Proverbs 18:21

Proverbs 18:21

Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

a. NLT: The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences.

b. NIV: The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.

c. Young’s Literal Translation: Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those loving it eat its fruit.

d. Amplified Bible: Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they who indulge in it shall eat the fruit of it [for death or life].

e. Septuagint: Life and death are in the power of the tongue; and they that rule it shall eat the fruits thereof.

f. Stone Edition Torah/Writings/Prophets: Death and life are in the power of the tongue; those who love [to use] it will eat its fruit.

1. “Death and life are in the power of the tongue…”

a. death [4194 * maveth][Strong: death (natural or violent); concretely, the dead, their place or state (hades); figuratively, pestilence, ruin:--(be) dead((-ly)), death, die(-d).]

b. life [2416 * chay][Strong: alive; hence, raw (flesh); fresh (plant, water, year), strong; also (as noun, especially in the feminine singular and masculine plural) life (or living thing), whether literally or figuratively:--+ age, alive, appetite, (wild) beast, company, congregation, life(-time), live(-ly), living (creature, thing), maintenance, + merry, multitude, + (be) old, quick, raw, running, springing, troop.]

c. power [3027 * yad][Strong: a primitive word; a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.), in distinction from 3709, the closed one); used (as noun, adverb, etc.) in a great variety of applications, both literally and figuratively, both proximate and remote (as follows):--(+ be) able, X about, + armholes, at, axletree, because of, beside, border, X bounty, + broad, (broken-)handed, X by, charge, coast, + consecrate, + creditor, custody, debt, dominion, X enough, + fellowship, force, X from, hand(-staves, -y work), X he, himself, X in, labour, + large, ledge, (left-)handed, means, X mine, ministry, near, X of, X order, ordinance, X our, parts, pain, power, X presumptuously, service, side, sore, state, stay, draw with strength, stroke, + swear, terror, X thee, X by them, X themselves, X thine own, X thou, through, X throwing, + thumb, times, X to, X under, X us, X wait on, (way-)side, where, + wide, X with (him, me, you), work, + yield, X yourselves.]

d. tongue [3956 * lashown][Strong: the tongue (of man or animals), used literally (as the instrument of licking, eating, or speech), and figuratively (speech, an ingot, a fork of flame, a cove of water):--+ babbler,bay, + evil speaker, language, talker, tongue, wedge.]

e. The “power” of the tongue is without a doubt referring to its effect, its influence, its authority or ability to affect life around us. The Scripture is clear that its ability includes life and death. This first part of the verse is underscored by many other passages in the Bible that would be sound warnings to learn to control the words that come out of our mouth. God has set before us life and death, blessing and cursing.

1). Deuteronomy 30:19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:

2). A large part of what the Lord is referring to here is the words that come out of our mouth.

a). James 3:1-10 My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.

3:2 For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.

3:3 Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.

3:4 Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.

3:5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!

3:6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.

3:7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:

3:8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.

3:9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.

3:10 Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.

3). Jesus very powerfully warned us that all the words that come out of our mouths will be judged. Jesus described words as being evil treasure, good treasure and idle words.

a). Matthew 12:33-37 Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.

12:34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.

12:35 A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.

12:36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.

4). The tongue in our mouth is a releasing point where what is in our spirits comes out. It is how we got saved. Surely words saying what the Scripture directs us to say are good treasure.

a). Romans 10:9, 10 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

b). The Greek word for “confession” is ‘homologeo’ and it literally means “to say the same thing”. In this instance it means to say the same thing God says. This is exactly what the Scripture declares is the spirit of faith. Faith is a spiritual force, it is us saying what we believe about what God has already said.

(1) 2 Corinthians 4:13 We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak;

5). This is the meaning of what Jesus meant when he was instructing the disciples about the use of confession in unity with faith.

a). Mark 11:22-24 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.

11:23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.

11:24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, b elieve that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

b). Now let’s think about this for a minute. If I pray about something that I know is the will of God and found in the Bible and therefore I know it is God’s will for me to have it. Jesus said that when I pray I should believe I will receive it. As a believer, how can I not speak to a mountain or any hindering circumstance and command it to be removed after I have prayed and believed.

c). World Outreach Church Daily Devotional 9/14/11 Sometimes Christians take God’s sovereignty too far. They think they’re supposed to walk through life “rolling with the punches,” taking whatever comes. I did that for years. But I got punched most of the time and spent the rest of my time rolling. No, we choose in life whether we walk in blessing or cursing. We’re not puppets. God doesn’t arbitrarily decide who gets His blessings and who doesn’t. We aren’t supposed to walk around wondering what God has for us on this earth. God has already told us what He has for us. It’s all written in the pages of the Bible. God gives us a choice to either accept or reject His blessings. Deuteronomy 30:19 says, “I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.” The choice is ours. But how do we choose between death or life, blessing or cursing? Proverbs 18:21 tells us: “Death and life are in the power of the tongue….” We make the choice between death or life by what we say. Now, I didn’t say that—God did. Our tongues point us in one direction or the other. They’re like the rudders on ships. The direction we turn them is the direction our bodies and lives will go. That’s why it’s so important that we choose words of life.

2. “...and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.”

a. and they that love it [Strong: 157 ʼâhab, aw-hab'; or אָהֵב ʼâhêb ; a primitive root; to have affection for (sexually or otherwise):—(be-) love(-d, -ly, -r), like, friend.]

1). Surely the writer is referring to the power and authority of the tongue.

b. shall eat [Strong: 398 ʼâkal, aw-kal'; a primitive root; to eat (literally or figuratively):—× at all, burn up, consume, devour(-er, up), dine, eat(-er, up), feed (with), food, × freely, × in...wise(-deed, plenty), (lay) meat, × quite.]

1). This is possibly referring to both literal and metaphorical meanings. A good example of the later is Isaiah 55.

a). Isaiah 55:2 Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? And your labor for that which satisfieth not? Hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness

c.  [the] fruit [thereof] [Strong: 6529 per-ee'; from H6509; fruit (literally or figuratively):—bough, (first-)fruit(-ful), reward.]