Lip
Lip
(, saphah’, usually in the dual; Gr. ), besides its literal sense (e.g. Isa 37:29; Son 4:3; Son 4:11; Son 5:13; Pro 24:28), and (in the original) metaphorically for an edge or border, as of a cup (1Ki 7:26), of a garment (Exodus 27:32), of a curtain (Exo 26:4; Exo 36:11), of the sea (Gen 22:17; Exo 2:3; Heb 11:12), of the Jordan (2Ki 2:13; Jdg 7:22), is often put as an organ of speech, e.g. to “open the lips,” 1. to begin to speak (Job 11:5; Job 32:20), also to “open the lips” of another, i.e. ecause him to speak (Psa 51:17), and to “refrain the lips,” i.e. to keep silence (Psa 40:10; Pro 10:19). So speech or discourse is said to be “upon the lips” (Pro 16:10; Psa 16:4), once “under the lips” (Psa 140:4; Rom 3:13; comp. Eze 36:3), and likewise “sinning with lips” (Job 2:10; Job 12:20; Psa 45:3), and “uncircumcised of lips,” i.e., not of ready speech (Exo 6:12), also “fruit of the lips,” i.e., praise (Heb 13:15; 1Pe 3:5), and, by a bolder figure, “the calves of the lips,” i.e., thank-offering (Hos 14:2); finally, the motion of the lips in speaking (Mat 15:8; Mar 7:6; from Isa 29:13). By metonomy, “lip” stands in Scripture for a manner of speech, e.g. in nations, a dialect (Gen 11:1; Gen 11:6-7; Gen 11:9; Isa 19:18; Eze 3:5-6; 1Co 14:21, alluding to Isa 28:11), or, in individuals, the moral quality of language, as “lying lips,” etc., i.e., falsehood (Pro 10:18; comp. 17:4, 7) or wickedness (Psa 120:2), truth (Pro 12:19); “burning lips,” i.e., ardent professions (Pro 26:23); “sweetness of lips,” i.e., pleasant discourse (Pro 16:22; so Zep 3:9; Isa 6:5; Psa 12:3-4). To “shoot out the lip” at any one, i.q. to make mouths, has always been an expression of the utmost scorn and defiance (Psa 22:8). In like manner, “unclean lips” are put as a represelntation of unfitness to impart or receive the divine communications (Isa 6:5; Isa 6:7). Also the “word of one’s lips,” i.e. communication, e.g. Jehovah’s precepts (Psa 17:4; comp. Pro 23:16 : spoken of as something before unknown, Psa 81:6); elsewhere in a bad sense, i.q. lip-talk, i.e., vain and empty words (Isa 36:5; Pro 14:23), and so of the person uttering them, e.g. a man of talk, i.e., an idle talker (Job 11:2), a prating fool (Pro 10:8; comp. Lev 5:4; Psa 106:33). SEE TONGUE.
The “upper lip” (, saphats’, a derivative of the above), which the leper was required to cover (Lev 13:45), refers to the lip-beard or mustachios, as the Venet. Greek () there and the Sept. in 2Sa 19:24, render it, being the beard (in the latter passage), which Mephibosheth neglected to trim during David’s absence in token of grief. The same practice of “covering the lip” with a corner of one’s garment, as if polluted( (comp. “unclean lips”), as a sign of mourning, is allluded to in Eze 24:17; Eze 24:22; Mic 3:7, where the Sept. has , . SEE MOUTH
Fuente: Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature
Lip
besides its literal sense (Isa. 37:29, etc.), is used in the original (saphah) metaphorically for an edge or border, as of a cup (1 Kings 7:26), a garment (Ex. 28:32), a curtain (26:4), the sea (Gen. 22:17), the Jordan (2 Kings 2:13). To “open the lips” is to begin to speak (Job 11:5); to “refrain the lips” is to keep silence (Ps. 40:9; 1 Pet. 3:10). The “fruit of the lips” (Heb. 13:15) is praise, and the “calves of the lips” thank-offerings (Hos. 14:2). To “shoot out the lip” is to manifest scorn and defiance (Ps. 22:7). Many similar forms of expression are found in Scripture.
