Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Corinthians 14:10
There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them [is] without signification.
10. without signification ] Literally, without sound, dumb. Cf. Act 8:32, and ch. 1Co 12:1.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
There are it may be … – There has been considerable variety in the interpertation of this expression. Rosenmuller renders it, for the sake of example. Grotius supposes that Paul meant to indicate that there were, perhaps, or might be, as many languages as the Jews supposed, to wit, seventy. Beza and others suppose it means, that there may he as many languages as there are nations of people. Bloomfield renders it, Let there he as many kinds of languages as you choose. Macknight, There are, no doubt, as many kinds of languages in the world as ye speak. Robinson (Lexicon) renders it, If so happen, it may be; perchance, perhaps; and says the phrase is equivalent to for example, The sense is, There are perhaps, or for example, very many kinds of voices in the world; and all are significant. None are used by those who speak them without meaning; none speak them without designing to convey some intelligible idea to their hearers. The argument is, that as all the languages that are in the world, however numerous they are, are for utility, and as none are used for the sake of mere display, so it should be with those who had the power of speaking them in the Christian church. They should speak them only when and where they would be understood.
Voices – Languages.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
1Co 14:10-11
There are voices and none of them is without signification.
Voices
1. It does not follow that because the voice has no meaning for you that therefore it has no meaning for others. I heard some splendid music the other clay, and a friend exclaimed, What tenderness, what pathos is in it. John Stuart Mill said that the first meaning of Wordsworths poetry was a new birth to him; he felt himself a better man. Maurice often talked in an unknown tongue once; people understand him now. You may read a chapter of Christian experience and it may be in an unknown tongue to you.
2. But the difficulty will be to reduce what you have seen and heard into intelligible speech that will edify others. A young person is asked to sing, and she dashes at once into a French or German song. What affectation it is when there are troops of English songs with the sweet pathos of English traditions in them. There are artists a great deal more silly. Their chief pride is that they dont edify. Many words might be spoken in praise of the noble address from the chair of the British Association; but I give the highest praise when I say you can understand it. The best part of your creed is what you can put into a little childs mouth. If you want to know what the essence of the gospel is, take a little boy of eight between your knees and tell him the gospel, and what you can make him understand is its pith and essence.
3. There are many voices in the world, and our business is to try to discover their significance. There are voices which are transitory, which speak to one generation and then cease. They startle one, and then are heard no more, like the rousing proclamation of some half-forgotten truth or a wail of consternation at the spiritual condition of England. But some voices speak on for age and age, and uninterruptedly.
I. The voice of the material creation. For its scientific or philosophical signification. You must listen to the scientific report of the year. What is its spiritual signification? What is there to be converted into fuel that can feed our faith and enlarge our hope? The material world is the revelation of the Divine intellect and heart. What do we find in this material creation that sends a message to our spiritual nature which may be converted into fuel for our faith? I think it is this: You can always calculate upon God. God has always known His own mind. He is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever. Think of the value of that in your religious life. The first instinct of your religious life is to have unchanging things. We have said hard things about Nature. We have called her blind and pitiless. There can be not the slightest divergence from her path. Every heart in this creation may break, but the earth will still go on. But there is another side to that. You can calculate always upon God, He will never disappoint you. All of our life would break out into panic if there were any disorganisation of the laws of nature of which we complain sometimes. The farmer knows that the seasons will come round, and the mariner goes out to sea without fear. If you care to meet God this morning, there can be no doubt as to where to meet Him. There is a certainty with regard to God and our souls which we cannot have with regard to anything else. Take any promise in His Word. Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. He has never moved away from that. If you put your life and the lives of your children in Gods path every morning, you may be perfectly sure that He will pass that way. The Church oftentime feels that the paralysis is creeping over her and that she can do nothing. You are not content with things as they are. You want a re-vi-val, a re-consecration, a re-awakening, a fresh joy in the gospel of Christ, and a fresh equipment for service. We can have it without any uncertainty; we have as a Church only to place ourselves in Gods way. We have only to get out of the things He hates, to redouble our energies in the Sunday school, and among the erring. I have seen, when the heavens said there was a great shower coming, the housewife put out every vessel to catch the rain. You must range every faculty you possess at Gods disposal. Be ready! God will not disappoint you. If the channels are doubled the rain is sure to come.
