1 Corinthians 14:11

11 But if I know not the virtue of a voice [Therefore if I know not the virtue of voice], I shall be to him, to whom I shall speak, a barbaric; and he that speaketh to me, shall be a barbaric.

1 Corinthians 14:11 Meaning and Commentary

1 Corinthians 14:11

Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice
The force and power of a language, the signification of it, the ideas its words convey, but only hear the sound of it:

I shall be to him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh
shall be a barbarian unto me:
like one of those rude and uncultivated people that inhabit deserts and wild places, who can neither understand the language of others, nor be understood by others; and indeed may be meant of any sort of people, that do not understand one another's language: the word (rb) , "bar", and (arb) , "bara", in the Chaldee, Syriac, and Arabic languages, not only signifies a field, a wood, or desert place, but also without, or any thing extraneous; and being doubled, signifies one that lives without, in another land; a stranger, and that speaks a strange language; so all other nations of the world were barbarians to the Hebrews, and particularly the Egyptians; see the Targum on ( Psalms 114:1 ) and so were all other nations to the Greeks, see ( Romans 1:14 ) and also to the Romans: and the sense is, that where the signification of a language and the sense of words are not known, the speaker is like a man that lives in a strange country to him that hears him; and the hearer is like to one that lives in a strange country to him that speaks, since they cannot understand one another. The word sometimes is used for men, (afwnoi h ankooi) , ^F26, "that can neither speak nor hear", men dumb and deaf; and when words cannot be understood, the case is all one as with such persons.

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FOOTNOTES:

F26 Scholia in Aristoph. in Avibus, p. 550.

1 Corinthians 14:11 In-Context

9 So [and] but ye give an open word by tongue, how shall that that is said be known? For ye shall be speaking in vain [+For ye shall be speaking in the air/Soothly ye shall be speaking into the airs, or firmament,].

10 There be many kinds of languages in this world, and nothing is without voice. [as so many kinds of tongues, or languages, be in this world, and nothing is without voice.]

11 But if I know not the virtue of a voice [Therefore if I know not the virtue of voice], I shall be to him, to whom I shall speak, a barbaric; and he that speaketh to me, shall be a barbaric.

12 So ye, for ye be lovers of spirits, seek ye that ye be plenteous to edification of the church. [+So and ye, for ye be lovers of spirits, that is, of ghostly gifts, to the edification of the church seek that ye be plenteous.]

13 And therefore he that speaketh in language, pray, that he expound. [And therefore he that speaketh in tongue, pray, that he interpret, or expound.]