Proverbs 16:13

Pro 16:13 Righteous lips [are] the delight of kings; and they love him that speaketh right.

Ver. 13. Righteous lips are the delight of kings,] i.e., Of good kings, such as David was, who loved Nathan never the worse, but the better, for dealing plainly with him, gave him free access to his bedchamber, and named him a commissioner for the declaring of his successor. {1Ki 1:32} King Edward VI took much delight in Latimer, that faithful preacher; and Queen Elizabeth inquired much after Dearing, after she had once heard him telling her in a sermon that once it was tanquam ovis, but now velar indomita iuvenca, &c. But Dearing was without her knowledge laid up fast enough by the bishops, and kept far enough from coming near the court any more.

And they love him that speaketh right.] They should do so; but it happens somewhat otherwise ofttimes. Ahab hated Micaiah, and looked upon Elijah as a troubler of Israel. Alas! what had these righteous ones done? They taxed his sin, they foretold his judgment; they deserved it not, they inflicted it not, they were therefore "become his enemies, because they told him the truth." Truth breeds hatred, as the fair nymphs are feigned to do the ugly fawns and satyrs. Most princes are held by their parasites, who soothe them up in their sins, and smooth them up with fair words, which soak into them as oil doth into earthen vessels. David was none such; {Psa 101:3-5} he went not attended, saith one, ut nunc fit, magno agmine aionum, negonum, ganeonum, palponum, gnathonum, balatronum, with a great sort of sycophants, courtparasites, flatterers, &c., but had the best he could pick to be next his person, and loved them that spoke right.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Pro 16:13-15. Righteous lips are the delight of kings — All wise and good kings do, and all kings should, delight in employing such counsellors, judges, and officers, under them, as are just and faithful in their counsels, sentences, and actions; because such bring great honour and advantage to them. The wrath of a king is as messengers of death — It strikes as great terror into those with whom he is offended, as if the sentence of death were pronounced against them, and officers were sent to execute it; but a wise man will pacify it — Will use all prudent and lawful means so to do. In the light of the king’s countenance is life — His reconciled and smiling countenance is most sweet and refreshing, especially to such as are under a sentence of death; and his favour as a cloud of the latter rain — As acceptable as those clouds that bring the latter rain, whereby the fruits are filled and ripened, a little before the harvest.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Here is a further character of good kings, that they love and delight in those that speak right. 1. They hate parasites and those that flatter them, and are very willing that all about them should deal faithfully with them and tell them that which is true, whether it be pleasing or displeasing, both concerning persons and things, that every thing should be set in a true light and nothing disguised, Pro 29:12. 2. They not only do righteousness themselves, but take care to employ those under them that do righteousness too, which is of great consequence to the people, who must be subject not only to the king as supreme, but to the governors sent by him, Pe1 2:14. A good king will therefore put those in power who are conscientious, and will say that which is righteous and discreet, and know how to speak aright and to the purpose.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708–1710) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

A specification of the general sentiment of Pro 16:12.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Righteous lips are the delight of kings,.... Such that speak truth and righteousness, and advise to the administration of justice and judgment, and to do that which is most for their own true honour and the people's good, are, or ought to be, highly valued and esteemed by kings: but the contrary is too often the case; kings hearken to those that speak lies, that flatter them, and gratify their pride, ambition, and love of power, to the hurt of their subjects;

and they love him that speaketh right: agreeably to right reason; which makes for the honour of kings, and the good of those over whom they rule. Christ loves and delights in those that deliver out his doctrines in the taught words of the Holy Ghost, without any mixture or corruption; that explain, inculcate, and enforce his laws and commands; and faithfully declare the whole counsel of God, both with respect to faith and practice; all which is for his glory, as King of saints, and to the profit and advantage of those who submit to the sceptre of his kingdom.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Loved. Yet none are more exposed to flattery and deceit than kings. (Seneca, ep. xxi.)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

All wise and good kings do, and all kings should, delight in employing such counsellors, judges, and officers under them, as are just and faithful in their counsels, and sentences, and actions, because such bring great honour and advantage to them.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

13. Delight of kings — All these things are said of rulers, as rulers ought to be; that is, righteous, just.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Righteous lips are the delight of kings. The ideal king takes pleasure in the truth and justice which his subjects display in their conversation. Such a one hates flattery and dissimulation, and encourages honest speaking. They (kings) love him that speaketh right; that which is just. (Pro_8:6) The two clauses are coordinate. Septuagint, "He loveth upright words". (comp. Pro_22:11)

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

History is full of such warning examples, and therefore this proverb continues to hold up the mirror to princes.

Well-pleasing to kings are righteous lips,

And whoever speaketh uprightly is loved.

Rightly the lxx ἀγαπᾶ, individ. plur., instead of the plur. of genus, מלכים; on the contrary, Jerome and Luther give to the sing. the most general subject (one lives), in which case it must be distinctly said, that that preference of the king for the people who speak out the truth, and just what they think, is shared in by every one. צדק, as the property of the שׂפתי, accords with the Arab. ṣidḳ, truth as the property of the lasân (the tongue or speech). ישׁרים, from ישׁר, means recta, as נגידים, principalia, Pro 8:6, and ריקים, inania, Pro 12:11. ישׁרים, Dan 11:10, neut. So neut. וישׁר, Psa 111:8; but is rather, with Hitzig and Riehm, to be read וישׁר. What the proverb ways cannot be meant of all kings, for even the house of David had murderers of prophets, like Manasseh and Joiakim; but in general it is nevertheless true that noble candour, united with true loyalty and pure love to the king and the people, is with kings more highly prized than mean flattery, seeking only its own advantage, and that, though this (flattery) may for a time prevail, yet, at last, fidelity to duty, and respect for truth, gain the victory.

Keil & Delitzsch — Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1861–1891) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API. (Old Testament only.)

v. 13. Righteous lips are the delight of kings, true sovereigns are pleased to have men among their counselors who will frankly state the truth in righteousness; and they love him that speaketh right, that is, if they themselves are God-fearing men, they will prefer to have such men among their advisers.

Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

lips that say what is right

Here the word "lips" represents the person who speaks. AT: "a person who speaks the truth" (See: Synecdoche)

A king's wrath is a messenger of death

The writer speaks of an angry king causing someone to die as if the king's wrath were a messenger that he sends out to kill someone. AT: "An angry king can put people to death" (See: Metaphor)

translationWords

king

love

wrath

messenger

die

wise

anger

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.