Proverbs 21:23

Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles. WHOSO KEEPETH HIS MOUTH - as the, well-guarded gates of the city. The "mouth" is the gate; the "soul," the city (; Proverbs 13:2; )....

EXPOSITION PROVERBS 21:1 THE KING'S HEART IS IN THE HAND OF THE LORD, AS THE RIVERS OF WATER. We are to think of the little channels used for irrigation. As these are altogether under the gardener's control, so the heart of the king, who might seem to have no superior, is directed by God. HE TURNETH IT WHITHERSOEVER HE WILL. By hidden influences and providential arrangements God disposes the monarch to order his government so as to carry out his designs, to spread around joy and plenty. The system of irrigation signified in this passage is still to be seen in Eastern lands. "Flower beds and gardens of herbs are always made at a little lower level than the surrounding ground, and are divided into small squares, a slight edging of earth banking the whole round on each side. Water is then let in, and floods the entire sur

WHOSO KEEPETH HIS MOUTH AND HIS TONGUE,.... Guards the one and bridles the other; is careful of what he says, that it is truth, and without dissimulation and guile; and is not injurious to the characters of men, and is not offensive and provoking; who abstains from ill and wrathful language, and which tends to stir up wrath and contention. Aben Ezra distinguishes between the mouth and tongue, and interprets it, that keeps his mouth from eating, that is, immoderately and intemperately; and his tongue from speaking evil: but it is best to understand both of the same thing, of speech or language, which when a man is careful of, he KEEPETH HIS SOUL FROM TROUBLES; his conscience clear of guilt and distress, and his person from being concerned in quarrels, contentions, and lawsuits, which such who give their tongues too much liberty are involved in....

CHAPTER 21 PERSONAL INSTRUCTIONS AS TO LIFE AND CONDUCT In the proverbs of this chapter the Lord is mentioned five times. “The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: He turneth it whithersoever He will” Proverbs 21:1). The rivers of water are “water-courses,” the irrigation system known to the ancients, opening and shutting sluices directed the flow of the waters. Thus the Lord governs the king's heart as He directs the affairs of men. The Lord pondereth the hearts Proverbs 21:2). The same truth is stated in Proverbs 16:2; self-justification suits the natural man but the Lord testeth all hearts. How well it is to remember in all our conduct, that truth, so comforting to the believer, expr

PROVERBS 21:1. WATERCOURSES: not the natural brooks and wadys of Palestine, but the artificial irrigation canals of Egypt or Babylonia, which could be diverted in any direction at will. Proverbs 21:4. Apparently two unconnected lines belonging to different couplets. A connexion can be established only by forced exegesis. The Heb. is lit. lofty of look and arrogant of heart, the tillage of the wicked is sin. RV lamp for tillage depends on a different pointing, but does not improve the sense. Proverbs 21:6. Lit. The getting of treasures by a lying tongue (is) a driven breath, seekers of death. RV clearly inserts more than the text warrants to make sense of...

KEEPETH. guardeth. MOUTH... TONGUE. Put by Figure of speech _Metonymy_ (of Cause), App-6, for what is uttered by them. TROUBLES. Some codices, with five early printed editions, Aramaean, Septuagint, and Syriac, read "trouble" (singular)...

TEXT Proverbs 21:21-31 21. He that followeth after righteousness and kindness Findeth life, righteousness, and honor. 22. A wise man scaleth the city of the mighty, And bringeth down the strength of the confidence thereof. 23. Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue Keepeth his soul from troubles. 24. The proud and haughty man, scoffer is his name; He worketh in the arrogance of pride. 25. The desire of the sluggard killeth him; For his hands refuse to labor. 26. There is that coveteth greedily all the day long; But the righteous giveth and withholdeth not. 27. The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination; How much more, when he bringeth it with a wicked mind! 28. A false witness shall perish; But the man that heareth shall speak so as t

1. The 'watercourses' (RV) are the artificial irrigation channels of Egypt and Babylon (Isaiah 58:11)....

LESSONS ABOUT WISDOM PROVERBS _KEITH SIMONS_ CHAPTER 21 V1 A king is like a canal that God controls. God leads the king in the way that God decides. V2 A man supposes that all his actions are right. But God knows the man’s secret thoughts. V3 Do the things that are right and fair! This matters more to God than any gift....

WHOSO KEEPETH HIS MOUTH AND HIS TONGUE, &C — See above on Proverbs 12:13....