Bible Commentary

Proverbs 18:21

The Pulpit Commentary on Proverbs 18:21

The Pulpit Commentary · Joseph S. Exell and contributors · Public domain

Death and life are in the power of the tongue; literally, in the hand of the tongue. The tongue, according as it is used, deals forth life or death; for speech is the picture of the mind (comp. ; ). The vast importance of our words may be learned from .; and our blessed Lord says expressly (, etc.), "Every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned." Hence the gnome??

款貫????慣 ????管 款貫????慣 灌慣菅?關?館

intimating that the tongue is the real controller of man's destiny; and another??

貫恝?款?? 灌菅恝菅觀琯菅??慣菅 棺?恝???館 棺菅?恝? 關恝?館??

By words alone is life of mortals swayed."

And they that love it (the tongue) shall eat the fruit thereof. They who use it much must abide the consequences of their words, whether by kind and pure and edifying conversation they contribute health and life to themselves and others, or whether by foul, calumnious, corrupting language they involve themselves and others in mortal sin. For "they that love it," the Septuagint has, 恝菅? 觀?慣?恝??館?琯? 慣???管??, "they who get the mastery over it."

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