Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Proverbs 14:3
In the mouth of the foolish [is] a rod of pride: but the lips of the wise shall preserve them.
3. a rod of pride ] This may mean either that he smites with his proud words as with a rod (comp. Isa 11:4, where however the Heb. word is different); or (preserving better the antithesis between the two clauses of the verse) that his own mouth furnishes “a rod for his pride” (R.V. marg.); his own words cause his humiliation. Instead of “rod,” however, we may render “shoot” (R.V. marg.): proud words spring out of his mouth like a sucker or branch (comp. Isa 11:1, the only other place in which the same Heb. word occurs).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
A rod of pride – i. e., The pride shown in his speech is as a rod with which he strikes down others and himself.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 3. The mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride] The reproofs of such a person are ill-judged and ill-timed, and generally are conveyed in such language as renders them not only ineffectual, but displeasing, and even irritating.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
A rod of pride: their proud and insolent speeches, as they are like a rod, offensive and injurious to others, so they make a rod for their own hacks, by provoking God and man against them; which sense seems most probable, both from the opposite clause, and by comparing this place with Pro 10:13; 26:3. For this phrase,
the rod of pride, it may be compared with other like phrases, as the foot of pride, Psa 36:11, the scourge of the tongue, Job 5:21, and the rod of the mouth, Isa 11:4.
Shall preserve them, from that rod.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
3. rod of pridethat is, thepunishment of pride, which they evince by their words. The words ofthe wise procure good to them.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
In the mouth of the foolish [is] a rod of pride,…. A proud tongue, or a tongue speaking proud and haughty things; with which foolish or wicked men smite others and wound and hurt their reputation and credit, and in the issue hurt themselves also; their tongue is not only a rod to others, but a scourge to themselves, or is the cause of evil coming upon them; such was the tongue of Pharaoh, as Jarchi on the place observes, Ex 5:2; and of those the psalmist speaks of,
Ps 73:9; and particularly of antichrist, whose mouth is opened in blasphemies against God, and his tabernacle, and his saints,
Re 13:5;
but the lips of the wise shall preserve them; from speaking such proud and haughty things against God and men; or from being hurt by the tongues of men or their own; yea, what coaxes out of their mouth is confounding and destructive to their enemies, Re 11:5.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
3 In the mouth of the fool is a switch of pride;
But the lips of the wise preserve them.
The noun (Aram. , Arab. khitr ), which besides here occurs only at Isa 11:1, meaning properly a brandishing (from = Arab. khatr , to brandish, to move up and down or hither and thither, whence alkhttar , the brandisher, poet. the spear), concretely, the young elastic twig, the switch, i.e., the slender flexible shoot. Luther translates, “fools speak tyrannically,” which is the briefer rendering of his earlier translation, “in the mouth of the fool is the sceptre of pride;” but although the Targum uses of the king’s sceptre and also of the prince’s staff, yet here for this the usual Hebr. were to be expected. In view of Isa 11:1, the nearest idea is, that pride which has its roots in the heart of the fool, grows up to his mouth. But yet it is not thus explained why the representation of this proceeding from within stops with cf. Pro 11:30). The (lxx, and similarly the other Greek versions) is either meant as the rod of correction of his own pride (as e.g., Abulwald, and, among the moderns, Bertheau and Zckler) or as chastisement for others (Syr., Targum: the staff of reviling). Hitzig is in favour of the former idea, and thinks himself warranted in translating: a rod for his back; but while is found for , we do not (cf. under Job 41:7: a pride are the, etc.) find for , the body, or , the back. But in general it is to be assumed, that if the poet had meant as the means of correction, he would have written . Rightly Fleischer: “The tongue is often compared to a staff, a sword, etc., in so far as their effects are ascribed to it; we have here the figure which in Rev 1:16 passes over into plastic reality.” Self-exaltation (R. , to strive to be above) to the delusion of greatness is characteristic of the fool, the [godless], not the [stupid, dull] – Hitzig altogether confounds these two conceptions. With such self-exaltation, in which the mind, morally if not pathologically diseased, says, like Nineveh and Babylon in the prophets, I am alone, and there is no one with me, there is always united the scourge of pride and of disgrace; and the meaning of 3b may now be that the lips of the wise protect those who are exposed to this injury (Ewald), or that they protect the wise themselves against such assaults (thus most interpreters). But this reference of the eos to others lies much more remote than at Pro 12:6; and that the protection of the wise against injury inflicted on them by words is due to their own lips is unsatisfactory, as in this case, instead of Bewahrung [ custodia ], we would rather expect Vertheidigung [ defensio ], Dmpfung [damping, extinguishing], Niederduckung [stooping down, accommodating oneself to circumstances]. But also it cannot be meant that the lips of the wise preserve them from the pride of fools, for the thought that the mouth preserves the wise from the sins of the mouth is without meaning and truth (cf. the contrary, Pro 13:3). Therefore Arama interprets the verb as jussive: the lips = words of the wise mayest thou keep i.e., take to heart. And the Venet. translates: , which perhaps means: the lips of the wise mayest thou consider, and that not as a prayer, which is foreign to the gnome, but as an address to the hearer, which e.g., Pro 20:19 shows to be admissible. but although in a certain degree of similar contents, yet 3a and 3b clash. Therefore it appears to us more probable that the subject of 3b is the contained in ; in Pro 6:22 wisdom is also the subject to without its being named. Thus: while hurtful pride grows up to the throat of the fool, that, viz., wisdom, keeps the lips of the wise, so that no word of self-reflection, especially none that can wound a neighbour, escapes from them. The form is much more peculiar than , Exo 18:26, and , Rth 2:8, for the latter are obscured forms of and , while on the contrary the former arises from .
