The Four Small but Wise Creatures (Proverbs 30:24-28)

(24)

Four are among the tiniest on earth,

Yet they are the wisest of the wise:

(25)

Ants are a folk without power,

Yet they prepare food for themselves in summer;

(26)

The badger is a folk without strength,

Yet it makes its home in the rock;

(27)

The locusts have no king,

Yet they all march forth in formation;

(28)

You can catch the lizard in your hand,

Yet it is found in royal palaces.

(1) ...After all the wisdom which is ascribed to Solomon... he forsook all these things and sat wondering about these four species.... FOUR THINGS ARE TINY ON EARTH. They are these four species. BUT THEY ARE THE WISEST OF THE WISE, [because they deal wisely, when they plead merit {and wisdom} [and love] before the one who spoke, and the world came into being.

(2) Another interpretation (of Prov. 30:24): FOUR THINGS ARE TINY ON EARTH, i.e., four species which seem small but are large in their power. And who gave us the interpretation that these four species are ethrog, lulav, myrtle, and willow? {Our masters have spoken.} [Rabbinic sages (hakhamim), of whom it is written (ibid., cont.:) BUT THEY ARE THE WISEST (hakhamim) OF THE WISE.]

The Midrash explains the proverb "Four are among the tiniest on earth, and yet they are the wisest of the wise" (Proverbs 30:24) as relating to the various empires and monarchs.

"Ants are a folk without power, and yet they prepare food for themselves in summer" (Proverbs 30:25). This refers to the Empire of Babylon. As it is written "Behold the land of Chaldea. This is the people that has ceased to be. Assyria founded it to station ships" (Isaiah 23:13).

"The badger is a folk without strength, and yet it makes its home in the rock" (Proverbs 30:26). This refers to the Persian-Median Empire. And what is the meaning of "and yet it makes its home in the rock?" This refers to Ahasuerus and Cyrus who sought to rebuild the Holy Temple in Jerusalem.

"The locusts have no king, and yet they all march forth in formation" (Proverbs 30:27). This refers to Alexander the Macedonian, for he overtook the entire world as locusts fly through the air.

"You can catch the lizard in your hand, and yet it is found in royal palaces" (Proverbs 30:28). This refers to Edom (i.e., the Roman Empire), for of all the small creatures, none are despised like it. And so it is written "And I hated Esau" (Malachi 1:3). And what is the meaning of "and yet it is found in royal palaces?" This also refers to Edom (i.e., Roman Empire), for they destroyed the Holy Temple.

"You can catch the lizard in your hand" Said Rabbi Jeremiah, this is Edom the wicked nation, for everything established there in Israel is now destroyed and forgotten.