Proverbs 16 · Verse 10

Proverbs 16:10

A divine sentence is in the lips of the king: his mouth transgresseth not in judgment.
Proverbs 16:10, King James Version

Proverbs 16:10 in other translations

BSBA divine verdict is on the lips of a king; his mouth must not betray justice.
WEBInspired judgments are on the lips of the king. He shall not betray his mouth.
ASVA divine sentence is in the lips of the king; His mouth shall not transgress in judgment.
YLTAn oath is on the lips of a king, In judgment his mouth trespasseth not.
DARBYAn oracle is on the lips of the king: his mouth will not err in judgment.
BBEDecision is in the lips of the king: his mouth will not go wrong in judging.
WebsterA divine sentence is in the lips of the king: his mouth transgresseth not in judgment.

What does Proverbs 16:10 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
10. The last clause depends on the first, expressing the importance of equity in decisions, so authoritative.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 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.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Proverbs 16:10 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

קֶ֤סֶם\׀Ke.semdivinationH7081
עַֽל\־'al-[is] onH5921
שִׂפְתֵי\־sif.tei-[the] lips ofH8193
מֶ֑לֶךְMe.lekha kingH4428
בְּ֝מִשְׁפָּ֗טbe.mish.Patin judgmentH4941
לֹ֣אlo'notH3808
יִמְעַל\־yim.'al-it will act unfaithfullyH4603
פִּֽיו\׃Pivmouth hisH6310

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Proverbs 16:10

  • Isaiah 32:1-2

    Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment. And a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.

  • Genesis 44:5

    Is not this it in which my lord drinketh, and whereby indeed he divineth? ye have done evil in so doing.

  • Genesis 44:15

    And Joseph said unto them, What deed is this that ye have done? wot ye not that such a man as I can certainly divine?

  • Hosea 10:4

    They have spoken words, swearing falsely in making a covenant: thus judgment springeth up as hemlock in the furrows of the field.

  • Deuteronomy 17:18-20

    And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites: And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them: That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his children, in the midst of Israel.

  • Jeremiah 23:5-6

    Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.

  • Psalms 72:1-4

    A Psalm for Solomon. Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king’s son. He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment. The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness. He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor.

  • Psalms 45:6-7

    Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre. Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.

  • Amos 5:7

    Ye who turn judgment to wormwood, and leave off righteousness in the earth,

  • 1 Kings 3:28

    And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged; and they feared the king: for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him, to do judgment.

  • 2 Samuel 23:3-4

    The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God. And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain.

  • Proverbs 16:12-13

    It is an abomination to kings to commit wickedness: for the throne is established by righteousness. Righteous lips are the delight of kings; and they love him that speaketh right.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
A divine sentence. Heb. Divination
12,13; Ge 44:5,15; De 17:18-20; 2Sa 23:3,4; Ps 45:6,7; 72:1-4
Ps 99:4; Isa 32:1,2; Jer 23:5,6
transgresseth.
Ho 10:4; Am 5:7; 6:12

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Proverbs 16:9

    A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps.

  • Proverbs 16:10

    A divine sentence is in the lips of the king: his mouth transgresseth not in judgment.

  • Proverbs 16:11

    A just weight and balance are the Lord’s: all the weights of the bag are his work.

Read all of Proverbs 16

Proverbs 16:10 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Adivinación está en los labios del rey: en juicio no prevaricará su boca.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Un oracle est sur les lèvres du roi, sa bouche n’erre pas dans le jugement.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Ein Orakelspruch ist auf den Lippen des Königs: sein Mund vergeht sich nicht am Recht.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Divinatio in labiis regis; in judicio non errabit os ejus.