(Note: Vid., regarding these forms with o instead of the simple Sheva, Kimchi, Michlol 20ab. He also remarks that these three forms with u are all Milra; this is the case also in a remarkable manner with , vid., Michlol 21b; Livjath Chen ii. 9; and particularly Heidenheim, in his edition of the Pentateuch entitled Mer Enajim, under Exo 18:26.)
If, according to the usual interpretation, we make the subject, then the construction follows the rule, Gesen. 146, 2. The lxx transfers it into Greek: . The probable conjecture, that is an error in transcription for = (this is found also in Luzzatto’s Gramm. 776; and Hitzig adduces as other examples of such transpositions of the Jer 2:25; Jer 17:23; Job 26:12, and Jos 2:4, for ), we do not acknowledge, because it makes the lips the subject with an exclusiveness the justification of which is doubtful to us.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
3 In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride: but the lips of the wise shall preserve them.
See here, 1. A proud fool exposing himself. Where there is pride in the heart, and no wisdom in the head to suppress it, it commonly shows itself in the words: In the mouth there is pride, proud boasting, proud censuring, proud scorning, proud commanding and giving law; this is the rod, or branch, of pride; the word is used only here and Isa. xi. 1. It grows from that root of bitterness which is in the heart; it is a rod from that stem. The root must be plucked up, or we cannot conquer this branch, or it is meant of a smiting beating rod, a rod of pride which strikes others. The proud man with his tongue lays about him and deals blows at pleasure, but it will in the end be a rod to himself; the proud man shall come under an ignominious correction by the words of his own mouth, not cut as a soldier, but caned as a servant; and herein he will be beaten with his own rod, Ps. lxiv. 8. 2. A humble wise man saving himself and consulting his own good: The lips of the wise shall preserve them from doing that mischief to others which proud men do with their tongues, and from bringing that mischief on themselves which haughty scorners are often involved in.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
Use of the Tongue
Verse 3 contrasts the impact of speech practices of the foolish and the wise. The foolish are not mentally deficient but arrogant, rebellious, despisers of the LORD. Their speech is said to be a rod (sprig) of pride, because it proceeds from an evil nature which, if not changed by Divine power, leads to destruction, Pro 10:14; Pro 13:3; Pro 18:7. The wise guided by the power and counsel of wisdom, are delivered from the ills of evil speaking and use their power of speech to honor the LORD and do His bidding, Pro 2:10-12; Pro 12:6; Pro 19:1; Psa 145:20-21.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
CRITICAL NOTES.
Pro. 14:3. Rod, or sceptre. Zckler reads, In the mouth of a fool is a rod for his pride. Stuart, Haughtiness is a rod, etc.
Pro. 14:5. Miller here translates, He who witnesses things correctly, does not lie; but of a deceived witness the very breath is lies (See his comments on the verse).
Pro. 14:6. Rather, The scorner has sought wisdom, etc.
Pro. 14:7. Stuart translates the latter clause, for thou hast not discerned, etc.; Miller, and thou shalt not know, etc.
MAIN HOMILETICS OF Pro. 14:3
SPEECH A ROD
I. Speech is a rod because it is emblematic of power. A rod is an emblem of position and authority. It represents more than it is. Speech is a sign of mans superiority to the animal creation. Words in themselves are not much, but they are mighty because of what they represent, viz., the soul of man. The sceptre of a king may not in itself be of much value, but it is of worth because of what it signifies.
II. Speech will be a mans destruction or salvation according to his character. The mouth of the fool represents the soul of the fool. We have before noted the unwisdom and danger of him who is too proud to receive instruction (see chap. Pro. 11:1, page 192; Pro. 13:18, etc.) His proud boasting speech will by-and-by become the cause of his chastisementa rod for his own back. And the godly wise speech of the wise will be the means of his preservation and honour (See on chap. Pro. 12:5-8, page 255, Pro. 14:17-19, page 274).
