Proverbs 17:4 · Bible study
Proverbs 17:4 Commentary: Evil Hearts Crave Wicked Speech
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Proverbs 17:4 exposes the reciprocal bond between evildoers and liars. Commentators agree: sin reinforces sin through speech and listening.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Evil people are naturally attracted to wicked speech, and liars actively listen for destructive words; sin reinforces sin.
- Key words: מֵרַע (evildoer), מַקְשִׁיב (pays attention), שְׂפַת־אָוֶן (wicked lips), שֶׁקֶר (deception/liar), מֵזִין (gives ear), לְשׁוֹן הַוֹּת (tongue of destruction/calamity).
- Main debate: Whether “false lips” (KJV) should be rendered “wicked lips” (RV, Cambridge); the Hebrew אָוֶן has a range of trouble, wickedness, and idolatry.
- Theological theme: The social and reciprocal nature of sin; the corruption of speech as both symptom and cause of moral decay.
- Best use: A diagnostic proverb, helps individuals and communities examine what they are eager to hear and why.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
A wicked man listens to evil lips; a liar gives ear to a destructive tongue.
WEB World English Bible 2000
An evildoer heeds wicked lips. A liar gives ear to a mischievous tongue.
KJV King James Version 1769
A wicked doer giveth heed to false lips; and a liar giveth ear to a naughty tongue.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
An evil-doer giveth heed to wicked lips; Anda liar giveth ear to a mischievous tongue.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
An evil doer is attentive to lips of vanity, Falsehood is giving ear to a mischievous tongue.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
The evil-doer giveth heed to iniquitous lips; the liar giveth ear to a mischievous tongue.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
The evil man obeyeth an unjust tongue: and the deceitful hearkeneth to lying lips.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
El malo está atento al labio inicuo; y el mentiroso escucha á la lengua detractora.
O malfeitor presta atenção ao lábio injusto; o mentiroso inclina os ouvidos à língua maligna.
Le méchant est attentif à la lèvre inique,
Ein Böser achtet auf böse Mäuler, und ein Falscher gehorcht den schädlichen Zungen.
De boosdoener merkt op de ongerechtige lip; een leugenaar neigt het oor tot de verkeerde tong.
Il malvagio dà ascolto alle labbra inique, e il bugiardo dà retta alla cattiva lingua.
Zły pilnuje warg złośliwych, a kłamca słucha języka przewrotnego.
Злодей внимает устам беззаконным, лжец слушается языка пагубного.
行惡的，留心 聽 奸詐 之言；說謊的，側耳 聽 邪惡 之語。
A wrongdoer gives attention to evil lips, and a man of deceit gives ear to a damaging tongue.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Proverbs 17:4
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that Proverbs 17:4 describes a reciprocal bond between evil character and wicked speech. Adam Clarke notes that “an evil heart is disposed and ever ready to receive evil; and liars delight in lies.” Barnes’ Commentary observes “two phases of the mutual affinities of evil: the evil-doer delights in lies, the liar in bad words.” Matthew Henry emphasizes that “those that design to do ill support themselves by falsehood” and that liars “take a pleasure in hearing them told.” Gill’s Exposition adds that such a person “listens to lies and calumnies, loves to hear ill reports of persons.” Jamieson-Fausset-Brown summarize: “wicked doers and speakers alike delight in calumny.” The consensus holds that sinners reinforce each other’s sin through speech, creating a cycle that the proverb exposes for the reader’s warning.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The verse teaches that people with evil character are naturally drawn to destructive speech, and those who practice deceit seek out malicious words — sin reinforces sin through the ears and tongue.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Translation of 'false lips' vs 'wicked lips' | The phrase refers to evil, harmful speech. | Some translations render אָוֶן as 'false' (KJV, Wesley) emphasizing deception; others as 'wicked' in a broader sense (Cambridge, RV). The Hebrew can carry both nuances. |
| Identity of the 'liar' | The word שֶׁקֶר denotes one who practices deception. | Gill sees it as a habitual liar or even a symbol of false teachers; other commentators apply it more generally to anyone who spreads falsehood. |
| Scope of application | The verse illustrates mutual reinforcement of sin through speech. | Some (Wesley, Matthew Henry) emphasize false accusations and slander in personal relationships; others (Gill, Barnes) widen it to include false religious teaching and seducing spirits. |
Historical & Cultural Context
This proverb sits within a collection (chapters 10, 22) that repeatedly contrasts righteous and wicked speech. In ancient Israel, the power of words was no abstraction. False testimony in court could destroy a family’s standing, property, even life (Deuteronomy 19:16, 19). The tongue of “destruction” (הַוֹּת, havvot) in the second line carries that weight: it implies not just slander but actual ruin. The word אָוֶן (a.ven) in the first line can also mean “idolatry” (Hosea 10:8), so “wicked lips” may include false religious teaching that leads people astray.
