THE JESTER OF KING SOLOMON? THE PERSONALITY OF AGUR, THE SON OF JACOB (PROVERBS 30:1) IN MODERN BIBLICAL STUDIES

Georgy Vladimirovich Andrianov

Church Research Center of the Kostroma Metropolitanate, Kostroma, Russia,

Email: director44@inbox.ru

ORCID: 0000–0001–7534–6776

Issue: № 2 (34), 2026

Pages: 11

Annotation

The personality of Agur, the son of Jacob (Proverbs 30:1), currently has no common understanding among modern Biblical scholars. In the presented article, the author systematizes the available interpretations of the person of Agura in the works on the study of the Holy Scriptures, published recently. The article also provides a brief overview of earlier views on the personality of Agur in the works of Christian writers and Jewish rabbis. A wide range on the issue of identification of Agur's personality is determined by textual research, which does not see in Proverbs 30, 1 any indication at all of the identity of both Agur himself and the addressees of his text: the alleged three disciples of the sage named Iphiel, Iphiel and Ukal. In conclusion, the author describes current trends in understanding the personality of Agur and expresses his vision of the issue under study. The publication uses a simplified transcription of Hebrew words. The article is based on the abstracts of the author's report "Co-author of Solomon? Modern Biblical Studies on the Words of Agur, the son of Jacob (ch. 30 Books of Proverbs of Solomon)", read at the XV International Scientific and Theological Conference "Topical Issues of Modern Theology and Church Science" (SPbThA, September 28–29, 2023).

Keywords

The Bible, the Holy Scriptures of the Old Testament, the Septuagint, the Book of Proverbs of Solomon, Biblical criticism, Midrash, Biblical irony, Agur, Ifiel and Ukal

For citation

Andrianov G. V., priest. The jester of King Solomon? The personality of Agur, the son of Jacob (Proverbs 30:1) in Modern Biblical Studies // Ipatievsky vestnik. 2026. № 2. Р. 11–31 (In Ru ssian). https://doi.org/10.24412/2309–5164–2026–2–11–31