neither poverty nor riches, but only the food he needs each day. The two requests are really one prayer for honesty and dependence.
Why does Agur ask for neither poverty nor riches?
Agur knows the spiritual dangers of both extremes. Riches can make a person proud and forgetful of God, saying 'Who is the Lord?' Poverty can lead to stealing, which dishonors God's name. He asks for a middle way not for comfort, but for faithfulness.
What does 'feed me with the food that is needful for me' mean in the original Hebrew?
The Hebrew phrase is 'lechem chukki', the bread of my appointed portion. The word 'chok' means a prescribed limit or task. Agur is not asking for bare minimum; he is asking for the exact portion God has assigned for him, like daily manna.
Why does Agur say 'before I die'? What is the urgency?
Agur understands that life is short and the heart is easily deceived. He wants to live the rest of his days in a state of integrity and dependence on God. The prayer is urgent because it asks for the kind of life that will keep him faithful until the end.
Does this verse mean Christians should never be wealthy?
Not necessarily. The point is not a rule about income levels but an honest look at the heart. Agur prays this way because he knows his own weakness. Some believers are wealthy and remain humble; others are poor and stay faithful. The prayer is about asking God to protect your heart in whatever circumstances you face.
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