The cross-references show this dynamic at work. King Saul eagerly listened to false reports against David (1 Samuel 22:7, 11). King Ahab surrounded himself with prophets who told him what he wanted to hear (1 Kings 22:6, 28). Isaiah confronted a people who said to the seers, “Don’t see!” and “Prophesy deceits” (Isaiah 30:10). Jeremiah lamented that the people loved the false prophets’ lies (Jeremiah 5:31). Centuries later, Paul warned Timothy of a time when people would “heap up for themselves teachers after their own lusts” because they had “itching ears” (2 Timothy 4:3).
The wisdom tradition saw that what a person listens to is not neutral. It reveals inner character and, in turn, shapes that character further. Proverbs 17:4 distills this into a concise observation: evil deed and evil speech are drawn to each other like magnets.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note no significant textual variants for Proverbs 17:4. The minor difference in English translations between “false lips” and “wicked lips” reflects a choice in rendering the Hebrew word אָוֶן (H0205), which can mean “wickedness,” “trouble,” or “sorrow,” rather than a manuscript variation.
Reception History
From the Geneva Bible (1599) through Matthew Henry (1710) to Keil & Delitzsch (1876), commentators have consistently read this verse as a moral observation about the natural affinity between corrupt character and destructive speech. The early church used similar proverbs in ethical instruction against slander and false witness. During the Reformation, the verse was cited in discussions about the believer’s responsibility to reject false teaching. Puritan writers applied it to gossip and backbiting among church members. Across traditions, the proverb has served as a mirror: what we enjoy hearing reveals the state of our hearts.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The evildoer’s ear, The person committed to doing wrong seeks out words that confirm, excuse, or empower that wrong. Wicked lips (lies, slander, false teaching) are welcomed because they serve the evildoer’s agenda.
- The liar’s audience, The one who speaks deceit needs listeners. A false tongue finds its natural home among those who are already inclined to evil. The liar and the evildoer complete each other.
- The mutual corruption, Sin is not isolated. The verse reveals a feedback loop: wrong action hungers for wrong speech, and wrong speech strengthens wrong action. Breaking the cycle requires a changed heart.
Five-point outline
- Character determines what we hear, Our moral condition filters what we pay attention to.
- Wicked speech fuels evil deeds, Lies and slander give permission and cover for doing wrong.
- Lies need willing listeners, A false teacher can only thrive where ears are already open to deception.
- The tongue of destruction, Words can demolish reputations, relationships, and lives. The proverb warns us not to underestimate their power.
- A call to examine our own ears, What we enjoy hearing reveals where our hearts truly are.
Illustration hooks
- Think of someone who constantly seeks out gossip about a colleague they resent. The bad news gives them satisfaction and justification for their hostility.
- A political partisan who only consumes media that confirms their bias, dismissing any contrary information as “fake.” The echo chamber hardens their position.
