Proverbs 16:13
in Proverbs 16Righteous lips are a king’s delight, and he who speaks honestly is beloved.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Righteous lips are the delight of kings; And they love him that speaketh right.
KJV
Righteous lips are the delight of kings; and they love him that speaketh right.
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This verse in Proverbs 16
Commentary
4 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
Righteous lips are a king’s delight
on Proverbs 16:13-15
“Righteous lips are a king’s delight, and he who speaks honestly is beloved,” a courtier's proverb that measures royal favor by honesty over flattery. When the king's face brightens there is life, and “his favor is like a rain cloud in spring,” the rain tied to a good harvest.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church2 voices
The will of kings is just lips. He speaks of holy kings who primarily command over vices and are accustomed to be surrounded by the ranks of virtues of the soul as of obedient companions. Of whom the Lord says, Many prophets and kings have …
Whoever speaks rightly will be guided. So that, namely, with the right steps of deeds he may reach eternal life. But on the contrary, the talkative man will not be guided on the earth. Nor does this statement contradict what is said of Antiochus, And …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Righteous lips are the delight of kings,....
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
It is an abomination to kings to commit wickedness It is an abominable thing for judges, and it is not proper for them to commit wickedness.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
The king’s wrath is like messengers of death, like messengers of death [but not angels of death].
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. 1 further source is 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| רְצ֣וֹן | retzon | [are the] delight of | H7522 → | 56 times |
| מְ֭לָכִים | melakhim | kings | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| שִׂפְתֵי־ | siftei- | lips of | H8193 → | 176 times |
| צֶ֑דֶק | tzedek | righteousness | H6664 → | 119 times |
| וְדֹבֵ֖ר | vedover | and [one who] speaks | H1696 → | 1141 times |
| יְשָׁרִ֣ים | yesharim | upright [things] | H3477 → | 119 times |
| יֶאֱהָֽב׃ | yeehav | he loves | H157 → | 211 times |
רְצ֣וֹן[are the] delight of
retzonH7522 →56 times
מְ֭לָכִיםkings
melakhimH4428 →2525 times
שִׂפְתֵי־lips of
siftei-H8193 →176 times
צֶ֑דֶקrighteousness
tzedekH6664 →119 times
וְדֹבֵ֖רand [one who] speaks
vedoverH1696 →1141 times
יְשָׁרִ֣יםupright [things]
yesharimH3477 →119 times
יֶאֱהָֽב׃he loves
yeehavH157 →211 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 22:11He who loves a pure heart and gracious lips will have the king for a friend.
it leads to
- Matthew 5:8
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
- Psalms 101:6
My eyes favor the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me; he who walks in the way of integrity shall minister to me.
- Proverbs 14:35
A king delights in a wise servant, but his anger falls on the shameful.
- Psalms 45:2
You are the most handsome of men; grace has anointed your lips, since God has blessed you forever.
- Matthew 5:8
Through
Proverbs 14:35A king delights in a wise servant, but his anger falls on the shameful.
it leads to
- Matthew 24:45–51
Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of his household, to give the others their food at the proper time?
- Luke 12:42–48
And the Lord answered, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their portion at the proper time?
- Proverbs 22:11
He who loves a pure heart and gracious lips will have the king for a friend.
- Proverbs 29:12
If a ruler listens to lies, all his officials will be wicked.
- Matthew 24:45–51
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies11
About Proverbs
This page draws on Bede, Commentary on Proverbs; Charles Bridges, An Exposition of the Book of Proverbs; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament and John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763).