the Week of Proper 24 / Ordinary 29
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New Living Translation
Ecclesiastes 10:11
Bible Study Resources
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If the serpent bites before it is charmed, then is there no advantage to the master of the tongue.
If a snake bites the tamer before it is tamed, what good is the tamer?
If the snake should bite before it is charmed, the snake charmer is in trouble.
Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better.
If the snake bites before it is charmed, then is there no profit for the charmer's tongue.
If the serpent bites before being charmed, then there is no profit for the charmer.
If the serpent bites before it is charmed, there is no advantage to the charmer.
If a serpent bitith, it bitith in silence; he that bacbitith priueli, hath no thing lesse than it.
If the serpent bite before it be charmed, then is there no advantage in the charmer.
If the snake bites before it is charmed, there is no profit for the charmer.
The power to charm a snake does you no good if it bites you anyway.
If the serpent bite before it is charmed, then is there no advantage in the charmer.
If a snake gives a bite before the word of power is said, then there is no longer any use in the word of power.
If a snake bites before it is charmed, the snake-charmer has no advantage.
If the serpent bite before enchantment, then the charmer hath no advantage.
Someone might know how to control snakes. But that skill is useless if a snake bites when that person is not around.
If the serpent bite before it is charmed, then the charmer hath no advantage.
Surely the serpent will bite without inchauntment, and a babbler is no better.
If the snake bites before it is put under a man's power, it will not be of help to the man who would have power over it.
If the snake bites before it is charmed, there is no advantage in a charmer.
If the serpent bite, when he is not charmed: no better is a babbler.
If the serpent bites without being charmed; then in vain is a charmer.
Knowing how to charm a snake is of no use if you let the snake bite first.
If a serpent will bite, unless he is charmed, then there is nothing better for him that owneth a tongue.
If a serpent bite in silence, he is nothing better that backbiteth secretly.
If the serpent bites before it is charmed, there is no advantage in a charmer.
A backbiter is no better then a serpent that stingeth without hissing.
If a serpent bite when there is no charmer’s whisper, then there is no advantage to the charmer.
If the snake bites before it is charmed,then there is no advantage for the charmer.
If the snake bites before it is charmed, then is there no profit for the charmer's tongue.
Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better.
If the snake bites before the charming, the snake charmer will not succeed.
If the snake will bite without charming, then there is no advantage to a master of tongue.
If the serpent biteth without enchantment, Then there is no advantage to a master of the tongue.
A babler of his tonge is no better, then a serpent that styngeth without hyssynge.
If the snake bites before it's been charmed, What's the point in then sending for the charmer?
If the serpent bites before being charmed, there is no benefit for the charmer.
A serpent may bite when it is not charmed; The babbler is no different.
If the serpent bites before being charmed, there is no profit for the charmer.
If the serpent bites before being charmed, there is no advantage for the charmer.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
the serpent: Psalms 58:4, Psalms 58:5, Jeremiah 8:17
a babbler: Heb. the master of the tongue, Psalms 52:2, Psalms 64:3, Proverbs 18:21, James 3:6
Reciprocal: Proverbs 18:7 - his destruction James 3:8 - full
Cross-References
This is the account of the families of Shem, Ham, and Japheth, the three sons of Noah. Many children were born to them after the great flood.
He built his kingdom in the land of Babylonia, with the cities of Babylon, Erech, Akkad, and Calneh.
But the Kenites will be destroyed when Assyria takes you captive."
Ships will come from the coasts of Cyprus; they will oppress Assyria and afflict Eber, but they, too, will be utterly destroyed."
Then King Sennacherib of Assyria broke camp and returned to his own land. He went home to his capital of Nineveh and stayed there.
So they approached Zerubbabel and the other leaders and said, "Let us build with you, for we worship your God just as you do. We have sacrificed to him ever since King Esarhaddon of Assyria brought us here."
Assyria has joined them, too, and is allied with the descendants of Lot. Interlude
Then King Sennacherib of Assyria broke camp and returned to his own land. He went home to his capital of Nineveh and stayed there.
"Haran, Canneh, Eden, Sheba, Asshur, and Kilmad came with their merchandise, too.
"Assyria lies there surrounded by the graves of its army, those who were slaughtered by the sword.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment,.... See Jeremiah 8:17. Or rather, "without a whisper" t; without hissing, or any noise, giving no warning at all: so the Vulgate Latin version renders it, "in silence"; some serpents bite, others sting, some both; see
Proverbs 23:32; some hiss, others not, as here;
and a babbler is no better; a whisperer, a backbiter, a busy tattling body, that goes from house to house, and, in a private manner, speaks evil of civil governments, of ministers of the word, and of other persons; and; in a secret way, defames men, and detracts from their characters: such an one is like a venomous viper, a poisonous serpent or adder; and there is no more guarding against him than against such a creature that bites secretly.
t בלא לחש "absque susurro", Pagniuus; "absque sibilo", Tigurine version.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
Rather: “If a serpent without enchantment (i. e., not being enchanted) bites, then there is no advantage to the charmer”: i. e., if the charmer is unwisely slack in exercising his craft, he will be bitten like other people. See Psalms 58:4 note.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Ecclesiastes 10:11. The serpent will bite without enchantment — בלא לחש belo lachash, without hissing. As a snake may bite before it hiss, so also will the babbler, talkative person, or calumniator. Without directly speaking evil, he insinuates, by innuendoes, things injurious to the reputation of his neighbour. Gif the eddir bite in silence, noyhing lasse than he hath that privily backbiteth. - Old MS. Bible. "A babbler of his tongue is no better than a serpent that styngeth without hyssynge." - COVERDALE. The moral of this saying is simply this: A calumniator is as dangerous as a poisonous serpent; and from the envenomed tongue of slander and detraction no man is safe. The comparing the serpent, נחש nachash, to a babbler, has something singular in it. I have already supposed that the creature mentioned, Genesis 3:1, was of the genus simia. This has been ridiculed, but not disproved.