II. The voices in your own souls. These are of two kinds. There are the imperative voices. Then there are the pathetic voices. George Eliot said, See if the sigh does not discover Him who touched the heart into a sigh. What a chapter it would be if every one in this congregation were this morning to write out one of his sorest needs. We need a living God, we need the grasp of His hand, we need heaven! We want to be forgiven; we want home. We have loved and lost. And oh, the unspeakable blessedness of the voice of our need in prayer. I have cried, Father, I am sad, I am lonely. And a voice has come into my soul, saying, Fear not; I am with thee. You may pile the scepticism of the world then, but it takes nothing of this from me. And this is the significance of our need. I have read a very wonderful book, written by a man who sums up the arguments in this way: there is as much to be said for the existence of God as there is to be said against it, and vice versa. If this were so it is enough for me. If the arguments for or against the existence of God were so equally balanced, my necessities and needs would weigh the balance down. (Morlais Jones.)
A preacher should study plain language
I. Language is designed as the vehicle of thought.
1. Many languages.
2. All significant.
II. Language ceases to be the medium of thought when not understood. There is–
1. No instruction.
2. No sympathy of mind.
3. No edification.
III. Plainness should therefore be studied–
1. As the most excellent of gifts.
2. For the benefit of the Church. With much prayer. (J. Lyth, D. D.)
The diversity of human language
Consider–
1. Language as the vehicle of thought.
2. Its extraordinary variety.
3. The cause.
4. Its effect upon the condition of mankind–social and moral.
5. Its gradual alleviation.
6. Its final removal. (J. Lyth, D. D.)
Sweetness of voice
There is no power of love so hard to get and keep, writes Elihu Burritt, as a kind voice. A kind hand is dead and dumb. It may be rough in flesh and blood, yet do the work of a soft heart, and do it with a soft touch. But there is no one thing which love so much needs as a sweet voice, to tell what it means and feels; and it is hard to get and keep in the right tone. One must start in youth, and be on the watch night and day, at work and at play, to get and keep a voice which shall speak at all times the thoughts of a kind heart. It is often in youth that one gets a voice or tone which is sharp, and it sticks to him through life, and it stirs up ill-will, and falls like a drop of gall upon the sweet joys of home. Watch the voice day by day as a pearl of great price, for it will be worth more to you in the days to come than the best pearl hid in the sea. A kind voice is to the heart what light is to the eye. It is a light which sings as well as shines.
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 10. There are, it may be] , For example.
So many kinds of voices] So many different languages, each of which has its distinct articulation, pronunciation, emphasis, and meaning; or there may be so many different nations, each possessing a different language, &c.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The whole earth was originally of one language, and of one speech, Gen 11:1; but upon the building of Babel, Gen 11:7, God confounded their languages, so as they did not understand one another. They being scattered abroad, had different languages; so as now there are in the world many languages, and the words in every language are significant to those that understand that language.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
10. it may bethat is,perhaps, speaking by conjecture. “It may chance” (1Co15:37).
so manyas may beenumerated by investigators of such matters. Compare “so much,”used generally for a definite number left undefined (Ac5:8; also 2Sa 12:8).
kinds of voiceskindsof articulate speech.
without significationwithoutarticulate voice (that is, distinct meaning). None is withoutits own voice, or mode of speech, distinct from the rest.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices,…. , “tongues”, or “languages”, as the Syriac version renders it; that is, as many as there are nations in the world; there may be seventy of them, as the Jews say there were at the confusion of languages at Babel; there may be more or less:
and none of them is without signification: every language, and every word in a language, has a meaning in it, an idea annexed to it, which it conveys to him that understands it, and that cannot be done without a voice ordinarily speaking.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
It may be ( ). Condition of fourth class ( and aorist optative of ), if it should happen. Common enough idiom. Cf. in 16:6.
Without signification (). Old adjective ( privative and ). Without the faculty of speech (1Cor 12:2; Acts 8:32; 2Pet 2:16).
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Voices – without signification [ – ] . The translation loses the word – play. So many kinds of voices, and no kind is voiceless. By voices are meant languages.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “There are, it may be,” (ei tuchoi) “There are, or exist, it may be.” Ever so many voices, dialects, exist, yet the real nature, personality, difference in each is distinct.
