Proverbs 10:18 · Bible study
Proverbs 10:18 Commentary: Hiding Hatred and Spreading Slander
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
A study of Proverbs 10:18, examining concealed malice and open slander, their Hebrew roots, and what wise speech looks like.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Both concealing hatred behind lies and openly slandering others mark a person as foolish.
- Key words: ‘Cover’ (כָּסָה), concealment; ‘lips of falsehood’ (שִׂפְתֵי שָׁקֶר); ‘spread’ (יָצָא, Hiphil) an evil report (דִּבָּה); ‘fool’ (כְּסִיל), moral dullness.
- Main debate: Whether the first line describes a liar distinct from a fool, or whether both actions are equally folly.
- Biographical theme: God sees through hidden malice and judges both deceit and slander; wisdom requires integrity from heart to tongue.
- Best use: A probing text for self-examination on the motives behind our words and the openness of our love.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
The one who conceals hatred has lying lips, and whoever spreads slander is a fool.
WEB World English Bible 2000
He who hides hatred has lying lips. He who utters a slander is a fool.
KJV King James Version 1769
He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
He that hideth hatred is of lying lips; And he that uttereth a slander is a fool.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
Whoso is covering hatred with lying lips, And whoso is bringing out an evil report is a fool.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
He that covereth hatred hath lying lips, and he that sendeth forth a slander is a fool.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Lying lips hide hatred: he that uttereth reproach, is foolish.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
El que encubre el odio es de labios mentirosos; y el que echa mala fama es necio.
Aquele que esconde o ódio tem lábios mentirosos; e o que produz má fama é tolo.
Celui qui dissimule la haine a des lèvres menteuses,
Falsche Mäuler bergen Haß; und wer verleumdet, der ist ein Narr.
Die den haat bedekt, is van valse lippen, en die een kwaad gerucht voortbrengt, is een zot.
Chi dissimula l’odio ha labbra bugiarde, e chi spande la calunnia è uno stolto.
Kto pokrywa nienawiść wargami kłamliwemi, i kto rozgłasza hańbę, głupi jest.
Кто скрывает ненависть, у того уста лживые; и кто разглашает клевету, тот глуп.
隱藏 怨恨的，有說謊的 嘴；口出 讒謗的，是 愚妄的人。
Hate is covered up by the lips of the upright man, but he who lets out evil about another is foolish.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Proverbs 10:18
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree this verse condemns two expressions of malice: concealing hatred behind false words and openly spreading defamation. The Hebrew first line identifies the one who covers hatred as having “lips of falsehood”, a liar by character. The second line names the slanderer plainly as a fool (כְּסִיל), a term suggesting dullness and moral stupidity. Barnes draws a sharper line: the concealer is a knave, the slanderer a fool. Gill sees both as fools but considers the dissembler more pernicious. Matthew Henry and Wesley treat both equally as products of a wicked heart. Despite this nuance, all affirm that both behaviors contradict wisdom, damage community, and will be judged by God.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Equal condemnation: Both hiding hatred and slander are called folly; Matthew Henry and Wesley treat them as two forms of the same vice.
- Distinction: liar vs. fool: Barnes and Keil & Delitzsch argue the concealer is a knave/liar (first line = lips of falsehood) while the slanderer alone is called a fool (second line).
What is clear: The verse unambiguously condemns both concealing hatred behind false words and openly spreading defamation as incompatible with wisdom and integrity.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Hiding hatred with lies | The first line is universally understood as condemning deceptive concealment of malice. | Some see it as describing a liar in contrast to a fool, while others view it as another form of folly. |
| Slander as foolishness | All traditions agree open slander is foolish and destructive to community. | Whether the term ‘fool’ (כְּסִיל) denotes moral stupidity or outright godlessness, and whether the slanderer is more or less foolish than the concealer. |
| Comparison of the two vices | Both are opposed to wisdom and integrity. | Barnes identifies the concealer as a knave and the slanderer as a fool; Gill holds the concealer more abominable; Matthew Henry treats both as equally foolish. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The verse sits in Proverbs 10, a collection of short contrasts between wisdom and folly, righteousness and wickedness. Here the parallelism is synthetic rather than antithetical: two similar evils are named side by side. Hidden hatred surfaces often in Israel’s history. Saul hid his murderous intent toward David while speaking warmly (1 Sam 18:21, 22, 29). Joab concealed bitterness behind a quiet conversation before killing Amasa (2 Sam 3:27). David himself sent Uriah home with a friendly gesture while arranging his death (2 Sam 11:8, 15). Absalom waited two years after his sister’s rape to slander and then kill Amnon (2 Sam 13:23, 29). Each story shows how friendly words can mask deadly hate. Slander, on the other hand, was a public poison that tore apart trust and reputation. The wisdom tradition prizes truthful speech: a person who hides hatred uses lying lips, while one who spreads an evil report (דִּבָּה) shows he is a fool. The proverb thus challenges both the secret simmering heart and the open abusive tongue.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Proverbs 10:18. The Masoretic Text is stable across manuscripts. Keil and Delitzsch discuss a LXX reading (καλύπτουσιν ἔχθραν χείλη δίκαια) that likely reflects a different Hebrew original, but this does not represent a variant in the Masoretic tradition.