- A teenager who chooses friends that encourage them to break rules and mock authority. The group’s talk normalizes rebellion.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why do I sometimes enjoy hearing something bad about someone I envy or dislike?
- What does my social media feed say about what I actually want to listen to?
- How can I break the habit of seeking out negative talk about others?
Leading a Discussion
This short proverb exposes a truth many of us would rather avoid: our ears are not neutral. What we choose to listen to reveals and reinforces who we are becoming. The evildoer and the liar are partners in sin, and their bond runs through speech.
Discussion questions
- What two kinds of people are described in this verse? What two kinds of speech are mentioned?
- In your own words, what is the relationship between the evildoer and wicked lips? Between the liar and the destructive tongue?
- Why do you think an evil person would be drawn to wicked speech? What need does it fill?
- How does this verse connect to other passages about speech in Proverbs, such as 10:18, 21 or 17:20?
- Think of a time you found yourself enjoying a story that hurt someone else. What did that enjoyment say about your heart at that moment?
- What practical steps can you take to check your own listening habits, in conversations, media, or even your inner thoughts?
- How might the gospel free us from the cycle described here? Where does change begin?
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 22:7 | Saul said to his servants who stood around him, “Hear now, you Benjamites! Will the son of Jesse give everyone of you fields and vineyards? Will he make you all captains of thousands and captains of hundreds? |
| I Samuel 22:11 | Then the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father’s house, the priests who were in Nob; and they all came to the king. |
| I Kings 22:6 | Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said to them, “Should I go against Ramoth Gilead to battle, or should I refrain?” They said, “Go up; for the Lord will deliver it into the hand of the king.” |
| I Kings 22:28 | Micaiah said, “If you return at all in peace, Yahweh has not spoken by me.” He said, “Listen, all you people!” |
| Proverbs 28:4 | Those who forsake the law praise the wicked; but those who keep the law contend with them. |
| Isaiah 30:10 | who tell the seers, “Don’t see!” and the prophets, “Don’t prophesy to us right things. Tell us pleasant things. Prophesy deceits. |
| Jeremiah 5:31 | The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule by their own authority; and my people love to have it so. What will you do in the end of it? |
| II Timothy 4:3 | For the time will come when they will not listen to the sound doctrine, but having itching ears, will heap up for themselves teachers after their own lusts, |
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
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Adam Clarke notes that an evil heart naturally seeks out evil things. It is always prepared to accept wrongdoing. Liars enjoy telling lies. This shows such a heart delights in sin.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes points out a mutual attraction between two forms of evil: the person who commits evil deeds takes pleasure in lies, and the liar in turn delights in harmful speech. He sees a reciprocal bond where each feeds the other.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible notes that the word often translated as "false" should instead be "wicked," following the Revised Version. The sense is wider, covering general ungodliness rather than only deceit.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Notes observe that evil people gravitate toward deceptive speech in a reciprocal way: the wicked willingly listen to lies, and those who lie are eager to hear malicious talk. There is a mutual attraction between corrupt hearts and corrupt words.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill pairs two kinds of evildoers with the speech they crave: a person set on wickedness eagerly listens to falsehoods, while a liar hangs on every word from a destructive tongue. He even calls a liar "a lie itself," so fully is deceit woven into that person's character.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
Wicked doers and speakers alike delight in calumny.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil and Delitzsch argue that the verse identifies a person by what they choose to hear: giving attention to evil speech reveals and characterizes the listener themselves as wicked. The act marks the hearer, not just the speaker.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry observes that wicked people and liars actively seek out companions who reinforce their sin. The wicked listen eagerly to false accusers who justify their evil plans, while liars pay close attention to slanderous talk that lends their lies a veneer of truth. Both sides support and embolden one another in wrongdoing.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley observes that false lips do more than simply misrepresent. False accusations and calumnies provide both an occasion and an encouragement for the person targeted to commit mischief. The distinctive harm is that such speech actively provokes further wrongdoing.