Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Proverbs 24:26
[Every man] shall kiss [his] lips that giveth a right answer.
26. Every man shall kiss his lips ] Rather, he kisseth the lips, or with the lips: i.e. a right answer is as grateful and conciliating as a friendly salutation.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Better, He shall kiss lips that giveth a right answer, i. e., he shall gain the hearts of men as much as by all outward signs of sympathy and favor. Compare 2Sa 15:1-6.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 26. Kiss his lips] Shall treat him with affection and respect.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Every man shall kiss his lips, shall highly respect and love him, of which kissing was a sign,
that giveth a right answer; who being called to speak, either as a judge, or witness, or otherwise, in weighty matters, speaks pertinently, and plainly, and truly, to the conviction and satisfaction of the hearers.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
26. kiss his lipslove andobey, do homage (Psa 2:12;Son 8:1).
right answerliterally,”plain words” (compare Pr8:9), opposed to deceptive, or obscure.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
[Every man] shall kiss [his] lips that giveth a right answer. Either as a witness to a question put to him in court, to which he answers aptly and uprightly; or rather as a judge, who, having heard a cause, answers and gives his opinion of it faithfully, and pronounces a righteous sentence; everyone will love and respect him, and hearken to him and obey him; both affection and obedience are signified by a kiss; see Ps 2:12.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Then follows a distich with the watchword :
26 He kisseth the lips
Who for the end giveth a right answer.
The lxx, Syr., and Targ. translate: one kisseth the lips who, or: of those who…; but such a meaning is violently forced into the word (in that case the expression would have been or ). Equally impossible is Theodotion’s , for cannot be the fut. Niph. Nor is it: lips kiss him who… (Rashi); for, to be thus understood, the word ought to have been . is naturally to be taken as the subj., and thus it supplies the meaning: he who kisseth the lips giveth an excellent answer, viz., the lips of him whom the answer concerns (Jerome, Venet., Luther). But Hitzig ingeniously, “the words reach from the lips of the speaker to the ears of the hearer, and thus he kisses his ear with his lips.” But since to kiss the ear is not a custom, not even with the Florentines, then a welcome answer, if its impression is to be compared to a kiss, is compared to a kiss on the lips. Hitzig himself translates: he commends himself with the lips who…; but may mean to join oneself, Gen 41:40, as kissing is equivalent to the joining of the lips; it does not mean intrans. to cringe. Rather the explanation: he who joins the lips together…; for he, viz., before reflecting, closed his lips together (suggested by Meri); but , with , brings the idea of kissing, labra labris jungere , far nearer. This prevails against Schultens’ armatus est ( erit ) labia , besides , certainly, from the primary idea of connecting (laying together) ( vid., Psa 78:9), to equip (arm) oneself therewith; but the meaning arising from thence: with the lips he arms himself… is direct nonsense. Fleischer is essentially right, Labra osculatur ( i.e., quasi osculum oblatum reddit ) qui congrua respondet . Only the question has nothing to do with a kiss; but if he who asks receives a satisfactory answer, an enlightening counsel, he experiences it as if he received a kiss. The Midrash incorrectly remarks under , “words of merited denunciation,” according to which the Syr. translates. Words are meant which are corresponding to the matter and the circumstances, and suitable for the end (cf. Pro 8:9). Such words are like as if the lips of the inquirer received a kiss from the lips of the answerer.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
(26) Every man shall kiss his lips . . . Rather, He kisseth the lips that giveth right answers. His words are as pleasant as if he had kissed the inquirers lips.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
26. Shall kiss lips that giveth a right answer When a judge speaks upright words gives a just decision men salute him with respect and affection. Zockler says: Faithful and truthful answers affect one as favourably as the most agreeable caress. It is probable that there is here an allusion to the Eastern custom of kissing the writing which contains the order of a ruler or a judge. The passage is rendered by the Septuagint thus: “Lips shall kiss those things that answer (to) right words:” that is, those writings or decrees which correspond to the principles of equity and justice shall be treated with the utmost reverence. Compare Gen 27:26, Gen 29:11; Gen 29:13; Gen 33:4; Gen 48:10; Gen 50:1; 1Sa 10:1; 1Sa 20:41 ; 2Sa 20:9; 2Sa 15:5; Luk 9:38; Luk 15:20; Acts 20:39, etc.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
