--- title: "Proverbs 16 - Study King James Bible with keil and delitzsch old testament commentary" description: "Read Proverbs 16 with keil and delitzsch old testament commentary commentary. 1 The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the LORD. 2 All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the LORD we" image: "/_app/immutable/assets/missing.C7wGMEZ6.jpg" url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/keil-and-delitzsch-old-testament-commentary/proverbs/16" --- [ Read](/kjv/proverbs/16)[ Commentary](/study/proverbs/16)[ Interlinear](/interlinear/proverbs/16) Audio 1 The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, *is* from the LORD.* 2 All the ways of a man *are* clean in his own eyes; but the LORD weigheth the spirits. 3 Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.* 4 The LORD hath made all *things* for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil. 5 Every one *that is* proud in heart *is* an abomination to the LORD: *though* hand *join* in hand, he shall not be unpunished.* 6 By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD *men* depart from evil. 7 When a man’s ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him. 8 Better *is* a little with righteousness than great revenues without right. 9 A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps. 10 A divine sentence *is* in the lips of the king: his mouth transgresseth not in judgment.* 11 A just weight and balance *are* the LORD’s: all the weights of the bag *are* his work.* 12 *It is* an abomination to kings to commit wickedness: for the throne is established by righteousness. 13 Righteous lips *are* the delight of kings; and they love him that speaketh right. 14 The wrath of a king *is as* messengers of death: but a wise man will pacify it. 15 In the light of the king’s countenance *is* life; and his favour *is* as a cloud of the latter rain. 16 How much better *is it* to get wisdom than gold! and to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver! 17 The highway of the upright *is* to depart from evil: he that keepeth his way preserveth his soul. 18 Pride *goeth* before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. 19 Better *it is to be* of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud. 20 He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good: and whoso trusteth in the LORD, happy *is* he.* 21 The wise in heart shall be called prudent: and the sweetness of the lips increaseth learning. 22 Understanding *is* a wellspring of life unto him that hath it: but the instruction of fools *is* folly. 23 The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth, and addeth learning to his lips.* 24 Pleasant words *are as* an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones. 25 There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof *are* the ways of death. 26 He that laboureth laboureth for himself; for his mouth craveth it of him.** 27 An ungodly man diggeth up evil: and in his lips *there is* as a burning fire.* 28 A froward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends.* 29 A violent man enticeth his neighbour, and leadeth him into the way *that is* not good. 30 He shutteth his eyes to devise froward things: moving his lips he bringeth evil to pass. 31 The hoary head *is* a crown of glory, *if* it be found in the way of righteousness. 32 *He that is* slow to anger *is* better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city. 33 The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof *is* of the LORD. [Proverbs 15](/study/proverbs/15) [Proverbs 17](/study/proverbs/17) ## Commentary To verse 1 Four proverbs of God, the disposer of all things: 1 Man's are the counsels of the heart; But the answer of the tongue cometh from Jahve. Gesen., Ewald, and Bertheau incorrectly understand 1b of hearing, *i.e.*, of a favourable response to what the tongue wishes; 1a speaks not of wishes, and the gen. after מענה (answer) is, as at [Proverbs 15:23](/kjv/proverbs/15/23); [Micah 3:7](/kjv/micah/3/7), and also here, by virtue of the parallelism, the *gen. subjecti* [Proverbs 15:23](/kjv/proverbs/15/23) leads to the right sense, according to which a good answer is joy to him to whom it refers: it does not always happen to one to find the fitting and effective expression for that which he has in his mind; it is, as this cog. proverb expresses it, a gift from above ( δοθήσεται , [Matthew 10:19](/kjv/matthew/10/19)). But now, since מענה neither means answering, nor yet in general an expression (Euchel) or report (Löwenstein), and the meaning of the word at 4a is not here in question, one has to think of him whom the proverb has in view as one who has to give a reason, to give information, or generally - since ענה , like ἀμείβεσθαι , is not confined to the interchange of words - to solve a problem, and that such an one as requires reflection. The scheme (project, premeditation) which he in his heart contrives, is here described as מערכי־לב , from ערך , to arrange, to place together, metaphorically of the reflection, *i.e.*, the consideration analyzing and putting a matter in order. These reflections, seeking at one time in one direction, and at another in another, the solution of the question, the unfolding of the problem, are the business of men; but the answer which finally the tongue gives, and which here, in conformity with the pregnant sense of מענה (*vid*., at [Proverbs 15:23](/kjv/proverbs/15/23), [Proverbs 15:28](/kjv/proverbs/15/28)), will be regarded as right, appropriate, effective, thus generally the satisfying reply to the demand placed before him, is from God. It is a matter of experience which the preacher, the public speaker, the author, and every man to whom his calling or circumstances present a weighty, difficult theme, can attest. As the thoughts pursue one another in the mind, attempts are made, and again abandoned; the state of the heart is somewhat like that of chaos before the creation. But when, finally, the right thought and the right utterance for it are found, that which is found appears to us, not as if self-discovered, but as a gift; we regard it with the feeling that a higher power has influenced our thoughts and imaginings; the confession by us, ἡ ἱκανότης ἡμῶν ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ ([2 Corinthians 3:5](/kjv/2-corinthians/3/5)), in so far as we believe in a living God, is inevitable. ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#website","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com","name":"Real Bible Believers","description":"RBB","publisher":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#/schema/person/e966585dde703268e7f6ae890ea98509"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/search?q={search_term_string}","query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/keil-and-delitzsch-old-testament-commentary/proverbs/16#primaryimage","inLanguage":"en-US","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/_app/immutable/assets/missing.C7wGMEZ6.jpg","contentUrl":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/_app/immutable/assets/missing.C7wGMEZ6.jpg","width":672,"height":448,"caption":"Real Bible Believers"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/keil-and-delitzsch-old-testament-commentary/proverbs/16#webpage","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/keil-and-delitzsch-old-testament-commentary/proverbs/16","name":"Proverbs 16 - Study King James Bible with keil and delitzsch old testament commentary","isPartOf":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/keil-and-delitzsch-old-testament-commentary/proverbs/16#primaryimage"},"author":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#/schema/person/e966585dde703268e7f6ae890ea98509"},"description":"Read Proverbs 16 with keil and delitzsch old testament commentary commentary. 1 The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the LORD. 2 All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the LORD we","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/keil-and-delitzsch-old-testament-commentary/proverbs/16#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/keil-and-delitzsch-old-testament-commentary/proverbs/16"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/keil-and-delitzsch-old-testament-commentary/proverbs/16#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/","name":"Home"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/study","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/study","name":"Study Bible"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/keil-and-delitzsch-old-testament-commentary","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/keil-and-delitzsch-old-testament-commentary","name":"keil and delitzsch old testament commentary"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"item":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/keil-and-delitzsch-old-testament-commentary/proverbs","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/keil-and-delitzsch-old-testament-commentary/proverbs","name":"Proverbs"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":5,"item":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/keil-and-delitzsch-old-testament-commentary/proverbs/16","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/keil-and-delitzsch-old-testament-commentary/proverbs/16","name":"16"}}]},{"@type":["Person","Organization"],"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#/schema/person/e966585dde703268e7f6ae890ea98509","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#personlogo","inLanguage":"en-US","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/android-chrome-512x512.png","contentUrl":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/android-chrome-512x512.png","width":512,"height":512},"logo":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#personlogo"},"sameAs":["https://twitter.com/RBiblebeliever","https://www.facebook.com/RBibleBelievers"]}]} ```