Proverbs 12:13
in Proverbs 12An evil man is trapped by his rebellious speech, but a righteous man escapes from trouble.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
In the transgression of the lips is a snare to the evil man; But the righteous shall come out of trouble.
KJV
The wicked is snared by the transgression of his lips: but the just shall come out of trouble.
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This verse in Proverbs 12
Commentary
3 notes on this verseThe wicked is snared by the transgression of his lips - A man who deals in lies and false oaths will sooner or later be found out to his own ruin. There is another proverb as true as this: A liar had need of a good memory; for as the truth is not in him, he says and unsays, and often contradicts himself.
This site's exposition
An evil man is trapped by his rebellious speech
on Proverbs 12:13-16
“An evil man is trapped by his rebellious speech,” but the righteous escapes, and in verse 14 speech fills a man with good. The fool's way is “right in his own eyes,” but “a wise man listens to counsel,” wise for his willingness to be corrected.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
The wicked is snared by the transgression of his lips,....
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
Because of the transgression of the lips Because of the transgression of the lips of the generation of the Flood, who said (Job:15): “What is the Almighty that we should serve Him?” an evil snare came upon them, and Noah, the righteous man, came out of the trouble.
2 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
The wicked man yearns to gain sustenance and maintenance from the prey of the wicked, who prey on people with robbery and violence.
From the fruit of a man’s mouth From the reward of the mouth of those who engage in the Torah, they eat the good of this world, and the principal remains intact for them for the world to come.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 2 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| בְּפֶ֣שַׁע | befesha' | [is] in [the] transgression of | H6588 → | 93 times |
| שְׂ֭פָתַיִם | sefatayim | lips | H8193 → | 176 times |
| מוֹקֵ֣שׁ | mokesh | a snare | H4170 → | 27 times |
| רָ֑ע | ra' | evil | H7451 → | 662 times |
| וַיֵּצֵ֖א | vaiyetze' | and he came out | H3318 → | 1067 times |
| מִצָּרָ֣ה | mitzarah | from trouble | H6869 → | 73 times |
| צַדִּֽיק׃ | tzadik | a righteous [person] | H6662 → | 206 times |
בְּפֶ֣שַׁע[is] in [the] transgression of
befesha'H6588 →93 times
שְׂ֭פָתַיִםlips
sefatayimH8193 →176 times
מוֹקֵ֣שׁa snare
mokeshH4170 →27 times
רָ֑עevil
ra'H7451 →662 times
וַיֵּצֵ֖אand he came out
vaiyetze'H3318 →1067 times
מִצָּרָ֣הfrom trouble
mitzarahH6869 →73 times
צַדִּֽיק׃a righteous [person]
tzadikH6662 →206 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 21:23He who guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from distress.
it leads to
- Proverbs 13:3
He who guards his mouth protects his life, but the one who opens his lips invites his own ruin.
- Proverbs 18:21
Life and death are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.
- Proverbs 17:27–28
A man of knowledge restrains his words, and a man of understanding maintains a calm spirit.
- James 1:26
If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not bridle his tongue, he deceives his heart and his religion is worthless.
- Proverbs 10:19
When words are many, sin is unavoidable, but he who restrains his lips is wise.
- Proverbs 13:3
Through
Proverbs 6:2if you have been trapped by the words of your lips, ensnared by the words of your mouth,
it leads to
- Proverbs 18:7
A fool’s mouth is his ruin, and his lips are a snare to his soul.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Proverbs 18:7
Through
Proverbs 11:8The righteous man is delivered from trouble; in his place the wicked man goes in.
it leads to
- Daniel 6:23–24
The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den, and when Daniel was lifted out of the den, no wounds whatsoever were found on him, because he had trusted…
- Proverbs 21:18
The wicked become a ransom for the righteous, and the faithless for the upright.
- Daniel 6:23–24
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Proverbs
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; 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.