Proverbs 18:4
in Proverbs 18The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters; the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
The words of a man’s mouth are as deep waters; The wellspring of wisdom is as a flowing brook.
KJV
The words of a man’s mouth are as deep waters, and the wellspring of wisdom as a flowing brook.
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This verse in Proverbs 18
Commentary
7 notes on this verseThe words of a man's mouth are as deep waters,.... The words of a great and mighty man; of an excellent and valuable man, as Jarchi; or of a wise man, as Aben Ezra.
This site's exposition
A fool does not delight in understanding
on Proverbs 18:2-5
A fool does not delight in understanding but "only in airing his opinions," and where the wicked man comes, contempt and disgrace come with him. Showing partiality to the wicked and depriving the innocent of justice name the corruption the chapter keeps circling back to.
This site's exposition
mouth are deep waters
John Gill reports that Jarchi took the man here as an excellent man and Aben Ezra as a wise man. Their words run deep. The second line pictures the same wisdom as a bubbling brook that flows out from its fountain.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
A commentator
John ChrysostomCOMMENTARY ON THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON, FRAGMENT 18:4 · Written before 407.
proposed
"The word in the heart of man is a deep water, and a river and fountain of life spring forth." By "deep water" he [Solomon] means "abundant" water which can often produce many rivers instead of one. Or, he says: it contains it deeply hidden in itself. As water is immeasurable, so the word in the heart of the person who lives according to God is without limit. Therefore, he uses "word" for knowledge. This is the one in whose heart a fountain of water is made when he hears the words of Jesus. He [Solomon] then speaks of it "springing forth," raining upon or watering the fields which makes them fertile.
The Medieval Church1 voice
Deep water, the words from the mouth of a man, etc. The words of the wise are compared to water because they both wash the minds of the listeners and irrigate them, lest they remain deformed by the filth of sins, or waste away through …
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
The words of a man’s mouth - That is, the wise sayings of a wise man are like deep waters; howsoever much you pump or draw off, you do not appear to lessen them.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
The parallelism of the two clauses is probably one of contrast. If so, the proverb is a comparison between all teaching from without and that of the light within. “The words of a man’s mouth” are dark as the “deep waters” of a pool, or tank (“deep waters” being associated in the Old Testament with the thought of darkness and mystery; compare Pro 20:5; Psa 69:2; Ecc 7:24); but “the wellspring of wisdom is as a flowing brook,” bright and clear. The verse presents a contrast like that of Jer 2:13.
The words behind it
9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| מַ֣יִם | mayim | [are] waters | H4325 → | 581 times |
| עֲ֭מֻקִּים | ʾamukim | deep | H6013 → | 17 times |
| דִּבְרֵ֣י | divrei | [the] words of | H1697 → | 1440 times |
| פִי־ | fi- | [the] mouth of | H6310 → | 498 times |
| אִ֑ישׁ | ʾish | a person | H376 → | 1663 times |
| נַ֥חַל | nachal | a wadi | H5158 → | |
| נֹ֝בֵ֗עַ | novea' | flowing | H5042 → | 11 times |
| מְק֣וֹר | mekor | a fountain of | H4726 → | 18 times |
| חָכְמָֽה׃ | chokhmah | wisdom | H2451 → | 153 times |
מַ֣יִם[are] waters
mayimH4325 →581 times
עֲ֭מֻקִּיםdeep
ʾamukimH6013 →17 times
דִּבְרֵ֣י[the] words of
divreiH1697 →1440 times
פִי־[the] mouth of
fi-H6310 →498 times
אִ֑ישׁa person
ʾishH376 →1663 times
נַ֥חַלa wadi
nachalH5158 →
נֹ֝בֵ֗עַflowing
novea'H5042 →11 times
מְק֣וֹרa fountain of
mekorH4726 →18 times
חָכְמָֽה׃wisdom
chokhmahH2451 →153 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
Colossians 4:6Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
it leads to
- Ephesians 4:29
Let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building up the one in need and bringing grace to those who listen.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 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…
- Ecclesiastes 10:12
The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious, but the lips of a fool consume him.
- Mark 9:50
Salt is good, but if the salt loses its saltiness, with what will you season it? Have salt among yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”
- Ephesians 4:29
Through
John 4:14But whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a fount of water springing up to eternal life.”
it leads to
- John 7:38–39
Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said: ‘Streams of living water will flow from within him.’”
- John 6:35
Jesus answered, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to Me will never hunger, and whoever believes in Me will never thirst.
- Isaiah 49:10
They will not hunger or thirst, nor will scorching heat or sun beat down on them. For He who has compassion on them will guide them and lead them beside springs of water.
- Revelation 7:16
‘Never again will they hunger, and never will they thirst; nor will the sun beat down upon them, nor any scorching heat.’
- John 7:38–39
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies4
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); Bede, Commentary on Proverbs; Charles Bridges, An Exposition of the Book of Proverbs; Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Proverbs of Solomon; John Chrysostom, COMMENTARY ON THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON, FRAGMENT 18:4 and John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763).
