Proverbs 16:30

Pro 16:30 He shutteth his eyes to devise froward things: moving his lips he bringeth evil to pass.

Ver. 30. He shutteth his eyes to devise froward things.] Wicked men are great students; they beat their brains and close their eyes that they may revolve and excogitate mischief with more freedom of mind. They search the devil’s skull for new devices, and are very intentive to invent that which may do harm; their wits will better serve them to find out a hundred shifts or carnal arguments, than to yield to one saving truth, though never so much cleared up to them.

Moving his lips, he bringeth evil to pass.] Mumbling and muttering to himself, and so calling the devil into counsel, he hath him at hand to bring about the business. Bartolus {a} writes of Doctor Gabriel Nele, that by the only motion of the lips, without any utterance, he understood all men, perceived and read every man’s mind in his countenance. If Nele could do so, how much more the devil? who, besides his natural sagacity, hath had so long experience, and both knows and furthers those evil plots and practices that he himself hath injected into wicked hearts.

{a} Lib. i. De Ver. Oblig.

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.

With his whole endeavor he laboreth to bring his wickedness to pass.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

He shutteth his eyes--denoting deep thought (Psa 64:6).

moving his lips--or, "biting his lips"--a determined purpose (Pro 6:13).

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

Verse 30. He shutteth his eyes to devise, &c.] He meditates deeply upon ways and means to commit sin. He shuts his eyes that he may shut out all other ideas, that his whole soul may be in this.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(30) He shutteth his eyes. . . .—By the movement of eyes and lips he gives the signal for mischief to his confederates. (Comp. Pro_6:13.)

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

30. shutteth] Or, fixeth, or setteth firmly, στηρίζων, LXX. He closes or fixes his eyes, as though in deep thought, and tightens his lips, as if to keep back words which he could utter. Comp. Pro_6:12-14 for a further description of the same character.

It is better to regard this verse with R.V. as a separate proverb,

He that shutteth his eyes, it is to devise froward things:

He that compresseth his lips bringeth evil to pass,

than with A.V. as a continuation of the preceding proverb.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The hoary head is a crown of glory,.... Gray hairs, white locks through age are very ornamental; look very beautiful, bespeak gravity, wisdom, and prudence, and command reverence and respect; with the ancient Romans (s), greater honour was paid to age than to family or wealth; and the elder were revered by the younger next to God, and in the stead of parents; See Gill on Lev 19:32;

if it be found in the way of righteousness; that is, if such who are old and stricken in years are like Zacharias and Elisabeth, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless; when they are found in Christ, having on his righteousness; and when they live soberly, righteously, and godly; when they walk in the ways of God and true religion; keep up family worship, and private devotion; as well as constantly attend the ministry of the word and ordinances; then are they very venerable and respectable; their old age is a good old age; and in a short time they shall have the crown of glory which fadeth not away: but otherwise a sinner a hundred years old shall be accursed; an old man in the open ways of sin and vice, laden with iniquity, is a very contemptible and shocking sight.

(s) Vid. A. Gell. Noct. Attic. l. 2. c. 15.

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

Lips. These motions indicate fury and pensiveness.

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).

Shutteth his eyes, that his thoughts may be more free and intent to contrive mischief.

Moving his lips; which is the gesture, either,

1. Of one whose thoughts are deeply engaged. Or,

2. Of one that speaketh or maketh signs to others to assist him in executing that wickedness which he hath contrived.

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

30. He shutteth his eyes — Or, fixes his eyes.

To devise froward things — Perversities. Compare Pro_2:12; Pro_6:14.

Moving his lips — He bites his lips as a sign of malice, (Pro_6:13; Pro_10:10;) he bringeth evil to pass. The Hebrew is emphatic, the preter for the future, to indicate the certainty of that which is predicted: “he has accomplished evil.” Conant reads: “When he shuts his eyes he is devising perverseness; when he bites his lips, he has perfected mischief.”

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

This verse is better taken as one sentence (so the Septuagint), and translated, as Nowack, "He that shutteth his eyes in order to contrive froward things, he that compresseth his lips, hath already brought evil to pass;" he has virtually effected it. From such a crafty, malignant man you need not expect any more open tokens of his intentions. He shutteth his eyes; (comp. Isa_33:15) either that he may better think out his evil plans, or else he cannot look his neighbour in the face while he is plotting against him. The Vulgate has, attonitis oculis; Septuagint, "fixing (sthrizwn ) his eyes." Moving his lips; rather, he who compresseth his lips, to hide the malignant smile with which he might greet his neighbour"s calamity, (comp. Pro_6:13, etc.; Pro_10:10) or that neither by word nor expression he may betray his thoughts. Others take the two outward expressions mentioned as signals to confederates; but this is not so suitable, as they are the man"s own feelings and sentiments that are meant. One who gives these tokens bringeth evil to pass; he has perfected his designs, and deems them as good as accomplished, and you will do well to note what his bearing signifies. Some take the meaning to be, brings punishment on himself; but the warning is not given for the sinner"s sake. Septuagint, "He defines (orizei ) all evils with his lips; he is a furnace of evil."

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

Shutteth - That his thoughts may be more intent. Moving - Which is the gesture of one whose thoughts are deeply engaged.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

30 He who shutteth his eyes to devise falsehood;

He who biteth his lips bringeth evil to pass.

A physiognomical Caveto. The ἁπ. λεγ. עצה is connected with עצם, Isa 33:15 (Arab. transp. ghamḍ), comprimere, formed from it. Regarding קרץ of lips or eyes, vid., p. 144; the biting of the lips is the action of the deceitful, and denotes scorn, malice, knavery. The perf. denotes that he who is seen doing this has some evil as good as accomplished, for he is inwardly ready for it; Hitzig suitably compares Sa1 20:7, Sa1 20:33. Our editions (also Lwenstein) have כּלּה, but the Masora (vid., Mas. finalis, p. 1) numbers the word among those which terminate in א, and always writes כּלּא.

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. 30. He shutteth his eyes, to keep away any good influence, to devise froward things, to meditate mischief and craftiness; moving his lips, he bringeth evil to pass, the act or gesture of pressing together the lips being evidence of malice, and so he carries out his wicked intentions.

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

He winks his eyes Heb. עצה, an expression of winking, and so (Ps. 32:8): “I will wink (איעצה) to you my eye.”

bringing evil to pass כלה, as in (Esther 7:7) “that the evil was determined (כלתה) against him by the king.” He causes evil to come to the world.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.