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Read the Bible

New American Standard Bible

Proverbs 16:10

A divine verdict is on the lips of the king; His mouth should not err in 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

English Standard Version
An oracle is on the lips of a king; his mouth does not sin in judgment.
Geneva Bible (1587)
A diuine sentence shalbe in the lips of the King: his mouth shall not trasgresse in iudgement.
Christian Standard Bible®
God’s verdict is on the lips of a king;his mouth should not give an unfair judgment.
Hebrew Names Version
Inspired judgments are on the lips of the king. He shall not betray his mouth.
Easy-to-Read Version
When a king speaks, his words are law. So when he makes a decision, it is never a mistake.
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.
American Standard Version
A divine sentence is in the lips of the king; His mouth shall not transgress in judgment.
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.
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.
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.
Berean Standard Bible
A divine verdict is on the lips of a king; his mouth must not betray justice.
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.
New Century Version
The words of a king are like a message from God, so his decisions should be fair.
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.
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.
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.
King James Version
A divine sentence is in the lips of the king: his mouth transgresseth not in judgment.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
When the prophecie is in the lippes of the kyng, his mouth shall not go wrong in iudgement.
New Revised Standard
Inspired decisions are on the lips of a king; his mouth does not sin in judgment.
Darby Translation
An oracle is on the lips of the king: his mouth will not err in judgment.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Dyuynyng is in the lippis of a king; his mouth schal not erre in doom.
Young's Literal Translation
An oath [is] on the lips of a king, In judgment his mouth trespasseth not.
World English Bible
Inspired judgments are on the lips of the king. His shall not betray his mouth.
Revised Standard Version
Inspired decisions are on the lips of a king; his mouth does not sin in judgment.
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.
Bible in Basic English
Decision is in the lips of the king: his mouth will not go wrong in judging.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
When ye prophecy is in ye lippes of ye kynge, his mouth shal not go wroge in iudgment.
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.
Legacy Standard Bible
A divine decision is in the lips of the king;His mouth should not err in judgment.

Contextual Overview

10 A divine verdict is on the lips of the king; His mouth should not err in 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
Now Sarai, Abram's wife, had not borne him a child, but she had an Egyptian slave woman whose name was Hagar.
Genesis 16:2
So Sarai said to Abram, "See now, the LORD has prevented me from bearing children. Please have relations with my slave woman; perhaps I will obtain children through her." And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.
Genesis 16:3
And so after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, Abram's wife Sarai took Hagar the Egyptian, her slave woman, and gave her to her husband Abram as his wife.
Genesis 16:5
So Sarai said to Abram, "May the wrong done to me be upon you! I put my slave woman into your arms, but when she saw that she had conceived, I was insignificant in her sight. May the LORD judge between you and me."
Genesis 16:6
But Abram said to Sarai, "Look, your slave woman is in your power; do to her what is good in your sight." So Sarai treated her harshly, and she fled from her presence.
Genesis 16:7
Now the angel of the LORD found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, by the spring on the way to Shur.
Genesis 16:8
He said, "Hagar, Sarai's slave woman, from where have you come, and where are you going?" And she said, "I am fleeing from the presence of my mistress Sarai."
Genesis 16:9
So the angel of the LORD said to her, "Return to your mistress, and submit to her authority."
Genesis 16:11
The angel of the LORD said to her further, "Behold, you are pregnant, And you will give birth to a son; And you shall name him Ishmael, Because the LORD has heard your affliction.
Genesis 16:12
"But he will be a wild donkey of a man; His hand will be against everyone, And everyone's hand will be against him; And he will live in defiance of all his brothers."

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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