New International Version
Proverbs 22:11
11One who loves a pure heart and who speaks with grace will have the king for a friend.
Proverbs 22:11 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)He that loveth pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips the king shall be his friend.
- English Standard Version (ESV)He who loves purity of heart, and whose speech is gracious, will have the king as his friend.
- New King James Version (NKJV)He who loves purity of heart And has grace on his lips, The king will be his friend.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Whoever loves a pure heart and gracious speech will have the king as a friend.
Context of Proverbs 22:11
9The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor. 10Drive out the mocker, and out goes strife; quarrels and insults are ended. One who loves a pure heart and who speaks with grace will have the king for a friend. 12The eyes of the Lord keep watch over knowledge, but he frustrates the words of the unfaithful. 13The sluggard says, “There’s a lion outside! I’ll be killed in the public square!”
Read all of Proverbs 22Proverbs 22:11 word by word
אֹהֵ֥ב טְהָר לֵ֑ב חֵ֥ן שְׂ֝פָתָ֗יו רֵעֵ֥הוּ מֶֽלֶךְ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- He that lovethאָהֵב'âhab 'âhêb · to love: loverH157
- purenessטָהוֹרţâhôr ţâhôr · pureH2889
- purenessטְהוֹרţehôr · purenessH2890
- of heartלֵבlêb · heartH3820
- the graceחֵןchên · favorH2580
- of his lipsשָׂפָהώâphâh ώepheth · lip: wordsH8193
- the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- his friendרֵעַrêa‛ rêya‛ · neighborH7453
Cross-references for Proverbs 22:11
- Proverbs 16:13Kings take pleasure in honest lips; they value the one who speaks what is right.
- Psalms 101:6My eyes will be on the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me; the one whose walk is blameless will minister to me.
- Matthew 5:8Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
- Psalms 45:2You are the most excellent of men and your lips have been anointed with grace, since God has blessed you forever.
- Luke 4:22All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” they asked.
- Genesis 41:39Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you.
- Ezra 7:6this Ezra came up from Babylon. He was a teacher well versed in the Law of Moses, which the Lord, the God of Israel, had given. The king had granted him everything he asked, for the hand of the Lord his God was on him.
- Nehemiah 2:4The king said to me, “What is it you want?” Then I prayed to the God of heaven,
- Esther 10:3Mordecai the Jew was second in rank to King Xerxes, preeminent among the Jews, and held in high esteem by his many fellow Jews, because he worked for the good of his people and spoke up for the welfare of all the Jews.
- Daniel 2:46Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell prostrate before Daniel and paid him honor and ordered that an offering and incense be presented to him.
- Daniel 3:30Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the province of Babylon.
- Daniel 6:20When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?”
Commentaries on Proverbs 22:11
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 11He that loveth pureness of heart - Who aims to be what God would have him to be - the King of kings shall be his Friend. There is no class of men that value uprightness more than kings; as none stand so much in need of it in their servants.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 11More literally, “He that loveth pureness of heart, his lips are gracious, the king is his friend.”Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 11Verse 11 God will be the Friend of a man in whose spirit there is no guile; this honour have all the saints.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 11Even a bad ruler wants advisers with a pure heart, meaning they are completely loyal and speak kindly.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1111. (Compare Margin). pureness of heart--and gentle, kind words win favor, even from kings.Read the comment
Topics related to Proverbs 22:11
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Proverbs 22
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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