Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Proverbs 4:24

Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.

Speech turned from its true purpose, the wandering eye that leads on to evil, action hasty and inconsiderate, are the natural results where we do not above all keeping keep our heart Pro 4:23.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Pro 4:24-27

Put away from thee a froward mouth.

Laws of life

A law for the tongue, a law for the eye, a law for the mind, a law for the life.

I. A demand for pure language. Speech is one of the grand peculiarities that distinguish man. It is the organ by which one man can influence the ages. Yet it has become the vehicle of error, the channel of pollution, the utterance of blasphemy, etc. A pure heart is essential to pure speech.

II. A demand for a straightforward purpose. Have no side-glances, no by-ends; but have a grand purpose on which the eye of the soul shall be always fixed. Straightforwardness stands opposed to all sly cunning, all vacillation, all ambiguity; all double meanings and aims.

III. A demand for habitual thoughtfulness. Man was made not only to think, but to be thoughtful. He should walk the path of life–

1. Thoughtfully, not by impulse.

2. Thoughtfully, not by prejudice.

3. Thoughtfully, not by custom.

IV. A demand for unswerving rectitude. Duty is a straight path. The way of sin is serpentine in its shape as well as in its spirit. Virtue is a straight line running right up to God. Any turn, therefore, would be wrong and riskful. Take care: there are by-paths tempting in every direction. (D. Thomas, D.D.)

Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell

Verse 24. A froward mouth] Beware of hastiness, anger, and rash speeches.

And perverse lips] Do not delight in nor acquire the habit of contradicting and gainsaying; and beware of calumniating and backbiting your neighbour.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

All sorts of sinful words, which proceed from and discover an evil heart.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

24. a froward mouththat is, amouth, or words of ill nature. The Hebrew word differs fromthat used (Pro 2:15; Pro 3:32).

perverseor,”quarreling.”

lipsor, “words.”

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

Put away from thee a froward mouth,…. A mouth speaking froward and perverse things; things contrary to right reason, to the law of God, and Gospel of Christ; blasphemies against God or men; every thing that is untrue, unchaste, unjust, foolish, and filthy; all swearing, lying, and everything that is repugnant to truth and justice. Some understand it of men that are liars, blasphemers, and froward persons, who are to be shunned and avoided, and to be debarred the houses and society of good men;

and perverse lips put far from thee; do not make use of them thyself, nor keep company with men of such a character. Much the same thing is meant as before.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

(24) A froward mouth.Heb. iqqeshth, literally, distortion, or twisting of the truth, not the same word as in Pro. 2:12; Pro. 2:14.

Perverse lipsi.e., that turn aside from the truth.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

24. A froward mouth perverse lips Swerving from truth and purity, all lying, prevarication, deceitful and wrong discourse of every kind.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Pro 4:24 Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.

Ver. 24. Put away from thee a froward mouth. ] To the keeping of the heart, a careful watching over the mouth, eyes, feet, &c., doth much conduce. For these outward parts abused, as they receive defilement from the heart, so they reflect defilement also upon it. They stain the soul, and dispose it to further evil. Christ had a pure heart; therefore his eyes were not bewitched, nor his ears enchanted, “neither was there any guile found in his mouth.”

And perverse lips put far from thee. ] Because it is a duty of no small difficulty, Jam 3:2-12 therefore he redoubleth his exhortation. “The words of the wise are as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies.” Ecc 12:11

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

Put: Job 11:14, Eze 18:31, Eph 4:25-31, Col 3:8, Jam 1:21, Jam 1:26, 1Pe 2:1

a: etc. Heb. frowardness of mouth, and perverseness of lips, Pro 8:8, Pro 8:13, Pro 17:20, 1Ti 6:5

Reciprocal: 1Sa 1:14 – put away Pro 6:12 – walketh Pro 16:17 – highway

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Pro 4:24-26. Put away a froward mouth All sorts of sinful words, which proceed from, and discover an evil heart. Let thine eyes look right on Let thine intention be pure: direct all thine actions to a right end, namely, the glory of God in thy eternal salvation, and keep thy mind fixed upon that way which leads to it, and neither look or turn aside to the right hand or to the left. Ponder the path of thy feet Consider thy actions before thou doest them, and see that they agree with the rule. And let all thy ways be established Or, directed, as may be better rendered here. Or, thy ways shall be established. They shall be uniformly and constantly good, in spite of all temptations to the contrary. So this is a promise to confirm the foregoing precept. If thou dost ponder them thou mayest expect Gods blessing and good success in them. Shun all extremes, and neither add to Gods commands nor take from them.

Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments