Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary

Adam Clarke Commentary

An ungodly man diggeth up evil - How will the following suit?

Effodiuntur opes irritamenta malorum

"Wealth, the incitement to all evil, is digged up out the earth."

A wicked man labors as much to bring about an evil purpose, as the quarryman does to dig up stones.

In his lips - a burning fire - His words are as inflammable, in producing strife and contention among his neighbors, as fire is in igniting dry stubble.

The Biblical Illustrator

Proverbs 16:27

An ungodly man diggeth up evil.

Digging up evil

An ungodly man is “a son of Belial.” In the expression “diggeth up evil” two ideas may be included.

I. Taking pains to devise it. We dig and search for treasure in a mine, or where we fancy it lies concealed; thus the wicked man does in regard to evil. It is his treasure, that on which he sets his heart, and for it, as for treasure, he digs and searches, aye, often deep and long. He is specially laborious and persevering, when any one chances to have become the object of his pique or malice. Marvellous is the assiduity with which he then strains every nerve to produce mischief, plodding and plotting for it, mining and undermining, exploring in every direction, often where no one could think of but himself, and, with savage delight, exulting in the discovery of aught that can be made available for his diabolical purpose.

II. Taking pains to revive it, after it has been buried and forgotten. He goes down into the very grave of old quarrels, brings them up afresh; puts new life into them; wakes up grudges that had long slept; and sets people by the ears again who had abandoned their enmities, and had for years been living in reconciliation and peace. The son of Belial, in relation to evil, is like one in quest of some mine of coal or precious metal. He examines his ground, and wherever he discovers any hopeful symptoms on the surface, he proceeds to drill, and bore, and excavate. The slightest probability of success will be enough for his encouragement to toil and harass himself night and day until he can make something out of it. (R. Wardlaw, D.D.)

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

An ungodly man diggeth up evil,.... Or "a man of Belial"^F16איש בליעל "vir Belijahal", Montanus, Tigurine version, Mercerus. , a worthless unprofitable man; a man without a yoke, not obedient to the law of God; such a man digs for sin as for a treasure; nor need he go far for it, he has enough in his own heart, out of the evil treasure of which he brings forth evil things; though he is more solicitious and diligent to search into the sins of others, and dig up them, which have long lain buried; as the Manichees raked up the sins of Austin in his youth; and as the Papists served Beza: but perhaps the evil of mischief is here rather intended, which a wicked man contrives and devises; a ditch he digs for others, though oftentimes he falls into it himself; and so the Septuagint and Arabic versions render it, "digs evils for himself"; not intentionally but eventually; see Psalm 7:15;

and in his lips there is as a burning fire; his tongue is a fire, it is set on fire of hell, and it sets on fire the course of nature; and with its lies, calumnies, and detractions, devours and consumer the good names, characters, and credit of men; and deserves no other than sharp arrows of the Almighty, and coals of juniper; even the everlasting fire and flames of hell, James 3:6.

Geneva Study Bible

(m) For he consumes himself and others.

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

ungodly man — (Compare Proverbs 6:12).

diggeth up evil — labors for it.

in his lips  …  fire — His words are calumniating (James 3:6).

Keil & Delitzsch Old Testament Commentary

27 A worthless man diggeth evil;

And on his lips is, as it were, scorching fire.

Regarding אישׁ בּליּעל, vid ., Proverbs 6:12, and regarding כּרה, to dig round, or to bore out, vid ., at Genesis 49:5; Genesis 50:5; here the figure, “to dig for others a pit,” Proverbs 26:27, Psalms 7:16, etc.: to dig evil is equivalent to, to seek to prepare such for others. צרבת Kimchi rightly explains as a form similar to קשּׁבת ; as a subst. it means, Leviticus 13:23, the mark of fire (the healed mark of a carbuncle), here as an adj. of a fire, although not flaming ( אשׁ להבה, Isaiah 4:5, etc.); yet so much the hotter, and scorching everything that comes near to it (from צרב, to be scorched, cogn. שׁרב, to which also שׂרף is perhaps related as a stronger power, like comburere to adurere ). The meaning is clear: a worthless man, i.e., a man whose disposition and conduct are the direct contrast of usefulness and piety, uses words which, like an iron glowing hot, scorches and burns; his tongue is φλογιζομένη ὑπὸ τῆς γεέννης (James 3:6).

Wesley's Explanatory Notes

An ungodly man diggeth up evil: and in his lips there is as a burning fire.

Diggeth up — Prosecutes his evil designs with great industry.

His lips — His tongue is set on fire of hell.

John Trapp Complete Commentary

Proverbs 16:27 An ungodly man diggeth up evil: and in his lips [there is] as a burning fire.

Ver. 27. An ungodly man diggeth up evil,] i.e., He ransacketh and raketh out of the dust, out of the dunghill, such old evils as have long lain hid, to lay in the saints’ dishes, and to upbraid them with. Thus the Manichees dealt by Augustine when they could not answer his arguments, they hit him in the teeth with his youthful follies; whereunto his reply was only this, Quae vos reprehenditis, ego damnavi: What you discommend in me, I have long since condemned. The malicious Papists did the like to reverend Beza, reprinting his wit-wanton poems (put forth in his youth), on purpose to despite him; and objecting to him his former miscarriage which he had sorely repented. This, when one of them did with great bitterness, all the answer he had, was, Hic homo invidet mihi gratiam Christi; This man envies me the grace of Jesus Christ. Neither dealt Aaron and Miriam much more gently with their brother Moses, [Numbers 12:1] when they "spake against him because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married." Who was this Ethiopian woman but Zipporah? - for an Ethiopian and a Midianite are all one and the same. And when did he marry her? Many a year ago. [Exodus 2:21] But they were resolved to pick a hole in Moses’s coat; and having nothing else to fasten on, they dig up this evil, and throw it as dirt in his face.

In his lips there is a burning fire.] The tongue, in its shape and colour, resembleth a flame of fire. "It is oft set on fire of hell, and itself setteth on fire the whole course of nature." [James 3:6] "Their breath, as fire, shall devour you," [Isaiah 33:10] as the fire of Etna devoured Empedocles, that would needs go too near it. "But what shall be given unto thee, or what shall be done unto thee, thou false tongue?" - false though thou speak the truth, if with a mind to do mischief: - "Sharp arrows of the mighty, with coals of juniper," [Psalms 120:3-4] yea, that very fire of hell, from whence thou wast enkindled.

The Popular Commentary by Paul E. Kretzmann

v. 27. An ungodly man diggeth up evil, his worthlessness causing him to dig pits for others; and in his lips there is as a burning fire, his words and statements are like a scorching fire or iron, whose searing heat destroys everything.

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible

Proverbs 16:27. In his lips there is as a burning fire— See James 3:6.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

Diggeth up evil; inventeth or designeth mischief to others, and prosecuteth his evil designs with great and constant industry.

In his lips there is as a burning fire; as his thoughts, so also his words are very vexatious and pernicious; his tongue is set on fire of hell, and sets himself and others on fire by lies and slanders, and other provoking speeches.

Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

27.An ungodly man — , (ish beliyya’hal,) a man of Belial, a bad, vile, or worthless man.

Diggeth up evil — Labours hard to accomplish wickedness, and in or on his lips there is as a burning fire, bad, bitter, burning words, destructive to the reputation of his neighbours. Conant reads: “A vile man is he that devises mischief.” Comp. chap. Proverbs 26:23; James 3:5, et seq.

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

Diggeth. Earnestly pursues. --- Fire. James iii. 16. (Calmet)

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

An ungodly man = A man of Belial.

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Unabridged

An ungodly man diggeth up evil: and in his lips there is as a burning fire.

An ungodly man diggeth up evil - i:e., diggeth a pit to entrap in evil his victim (Proverbs 26:27; Psalms 119:85; Job 6:27). The ungodly indeed 'labour' (Proverbs 16:26), but it is only for mischief.

And in his lips (there is) as a burning fire - malignant and calumnious speech wherewith to injure others.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(27) Diggeth up evil.—Digs, as it were, a pit for others by his malicious plottings and slanders (Psalms 7:15).

In his lips there is as a burning fire.—“Set on fire of hell” (James 3:6).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

An ungodly man

Heb. a man of Belial.

1 Samuel 25:17; 2 Samuel 20:1

diggeth

2:4; Psalms 17:14,15; Isaiah 5:18; Habakkuk 2:13

in

Psalms 52:2-4; 57:4; James 3:6