Proverbs 30:15

“horse leech--supposed by some to be the vampire (a fabulous creature), as being literally insatiable; but the other subjects mentioned must be taken as this, comparatively insatiable. The use of a fabulous creature agreeably to popular notions is not inconsistent with inspiration. There are three . . . yea, four--(Compare Pro 6:16).”

“Note the numeration mounting to a climax, the two, the three, the four (Amos 1:3 etc.). The word rendered “horseleach” is found nowhere else, and its etymology is doubtful; but there are good grounds for taking the word in its literal sense, as giving an example, in the natural world, of the insatiable greed of which the next verse gives other instances. Its voracious appetite is here represented, to express its intensity, as two daughters, uttering the same ceaseless cry for more. Proverbs 30:16 The grave - Hebrew שׁאול she'ôl. The “Hell” or Hades of Proverbs 27:20, all-consuming yet never full. return to 'Top of Page'”

“The horse - leach - An insatiable creature, sucking blood 'till it is ready to burst. Two daughters - The following things resemble the horse - leach in its insatiableness; nothing being more ordinary than to call those persons or things the sons or daughters of those whose examples they imitate. Three - Though he begins with two, yet he proceeds from thence to three, and four, all which are said to be the daughters of the horse - leach. Proverbs 30:17”

“30:15-16 The number parallelism (three . . . no, four) is a device for presenting a list of poetic examples. This list shows powers that are insatiable and often dangerous. See also 30:18-19, 21-23, 29-31. • The grave, which stands for death itself, never seems to have enough—people keep dying (27:20). • barren womb: Women who are unable to have children often long to have them, like Sarah until she gave birth to Isaac, Rebekah until the birth of Esau and Jacob, and Hannah until the birth of Samuel. • The thirsty desert and a fire consume anything in their path.”

“The horseleach: Isa 57:3; Eze 16:44-46; Mat 23:32; Joh 8:39, Joh 8:44 Give: Isa 56:11, Isa 56:12; Hos 4:18; Mic 7:3; Rom 16:18; Pe2 2:3, Pe2 2:13-15; Jde 1:11, Jde 1:12 There: Pro 30:21, Pro 30:24, Pro 30:29, Pro 6:16; Amo 1:3, Amo 1:6, Amo 1:9, Amo 1:11, Amo 1:13, Amo 2:1, Amo 2:4 It is enough: Heb. Wealth Proverbs 30:16”

“With the characteristic of insatiableness Pro 30:11-14 closes, and there follows an apophthegma de quatuor insatiabilibus quae ideo comparantur cum sanguisuga (C. B. Michaelis). We translate the text here as it lies before us: 15 The ‛Alûka hath two daughters: Give! Give! Three of these are never satisfied; Four say not: Enough! 16 The under-world and the closing of the womb; The earth is not satisfied with water; And the fire saith not: Enough! We begin with Masoretic externalities. The first ב in הב is Beth minusculum; probably it had accidentally this diminutive form in the original MSS, to which the Midrash (cf. Sepher Taghin ed. Bargs, 1866, p. 47) has added absurd conceits. This first…”