Fuente: Easton’s Bible Dictionary
Lip
LIP.This word, in the plural, is found in the Gospels only in Mat 15:8 || Mar 7:6, where it stands for in a free quotation from the LXX Septuagint . It is rendered by Authorized Version , This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me (cf. Isa 29:13). St. Matthew, who quotes oftenest from the LXX Septuagint , does so here (Mat 15:8 f.), even though it departs considerably from the Hebrew. But he modifies its phraseology so as to improve it, and to bring out the prophets thought more clearly than would be done by a literal translation of the Hebrew. (See Toy, NT Quotations from the OT). The expression honoureth me with their lips is explained by some as an allusion to the Jewish custom of putting the tassel of the tallith to the lips during worship, as a sign that the Law was accepted, not as of duty only, but as the enthusiastic preference of the heart (cf. Job 31:27, where putting the hand to the lips is an act of astral worship; and the Oriental salutations in which putting the hand to the lips is supposed to have been originally a sign and assurance of sincerity; see Jewish Eneye. art. Lip). Others explain this clause, in relation to the entire passage, as intended to put in sharp contrast a worship of God, or a form of religion, that is taught of men (cf. teaching teachings which are precepts of men, Mat 15:9), and a worship that is really according to the teachings of Gods word, i.e. which springs from a devout and trusting heart (cf. But their heart is far from me, Mat 15:8, with the suggestion of emptiness in Mat 15:9 In vain do they worship me, etc.).
It would seem from the OT that the lips had come to be regarded as a sort of originating centre of life and morals. We read of lying lips (Psa 31:18), of the lip of truth (Pro 12:19), of unclean lips (Isa 6:5), and of the poison of asps as under the lips (quoted in Rom 3:13); and in the NT also, of the fruit of the lips (Heb 13:15), and of lips that speak no guile (1Pe 3:10), etc.
But whatever be the implied allusion or exact meaning of the words here, this much is certain, that our Lord in speaking to His own contemporaries said, This prophecy of Isaiah was concerning youlanguage that would seem to require us to interpret the passage so as to make it include and describe the unbelieving Jews of His day, and, probably, all people of all times who were, or are, or will yet be, guilty of offering to God a worship in which they do not draw near to Him in heart.
Geo. B. Eager.
Fuente: A Dictionary Of Christ And The Gospels
Lip
LIP (Heb. sphh, sphm; Gr. cheitos).1. sphh, the usual OT word, and of very frequent occurrence. Only rarely are the lips referred to from the point of view of description of physical beauty and charm (Son 4:3; Son 4:11; Son 5:13). Once they are associated with kissing (Pro 24:26), once with drinking (Son 7:9, with which cf. Psa 45:2), once (anthropomorphically of J [Note: Jahweh.] ) as the source from which the breath issues (Isa 11:4); once the protrusion of the lips occurs as a gesture of mocking contempt (Psa 22:7). Twice (2Ki 19:28, Isa 37:29) we have an allusion to the cruel Assyrian custom of passing a ring through the lips of captives and leading them about with a rope or thong. But in the great majority of cases the lips are referred to as organs of speech (Job 27:4, Psa 119:171, Pro 15:7; Pro 24:2). Hence, according to the kind of words they utter and the quality of the heart from which the words come, they are described figuratively as uncircumcised (Exo 6:12; Exo 6:30), flattering (Psa 12:2; Psa 12:8), feigned (Psa 17:1), lying (Psa 31:18), joyful (Psa 63:5), perverse (Pro 4:24), righteous (Pro 16:13), false (Pro 17:4), burning (Pro 26:23), unclean (Isa 6:5). By an intensification or extension of this figurative use, swords are said to be in the lips (Psa 59:7), adders poison to be under them (Psa 140:3), or in them a burning fire (Pro 16:27). In Isa 57:18 the fruit of the lips = praise. For Hos 14:2 see Calves of the Lips. 2. sphm (Eze 24:17; Eze 24:22, Mic 3:7, only in the phrase cover the lips), whose equivalent is moustache, it being the Eastern custom to cover this as a sign of stricken sorrow. 3. cheitos occurs 6 times in NT, always in quotations from LXX [Note: Septuagint.] : Mat 15:8 and Mar 7:6 = Isa 29:18; Rom 3:13 = Psa 140:3 [Psa 139:4]; 1Co 14:21 = Isa 28:11; Heb 13:15 = Hos 14:2; 1Pe 3:10 = Psa 34:18 [Psa 33:14].