2) “So many kinds of voices in the world.” (tosauta gene phonon eisin en kosmo) kinds of sounds or voices in the world.” Such therefore offers proof that clarity or distinction must exist in the makers and be understood or interpreted to the hearer, if it would profit both the speaker and hearer.
3) “And none of them is without signification.” (kai ouden aphonon)- And- not one is voiceless, or meaningless as a sound.” There is no voice that is not meaningful to somebody. By man’s words he is judged for blessings or condemnation, Mat 12:36-37.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
10. None of them dumb (820) He now speaks in a more general way, for he now takes in the natural voices of animals. He uses the term dumb here, to mean confused — as opposed to an articulate voice; for the barking of dogs differs from the neighing of horses, and the roaring of lions from the braying of asses. Every kind of bird, too, has its own particular way of singing and chirping. The whole order of nature, therefore, as appointed by God, invites us to observe a distinction. (821)
(820) “That in this passage,” says Dr. Henderson, “ φωνὴ, which properly signifies sound, then voice, must be taken in the sense of language or dialect, is evident: for it would not be true, that there are no sounds or voices in the world ( ἄφωνων) without signification, according as these terms are usually understood. The meaning is — every language is intelligible to some nation or other; and it is only to persons who are ignorant of it, that its words are destitute of signification. This the Apostle illustrates in a very forcible manner: ‘Therefore, if I know not the, meaning of the voice, ( τὢς φωνὢς, of the language,) I shall be to him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me.’ We shall be like two foreigners, who do not understand each other’s tongue. The very use of the term interpret and interpretation, as applied to this subject, also proves that he could only have intelligent language in view: it being a contradiction in terms to speak of interpreting that which has no meaning.” Henderson on Inspiration. — Ed
(821) “ C’est a dire, nous monstre aucunement qu’il faut parler en sorte que nous soyons entendus;” — “That is to say, it shows us, in a manner, that we must speak so as to be understood.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(10) There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world.There are a great many voices or languages in the world, and none of them but has a right meaning when spoken rightly and to the right person. No word in any language can be meaningless, but must correspond to some thoughtfor the thought exists first, and the word is invented as the expression of it.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
10. So many voices So many speeches, dialects, or languages. The Jews customarily reckoned human languages to be seventy in number.
Without signification Literally, none of them (speeches) is speechless. They all say something; express a signification.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and no kind is without signification. If then I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be to him who speaks a barbarian, and he who speaks will be a barbarian to me.’
Indeed the world has many voices that speak (he avoids the word ‘tongues’ specifically so as not to confuse the issue), and each one means something. And yet if I do not know the meaning of the voice I will be to that one simply as a barbarian, someone who does not know his language, and he will be a barbarian to me, because I do not hear his language. Non-Greek speakers were thought of as ‘barbarians’ simply because their language sounded to the Greeks like ‘bar-bar-bar’. The whole point is that that is what tongues sound like to the church as a whole. They were a meaningless jabber.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
1Co 14:10-12. There are, it may be, &c. There are, for example, many different languages in the world, and all are significant, 1Co 14:11. But if I do not understand the language, I shall be, with regard to him that uses it, as a foreigner, and he will be so to me, 1Co 14:12. Since then there is among you such an emulation about spiritual gifts, seek to excel in those which most contribute to edify the congregation. Heylin.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
1Co 14:10-11 . Another example still to induce them to lay aside this way of speakin.
] if it so happens, if it is really the case , i.e. perhaps , just as the mere absolute also is employed (Isocr. Archid. 38; De pace , 60; Xen. Mem . vi. 1. 20, and Khner in loc. ). So in all the passages in Wetstein, Loesner, p. 293; Viger. ed. Herm. p. 301, which are usually adduced in support of what is assumed (by Rckert also) to be the meaning here: for example . The phrase has never this meaning, and merely its approximate sense can be so expressed, [4] and that always but very unexactly, in several passages (such as 1Co 15:37 ; Lucian, Amor. 27). And in the present case this sense does not suit at all, partly because it would be very strange if Paul, after having already adduced flutes, citherns, and trumpets as examples, should now for the first time come out with a “ for example ,” partly and chiefly because is a defining addition, not to the thing itself ( ), but to its quantity (to ). Comp. Lucian, Icarom. 6 : , , , . Paul, namely, had conceived to himself under a number indefinite, indeed, but very great ; [5] and he now takes away from this conception its demonstrative certainty by : in so great multitude, perhaps, there are different languages in the world . Billroth, too, followed by Olshausen, takes in itself rightly, but introduces an element of irony, inasmuch as he quite arbitrarily takes for , and, in doing so, makes even reach over to the second clause: “as many languages as there are, probably just so many have sense and significance.”
