Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Proverbs 13:3
He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: [but] he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction.
3. keepeth keepeth ] Rather, guardeth keepeth, R.V., the Heb. words being different. For the sentiment comp. Pro 10:19.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 3. He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life] How often have the foolish, headstrong, and wicked, forfeited their lives by the treasonable or blasphemous words they have spoken! The government of the tongue is a rare but useful talent.
But he that openeth wide his lips] He that puts no bounds to his loquacity, speaks on every subject, and gives his judgment and opinion on every matter. It has often been remarked that God has, given us two EYES, that we may SEE much; two EARS, that we may HEAR much; but has given us but ONE tongue, and that fenced in with teeth, to indicate that though we hear and see much, we should speak but little.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
He that keepeth his mouth, to wit, to the opening of it; who speaks sparingly, and with due care and caution;
keepeth his life; prevents many sins and mischiefs which others run into. He that openeth wide his lips, that takes liberty to speak every thing which pleaseth him, or cometh into his mind, shall have destruction, from God or men.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
3. He . . . mouth . . . lifebecauseevil speeches may provoke violence from others.
he that openeth wide his lipsshall have destructionOn last clause, compare Pr10:14.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life,…. He that keeps his mouth shut keeps it as with a bridle; keeps it from speaking things of other persons, particularly of such as are in high places, of kings and princes, and civil magistrates: he keeps himself quiet and comfortable; keeps himself from many troubles, which otherwise he would come into; keeps his life from danger, to which it would be exposed, should he speak evil of dignities, or give himself the freedom, as some do, whereby they are brought to an untimely end; see Pr 18:21; besides, persons ought to be careful of their words, since by them a man will either be justified or condemned hereafter, Mt 12:37;
[but] he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction; or “consternation” x: he that is rash and inconsiderate, hasty with his lips, a talkative man; that speaks freely everything that comes into his mind, regardless of the characters of men, or consequences of things; is often brought into frights and fears, through the menaces and threatenings of men in power, whose characters he has made too free with, and oftentimes is brought to ruin and destruction: so he, whose throat is as an open sepulchre, belching out filthy words, horrid oaths, curses, and imprecations, destruction is near him, even in all his ways; and the man of sin, that opens his mouth in blasphemy against God, and his tabernacle, and his saints, shall go into perdition,
Re 13:5.
x “consternatio”, Mercerus, Cocceius, Michaelis; “terrebitur”, Tigurine version.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
3 He that guardeth his mouth keepeth his soul;
He that openeth his lips, to him it is destruction.
3a is extended in Pro 21:23 to a distich. Mouth and soul stand in closest interchangeable relation, for speech is the most immediate and continuous expression of the soul; thus whoever guards his mouth keeps his soul (the Venet., with excellent rendering of the synonym, ), for he watches that no sinful vain thoughts rise up in his soul and come forth in words, and because he thus keeps his soul, i.e., himself, safe from the destructive consequences of the sins of the tongue. On the contrary, he who opens wide his lips, i.e., cannot hold his mouth (lxx ), but expresses unexamined and unconsidered whatever comes into his mind and gives delight, he is destruction to himself (supply ), or to him it is destruction (supply ); both interpretations are possible, the parallelism brings nearer the former, and the parallel Pro 18:7 brings nearer the latter. means to spread (Schultens diducere cum ruptura vel ad rupturam usque ), here the lips, Pih. Eze 16:25, the legs, Arab. fashkh , farshkh ; vid., regarding the R. , to extend, to spread out, Fleischer in the supplements to the A. L. Z. 1843, col. 116. Regarding the Mishle word , vid., under Pro 10:14.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
3 He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction.
Note, 1. A guard upon the lips is a guard to the soul. He that is cautious, that thinks twice before he speaks once, that, if he have thought evil, lays his hand upon his mouth to suppress it, that keeps a strong bridle on his tongue and a strict hand on that bridle, he keeps his soul from a great deal both of guilt and grief and saves himself the trouble of many bitter reflections on himself and reflections of others upon him. 2. There is many a one ruined by an ungoverned tongue: He that opens widely his lips, to let our quod in buccam venerit–whatever comes uppermost, that loves to bawl, and bluster, and make a noise, and affects such a liberty of speech as bids defiance both to God and man, he shall have destruction. it will be the destruction of his reputation, his interest, his comfort, and his soul for ever, Jam. iii. 6.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
(3) He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life.Comp. above, on Pro. 4:23; Pro. 12:13.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
3. He that keepeth (or watcheth) his mouth Meaning himself. Comp. Jas 3:2: “If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.” The latter clause of this proverb is very forcible:
He that openeth destruction To guard well against passionate or injurious words is often to preserve safety and life. Compare Pro 10:19; Pro 12:23; Psa 39:1.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
v. 3. He that keepeth his mouth,
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
Pro 13:3 He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: [but] he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction.
Ver. 3. He that keepeth his mouth. ] As the guard keepeth the gates in a siege. God hath set a double guard of lips and teeth before this gate, and yet, unless he himself set the watch, and keep the door, all will be lost. Psa 141:3
But he that openeth wide his lips.
a Scalig. Arab. Prov., cent. 1. pro 75.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
life = soul. Hebrew. nephesh. App-13.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Pro 13:3
Pro 13:3
“He that guardeth his mouth keepeth his life; But he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction.”
“He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his soul; but he that hath no guard on his speech shall meet with evils. “He that keeps his own mouth keeps his own life: but he that is hasty with his lips shall bring terror upon himself.
Pro 13:3. Guarding ones mouth suggests that a person should not say just anything that comes into his/her mind. One who opens his lips wide is one who talks too much and consequently says some things he shouldnt. If we keep our mouth, we keep ourselves from many troubles (Pro 21:23). Let us say with David, I will take heed to my ways, That I sin not with my tongue (Psa 39:1).
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Pro 10:19, Pro 12:13, Pro 21:23, Psa 39:1, Mat 12:36, Mat 12:37, Jam 1:26, Jam 3:2-12
Reciprocal: Jdg 16:11 – If they bind me Psa 17:3 – I am Pro 4:23 – with all diligence Pro 10:8 – but Pro 10:14 – the mouth Pro 18:7 – his destruction Pro 22:5 – he Jam 1:19 – slow to speak
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
This caution applies to inappropriate transparency as well as verbose communication. Both can bring ruin to the speaker.