J. C. Lambert.
Fuente: Hastings’ Dictionary of the Bible
Lip
LIP, LIPS
The fruit of the lips is sometimes spoken of in Scripture, for the whole of the life and conversation. Thus JEHOVAH takes to himself the sovereignty of this work, when he saith, (Isa 57:19) “I create the fruit of the lips” Hence the church is represented as speaking the effusions of the heart, when she saith; “So will we render thee the claves of our lips” (Hos 14:2) And hence, when commending the beauties of Jesus, she saith; “his lips are like lilies, dropping sweet smelling myrrh:” (Son 5:13) meaning, that so sweet and fragrant are Christ’s words, his gospel of salvation, and his tokens of grace, so refreshing to the soul of a poor sinner conscious of the want of it; that as lilies, they charm and afford a sweet smelling savour, by which all the spiritual senses are ravished and made glad.
Fuente: The Poor Mans Concordance and Dictionary to the Sacred Scriptures
Lip
(, saphah, , sepheth, lip, language, speech, talk (also rim, border, shore, bank, etc.), , sapham, (upper) lip, moustache, beard; , chelos, lip (also once, shore in the quotation Heb 11:12 = Gen 22:17)): (1) Lips stand in oriental idiom for speech or language, like mouth, tongue; therefore they stand in parallelism. The lip of truth shall be established for ever; but a lying tongue is but for a moment (Pro 12:19). To shoot out the lip (Psa 22:7) means to make a mocking, contemptuous, scornful face. As the lips are the chief instrument of speech, we find numerous idiomatic phrases for speaking, such as: the utterance of the lips (Num 30:6, Num 30:8), to proceed out of the lips (Num 30:12), to open the lips (Job 32:20), to go out of the lips (Psa 17:1). These expressions do not convey, as a rule, the idea that the utterance proceeds merely out of the lips, and that it lacks sincerity and the consent of the heart, but occasionally this is intended, e.g. This people draw nigh unto me, and with their mouth and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their heart far from me (Isa 29:13; compare Mat 15:8). The fruit of the lips (Isa 57:19 = Heb 13:15) and calves of the lips (Hos 14:2 the King James Version) designate the praise and thanksgiving due to God. Fervent (the King James Version burning) lips (Pro 26:23) are synonymous with eloquence. To refrain the lips (Psa 40:9; Pro 10:19) means to keep silence, where the godless or unwise would wish to assert his rights.
Numerous other expressions need no further explanation, such as perverse lips (Pro 4:24), uncircumcised lips (Exo 6:12, Exo 6:30), feigned lips (Psa 17:1), lying lips (Psa 31:18; Pro 10:18; Pro 12:22), wicked (or false) lips (Pro 17:4), unclean lips (Isa 6:5), strange (the King James Version stammering) lips (Isa 28:11), flattering lips (Psa 12:2, Psa 12:3; Pro 7:21), righteous lips (Pro 16:13).
(2) The Hebrew word sapham is found only in the phrase to cover the lip or lips, which is an expression of mourning, submission and shame. The Oriental covers his lips with his hand or a portion of his garment, when he has been sunk into deep grief and sorrow. He expresses, thereby, that he cannot open his mouth at the visitation of God. Differently, however, from common mourners, Ezekiel was forbidden of God to cover his lips (Eze 24:17; see also Eze 24:22), i.e. to mourn in the usual way over Israel’s downfall, as Israel had brought these judgments upon himself. The leper, victim of an incurable disease, walks about with rent clothes and hair disheveled, covering his lips, crying: Unclean, unclean! (Lev 13:45). The thought here is that even the breath of such a one may defile. The prophet calls upon all seers and diviners, to whom God has refused the knowledge of the future, to cover their lips in shame and confusion (Mic 3:7).
Fuente: International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
Lip
is used (a) of the organ of speech, Mat 15:8; Mar 7:6, where “honoring with the lips,” besides meaning empty words, may have reference to a Jewish custom of putting to the mouth the tassel of the tallith (the woollen scarf wound round the head and neck during prayer), as a sign of acceptance of the Law from the heart; Rom 3:13; 1Co 14:21 (from Isa 28:11-12, speaking of the Assyrian foe as God’s message to disobedient Israel); Heb 13:15; 1Pe 3:10; (b) metaphorically, of “the brink or edge of things,” as of the sea shore, Heb 11:12, lit., “the shore (of the sea).”