v. 26. Every man shall kiss his lips that giveth a right answer,
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
Pro 24:26. Every man shall kiss his lips, &c. See Gen 41:40 in the margin of our bibles. The Egyptian translators of the LXX seem to have understood this verse in much the same sense as the passage referred to; Lips shall kiss those things which answer right words; “Shall kiss those writings by which a judge giveth just decisions.” Solomon seems to be speaking of a dignified judge, as the preceding words lead us to suppose; for they express the effects which just or unjust judgments should have on the people: Pro 24:23. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment: Pro 24:24. He that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous, i.e. He who absolveth the guilty, him shall the people curse, &c. He that giveth a right answer then, in this verse, is apparently the description of a judge who pronounces right judgments on those causes which are brought before him to trial; and this kissing, agreeably to all that precedes, must refer to the people, the nation, not to the king for whom he judges. I do not, however, know whether a still more unexceptionable interpretation may not be proposed. The rescripts of authority were wont to be kissed, whether they were believed to be just or not, except in cases where persons assumed something of independence; nay, the letters of people of figure were treated after this manner by persons over whom they had no authority, and who knew not the contents of them, merely because they were letters of people of figure. It is possible, therefore, that these words may rather refer to another eastern custom which D’Arvieux gives an account of in his description of the Arabs of mount Carmel, who, when they present any petition to their Emir for a favour, offer their billets to him with their right hands, after having first kissed the papers. The Hebrew manner of expression is short, and proverbs have a peculiar shortness; Every lip shall kiss, one maketh to return a right answer; that is, “Every one “shall be ready to present the state of his case, kissing it as he delivers it, when there is a judge whose decisions are celebrated for their being equitable. So another of these apothegms of Solomon is delivered with something of the like turn of expression. A crown of glory the hoary head, in the way of righteousness it shall be found; that is, “The hoary head is a crown of glory, when it is found in the way of righteousness.” See the Observations, p. 259.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Pro 24:26 [Every man] shall kiss [his] lips that giveth a right answer.
Ver. 26. Every man shall kiss his lips. ] That is, Shall do him honour, as Gen 41:40 . All the people shall kiss at thy mouth, saith Pharaoh to Joseph; and Samuel kissed Saul when he anointed him king; 1Sa 10:1 and, “Kiss the Son,” saith David. Psa 2:12 That is, Give unto him the honour due unto his name.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
kiss his lips = do homage with his lips to him.
right = straightforward.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Pro 24:26
Pro 24:26
“He kisseth the lips who giveth a right answer.”
This speaks of the appreciation that falls upon a witness who testifies honestly before a tribunal.
Pro 24:26. A judge giving a proper sentence to the wicked is so in stride with the thoughts and feelings of the people as one who kisses another.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
shall: Pro 15:23, Pro 16:1, Pro 25:11, Pro 25:12, Gen 41:38-57, Dan 2:46-48, Mar 12:17, Mar 12:18, Mar 12:32-34
giveth a right answer: Heb. answereth right words, Job 6:25
Reciprocal: Jos 22:21 – answered
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
One paraphrase of this verse is as follows: "The right word spoken seals all, like a kiss on the lips." [Note: Knox cited by Kidner, p. 156. See Waltke, The Book . . . 31, p. 293, for information about kissing customs in the ancient Near East.] Truthful speech is a mark of friendship.
"As a sincere kiss shows affection and is desirable, so an honest (and perhaps straightforward) answer shows a person’s concern and therefore is welcomed." [Note: Buzzell, p. 959.]