Proverbs 18: The Power of the Tongue
Solomon weighs the deadly and life-giving power of words, the pride that precedes ruin, and the safety found in Yahweh.
Proverbs 18 (WEB)
1 An unfriendly man pursues selfishness, and defies all sound judgment.
2 A fool has no delight in understanding, but only in revealing his own opinion.
3 When wickedness comes, contempt also comes, and with shame comes disgrace.
4 The words of a man’s mouth are like deep waters. The fountain of wisdom is like a flowing brook.
5 To be partial to the faces of the wicked is not good, nor to deprive the innocent of justice.
6 A fool’s lips come into strife, and his mouth invites beatings.
7 A fool’s mouth is his destruction, and his lips are a snare to his soul.
8 The words of a gossip are like dainty morsels: they go down into a person’s innermost parts.
9 One who is slack in his work is brother to him who is a master of destruction.
10 Yahweh’s name is a strong tower: the righteous run to him, and are safe.
11 The rich man’s wealth is his strong city, like an unscalable wall in his own imagination.
12 Before destruction the heart of man is proud, but before honor is humility.
13 He who gives answer before he hears, that is folly and shame to him.
14 A man’s spirit will sustain him in sickness, but a crushed spirit, who can bear?
15 The heart of the discerning gets knowledge. The ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
16 A man’s gift makes room for him, and brings him before great men.
17 He who pleads his cause first seems right; until another comes and questions him.
18 The lot settles disputes, and keeps strong ones apart.
19 A brother offended is more difficult than a fortified city; and disputes are like the bars of a castle.
20 A man’s stomach is filled with the fruit of his mouth. With the harvest of his lips he is satisfied.
21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue; those who love it will eat its fruit.
22 Whoever finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor of Yahweh.
23 The poor plead for mercy, but the rich answer harshly.
24 A man of many companions may be ruined, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
Proverbs 18 (KJV)
1 Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom.
2 A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself.
3 When the wicked cometh, then cometh also contempt, and with ignominy reproach.
4 The words of a man’s mouth are as deep waters, and the wellspring of wisdom as a flowing brook.
5 It is not good to accept the person of the wicked, to overthrow the righteous in judgment.
6 A fool’s lips enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for strokes.
7 A fool’s mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul.
8 The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.
9 He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster.
10 The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.
11 The rich man’s wealth is his strong city, and as an high wall in his own conceit.
12 Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honour is humility.
13 He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.
14 The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?
15 The heart of the prudent getteth knowledge; and the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge.
16 A man’s gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men.
17 He that is first in his own cause seemeth just; but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him.
18 The lot causeth contentions to cease, and parteth between the mighty.
19 A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city: and their contentions are like the bars of a castle.
20 A man’s belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; and with the increase of his lips shall he be filled.
21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.
22 Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the Lord.
23 The poor useth intreaties; but the rich answereth roughly.
24 A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.
Proverbs 18 (ASV)
1 He that separateth himself seeketh his own desire, And rageth against all sound wisdom.
2 A fool hath no delight in understanding, But only that his heart may reveal itself.
3 When the wicked cometh, there cometh also contempt, And with ignominy cometh reproach.
4 The words of a man’s mouth areasdeep waters; The wellspring of wisdom is as a flowing brook.
5 To respect the person of the wicked is not good, Norto turn aside the righteous in judgment.
6 A fool’s lips enter into contention, And his mouth calleth for stripes.
7 A fool’s mouth is his destruction, And his lips are the snare of his soul.
8 The words of a whisperer are as dainty morsels, And they go down into the innermost parts.
9 He also that is slack in his work Is brother to him that is a destroyer.
10 The name of Jehovah is a strong tower; The righteous runneth into it, and is safe.
11 The rich man’s wealth is his strong city, And as a high wall in his own imagination.
12 Before destruction the heart of man is haughty; And before honorgoethhumility.
13 He that giveth answer before he heareth, It is folly and shame unto him.
14 The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; But a broken spirit who can bear?
15 The heart of the prudent getteth knowledge; And the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge.
16 A man’s gift maketh room for him, And bringeth him before great men.
17 He that pleadeth his cause first seemeth just; But his neighbor cometh and searcheth him out.
18 The lot causeth contentions to cease, And parteth between the mighty.
19 A brother offendedis harder to be won than a strong city; Andsuchcontentions are like the bars of a castle.
20 A man’s belly shall be filled with the fruit of his mouth; With the increase of his lips shall he be satisfied.
21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue; And they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.