Reception History
From the early church, this verse was used to warn against hypocrisy, hidden hatred masked by a kiss. Medieval moralists condemned backbiting and flattery. Reformation commentators such as Calvin and Luther stressed the inward corruption: covering hatred not just with words but with a false heart. Modern readings often focus on the psychology of resentment and the destructive power of gossip, calling believers to transparent love.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Two faces of malice, The verse shows both a hidden form (concealed hatred with lies) and an open form (slander). Neither escapes God’s sight.
- The cost of hidden hatred, Keeping bitterness behind a smile may seem smart, but the text calls it false lips. It corrupts the person and eventually erupts.
- The danger of slander, Spreading an evil report may feel powerful, but it reveals foolishness. The wise guard both their heart and their words.
Five-point outline
- Hatred concealed, Inner resentment kept secret.
- Lies as cover, False words to hide the real feeling.
- Slander unleashed, Open defamation of another.
- The fool’s identity, Both paths lead to the same label: foolish.
- Wisdom’s alternative, Honest speech and a pure heart.
Illustration hooks
- A coworker who compliments you to your face but spreads rumors behind your back. The hidden hatred wears a smile.
- Social media gossip: reposting an unverified story about someone feels easy, but it destroys reputations.
- The temptation to “keep the peace” by pretending all is well while resentment grows inside.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Isn’t it better to hide my anger than to blow up?
- What’s the difference between sharing a concern and gossiping?
- How do I forgive someone when I still feel hurt inside?
Leading a Discussion
This verse challenges us to examine both what we hide and what we speak. It pulls back the curtain on two common sins: smiling when we hate, and tearing others down with words. As you go through the questions, let the text search your heart, not just your behavior.
Discussion questions
- Read the verse aloud. What does “hiding hatred” look like in everyday life?
- Why does the writer use the phrase “lying lips” for the one who conceals? Is it always lying to keep negative feelings private?
- What makes spreading slander foolish? Does the term “fool” here suggest a lack of intelligence or something deeper?
- How are these two sins, hidden hatred and open slander, similar? How are they different?
- Think of a biblical example for each side (e.g., Saul for hiding hatred, the false witnesses against Naboth for slander). What were the consequences?
- How can we practice honest speech without becoming unkind? Where is the line?
- What does this verse teach us about God’s concern for both the heart and the tongue?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| I Samuel 18:21 | Saul said, I will give her to him, that she may be a snare to him and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him. Therefore Saul said to David a second time, “You shall today be my son-in-law.” |
| I Samuel 18:22 | Saul commanded his servants, “Talk with David secretly, and say, ‘Behold, the king has delight in you, and all his servants love you. Now therefore be the king’s son-in-law.’” |
| I Samuel 18:29 | Saul was even more afraid of David; and Saul was David’s enemy continually. |
| II Samuel 3:27 | When Abner had returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the middle of the gate to speak with him quietly, and struck him there in the body, so that he died for the blood of Asahel his brother. |
| II Samuel 11:8 | David said to Uriah, “Go down to your house and wash your feet.” Uriah departed out of the king’s house, and a gift from the king was sent after him. |
| II Samuel 11:15 | He wrote in the letter, saying, “Send Uriah to the forefront of the hottest battle, and retreat from him, that he may be struck and die.” |
| II Samuel 13:23 | After two full years, Absalom had sheep shearers in Baal Hazor, which is beside Ephraim; and Absalom invited all the king’s sons. |
| II Samuel 13:29 | The servants of Absalom did to Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king’s sons arose, and every man got up on his mule and fled. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Some people hide their true feelings by pretending not to care after being hurt. They cover up their evil intentions with false words.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes condemns both hiding and expressing hatred. Concealing it makes a person a liar, while venting it openly shows a fool. His point is that anyone who harbors hatred is in the wrong either way; the only right course is to let go of the hatred itself.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible notes that the phrase "with lying lips" is better rendered as "is of lying lips," following the Revised Version. This changes the sense from an accompaniment to a characteristic—the matter itself is false, not merely spoken deceptively.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note identifies two distinct forms of wickedness that both mark a fool: hiding hatred behind a false show of friendliness, and actively fabricating slander. Neither concealing malice nor inventing lies is wise; both are simply the actions of someone lacking understanding.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill distinguishes two kinds of harmful speech: the secret dissembler who hides hatred behind lying words, and the open slanderer who pours out defamation. Both are fools, but the one who conceals his malice may be more abominable because he deceives while he waits to strike.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
Both evil actions and foolish choices will eventually be discovered and face punishment. This shows their true nature as worthless.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch draws a sharp distinction between two sins: hiding hatred behind deceptive words is a deliberate lie, while spreading slander is mere stupidity. They note the Hebrew term for the slanderer is a "khesil," a dull fool, not a godless "naval," since the act brings no real gain and eventually harms the gossip himself.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange sees the proverbs in this chapter as arranged in small clusters of related sayings rather than forced into rigid numerical patterns. He identifies several thematic groups that contrast the righteous and the wicked, such as their earthly fortunes, their use of speech, and their ultimate destinies, while acknowledging that some verses stand alone.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry sees two kinds of malice that equally mark a fool: hiding hatred behind flattery and falsely accusing another openly. Both are foolish because God sees through every disguise and will eventually expose the truth. Lying lips are bad enough on their own, but become far worse when used as a cover for spite.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley points out that the verse targets two opposite vices at once: secret hatred disguised by flattering words, and open slander. Both corrupt speech, but from opposite directions — one hides malice, the other flaunts it.