Bible Verses About Tact

Yo'av fell to the ground on his face, prostrating himself, and blessed the king; Yo'av said, "Today your servant knows that I have won your favor, my lord, king, because the king has done what your servant requested."

Then a wise woman in the city shouted, "Listen! Listen! Please tell Yo'av, 'Come over here, so that I can speak with you.'"

He approached her, and the woman asked, "Are you Yo'av?" He answered, "I am." She said to him, "Listen to what your servant has to say." He answered, "I'm listening."

Then she said, "In the old days they used to say, 'They will ask advice at Avel'; and that would end the discussion.

We are among those in Isra'el who are peaceful and faithful. Why are you destroying a city and a mother in Isra'el? Why swallow up the inheritance of ADONAI?"

Yo'av answered, "Heaven forbid! Heaven forbid that I should swallow or destroy anything!

That's not how it is. Rather, a man from the hills of Efrayim, Sheva the son of Bikhri, has raised his hand against the king, against David. Just turn him over to me, and I will leave the city." The woman said to Yo'av, "All right, his head will be thrown to you over the wall."

Then the woman went to all the people with her wise plan. They cut off the head of Sheva the son of Bikhri and threw it out to Yo'av. So he sounded the shofar, and they left the city, sending each man to his tent; while Yo'av returned to the king in Yerushalayim.

Bring me a sword," said the king. They brought a sword to the king.

The king said, "Cut the living child in two; give half to the one and half to the other."

At this, the woman to whom the living child belonged addressed the king, because she felt so strongly toward her son: "Oh, my lord, give her the living child; you mustn't kill it!" But the other one said, "It will be neither yours nor mine. Divide it up!"

Then the king answered, "Give the living child to the first woman, don't kill it, because she is its mother."

All Isra'el heard of the decision the king had made and held the king in awe, for they saw that God's wisdom was in him, enabling him to render justice properly.

Ester did not disclose her people or family ties, because Mordekhai had instructed her not to tell anyone.

A gentle response deflects fury, but a harsh word makes tempers rise.

With patience a ruler may be won over, and a gentle tongue can break bones.

At last, the city clerk was able to quiet the crowd. “Men of Ephesus!” he said, “Is there anyone who doesn’t know that the city of Ephesus is the guardian of the temple of the great Artemis, and of the sacred stone which fell from the sky?

Since this is beyond dispute, you had better calm down and not do anything rash.

For you have brought these men here who have neither robbed the temple nor insulted your goddess.

So if Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen have a complaint against anyone, the courts are open and the judges are there — let them bring charges and counter-charges.

But if there is something more you want, it will have to be settled in a lawful assembly.

For we are in danger of being accused of rioting on account of what has happened today. There is no justification for it; and if we are asked, we will be unable to give any reasonable explanation for this disorderly gathering.”

And with these words, he dismissed the assembly.

On hearing it, they praised God; but they also said to him, “You see, brother, how many tens of thousands of believers there are among the Judeans, and they are all zealots for the Torah.

Now what they have been told about you is that you are teaching all the Jews living among the Goyim to apostatize from Moshe, telling them not to have a b’rit-milah for their sons and not to follow the traditions.