Proverbs 6:12-15
A worthless person, a wicked man, goes about with crooked speech, winks with his eyes, signals with his feet, points with his finger, with perverted heart devises evil, continually sowing discord; therefore calamity will come upon him suddenly; in a moment he will be broken beyond healing.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The phrase "walketh with a froward mouth" suggests that crooked speech isn't just an occasional slip-up; it's a habitual, ingrained pattern of behavior, like taking a stroll. This isn't a passive characteristic, but an active, practiced way of life for the "worthless person" described.
This passage introduces a description of a "worthless person" or "man of Belial" whose character is revealed through crooked speech and deceitful actions. Following warnings against laziness and the dangers of suretyship, this section focuses on the wicked individual's corrupt communication and manipulative behavior, setting the stage for a list of actions and attitudes God detests. The description extends to his physical mannerisms and the discord he sows, culminating in the inevitable suddenness of his destruction.
The Bible doesn't just call this person 'bad'; it uses a specific term that means so much more. What does 'worthless' truly imply?
The verse opens with a potent description: 'A worthless person, a wicked man.' The Hebrew term translated here as 'worthless' is 'Belial.' It's a powerful word that literally means 'without worth' or 'without profit.'
Beyond Just Bad Behavior
This isn't just someone who occasionally messes up. A 'man of Belial' is someone fundamentally devoid of good, someone who has rejected any sense of value or purpose beyond their own selfish desires. They are often described as rebellious, lawless, and utterly lacking in moral fiber.
This label implies a deep-seated character flaw, not just a single bad deed. It speaks to a person whose core is corrupted, leading them down a path of destructive actions and speech.
The verse links being 'worthless' and 'wicked' directly to how this person speaks. What's so significant about their 'crooked speech'?
The verse powerfully connects the internal state of a 'worthless, wicked man' with his external communication: 'goes about with crooked speech.' This isn't a casual slip of the tongue; 'goes about' suggests a habitual, ongoing pattern of behavior.
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Speech as a Window to the Soul
This 'crooked speech' can take many forms: lies, deceit, flattery, slander, harsh words, or even subtle manipulations. It's speech that twists truth, harms others, and ultimately serves the speaker's wicked intentions. The commentary suggests this person 'walks' with such speech, meaning it's their constant companion and a defining characteristic of their life.
This emphasizes a core biblical principle: our words reveal what's truly in our hearts. If someone's speech is consistently crooked, it points to a deeply ingrained crookedness in their character.
Understand the original words
beliya'al · Hebrew Noun
A term describing someone morally depraved, useless, or base. It refers to a person characterized by a lack of integrity and a disregard for God's law.
aven · Hebrew Noun
A person who is morally corrupt, ungodly, or lawless. In Scripture, this describes someone who willfully acts in rebellion against God's standards.
tahpukoth · Hebrew Noun
Speech that is deceptive, distorted, or dishonest. It refers to communication that deviates from truth and integrity, intended to mislead or manipulate others.
tahpukoth · Hebrew Noun
An internal state of rebellion or moral corruption. It represents the seat of the mind and will when it is intentionally turned away from righteousness toward sin.
ra'ah · Hebrew Noun
Anything that is morally corrupt, harmful, or contrary to the will of God. It encompasses both sinful actions and the destructive impact of wickedness on others.
madon · Hebrew Noun
The act of creating strife, conflict, or division among people. It is strictly condemned in Scripture as an action that destroys relationships and community unity.
ed · Hebrew Noun
Sudden, severe distress, ruin, or catastrophe. It often represents the divine judgment or natural consequences that befall those who persist in wickedness.
This psalm also speaks of people who speak with 'flattering lips' and a 'double heart,' directly paralleling the 'crooked speech' of the worthless person in Proverbs, highlighting the deceit behind such words.
Proverbs 4:24This verse describes the 'mouth' speaking 'perverse things' and 'deceitful lips,' linking the corrupt speech of Proverbs 6:12 to a broader pattern of wicked communication that corrupts the heart.
Matthew 12:34Jesus declares that 'out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks,' directly connecting the 'froward mouth' of Proverbs 6:12 to the inner disposition, emphasizing that corrupt speech stems from a corrupt heart.
James 3:8James calls the tongue 'an unruly evil, full of deadly poison,' underscoring the destructive power of perverse speech mentioned in Proverbs and warning about its uncontrollable nature when not rightly governed.
bensonProverbs 6:12: "A naughty person, a wicked man, walketh with a froward mouth."
Proverbs 6:12-15 . A naughty person — Hebrew, a man of Belial, a wicked man, whose continual practice it is, in one way or other, to work wickedness; walketh with a froward mouth — Makes it his business, by lies; or flatteries, or slanders, or perjuries, to maintain himself in his idle courses. And if the slothful are to be condemned that do nothing, much more those that act wickedly, and contrive to do all the ill t…
clarkeProverbs 6:12: "A naughty person, a wicked man, walketh with a froward mouth."
A naughty person - אדם בליעל adam beliyal, "Adam good for nothing." When he lost his innocence. A man apostata; Old MS. Bible. A wicked man - איש און ish aven. He soon became a general transgressor after having departed from his God. All his posterity, unless restored by Divine grace, are men of Belial, and sinners by trade; and most of them, in one form or other, answer the character here given. They yield their m…
The phrase "walketh with a froward mouth" suggests that crooked speech isn't just an occasional slip-up; it's a habitual, ingrained pattern of behavior, like taking a stroll. This isn't a passive characteristic, but an active, practiced way of life for the "worthless person" described.
This passage introduces a description of a "worthless person" or "man of Belial" whose character is revealed through crooked speech and deceitful actions. Following warnings against laziness and the dangers of suretyship, this section focuses on the wicked individual's corrupt communication and manipulative behavior, setting the stage for a list of actions and attitudes God detests. The description extends to his physical mannerisms and the discord he sows, culminating in the inevitable suddenness of his destruction.
This passage introduces a description of a "worthless person" or "man of Belial" whose character is revealed through crooked speech and deceitful actions. Following warnings against laziness and the dangers of suretyship, this section focuses on the wicked individual's corrupt communication and manipulative behavior, setting the stage for a list of actions and attitudes God detests. The description extends to his physical mannerisms and the discord he sows, culminating in the inevitable suddenness of his destruction.
"A worthless person, a wicked man, goes about with crooked speech, winks with his eyes, signals with his feet, points with his finger, with perverted heart devises evil, continually sowing discord; therefore calamity…" — The phrase "walketh with a froward mouth" suggests that crooked speech isn't just an occasional slip-up; it's a habitual, ingrained pattern of behavior, like taking a stroll. This isn't a passive cha…
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