Proverbs 18:21

King James Version with Strong's Numbers

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

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

מָ֣וֶת וְ֭חַיִּים בְּיַד־לָשׁ֑וֹן וְ֝אֹהֲבֶ֗יהָ יֹאכַ֥ל פִּרְיָֽהּ׃

Transliteration

māweṯ and-ḥayyîm in-hand-of-lāšôn and-ʾōhăḇeyhā yōʾḵal piryāh

Grammar Details

• *māweṯ*: noun, masculine singular - death
• *ḥayyîm*: noun, masculine plural - life
• *lāšôn*: noun, feminine singular - tongue/language
• *ʾōhăḇeyhā*: verb, qal participle, masculine plural with 3rd feminine singular suffix - those who love it
• *yōʾḵal*: verb, qal imperfect, 3rd masculine singular - eats/consumes
• *piryāh*: noun, masculine singular with 3rd feminine singular suffix - its fruit

Word Meanings

• *māweṯ*: death/dying
• *ḥayyîm*: life/living
• *lāšôn*: tongue/language/speech
• *ʾōhăḇeyhā*: those who love it/those who desire it
• *yōʾḵal*: eats/consumes/partakes of
• *piryāh*: its fruit/its result/its outcome

Referenced Verses

• Eph 4:29 : 29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
• Matt 12:35-37 : 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. 36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. 37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.
• Col 4:6 : 6 Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.
• Prov 10:19-21 : 19 In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise. 20 The tongue of the just is as choice silver: the heart of the wicked is little worth. 21 The lips of the righteous feed many: but fools die for want of wisdom.
• Jas 3:6-9 : 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. 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: 8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.
• Prov 10:31 : 31 The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom: but the froward tongue shall be cut out.
• Prov 11:30 : 30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.
• Prov 13:2-3 : 2 A man shall eat good by the fruit of his mouth: but the soul of the transgressors shall eat violence. 3 He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction.
• Prov 18:4-7 : 4 The words of a man's mouth are as deep waters, and the wellspring of wisdom as a flowing brook. 5 It is not good to accept the person of the wicked, to overthrow the righteous in judgment. 6 A fool's lips enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for strokes. 7 A fool's mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul.
• Eccl 10:12-14 : 12 The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself. 13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of his talk is mischievous madness. 14 A fool also is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after him, who can tell him?
• Prov 12:13 : 13 The wicked is snared by the transgression of his lips: but the just shall come out of trouble.
• Isa 57:19 : 19 I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the LORD; and I will heal him.
• 2 Pet 2:18 : 18 For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.
• Titus 1:10-11 : 10 For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision: 11 Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake.
• Rom 10:14-15 : 14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
• 2 Cor 2:16 : 16 To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?
• 2 Cor 11:15 : 15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.