On with the optative , expressing the mere conjecture, it may suffice to refer to Hermann, ad Viger. p. 902.
] i.e. all sorts of different languages , each individual unit of which is a separate . The opposite is , Gen 11:1 .
] namely, . Bleek renders it, contrary to the context: no rational being . Similarly Grotius and others, so that in the Textus receptus would apply to men . Comp. van Hengel, Annot. p. 194 f., who supplies with .
] speechless, i.e. no language is without the essence of a language (comp. , and the like, in Lobeck, Paralip. p. 229 f.; Pflugk, ad Eur. Hec. 612; Jacobs, Del. epigr. i. 33), i.e. unintelligible , and that absolutely , not merely for him, to whom it is a foreign tongue (1Co 14:11 ).
] therefore , draws its argument, not from the great multitude of the languages (Hofmann), which, in truth, is not at all implied in what is contained in 1Co 14:11 , but from . For were the language spoken to me ( . ) , and so unintelligible in itself , I could not in that case appear even as a barbarian to the speaker, because, in fact, what he spoke would be understood by no man . The barbarian ( , Herod. vii. 20, ix. 43) speaks only a foreign language, not one altogether devoid of meaning for other.
] the signification , the sense of the language (which is being spoken). Polyb. xx. 9. 11; Lucian, Nigr. 1, al. Comp. Herod. ii. 30; Plat. Euthyd . p. 286 C.
] with me, i.e. in my judgment. See Valckenaer, ad Eur. Hipp. 324; Pflugk, ad Eur. Hel. 996; Winer, pp. 362, 204 [E. T. 483, 273].
[4] This also in opposition to Hilgenfeld, Glossol . p. 24.
[5] For this reason he could limit even the indefinite expression by (in opposition to Hilgenfeld).
REMARK.
Paul has chosen to denote language , because in the whole section he has only the meaning tongue in his mind for . To instruct his readers regarding the speaking with tongues , he uses the analogy of speaking languages . Hofmann resorts to the suggestion that Paul must have used here, because he would not have expressed what was designed to convey by . . That is incorrect; for would have conveyed the very same thing ( speechless , Poll. ii. 108; Soph. Trach. 1060; Pind. Nem. viii. 41) with the very same point ( et nullum elingue ), if he had used instead of .
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
10 There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification.
Ver. 10. So many kinds of voices ] Seventy-two material languages, they say.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
10, 11. ] Another example of the unprofitableness of an utterance not understood .
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
10. ] , if it should so happen , i.e. peradventure: it is commonly found with numerical nouns; but sometimes with hypothetical sentences in general, as in ch. 1Co 15:37 . See reff. and examples in Wetst. It will not bear the rendering ‘ for example ,’ though in meaning it nearly approaches it. It belongs here to , itself representing some fixed number, but not assignable by the information which the writer possesses, or not worth assigning. See similar expressions, Act 5:8 , and 2Sa 12:8 in E. V.
] kinds of languages : the more precise expression would be or : we can hardly say, with Meyer, that each language is a . The use of , and not , is no doubt intentional, to avoid confusion, being for the most part used in this passage in a peculiar meaning: but no argument can he grounded on it as to the being languages or not.
(plur.), because it is wished to distinguish them in their variety.
, scil. Bleek renders, ‘ no rational animal is without speech ;’ and Grot., reading as the rec. , understands it as referring to men : others supply to . But the common rendering is both simpler, and better sense: none of them is without signification , as E. V.: or, is inarticulate .
