Proverbs 27:14
in Proverbs 27If one blesses his neighbor with a loud voice early in the morning, it will be counted to him as a curse.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, It shall be counted a curse to him.
KJV
He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it shall be counted a curse to him.
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This verse in Proverbs 27
Commentary
6 notes on this verseHe that blesseth his friend - He who makes loud and public protestations of acknowledgments to his friend for favors received, subjects his sincerity to suspicion; and remember the Italian proverb elsewhere quoted: - “He who praises you more than he was wont to do, has either deceived you, or is about to do it.” Extravagant public professions are little to be regarded.
This site's exposition
Be wise, my son
on Proverbs 27:11-14
"Be wise, my son, and bring joy to my heart" opens a short group of household counsel. The prudent see danger and take cover while the simple pay the penalty. Verse 14 closes the group, for a neighbor blessed "with a loud voice early in the morning" hears a curse.
This site's exposition
blesses his neighbor with a loud voice
Clarke reads the loud blessing as praise of a neighbor so extravagant that it is counted suspect. An Italian proverb he cites says one who praises you more than usual has deceived you or means to. Loud praise early in the morning becomes a curse.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
He who blesses his neighbor with a loud voice, etc. He who blesses his neighbor with a loud voice extols him with the favor of excessive praise; either by favoring his evil deeds against justice, or by praising his good deeds more than is just. …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
The picture of the ostentatious flatterer going at daybreak to pour out blessings on his patron. For any good that he does, for any thanks he gets, he might as well utter curses.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
He who blesses his friend Someone blesses his friend daily, and the blessing is converted into a curse, for people say about him that he is generous with his money and wealthy, and everyone comes and borrows from him, and the government provokes him to collect his money.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
because he stood surety for a stranger A man who stood surety brings about that the judge should say to the creditor, “Take his garment.”
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. 3 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
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| מְבָ֘רֵ֤ךְ | mevarekh | [one who] blesses | H1288 → | 330 times |
| רֵעֵ֨הוּ׀ | reehu | neighbor his | H7453 → | 188 times |
| בְּק֣וֹל | bekol | with a voice | H6963 → | 506 times |
| גָּ֭דוֹל | gadol | great | H1419 → | 526 times |
| בַּבֹּ֣קֶר | baboker | in the morning | H1242 → | |
| הַשְׁכֵּ֑ים | hashkeim | rising early | H7925 → | |
| קְ֝לָלָ֗ה | kelalah | a curse | H7045 → | |
| תֵּחָ֥שֶׁב | techashev | it is reckoned | H2803 → | 124 times |
| לֽוֹ׃ | lo | to him |
מְבָ֘רֵ֤ךְ[one who] blesses
mevarekhH1288 →330 times
רֵעֵ֨הוּ׀neighbor his
reehuH7453 →188 times
בְּק֣וֹלwith a voice
bekolH6963 →506 times
גָּ֭דוֹלgreat
gadolH1419 →526 times
בַּבֹּ֣קֶרin the morning
babokerH1242 →
הַשְׁכֵּ֑יםrising early
hashkeimH7925 →
קְ֝לָלָ֗הa curse
kelalahH7045 →
תֵּחָ֥שֶׁבit is reckoned
techashevH2803 →124 times
לֽוֹ׃to him
lo
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
1 Kings 22:6So the king of Israel assembled the prophets, about four hundred men, and asked them, “Should I go to war against Ramoth-gilead, or should I refrain?” “Go up,” they replied, “and the Lord will…
it leads to
- 1 Kings 18:19
Now summon all Israel to meet me on Mount Carmel, along with the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah who eat at Jezebel’s table.”
- Jeremiah 23:14–17
And among the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen a horrible thing: They commit adultery and walk in lies. They strengthen the hands of evildoers, so that no one turns his back on wickedness.…
- Ezekiel 13:7–16
Haven’t you seen a false vision and spoken a lying divination when you proclaim, ‘Thus declares the LORD,’ even though I have not spoken?
- Ezekiel 13:22
Because you have disheartened the righteous with your lies, even though I have caused them no grief, and because you have encouraged the wicked not to turn from their evil ways to save their…
- 1 Kings 18:19
Through
1 Kings 22:13Then the messenger who had gone to call Micaiah instructed him, “Behold now, with one accord the words of the prophets are favorable to the king. So please let your words be like theirs,…
it leads to
- Psalms 11:1
In the LORD I take refuge. How then can you say to me: “Flee like a bird to your mountain!
- Isaiah 30:10–11
They say to the seers, “Stop seeing visions!” and to the prophets, “Do not prophesy to us the truth! Speak to us pleasant words; prophesy illusions.
- 1 Corinthians 2:14–16
The natural man does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God. For they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.
- Psalms 50:21
You have done these things, and I kept silent; you thought I was just like you. But now I rebuke you and accuse you to your face.
- Psalms 11:1
Where this verse is studied
On this page
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; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament and John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763).