OUTLINES AND SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS
The fools rod of pride is his tongue, wherewith he assails and strikes others. But it recoils on himself. The instrument of punishment is called a rod, not a sword, to denote the contumely with which the proud shall be visited.Fausset.
The rod in the mouth is often sharper than the rod in the hand (Jer. 18:18). Sometimes it strikes against God (Exo. 5:2; Psa. 12:3-4; 2Ki. 19:10); sometimes it is the rod of His anger against His people (Isa. 10:5) permitted (Rev. 13:5) yet restrained (Psa. 125:3). Always in the end it is the rod for the fool himself (Psa. 64:8).Bridges.
The mouth is the great word in the Proverbs for our whole earthly agency. The word translated rod is the favourite emblem of sovereignty. A fools life-work or energy is his sovereignty, by which he would carve his way. But it is a sceptre of pride. His kingship is a notion of pride. But the lips of the wise do really win, and do really govern. They have a true sceptre which shall really guard them.Miller.
The lips of the wise preserve them.
1. From doing wrong to others, in their loving mildness.
2. From suffering wrong from others, by a wary heedfulness.
3. From the rod of Gods anger, in a humble craving pardon for their errors. The former part of this verse St. Gregory applieth unto arrogant preachers, who desire more sharply to reprove their afflicted hearers, than sweetly to comfort them, for they study more how they may condemn evil things by blaming of them, than how they may commend good things by praising them. They always desire those things which, by fierce chiding, they may beat upon.Jermin.
Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell
(3) In the mouth of the foolish (self-willed) is a rod of pride.He has to smart for his ill-judged sayings; or, he punishes others with them. But this does not agree so well with what follows.
But the lips of the wise shall preserve them (the wise) from the difficulties into which the foolish come by their rash talk.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
3. A rod (sceptre) of pride Haughtiness is put for a rod. It seems to be implied that the rod will eventually be used for their own punishment.
But the lips of the wise shall preserve them They are careful of their words, not to offend, much less to abuse, others, and hence remain in safety. Compare Pro 11:6; Pro 12:6; Pro 13:14.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
v. 3. In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride,
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
Pro 14:3. In the mouth of the foolish Fools often bring upon themselves, by their ungoverned tongues, the correction due to their crimes, their pride, and arrogance.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Pro 14:3 In the mouth of the foolish [is] a rod of pride: but the lips of the wise shall preserve them.
Ver. 3. In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride. ] Wherewith he beats others, and lays about him like a madman, or rather like a mad dog he bites all he meets, and barks against God himself; till he procure the hate of God and men, and smart for his petulance, being beaten at length with his own rod, as the lion beats himself with his own tail.
But the lips of the wise shall preserve them.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
mouth. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Cause), App-6, for what is spoken by it.
of pride. Genitive of Possession, “pride’s sceptre”. See App-17(3). On the one side, we have “pride”, prating, and punishment; on the other side, prudence, piety, and preservation.
lips. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Cause), App-6, for what is spoken by them.
preserve = guard.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Pro 14:3
Pro 14:3
“In the mouth of the foolish is a rod for his pride; But the lips of the wise shall preserve them.”
We have already had many proverbs which are the equivalent of this; and there are many more. “By thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned” (Mat 12:37). Toy’s translation is: “In the mouth of a fool is a sprig of his pride, but the lips of the wise preserve them.
Pro 14:3. American Bible Union version and Youngs Literal give, A rod of pride. Septuagint: From the mouth of fools cometh a staff of insolence. The foolish can have a cruel tongue (rod). Other passages compare the wicked tongue to a cutting sword (Psa 57:4; Psa 64:3).
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
the mouth: Pro 18:6, Pro 21:24, Pro 22:8, Pro 28:25, 1Sa 2:3, Job 5:21, Psa 12:3, Psa 31:18, Psa 52:1, Psa 52:2, Psa 57:4, Dan 7:20, Jam 3:5, Jam 3:6, 2Pe 2:18, Rev 15:5, Rev 15:6
but: Pro 12:6, Rom 10:9, Rom 10:10, Rev 3:10, Rev 12:11
Reciprocal: Eze 7:10 – pride
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Pro 14:3. In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride Fools often bring upon themselves, by their ungoverned tongues, the correction due to their crimes, and especially to their pride and arrogance; but the lips of the wise shall preserve them From that rod. Wise men are careful of their words, that they may not offend, much more that they may not abuse, the meanest person, and hereby they remain in safety.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
14:3 In the mouth of the foolish [is] a {c} rod of pride: but the lips of the wise shall preserve them.
(c) His proud tongue will cause him to be punished.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
The antecedent of "them" (Pro 14:3 b) is "the wise" (plural).
"Words come back to roost." [Note: Kidner, p. 106.]
"What people say has a great bearing on how they are received." [Note: Ross, p. 983.]