22 Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, And obtaineth favor of Jehovah.
23 The poor useth entreaties; But the rich answereth roughly.
24 He that maketh many friends doeth it to his own destruction; But there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.
Summary
Words dominate this chapter. A fool delights only in airing his own opinion, his mouth a snare to his soul, while the words of a gossip slip down like dainty morsels into the heart. Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and a man is filled with the fruit of his lips. Set against this is Yahweh's name, a strong tower where the righteous run and are safe, unlike the rich whose wealth is only an imagined fortress. Solomon warns that pride goes before destruction while humility precedes honor, and that answering before listening is folly. He commends fairness in judgment, patient hearing of both sides, and faithful relationships, observing that an offended brother is harder to win than a fortified city, yet a true friend sticks closer than a brother.
Main Characters
- The fool — He takes no delight in understanding, delighting instead in venting opinions that snare and destroy him.
- The wise — The discerning who seek knowledge, hear before answering, and speak words like deep, life-giving waters.
- A friend — The companion who sticks closer than a brother, more reliable than a crowd of acquaintances.
- Yahweh — The God whose name is a strong tower where the righteous run and find safety.
Key Verse
Proverbs 18:10 (WEB)
Yahweh’s name is a strong tower: the righteous run to him, and are safe.
Lessons Learned
- Our words carry the power of death and life, so we must wield them with care.
- Real safety is found in Yahweh's name, not in wealth's imagined fortress.
- Pride leads to downfall, while humility is the path that precedes honor.
- Listening fully before answering guards us from foolishness and shame.
- Yahweh is the refuge of the righteous. Yahweh's name is a strong tower; the righteous run to him and are safe, finding security in God rather than wealth (Proverbs 18:10, WEB).
- Pride precedes a fall. Before destruction the heart of man is proud, but before honor is humility, reversing the world's expectations (Proverbs 18:12, WEB).
- Listen before you answer. He who gives answer before he hears, that is folly and shame to him, so wisdom hears fully first (Proverbs 18:13, WEB).
- Words shape life and death. Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit, for our words bear real consequences (Proverbs 18:21, WEB).
- Gossip wounds invisibly. The words of a gossip are like dainty morsels; they go down into a person's innermost parts, lodging deep within (Proverbs 18:8, WEB).
- A faithful friend outlasts many. A man of many companions may be ruined, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother (Proverbs 18:24, WEB).
- What does Solomon mean that Yahweh's name is a strong tower for the righteous (Proverbs 18:10)?
- How do gossip and a fool's careless words damage the speaker and the hearer (Proverbs 18:6-8)?
- Why is it folly to give an answer before truly hearing the matter (Proverbs 18:13)?
- How does the claim that death and life are in the power of the tongue challenge how you speak (Proverbs 18:21)?
- Where are you trusting in your own resources rather than running to Yahweh as your strong tower (Proverbs 18:11)?
- Yahweh's name represents his character and presence, and to it the righteous run as to a fortified tower for protection. Unlike riches, which only seem like a strong city in the imagination, God is a real refuge. The verse calls believers to find their security in God himself.
- A fool's lips invite strife and beatings, and his mouth becomes his own destruction, while a gossip's words sink deep and wound those who hear them. Careless speech harms both the one who speaks and the one who listens, spreading damage that is hard to undo.
- To answer before hearing is to judge without understanding, which Solomon calls folly and shame. Wisdom listens patiently and fully, weighing the matter before responding, rather than rushing to speak from assumptions or pride.
- Personal: invite members to consider how their words have given life or dealt death recently. Encourage them to take seriously the weight of the tongue and to ask God for speech that heals, encourages, and builds others up.
- Personal: ask members to name where they lean on money, status, or self-sufficiency for security. Encourage them to run instead to Yahweh as their strong tower, trusting his name rather than fortresses of their own making.