Posted by Jeff Short on April 24, 2017 · Leave a Comment
He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction.
– Proverbs 13:3
This proverb is about controlling one’s mouth, or speech. Keeping one’s mouth refers to guarding or keeping watch over your mouth. Regulating speech is a recurring theme in the Proverbs (Proverbs 10:19). In most cases, it is better to say too little than too much. The indication in the first phrase is that keeping the
mouth also keeps the
life (Proverbs 21:23). The word for
openeth wide in this context means to be talkative. “The mouth of fools poureth out foolishness” (Proverbs 15:2). The consequence of open-mouth talking is
destruction, or ruin (Proverbs 12:13).
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Posted by Jeff Short on April 21, 2017 · Leave a Comment
In the way of righteousness is life; and in the pathway thereof is no death.
– Proverbs 12:28
I understand the Hebrew is difficult in this proverb, and particularly the second phrase. Various interpretations have been given. The proverb doesn’t have a contrast and the first phrase sets the context. The
way of righteousness, or the way of wisdom, is the way of life (Proverbs 8:35; 9:11). It’s the way of life now in the sense of wholeness and the way of life ultimately in hope beyond the grave. The second phrase indicates either there is a path of death, or there is no death in the path of righteousness. The general tenor of the Proverbs contrasts wisdom and folly as life and death. Wisdom and heeding wisdom tends to longer life (Proverbs 4:10). The way of folly is natural and wisdom delivers from death (Proverbs 15:24). The sober warning is given in Proverbs 8:36 that to hate and refuse wisdom is to embrace and love death.
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Posted by Jeff Short on March 11, 2017 · Leave a Comment
As righteousness tendeth to life: so he that pursueth evil pursueth it to his own death.
– Proverbs 11:19
Wisdom is concerned with the long view and outcomes over time more than immediate circumstances. This proverb contrasts pursuing righteousness and evil. Pursuing righteousness results in life and pursuing evil in death. This is a continual wisdom theme throughout Proverbs (Proverbs 1:16-19; 8:36; 10:16; 11:4; 12:28; 13:21; 19:23).
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Posted by Jeff Short on February 14, 2017 · Leave a Comment
The fear of the LORD prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened.
– Proverbs 10:27
The fear of the Lord is where we begin in divine wisdom (Psalm 111:10; Proverbs 1:7). Continuing in fear means continuing in wisdom and departing from sin (Proverbs 16:6) and coming into God’s goodness (Psalm 31:19). In general, walking in fear and wisdom tends to long life whereas continuing in wickedness tends to being cut off (Psalm 55:23). Whatever prospering the wicked enjoy, it is short lived (Job 12:6; Psalm 73:12; 17:13-14).
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Posted by Jeff Short on February 11, 2017 · Leave a Comment
The fear of the wicked, it shall come upon him: but the desire of the righteous shall be granted.
– Proverbs 10:24
Wisdom takes a long view and considers the end of a thing. The
wicked are in one way and the
righteous in another. They both shall come out somewhere—the righteous to everlasting life and the wicked to everlasting condemnation (Daniel 12:2). It is a terror to the wicked to stand before God (Psalm 14:1), but that is where they shall come at last. The righteous delight in God and his ways and long to be in his presence, which they shall also come to at last (Psalm 16:11).
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Posted by Jeff Short on February 4, 2017 · Leave a Comment
He is in the way of life that keepeth instruction: but he that refuseth reproof erreth.
– Proverbs 10:17
Life in the Proverbs is a quality of life and not a quantity of life. Life also includes thoughts of the spiritual and the afterlife. The
way of life is to them who
keepeth instruction. Proverbs emphasizes the importance of hearing instruction but also the importance of retaining it (Proverbs 3:1-2, 18; 4:4, 13). The contrast is made between keeping and refusing, or forsaking, as the word indicates. To err is to go astray and we know it is ultimately to come to ruin (Proverbs 15:10; 29:1).
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Posted by Jeff Short on January 29, 2017 · Leave a Comment
The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked.
– Proverbs 10:11
The
mouth is here put for speech, the things we say. Solomon contrasts the speech of the
righteous with the speech of the
wicked. The word for
well means a spring or fountain, and therefore, a source. Wisdom teaches the mouth of the righteous to be life giving (Psalm 37:30; Proverbs 10:21; 16:23). To
cover is to conceal and
violence points to malice. The mouth of the wicked cannot utter wisdom because it is covered by wrong and everything proceeding from it is tainted.
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Posted by Jeff Short on January 27, 2017 · Leave a Comment
He that walketh uprightly walketh surely: but he that perverteth his ways shall be known.
– Proverbs 10:9
Walking is often put for the course of one’s life.
Uprightly refers to walking or living with integrity, an innocence of wrong doing. One who walks thus with integrity does so
surely. The word indicates confidence or trust in safety. The one who walks in wisdom
uprightly does not fear the accusation that is false but the one that is true (1 Peter 4:15-16).
Solomon contrasts the one who perverteth his ways. This is opposite of walking in integrity. The word indicates something twisted, bent, or crooked. It speaks of walking deceptively and not with integrity. This person doesn’t walk surely but rather shall be known, or found out. They will fall (Proverbs 28:18).
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Posted by Jeff Short on January 11, 2017 · Leave a Comment
For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased.
– Proverbs 9:11
The issues of wisdom and folly are often cast in terms of life and death in Proverbs. This is an example of general truism in wisdom literature. Wisdom tends to longer life and folly, or wickedness, tends to shorter life (Proverbs 3:2, 16; 10:27). It is not absolutism so that every wise person lives to be 100 years old and a wise person is never cut off in youth to middle age. Life and death in relation to wisdom and folly also has a spiritual dynamic pointing to more than mortal life on earth (Proverbs 11:7; 14:32). In the immediate context here,
days and
years being lengthened is the reward of departing from folly and turning in to wisdom. Wisdom provides what is needed for a long, productive, and flourishing life.
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Proverbs 13:3
Posted by Jeff Short on April 24, 2017 · Leave a Comment
He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction.
This proverb is about controlling one’s mouth, or speech. Keeping one’s mouth refers to guarding or keeping watch over your mouth. Regulating speech is a recurring theme in the Proverbs (Proverbs 10:19). In most cases, it is better to say too little than too much. The indication in the first phrase is that keeping the mouth also keeps the life (Proverbs 21:23). The word for openeth wide in this context means to be talkative. “The mouth of fools poureth out foolishness” (Proverbs 15:2). The consequence of open-mouth talking is destruction, or ruin (Proverbs 12:13).– Proverbs 13:3
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