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
1Co 14:10 . Speaking of vocal utterance, the Ap. is reminded of the multitude of human dialects; this suggests a further proof of his contention, that there must be a settled and well-observed connexion between sound and sense. “Ever so many kinds of voices, it may chance, exist in the world.” On ( if it should hap = , 1Co 16:6 ), which removes all known limit from the , see note of El [2058] For the anarthrous , cf. 2Co 5:19 ; “in the world ” a sphere so wide. ( sc. ) , “and none (of them) voiceless”: not tautologous, but asserting for every “kind of voice” the real nature of a voice, viz ., that it means something to somebody ; “nullum genus vocum vocis expers” (Est.); “aucune langue n’est une non-langue”; the Greeks love these paradoxical expressions cf. , (Gd [2059] , Hn [2060] ). The Vg [2061] and Bz [2062] miss the point in rendering, “nihil est mutum”.
[2058] C. J. Ellicott’s St. Paul’s First Epistle to the Corinthians .
[2059] F. Godet’s Commentaire sur la prem. p. aux Corinthiens (Eng. Trans.).
[2060] C. F. G. Heinrici’s Erklrung der Korintherbriefe (1880), or 1 Korinther in Meyer’s krit.-exegetisches Kommentar (1896).
[2061] Latin Vulgate Translation.
[2062] Beza’s Nov. Testamentum: Interpretatio et Annotationes (Cantab., 1642).
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
it may be = if (App-118. b) it may be.
voices. Greek. phone. See 1Co 14:7.
in. App-104.
world. App-129.
none. Greek. oudeis.
without, &c. = dumb. Greek. aphonos. See Act 8:32.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
10, 11.] Another example of the unprofitableness of an utterance not understood.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
1Co 14:10. , ) (the Latin, verbi gratia, for example; comp. 1Co 15:37) makes have the force of a certain number. If men could ever have counted the number of voices, Paul would have set down the number here.- , none without signification) each one of them has its own power [meaning, 1Co 14:11], .
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
1Co 14:10
1Co 14:10
There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and no kind is without signification.–[All languages are significant, so the languages used by those who spoke with tongues were significant. The difficulty was not in the language used, but the ignorance of the hearers. The argument is that as all the languages that are in the world are for utility, and none are used for the sake of mere display, so it should be with those who had the power of speaking them in the church. They should speak them only when they would be understood.]
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
1Co 14:10. Voices is from the Greek word PHONE. and Thayer defines it at this place, “speech, 1. e., a language tongue.” It is true that several different forms of language are in use in the world, and each has its own significance according to the vocabulary of the people speaking with it.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
1Co 14:10. There are so many kinds of voices (articulate languages[1]) in the world, and no kind is without significationwithout definite meaning.
[1] In the LXX. this word is so used; and in 2Pe 2:16 the ass that reproved Balaam is called the voiceless ass, because its bray is no articulate language.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Here the apostle tells them, That there may probably be as many voices or languages in the world as there are nations; and every nation understands its own language, and commonly no other.
Now, says the apostle, if he that has the gift of tongues speak to you in a language which ye understand not, will he not be a barbarian unto you? And if you talk to him in a language he understands not, will you not be barbarians unto him? Verily, it will be just as if two men of two different countries should talk to one another, and neither understands a word of each other.
He farther adds, That seeing they were so very desirous of the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit, they should seek those gifts especially by which the church may receive edification and advantage: Seek that ye may excel, to the edifying of the church.
Here note, 1. The noble end which St. Paul directs them to propound in what they desire and design, namely, the edifying of the church.
The church’s edification should be the scope of all her members’, especially of all her ministers’, wishes and prayers, enterprizes and endeavours: our first care should be to lay a right foundation, namely, the doctrine of redemption and salvation, by the meritorious undertaking of Christ Jesus our Lord, the eternal Son of the Father.
Our next care, that our superstructure be answerable to our foundation; this being solid and substantial, that must be so too; acquainting persons with the whole will of God, and the whole duty of man.
Note, 2. The operation to be performed, and the means to be used in order to this noble end: Seek that ye may excel, to the edifying of the church.
Learn hence, 1. That the edifying of the church, and the improvement of its members in knowledge, faith, and holiness, is, and ought to be, the great end which the ministers of God propound to themselves in the use of their gifts, and discharge of their office.
Learn, 2. That the edifying of the church being the proper office of the ministers of Christ, they should study to excel in all gifts and graces conducing thereunto, by such means and methods as are proper for that end; namely, by fervent prayer to God for divine illumination and knowledge, by reading the scriptures with great attention and application of mind, by studying other authors in order to that end, by deep meditation, by judicious, zealous, and laborious preaching, but especially by holy living.
