Proverbs 22:18

18 That shall be fair to thee, when thou hast kept it in thine heart, and it shall flow again in thy lips. (It shall please thee when thou hast kept it in thy heart, and it shall flow freely from thy lips.)

Proverbs 22:18 Meaning and Commentary

Proverbs 22:18

For [it is] a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee,
&c.] Or, "in thy belly" F1. That is, in thine heart, in the inmost recesses of it; where the words or doctrines of the wise should be received in the love of them, and carefully laid up and retained; which will upon reflection yield much pleasure, like Ezekiel's roll, which was in his belly as honey for sweetness; and which also is very profitable as an antidote against sin, ( Psalms 119:11 ) ; they shall withal be fitted in thy lips;
become them, and be suitable and graceful to them: or, "shall be ordered [and disposed] in" or "by thy lips" F2; being received into the heart, and digested there, they shall easily and freely go off the tongue, which shall be as the pen of a ready writer; they shall be delivered in a regular manner, with great liberty and facility; by a good digestion of Gospel truths, and a comfortable experience of them, persons become apt to teach others.


FOOTNOTES:

F1 (Knjbb) "in ventre tuo", V. L. Montanus, Junius & Tremellius, Mercerus, Cocceius, Gejerus, Michaelis, Schultens.
F2 (wnwk) "disponantur", Vatablus.

Proverbs 22:18 In-Context

16 He that falsely challengeth a poor man, to increase his own riches (He who oppresseth the poor, to increase his own riches), shall give to a richer man, and he shall be needy.
17 My son, bow down thine ear, and hear thou the words of wise men; but set thou the heart to my teaching. (My son, bow down thy ear, and listen thou to the words of the wise; yea, set thou thy heart unto my teaching, or my instruction.)
18 That shall be fair to thee, when thou hast kept it in thine heart, and it shall flow again in thy lips. (It shall please thee when thou hast kept it in thy heart, and it shall flow freely from thy lips.)
19 That thy trust be in the Lord; wherefore and I have showed it to thee today. (So that thy trust be in the Lord; and so I have showed it to thee today.)
20 Lo! I have described it in three manners1, in thoughts and knowing,
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.