Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Proverbs 16:21

The wise in heart shall be called prudent: and the sweetness of the lips increaseth learning.

21. “He who is wise will gain respect; but if he should also possess a pleasant manner of imparting his wisdom, he will be a more efficient teacher,” Rel. Tr. Soc. Commentary.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

The words point to the conditions of all true growth in wisdom; and he who has the gift of uttering it in winning speech increases it in himself and others.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Pro 16:21

The wise in heart shall be called prudent.

The wise in heart

I. These words are an assertion that true wisdom will show itself in a prudent conduct of life. His wisdom will gain him the reputation of a discreet, serious, and sensible man. Wisdom is the mother of intellectual and prudence of practical virtues. It may be said that wisdom may be separated from prudence, that knowing and doing are two things. There are many men in the world who have wise heads and foolish hearts–men of good capacities, clear understandings, well improved by reading and observation; but they have some odd humour, fond opinion, beloved lust, which hinders them from living according to their knowledge. Such wise men as these Solomon puts into the catalogue of his fools, because they have the means of doing well in their power, and make no use of them. The prudent man is careful to enter upon good ways, and walk uprightly in them. He chooses honest ends, and takes honest methods to attain them. A false and counterfeit wisdom is wholly made up of fallacies and cunning devices. The folly of fools is deceit. Their sense, learning, reasonings, and vivacity of wit serve but to heighten their folly, to sweeten their delusions, and confirm them in their errors. This is the case where wisdom rests only in the head: but when it descends to the heart, and warms the affections with the love of that which is good, it fails not to bless the world with a truly valuable and useful man. He that is truly wise differs from a conceited, talkative man in this, that he thankfully receives good advice, and avoids the dangers of which he is admonished.

II. A comparison between wisdom and eloquence. The powerful charms of eloquence add value to wisdom. Solomon in several places testifies his approbation of ornaments of speech. Wisdom and eloquence united together are very desirable talents in a legislator, governor, or teacher of religion. Moses and Jeremiah seem, however, to have lacked this gift of eloquence. Eloquence should be put under the direction of wisdom. There is no heresy or other error in religion but what has prevailed and gained acceptance by abused eloquence.

III. The words of the text intimate a rule of profitable teaching. In order to get wisdom, we must study to know ourselves, and see what faculties and talents God hath bestowed upon us, and by daily use and exercise improve them, and add both to their weight and number. Jesus Christ is called the Wisdom of God, as containing in Himself all the treasures of Divine wisdom. His hearers asked, Whence hath this man this wisdom? His prudence was far superior to the craft and contrivance of His enemies. He had also all external advantages of an eloquent speaker. They said, Never man spake like this man. The same gifts He promised to bestow on His apostles for the same end and purpose. He that seeks after wisdom by his prayers to God, and his reading and hearing of His holy Word, and honest, application of it in the ordering of his life, shall not seek in vain. Though his wisdom seem at first but as a grain of mustard-seed, by a diligent cultivation of it that wisdom will wonderfully increase and bring forth abundance of fruit. (W. Reading, M.A.)

Wise-hearted folk

The wise in heart are those who, under the influences of sound principles, know how to order their affairs with discretion. Men of the most splendid powers and attainments are not always the most remarkable for practical good sense. Better, therefore, in many respects, is the man whose wisdom regulates his temper and affections, his words and actions, aright. That is far more important for the production of personal and social happiness than the most brilliant genius without it. He shall be called prudent means his having a character for it: his being looked up to, respected, consulted, confided in, chosen as an adviser. Such a man is more valuable and useful than the man of mere learning, who has not discretion and common sense to guide the use of it. It is, at the same time, of great moment, that along with the possession of wisdom and prudence there be the sweetness of the lips, or honeyed lips, gentleness and persuasiveness of counsel, impressive eloquence of speech, which gives vast advantage in the application of wisdom for the benefit of others. It increaseth learning, effectually spreading it, rendering others wise as well as the possessor himself. If the wise in heart be understood of the truly, spiritually, divinely wise, then the phrase shall be called prudent must be interpreted, according to a common Hebrew idiom, as meaning is prudent, deserves to be so called. The sentiment will thus be the oft-repeated one, that true religion is the only genuine prudence. Godliness has the promise of the life that now is, as well as of that which is to come. (R. Wardlaw, D.D.)

Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell

The wise in heart shall be called prudent: the sense is either,

1. He who hath wisdom or sound knowledge in his heart, will show it by his prudence in ordering his actions. Or rather,

2. He who is truly wise, or prudent, or intelligent (all which words most commonly signify one and the same thing, both in this and in other books of Scripture) shall be so called or accounted by others.

The sweetness of the lips; eloquence added to wisdom; the faculty of expressing a mans mind fitly, and freely, and acceptably.

Increaseth learning; both in himself, for whilst a man teacheth others he improveth himself; and especially in others, who by this means are induced to hear and receive his good instructions. Wisdom gets a man repute with others, but this faculty of right speaking makes a wise man more instrumental to do good to others.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

21. wise in heartwho rightlyconsider duty.

sweetness of thelipseloquent discourse, persuades and instructs others.

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

The wise in heart shall be called prudent,…. He that has true wisdom in the inward part; who knows his heart and the haughtiness of it; who has the fear of God in it, which is the beginning of wisdom; who is wise unto salvation, not only knows the scheme of it, but is experimentally acquainted with it; who has not head knowledge and wisdom only, but heart knowledge and wisdom, and behaves wisely in his life and conversation; who is so wise and endued with knowledge, as, out of a good conversation, to show his works with meekness of wisdom; such a man is called, reckoned, accounted, and spoken well of, as a prudent man among all wise and knowing persons;

and the sweetness of the lips increaseth learning; who, besides a wise heart and a knowing head, have the gift of elocution; can deliver themselves in a flowing easy style; can clothe their thoughts with proper words, and convey their ideas in clear expressions, in a very edifying and instructive manner: these communicate knowledge to others, and increase it in themselves: for, while they are improving others, they improve themselves and learning also, whether it be divine or human; these are such who are “apt to teach”, 1Ti 3:2; and if they have proper hearers to attend them, they will “increase in learning”, as a just man does, Pr 9:9.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

Four proverbs of wisdom with eloquence:

21 The wise in heart is called prudent,

And grace of the lips increaseth learning.

Elsewhere (Pro 1:5; Pro 9:9) means more than to gain learning, i.e., erudition in the ethico-practical sense, for sweetness of the lips ( dulcedo orationis of Cicero) is, as to learning, without significance, but of so much the greater value for reaching; for grace of expression, and of exposition, particularly if it be not merely rhetorical, but, according to the saying pectus disertos facit , coming out of the heart, is full of mind, it imparts force to the instruction, and makes it acceptable. Whoever is wise of heart, i.e., of mind or spirit ( = the N.T. or ), is called, and is truly, [learned, intelligent] (Fleischer compares to this the expression frequent in Isaiah, “to be named” = to be and appear to be, the Arab. du’ay lah ); but there is a gift which highly increases the worth of this understanding or intelligence, for it makes it fruitful of good to others, and that is grace of the lips. On the lips (Pro 10:13) of the intelligent wisdom is found; but the form also, and the whole manner and way in which he gives expression to this wisdom, is pleasing, proceeding from a deep and tender feeling for the suitable and the beneficial, and thus he produces effects so much the more surely, and beneficently, and richly.

Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament

      21 The wise in heart shall be called prudent: and the sweetness of the lips increaseth learning.

      Note, 1. Those that have solid wisdom will have the credit of it; it will gain them reputation, and they shall be called prudent grave men, and a deference will be paid to their judgment. Do that which is wise and good and thou shalt have the praise of the same. 2. Those that with their wisdom have a happy elocution, that deliver their sentiments easily and with a good grace, are communicative of their wisdom and have words at will, and good language as well as good sense, increase learning; they diffuse and propagate knowledge to others, and do good work with it, and by that means increase their own stock. They add doctrine, improve sciences, and do service to the commonwealth of learning. To him that has, and uses what he has, more shall be given.

Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary