◄ Proverbs 10:21 ►
The lips of the righteous feed many, but fools die for lack of judgment.
Study Bible
The lips of the righteous
This phrase emphasizes the power and influence of speech when it is guided by righteousness. The Hebrew word for "righteous" is צַדִּיק (tsaddiq), which refers to someone who is just, virtuous, and in right standing with God. In the ancient Near Eastern context, the righteous were seen as those who lived according to God's laws and principles, and their words were considered a source of wisdom and guidance. The "lips" symbolize communication and the ability to impart knowledge and encouragement. Thus, the righteous have the capacity to "feed" or nourish others spiritually and morally through their words.

feed many
The Hebrew verb used here is רָעָה (ra'ah), which means to shepherd or to provide sustenance. This imagery is pastoral, suggesting that the righteous, like a shepherd, care for and nurture those around them. In biblical times, shepherds were responsible for the well-being of their flock, ensuring they had enough food and protection. Similarly, the righteous are depicted as those who provide spiritual nourishment and guidance to many, leading them towards wisdom and understanding. This reflects the communal aspect of wisdom in the biblical tradition, where the well-being of the community is paramount.

but fools die
The contrast here is stark. The Hebrew word for "fools" is כְּסִילִים (kesilim), which refers to those who are morally deficient and reject wisdom. In the wisdom literature of the Bible, fools are often portrayed as those who ignore God's commandments and live recklessly. The consequence of such a lifestyle is death, which can be understood both literally and metaphorically. Historically, foolish decisions could lead to physical danger or societal downfall. Spiritually, it signifies a separation from the life-giving wisdom that comes from God.

for lack of judgment
The term "judgment" is translated from the Hebrew תְּבוּנָה (tevunah), which means understanding or discernment. This highlights the importance of having the ability to make wise decisions and discern right from wrong. In the ancient world, judgment was a valued trait, essential for leaders and individuals alike. The lack of it leads to poor choices and ultimately, destruction. This serves as a warning that without discernment, one is vulnerable to the consequences of folly. The verse as a whole underscores the life-giving power of righteous speech and the peril of ignoring wisdom.

Persons / Places / Events
1. The Righteous
In the context of Proverbs, the righteous are those who live according to God's wisdom and commandments. They are characterized by their integrity, moral uprightness, and alignment with God's will.

2. Fools
Biblically, fools are those who reject wisdom and instruction. They are often depicted as lacking discernment and understanding, leading to destructive choices.

3. Solomon
Traditionally attributed as the author of Proverbs, Solomon was the king of Israel known for his wisdom. His proverbs are intended to impart practical and spiritual wisdom.

4. Ancient Israel
The cultural and historical backdrop of Proverbs, where wisdom literature was a key component of teaching and moral instruction.

5. Wisdom Literature
A genre of biblical writing that includes Proverbs, focusing on practical and ethical living according to divine principles.
Teaching Points
The Power of Righteous Speech
The words of the righteous have the power to nourish and sustain others spiritually and emotionally. Consider how your words can be a source of encouragement and wisdom to those around you.

The Consequences of Foolishness
Fools suffer due to their lack of discernment and wisdom. Reflect on areas in your life where you might be ignoring wise counsel and the potential consequences of such actions.

Pursuing Godly Wisdom
Seek to cultivate a heart of wisdom by immersing yourself in Scripture and prayer. This will naturally lead to speech that edifies and builds up others.

The Responsibility of Influence
Recognize the influence your words have on others. As believers, we are called to be salt and light, using our speech to reflect God's truth and love.

Judgment and Discernment
Develop discernment by aligning your thoughts and actions with biblical principles. This will help you avoid the pitfalls of foolishness and make decisions that honor God.
Bible Study Questions
1. How can you ensure that your words are life-giving and reflective of righteousness in your daily interactions?

2. In what ways can you identify and avoid the characteristics of foolishness in your own life?

3. How does the concept of wisdom in Proverbs 10:21 relate to the teachings of Jesus in the New Testament?

4. What practical steps can you take to grow in godly wisdom and discernment?

5. How can you use your influence and speech to positively impact your community and those around you?
Connections to Other Scriptures
James 3:13-18
This passage contrasts earthly wisdom with heavenly wisdom, similar to how Proverbs contrasts the righteous with fools. It emphasizes the peaceable and fruitful nature of true wisdom.

Matthew 12:34-37
Jesus speaks about the significance of words, highlighting that what comes from the mouth reflects the heart, akin to how the lips of the righteous feed many.

