King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.
Complete Jewish Bible:
Keep crooked speech out of your mouth, banish deceit from your lips.
Berean Standard Bible:
Put away deception from your mouth; keep your lips from perverse speech.
American Standard Version:
Put away from thee a wayward mouth, And perverse lips put far from thee.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
Put away{H5493} from thee a froward{H6143} mouth{H6310}, and perverse{H3891} lips{H8193} put far{H7368} from thee.
Cross-References (KJV):
Proverbs 8:8
- All the words of my mouth [are] in righteousness; [there is] nothing froward or perverse in them.
James 1:26
- If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion [is] vain.
Ephesians 4:25
- Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.
Ephesians 4:31
- Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
James 1:21
- Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
Proverbs 8:13
- The fear of the LORD [is] to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.
1 Peter 2:1
- ¶ Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,
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Commentary for Proverbs 4:24
Proverbs 4:24 is part of the wisdom literature in the Hebrew Bible, specifically the book of Proverbs, which is traditionally attributed to Solomon, the son of David and king of Israel. The book is a collection of sayings and instructions that reflect the religious and cultural values of ancient Israel, particularly during the period of the monarchy. The themes of Proverbs revolve around wisdom, righteousness, and the practical ethics of daily life, often presented in the form of pithy, didactic statements.
The verse itself, "Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee," speaks directly to the importance of careful speech and the power of words. The "froward mouth" and "perverse lips" refer to speech that is deceitful, contentious, or morally crooked. In the historical context, where oral communication and testimony held significant weight, the moral integrity of one's speech was crucial for maintaining social order and personal honor.
The admonition to distance oneself from such negative forms of expression underscores the value placed on honesty, integrity, and harmonious social interactions within the Israelite community. It is a call to self-discipline, urging individuals to be mindful of the words they use, as they can lead to either peace or discord, truth or falsehood. This verse reflects a broader biblical theme that emphasizes the moral and ethical implications of speech, aligning with other scriptural passages that caution against misuse of the tongue (James 3:5-12, Psalms 34:13, Ephesians 4:29). By advocating for the avoidance of corrupt communication, Proverbs 4:24 encourages believers to cultivate wisdom and righteousness in their everyday interactions.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H5493
There are 283 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: סוּר
Transliteration: çûwr
Pronunciation: soor
Description: or שׂוּר; (Hosea 9:12), a primitive root; to turn off (literal or figurative); be(-head), bring, call back, decline, depart, eschew, get (you), go (aside), [idiom] grievous, lay away (by), leave undone, be past, pluck away, put (away, down), rebel, remove (to and fro), revolt, [idiom] be sour, take (away, off), turn (aside, away, in), withdraw, be without. - Strong's Number: H6143
There are 2 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: עִקְּשׁוּת
Transliteration: ʻiqqᵉshûwth
Pronunciation: ik-kesh-ooth'
Description: from עִקֵּשׁ; perversity; [idiom] froward. - Strong's Number: H6310
There are 460 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: פֶּה
Transliteration: peh
Pronunciation: peh
Description: from פָּאָה; the mouth (as the means of blowing), whether literal or figurative (particularly speech); specifically edge, portion or side; adverbially (with preposition) according to; accord(-ing as, -ing to), after, appointment, assent, collar, command(-ment), [idiom] eat, edge, end, entry, [phrase] file, hole, [idiom] in, mind, mouth, part, portion, [idiom] (should) say(-ing), sentence, skirt, sound, speech, [idiom] spoken, talk, tenor, [idiom] to, [phrase] two-edged, wish, word. - Strong's Number: H3891
There are 1 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: לְזוּת
Transliteration: lᵉzûwth
Pronunciation: lez-ooth'
Description: from לוּז; perverseness; perverse. - Strong's Number: H8193
There are 164 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שָׂפָה
Transliteration: sâphâh
Pronunciation: saw-faw'
Description: or (in dual and plural) שֶׂפֶת; probably from סָפָה or שָׁפָה through the idea of termination (compare סוֹף); the lip (as a natural boundary); by implication, language; by analogy, a margin (of a vessel, water, cloth, etc.); band, bank, binding, border, brim, brink, edge, language, lip, prating, (sea-)shore, side, speech, talk, (vain) words. - Strong's Number: H7368
There are 56 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: רָחַק
Transliteration: râchaq
Pronunciation: raw-khak'
Description: a primitive root; to widen (in any direction), i.e. (intransitively) recede or (transitively) remove (literally or figuratively, of place or relation); (a-, be, cast, drive, get, go, keep (self), put, remove, be too, (wander), withdraw) far (away, off), loose, [idiom] refrain, very, (be) a good way (off).