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Wednesday, June 18th, 2025
the Week of Proper 6 / Ordinary 11
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Read the Bible

Christian Standard Bible ®

Proverbs 16:10

God’s verdict is on the lips of a king;his mouth should not give an unfair judgment.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Rulers;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Kings;  

Dictionaries:

- Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Justice;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Pardon;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Proverbs, Book of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Magic, Divination, and Sorcery;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Soothsaying;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Poetry, Hebrew;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Patriotism;   Witchcraft;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
Inspired judgments are on the lips of the king. He shall not betray his mouth.
King James Version
A divine sentence is in the lips of the king: his mouth transgresseth not in judgment.
English Standard Version
An oracle is on the lips of a king; his mouth does not sin in judgment.
New American Standard Bible
A divine verdict is on the lips of the king; His mouth should not err in judgment.
New Century Version
The words of a king are like a message from God, so his decisions should be fair.
Amplified Bible
A divine decision [given by God] is on the lips of the king [as His representative]; His mouth should not be unfaithful or unjust in judgment.
World English Bible
Inspired judgments are on the lips of the king. His shall not betray his mouth.
Geneva Bible (1587)
A diuine sentence shalbe in the lips of the King: his mouth shall not trasgresse in iudgement.
Legacy Standard Bible
A divine decision is in the lips of the king;His mouth should not err in judgment.
Berean Standard Bible
A divine verdict is on the lips of a king; his mouth must not betray justice.
Contemporary English Version
Rulers speak with authority and are never wrong.
Complete Jewish Bible
Divine inspiration is on the lips of the king, so his mouth must be faithful when he judges.
Darby Translation
An oracle is on the lips of the king: his mouth will not err in judgment.
Easy-to-Read Version
When a king speaks, his words are law. So when he makes a decision, it is never a mistake.
George Lamsa Translation
Oracles are on the lips of the king; his mouth does not err in judgment.
Good News Translation
The king speaks with divine authority; his decisions are always right.
Lexham English Bible
A decision is upon the lips of a king; in judgment his mouth will not sin.
Literal Translation
A godly decision is on the lips of the king, his mouth is not treacherous in judgment.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
When ye prophecy is in ye lippes of ye kynge, his mouth shal not go wroge in iudgment.
American Standard Version
A divine sentence is in the lips of the king; His mouth shall not transgress in judgment.
Bible in Basic English
Decision is in the lips of the king: his mouth will not go wrong in judging.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
A divine sentence is in the lips of the king; his mouth trespasseth not in judgment.
King James Version (1611)
A diuine sentence is in the lips of the king: his mouth transgresseth not in iudgement.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
When the prophecie is in the lippes of the kyng, his mouth shall not go wrong in iudgement.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
There is an oracle upon the lips of a king; and his mouth shall not err in judgement.
English Revised Version
A divine sentence is in the lips of the king: his mouth shall not transgress in judgment.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Dyuynyng is in the lippis of a king; his mouth schal not erre in doom.
Update Bible Version
A divine sentence is in the lips of the king; His mouth shall not transgress in judgment.
Webster's Bible Translation
A divine sentence [is] in the lips of the king: his mouth transgresseth not in judgment.
New English Translation
The divine verdict is in the words of the king, his pronouncements must not act treacherously against justice.
New King James Version
Divination is on the lips of the king; His mouth must not transgress in judgment.
New Living Translation
The king speaks with divine wisdom; he must never judge unfairly.
New Life Bible
The lips of the king should decide as God would. His mouth should not sin in deciding what is right or wrong.
New Revised Standard
Inspired decisions are on the lips of a king; his mouth does not sin in judgment.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
An oracle, is on the lips of a king, in giving sentence, his mouth must not be unfaithful.
Douay-Rheims Bible
Divination is in the lips of the king, his mouth shall not err in judgment.
Revised Standard Version
Inspired decisions are on the lips of a king; his mouth does not sin in judgment.
Young's Literal Translation
An oath [is] on the lips of a king, In judgment his mouth trespasseth not.
THE MESSAGE
A good leader motivates, doesn't mislead, doesn't exploit.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
A divine decision is in the lips of the king; His mouth should not err in judgment.