Psalm 37:30-31
This Psalm describes the mouth of the righteous as speaking wisdom and justice, reinforcing the idea that righteous speech is life-giving.
Sermons
The Service of Speech, EtcW. Clarkson Proverbs 10:8, 10, 11, 14, 18-21, 31, 32
A Sevenfold Strain of ExperienceE. Johnson Proverbs 10:15-21
People
Solomon
Places
Jerusalem
Topics
Death, Delight, Die, Feed, Foolish, Fools, Heart, Judgment, Lack, Lips, Nourish, Righteous, Sense, Understanding, Upright, Wisdom
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Proverbs 10:21

     5164   lips
     5450   poverty, spiritual
     8227   discernment, nature of
     8228   discernment, examples
     8355   understanding

Proverbs 10:19-21

     5547   speech, power of

Proverbs 10:20-21

     7150   righteous, the

Library
The Two-Fold Aspect of the Divine Working
'The way of the Lord is strength to the upright: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity.'--PROVERBS x. 29. You observe that the words 'shall be,' in the last clause, are a supplement. They are quite unnecessary, and in fact they rather hinder the sense. They destroy the completeness of the antithesis between the two halves of the verse. If you leave them out, and suppose that the 'way of the Lord' is what is spoken of in both clauses, you get a far deeper and fuller meaning. 'The way …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Folly of Slander. Part 1.
"He that uttereth slander is a fool."--Prov. x. 18. General declamations against vice and sin are indeed excellently useful, as rousing men to consider and look about them: but they do often want effect, because they only raise confused apprehensions of things, and indeterminate propensions to action; which usually, before men thoroughly perceive or resolve what they should practise, do decay and vanish. As he that cries out "Fire!" doth stir up people, and inspireth them with a kind of hovering …
Isaac Barrow—Sermons on Evil-Speaking, by Isaac Barrow

The Folly of Slander. Part 2.
"He that uttereth slander is a fool."--Prov. x. 18. I have formerly in this place, discoursing upon this text, explained the nature of the sin here condemned, with its several kinds and ways of practising. II. I shall now proceed to declare the folly of it; and to make good by divers reasons the assertion of the wise man, that "He who uttereth slander is a fool." 1. Slandering is foolish, as sinful and wicked. All sin is foolish upon many accounts; as proceeding from ignorance, error, inconsiderateness, …
Isaac Barrow—Sermons on Evil-Speaking, by Isaac Barrow

Sanctions of Moral Law, Natural and Governmental.
In the discussion of this subject, I shall show-- I. What constitute the sanctions of law. 1. The sanctions of law are the motives to obedience, the natural and the governmental consequences or results of obedience and of disobedience. 2. They are remuneratory, that is, they promise reward to obedience. 3. They are vindicatory, that is, they threaten the disobedient with punishment. 4. They are natural, that is, happiness is to some extent naturally connected with, and the necessary consequence of, …
Charles Grandison Finney—Systematic Theology

The Desire of the Righteous Granted;
OR, A DISCOURSE OF THE RIGHTEOUS MAN'S DESIRES. ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR As the tree is known by its fruit, so is the state of a man's heart known by his desires. The desires of the righteous are the touchstone or standard of Christian sincerity--the evidence of the new birth--the spiritual barometer of faith and grace--and the springs of obedience. Christ and him crucified is the ground of all our hopes--the foundation upon which all our desires after God and holiness are built--and the root …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

Lii. Trust in God.
15th Sunday after Trinity. S. Matt. vi. 31. "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness." INTRODUCTION.--We read in ancient Roman history that a general named Aemilius Paulus was appointed to the Roman army in a time of war and great apprehension. He found in the army a sad condition of affairs, there were more officers than fighting men, and all these officers wanted to have their advice taken, and the war conducted in accordance with their several opinions. Then Aemilius Paulus …
S. Baring-Gould—The Village Pulpit, Volume II. Trinity to Advent

The Death and the Raising of Lazarus - the Question of Miracles and of this Miracle of Miracles - views of Negative Criticism on this History
From listening to the teaching of Christ, we turn once more to follow His working. It will be remembered, that the visit to Bethany divides the period from the Feast of the Dedication to the last Paschal week into two parts. It also forms the prelude and preparation for the awful events of the End. For, it was on that occasion that the members of the Sanhedrin formally resolved on His Death. It now only remained to settle and carry out the plans for giving effect to their purpose. This is one aspect …
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

The Christian's Hope
Scripture references: 1 Timothy 1:1; Colossians 1:27; Psalm 130:5; 43:5; Proverbs 10:8; Acts 24:15; Psalm 71:5; Romans 5:1-5; 12:12; 15:4; 1 Corinthians 9:10; Galatians 5:5; Ephesians 1:18; Philippians 1:20; Colossians 1:5; 1 Thessalonians 1:3; 2:19; Titus 1:2; 2:13; 3:7; Psalm 31:24; 71:14,15. HOPE IN THE PRESENT LIFE That which a man ardently hopes for he strives to realize. If he desires fame, office or wealth he will seek to set forces in motion, here and now, which will bring him that which …
Henry T. Sell—Studies in the Life of the Christian

