Proverbs 15:4

A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit. A WHOLESOME TONGUE - sound in itself and healthful to others, by its knowledge, prudence, sincerity: speech framed according to the laws of the heavenly pharmacopoeia, with the various Scripture ingredients for healing soul-sickness, and for strengthening those spiritually well (Gejer). BUT PERVERSENESS THEREIN (IS) A BREACH IN THE SPIRIT. Deceit, error, reviling, filthy speaking, and frivolity, not only do not heal the sick in soul, but increase their spiritual malady, and corrupt those whole, tainting their integrity, and affecting them with various evils....

Verse Proverbs 15:4. _A WHOLESOME TONGUE_ IS _A TREE OF LIFE_] Here again is an allusion to the paradisiacal tree, עץ חיים _ets chaiyim_, "the tree of lives....

A WHOLESOME TONGUE - literally, as in the margin, the same word as “sound” in Proverbs 14:30 (see the note). A more literal rendering would be soundness of speech. TREE OF LIFE - Compare Proverbs 3:18 note. BREACH IN THE SPIRIT - With the sense of vexation (compare Isaiah 65:14)....

EXPOSITION PROVERBS 15:1 A SOFT ANSWER TURNETH AWAY WRATH. Two things are here to be observed: an answer should be given—the injured person should not wrap himself in sullen silence; and that answer should be gentle and conciliatory. This is tersely put in a mediaeval rhyme— "_Frangitur ira gravis_ _Quando est respensio suavis_." "Anger, however great, Is checked by answer sweet." Septuagint, "A submissive (ὑποπίπτουσα)_ _answer averteth wrath." Thus Abigail quelled the excessive anger of David by her judicious submission (1 Samuel 25:24, etc.). BUT GRIEVOUS WORDS STIR UP ANGER. A word that causes vexation makes anger rise the higher. Ὁργῆς ματαίας εἰσὶν

A WHOLESOME TONGUE [IS] A TREE OF LIFE,.... A tongue that delivers out salutary instructions, wholesome advice and counsel; a "healing tongue" w, as it may be rendered, which pacifies contending parties, and heals the divisions between them; to have the benefit of such a man's company and conversation is like being in paradise. Such is the tongue of a Gospel minister, which delivers out the wholesome words of our Lord Jesus Christ; sound speech and doctrines, which cannot be condemned; healing truths to wounded consciences, such as peace, pardon, righteousness, and atonement by the blood of Christ. These are the means of quickening dead sinners, reviving and comforting distressed ones, and show the way of eternal life unto them; BUT PERVERSENESS THEREIN [IS] A BREACH IN THE SPIRIT; impure, unchaste, unsavoury, and corrupt language, does mischief to the spirits of men; evil communication...

CHAPTER 15 THE BETTER THINGS One can read through the proverbs recorded in this chapter and ask the question, What are the better things? A soft answer which turneth away wrath is better than grievous words Proverbs 15:1. The tongue of the righteous which useth knowledge aright is better than the mouth of fools Proverbs 15:2. Better is the prayer of the upright than the sacrifice of the wicked Proverbs 15:8). Better is he that followeth after righteousness than the way of the wicked, for the one the Lord delights in, the other is an abomination Proverbs 15:9). Better is the heart that seeketh knowledge than to feed on fool

PROVERBS 15. This chapter makes no new departure. Proverbs concerning the moral government of the world again occupy the chief place. One (Proverbs 15:11) is noteworthy as showing an extended conception of the sphere of God's government. Earlier Heb. religion regarded Sheol as outside the kingdom of God; there the dead do not praise or remember Him. We have also some more psychological proverbs dealing with the value of cheerfulness. PROVERBS 15:2. UTTERETH ARIGHT: paraphrase rather than translation, lit. makes good. Read drops (as Deuteronomy 32:2; Job 29:22), a more natural contrast to pours out in...

A WHOLESOME TONGUE. Gentleness of tongue. TREE OF LIFE. See Genesis 2:9; Genesis 3:22; Genesis 3:24. Compare Proverbs 3:18; Ezekiel 27:12.Revelation 22:2, and notes there. SPIRIT. Hebrew. _ruach._ App-9....

_wholesome_ See Proverbs 14:30, where the same Heb. word is rendered _sound_, and note there, and comp. ὑγιαίνοντες λόγοι, 1 Timothy 6:3; 2 Timothy 1:13, and λόγος ὑγιής, Titus 2:8. R.V. marg. gives, _the healing of_(caused by) _the tongue_. So ἴασις γλώσσης, LXX.; lingua placabilis, Vulg. _a breach in_ Better, A BREAKING OF, R.V....

A WHOLESOME TONGUE IS A TREE OF LIFE— _A wholesome tongue,_ or _a tongue which heals,_ or _the health of the tongue, is a tree of life, but when it is perverse it breaks the spirit;_ or, _the perversity, the corruption of the tongue, is the death of the spirit._ A tongue which instructs, which consoles, which pacifies, in a word, a tongue which brings health to the spirit and the heart, is truly a tree of life. But a corrupted, lying, abusive, perverse tongue brings death to the soul; afflicts, irritates, corrupts. The LXX render it, _The health of the tongue is a tree of life, and he that keepeth it shall be filled with the spirit._ Schultens and others would render the Hebrew, _"The medicine of the tongue is a tree of life; but the offence,_ or _corruption of it,_ is _as_ an impetuous _wind_ which _bursteth through_ and overturneth all things." See his note, and Calmet....