Contextual Overview

10God’s verdict is on the lips of a king;his mouth should not give an unfair judgment.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

A divine sentence: Heb. Divination, Proverbs 16:12, Proverbs 16:13, Genesis 44:5, Genesis 44:15, Deuteronomy 17:18-20, 2 Samuel 23:3, 2 Samuel 23:4, Psalms 45:6, Psalms 45:7, Psalms 72:1-4, Psalms 99:4, Isaiah 32:1, Isaiah 32:2, Jeremiah 23:5, Jeremiah 23:6

transgresseth: Hosea 10:4, Amos 5:7, Amos 6:12

Reciprocal: Proverbs 17:7 - much Ezekiel 21:21 - to use James 1:26 - bridleth

Cross-References

Genesis 16:1
Abram’s wife Sarai had not borne any children for him, but she owned an Egyptian slave named Hagar.
Genesis 16:2
Sarai said to Abram, “Since the Lord has prevented me from bearing children, go to my slave; perhaps through her I can build a family.” And Abram agreed to what Sarai said.
Genesis 16:3
So Abram’s wife Sarai took Hagar, her Egyptian slave, and gave her to her husband Abram as a wife for him. This happened after Abram had lived in the land of Canaan ten years.
Genesis 16:5
Then Sarai said to Abram, “You are responsible for my suffering! I put my slave in your arms, and when she saw that she was pregnant, I became contemptible to her. May the Lord judge between me and you.”
Genesis 16:6
Abram replied to Sarai, “Here, your slave is in your hands; do whatever you want with her.” Then Sarai mistreated her so much that she ran away from her.
Genesis 16:7
The angel of the Lord found her by a spring in the wilderness, the spring on the way to Shur.
Genesis 16:8
He said, “Hagar, slave of Sarai, where have you come from and where are you going?”
Genesis 16:9
The angel of the Lord said to her, “Go back to your mistress and submit to her authority.”
Genesis 16:11
The angel of the Lord said to her, “You have conceived and will have a son. You will name him Ishmael, for the Lord has heard your cry of affliction.
Genesis 16:12
This man will be like a wild donkey. His hand will be against everyone, and everyone’s hand will be against him; he will settle near all his relatives.”

Gill's Notes on the Bible

A divine sentence [is] in the lips of the king,.... Or "divination" f, as the word signifies; or what is like to divination, as Aben Ezra and Gersom interpret it g. What be says is as an oracle, and should be strictly true. Some understand it of the sagacity and penetration of kings, as was in Solomon, and appeared in his judging the two harlots; but such is not to be found in kings in common: rather therefore this expresses and designs what should be, and not what is, in kings. These, as the kings of Israel, ought to have the book of God before them, and read in it, and judge and pronounce sentence in every case according to it; they should speak as the oracles of God; and, when they do, a divine sentence may be said to be in their lips. But it is best to understand this of the King of kings, of the King Messiah; into whose lips grace is poured, and from whence none but words of wisdom, grace, and truth, flow; who taught the way of God in truth; who had the word of God in his heart and in his month continually; and on whom the Spirit of wisdom without measure dwelt; and is the wisdom and word of God, as well as the power of God;

his mouth transgresseth not in judgment; this cannot be said of any earthly king; they ought not indeed to transgress in judgment with their mouths, but it is notorious that they too often do: could this be applied to kings in common, they would have a better claim to infallibility than the pope of Rome has. But this is true of Christ, the King of saints; who is a King that reigns in righteousness, and decrees judgment; sits upon his throne, to order and establish it with judgment: nor does his mouth ever transgress in judgment, or ever say, or he do, a wrong thing; his sceptre is a sceptre of righteousness.

f קסם "divinatio", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, Cocceius, Gejerus, Michaelis, Schultens. g So Vatablus, Mercerus, Piscator.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

A divine sentence - See the margin, i. e., “soothsaying” in its darker aspect as contrasted with prophecy. The true oracle is to be sought, not from soothsayers and diviners, but “at the lips of the king,” who is ideally the representative, the προφήτης prophētēs of Yahweh, in His government of mankind.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Proverbs 16:10. A divine sentence — קסם kesem, "divination," as the margin has it. Is the meaning as follows? Though divination were applied to a righteous king's lips, to induce him to punish the innocent and spare the guilty, yet would not his lips transgress in judgment; so firmly attached is he to God, and so much is he under the Divine care and influence. Whatever judgment such a one pronounces, it may be considered as a decision from God.


 
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