There ought to be a consecration of our lives, as well as of our persons, to the service of God and his church; in this manner, especially, the meanest of her ministers may seek that they may excel, to the edifying of the church.
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
1Co 14:10-12. There are No doubt; so many kinds of voices Or languages; in the world As ye speak; and none of them is without signification To those that are acquainted with them. Therefore Nevertheless; if I know not the meaning of the voice The import of the particular language which is used in my hearing; I shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian What I say will appear unintelligible jargon; and he a barbarian unto me We shall be incapable of holding any conversation with each other. The Greeks, after the custom of the Egyptians, mentioned by Herodotus, lib. 2., called all those barbarians who did not speak their language. In process of time, however, the Romans, having subdued the Greeks, delivered themselves by force of arms from that opprobrious appellation, and joined the Greeks in calling all barbarians who did not speak either the Greek or the Latin language. Afterward, the word barbarian signified any one who spake a language which another did not understand. Thus the Scythian philosopher, Anacharsis, said, that among the Athenians, the Scythians were barbarians; and among the Scythians, the Athenians were barbarians. This is the sense of the word barbarian in this passage. Even so, &c.
Wherefore ye also, that ye may not be barbarians to each other; forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts And are ready to vie with each other in the exercise of them, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church And not merely for your own honour. Strive for the greatest share of those gifts whereby you may be useful to your fellow-Christians.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Vv. 10, 11. There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification. 11 Therefore if I know not the force of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me.
The asyndeton here denotes, as it almost always does a strong reaffirmation of the foregoing idea. 1Co 14:10-11 indeed confirm by a new example the proof given in 1Co 14:7-9. By the expression: kinds of tongues (voices), the apostle certainly does not understand what we call families of human languages; every existing language is in his view a kind. These languages are exceedingly many: , so numerous. But the exact number he does not know; the expression , with names of number, has the force of taking away from them all precision. Edwards: whatever may be their number.
The pronoun , of them, is a gloss, but a correct gloss. We must beware of understanding in the sense of no human being (Bleek) or no nation (van Hengel), as if Paul meant: No man or no people is without language. This idea would be unconnected with the context. The meaning is: No language exists without articulate words. Only the apostle expresses this idea in a striking form, saying, in a manner: No tongue is not a tongue (Aucune langue n’est une non-langue). The articulation of words and syllables belongs to the essence of human tongues. The Greeks are found of such paradoxical expressions; comp. , a life which is no life; , etc. (see Heinrici). The force here denotes the signification of the sounds.
The Greeks and Egyptians called those peoples barbarians who did not speak their language.
The might certainly signify: in my judgment (Heinrici, Edwards); but according to the context the meaning rather is: in what concerns me; as between this man and me.
The application of this example is given in 1Co 14:12, in the form of a practical direction:
Fuente: Godet Commentary (Luke, John, Romans and 1 Corinthians)
There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and no kind is without signification.
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
Verse 10
Voices; languages.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
14:10 {4} There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them [is] without signification.
(4) He proves that interpretation is necessarily to be joined with the gift of tongues, by the manifold variety of languages, insomuch that if one speak to another without an interpreter, it is as if he did not speak.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Clearly Paul was speaking about languages, not gibberish, even though the Greek word translated "languages" (phone) means "sounds" or "voices." The context shows he had languages in mind. A non-Greek was a foreigner (Gr. barbaros, barbarian) to a Greek. The word barbaros is onomatopoetic, meaning the foreigner’s language sounded like so much "bar bar bar" to the Greek. Paul’s point was that for communicating, the tongues-speaker who did not have an interpreter was no better than an incomprehensible barbarian. Even though his speech may have had meaning to the speaker, it had none to the hearers.
Someone may enjoy watching and listening to an Italian or other foreign language opera occasionally. He or she may like to listen to the music for its own beauty even if he or she may not be able to understand the words. However, when the foreign words being sung are translated into English with captions above the stage or on the screen, the listener can enjoy it even more. Then one can profit from following the story, which he or she cannot do if all that one takes away from the performance is the memory of beautiful sounds.