Proverbs 18:20
in Proverbs 18From the fruit of his mouth a man’s belly is filled; with the harvest from his lips he is satisfied.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
A man’s belly shall be filled with the fruit of his mouth; With the increase of his lips shall he be satisfied.
KJV
A man’s belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; and with the increase of his lips shall he be filled.
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This verse in Proverbs 18
Commentary
4 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
A man’s belly shall be satisfied
on Proverbs 18:20-21
A man is filled by the fruit of his own mouth, satisfied or starved by what he has said, and the chapter states the principle at full strength: death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love using it eat whatever fruit it bears. The commentators read the two verses as one thought, speech first pictured as food and then named outright as the difference between death and life.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
A man's belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
With the fruit of his mouth - Our own words frequently shape our good or evil fortune in life.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
The general sense is plain. A man must for good or evil take the consequence of his words, as well as his deeds. Compare the marginal reference.
The words behind it
8 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| מִפְּרִ֣י | miperi | from [the] fruit of | H6529 → | 119 times |
| פִי־ | fi- | [the] mouth of | H6310 → | 498 times |
| אִ֭ישׁ | ʾish | a person | H376 → | 1663 times |
| תִּשְׂבַּ֣ע | tisba' | it is satisfied | H7646 → | 97 times |
| בִּטְנ֑וֹ | bitno | belly his | H990 → | 72 times |
| תְּבוּאַ֖ת | tevuat | [the] produce of | H8393 → | 42 times |
| שְׂפָתָ֣יו | sefatav | lips his | H8193 → | 176 times |
| יִשְׂבָּֽע׃ | yisba' | he is satisfied | H7646 → | 97 times |
מִפְּרִ֣יfrom [the] fruit of
miperiH6529 →119 times
פִי־[the] mouth of
fi-H6310 →498 times
אִ֭ישׁa person
ʾishH376 →1663 times
תִּשְׂבַּ֣עit is satisfied
tisba'H7646 →97 times
בִּטְנ֑וֹbelly his
bitnoH990 →72 times
תְּבוּאַ֖ת[the] produce of
tevuatH8393 →42 times
שְׂפָתָ֣יוlips his
sefatavH8193 →176 times
יִשְׂבָּֽע׃he is satisfied
yisba'H7646 →97 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Proverbs 13:2From the fruit of his lips a man enjoys good things, but the desire of the faithless is violence.
it leads to
- Proverbs 12:14
By fruitful speech a man is filled with good things, and the work of his hands returns to him.
- Proverbs 10:11
The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.
- Psalms 140:11
May no slanderer be established in the land; may calamity hunt down the man of violence.
- Proverbs 1:31
So they will eat the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.
- Proverbs 12:14
Through
Proverbs 22:18for it is pleasing when you keep them within you and they are constantly on your lips.
it leads to
- Jeremiah 15:16
Your words were found, and I ate them. Your words became my joy and my heart’s delight. For I bear Your name, O LORD God of Hosts.
- Proverbs 8:6
Listen, for I speak of noble things, and the opening of my lips will reveal right.
- Jeremiah 15:16
Through
Proverbs 22:21to show you true and reliable words, that you may soundly answer those who sent you?
it leads to
- 1 Peter 3:15
But in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give a defense to everyone who asks you the reason for the hope that is in you. But respond with gentleness and…
- Luke 1:3–4
Therefore, having carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,
- 1 Peter 3:15
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies2
On this verse
On this chapter
About Proverbs

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Charles Bridges, An Exposition of the Book of Proverbs; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.