Letter xxxi (A. D. 1132) to the Abbot of a Certain Monastery at York, from which the Prior had Departed, Taking Several Religious with Him.
To the Abbot of a Certain Monastery at York, from Which the Prior Had Departed, Taking Several Religious with Him. [50] 1. You write to me from beyond the sea to ask of me advice which I should have preferred that you had sought from some other. I am held between two difficulties, for if I do not reply to you, you may take my silence for a sign of contempt; but if I do reply I cannot avoid danger, since whatever I reply I must of necessity either give scandal to some one or give to some other a security …
Saint Bernard of Clairvaux—Some Letters of Saint Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux

The Poor in Spirit are Enriched with a Kingdom
Theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:3 Here is high preferment for the saints. They shall be advanced to a kingdom. There are some who, aspiring after earthly greatness, talk of a temporal reign here, but then God's church on earth would not be militant but triumphant. But sure it is the saints shall reign in a glorious manner: Theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.' A kingdom is held the acme and top of all worldly felicity, and this honour have all the saints'; so says our Saviour, Theirs is the …
Thomas Watson—The Beatitudes: An Exposition of Matthew 5:1-12

The Heavenly Footman; Or, a Description of the Man that Gets to Heaven:
TOGETHER WITH THE WAY HE RUNS IN, THE MARKS HE GOES BY; ALSO, SOME DIRECTIONS HOW TO RUN SO AS TO OBTAIN. 'And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain: escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.'--Genesis 19:17. London: Printed for John Marshall, at the Bible in Gracechurch Street, 1698. ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. About forty years ago a gentleman, in whose company I had commenced my …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

How the Simple and the Crafty are to be Admonished.
(Admonition 12.) Differently to be admonished are the simple and the insincere. The simple are to be praised for studying never to say what is false, but to be admonished to know how sometimes to be silent about what is true. For, as falsehood has always harmed him that speaks it, so sometimes the hearing of truth has done harm to some. Wherefore the Lord before His disciples, tempering His speech with silence, says, I have many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now (Joh. xvi. 12). …
Leo the Great—Writings of Leo the Great

Letter xv (Circa A. D. 1129) to Alvisus, Abbot of Anchin
To Alvisus, Abbot of Anchin He praises the fatherly gentleness of Alvisus towards Godwin. He excuses himself, and asks pardon for having admitted him. To Alvisus, Abbot of Anchin. [18] 1. May God render to you the same mercy which you have shown towards your holy son Godwin. I know that at the news of his death you showed yourself unmindful of old complaints, and remembering only your friendship for him, behaved with kindness, not resentment, and putting aside the character of judge, showed yourself …
Saint Bernard of Clairvaux—Some Letters of Saint Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux

Jesus Heals Multitudes Beside the Sea of Galilee.
^A Matt. XII. 15-21; ^B Mark III. 7-12. ^a 15 And Jesus perceiving it withdrew ^b with his disciples ^a from thence: ^b to the sea [This was the first withdrawal of Jesus for the avowed purpose of self-preservation. After this we find Jesus constantly retiring to avoid the plots of his enemies. The Sea of Galilee, with its boats and its shores touching different jurisdictions, formed a convenient and fairly safe retreat]: ^a and many followed him; ^b and a great multitude from Galilee followed; and …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

How the Silent and the Talkative are to be Admonished.
(Admonition 15.) Differently to be admonished are the over-silent, and those who spend time in much speaking. For it ought to be insinuated to the over-silent that while they shun some vices unadvisedly, they are, without its being perceived, implicated in worse. For often from bridling the tongue overmuch they suffer from more grievous loquacity in the heart; so that thoughts seethe the more in the mind from being straitened by the violent guard of indiscreet silence. And for the most part they …
Leo the Great—Writings of Leo the Great

"But Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God, and his Righteousness, and all These Things Shall be Added unto You. "
Matth. vi. 33.--"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you." The perfection even of the most upright creature, speaks always some imperfection in comparison of God, who is most perfect. The heavens, the sun and moon, in respect of lower things here, how glorious do they appear, and without spot! But behold, they are not clean in God's sight! How far are the angels above us who dwell in clay! They appear to be a pure mass of light and …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

Proverbs
Many specimens of the so-called Wisdom Literature are preserved for us in the book of Proverbs, for its contents are by no means confined to what we call proverbs. The first nine chapters constitute a continuous discourse, almost in the manner of a sermon; and of the last two chapters, ch. xxx. is largely made up of enigmas, and xxxi. is in part a description of the good housewife. All, however, are rightly subsumed under the idea of wisdom, which to the Hebrew had always moral relations. The Hebrew …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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