Proverbs 6:13-15 · Bible study
Proverbs 6:13-15 Commentary: The Worthless Person's Secret Signs
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Examine the secret gestures and sudden downfall of the wicked in Proverbs 6:13-15. A study on hidden evil and sure judgment.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The worthless person communicates evil through secret gestures and will face sudden, irreversible destruction.
- Key words: qarats (wink), molel (scrape), moreh (point), tahpukhoth (perverseness), choresh (devise), midyanim (contentions), ed (calamity), marpe (healing).
- Main debate: Whether the gestures refer specifically to adultery (Clarke, using Ovid) or to general deceit (most other commentators).
- Theological theme: God's justice is certain; hidden sins are exposed and punished fully.
- Best use: A warning against secret sin and an encouragement to pursue integrity in all communication.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
13winking his eyes, speaking with his feet, and pointing with his fingers.
14With deceit in his heart he devises evil; he continually sows discord.
15Therefore calamity will come upon him suddenly; in an instant he will be shattered beyond recovery.
WEB World English Bible 2000
13who winks with his eyes, who signals with his feet, who motions with his fingers,
14in whose heart is perverseness, who devises evil continually, who always sows discord.
15Therefore his calamity will come suddenly. He will be broken suddenly, and that without remedy.
KJV King James Version 1769
13He winketh with his eyes, he speaketh with his feet, he teacheth with his fingers;
14Frowardness is in his heart, he deviseth mischief continually; he soweth discord.
15Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
13That winketh with his eyes, that speaketh with his feet, That maketh signs with his fingers;
14In whose heart is perverseness, Who deviseth evil continually, Who soweth discord.
15Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; On a sudden shall he be broken, and that without remedy.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
13Winking with his eyes, speaking with his feet, Directing with his fingers,
14Frowardness is in his heart, devising evil at all times, Contentions he sendeth forth.
15Therefore suddenly cometh his calamity, Instantly he is broken--and no healing.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
13he winketh with his eyes, he speaketh with his feet, he teacheth with his fingers;
14deceits are in his heart; he deviseth mischief at all times, he soweth discords.
15Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly: in a moment shall he be broken, and without remedy.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
13He winketh with the eyes, presseth with the foot, speaketh with the finger.
14With a wicked heart he deviseth evil, and at all times he soweth discord.
15To such a one his destruction shall presently come, and he shall suddenly be destroyed, and shall no longer have any remedy.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Proverbs 6:13
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Across commentators, Proverbs 6:13-15 paints a consistent portrait of a person whose outward gestures betray an inward corruption. The winking eye, scraping foot, and pointing finger are not innocent tics. Gill identifies them as the 'air and gesture of a sneering and deceitful man,' used to signal accomplices without speech. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown note such signs are still employed in the East for secret intrigues. The heart's content is 'frowardness' (tahpukhoth, perverse things). The person 'deviseth mischief continually', the Hebrew verb choresh means to craft evil like an artisan. And he 'soweth discord' (midyanim, contentions). Matthew Henry calls this individual a 'man of Belial.' The outcome is unanimous: sudden calamity strikes, he is broken 'without remedy' (Gill: like shattered pottery beyond repair). The judgment is irreversible.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Adulterous signals: Clarke appeals to Ovid's description of secret gestures between lovers; the surrounding context includes warnings against adultery (6:20-35).
- General deceit: Most commentators (Gill, Jamieson-Fausset-Brown, Cambridge Bible) see it as any secret communication of evil, not limited to adultery; the phrase 'sow discord' appears also in 6:19 as a general evil.
What is clear: The person is utterly wicked, uses deceit to harm others, and will face sudden, complete judgment without recovery.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Interpretation of the gestures | Commentators agree the gestures are secret signals to carry out evil schemes without detection. | Clarke, citing Ovid, sees them specifically as signals for adultery; others (Gill, Jamieson-Fausset-Brown) view them as general signs of deceit and conspiracy. |
| Identity of the worthless person | All identify him as a wicked individual, a 'man of Belial' (Matthew Henry, Keil & Delitzsch). | Some traditions see him as a specific type: the adulterer (Clarke) or the sower of discord in the community; others see him as any person who habitually practices deceit and evil. |
| Nature of the promised calamity | The judgment is sudden, unexpected, and irreversible without remedy. | Clarke reads it as temporal punishment (stoning for adultery); Gill connects it to eschatological judgment (destruction of the wicked at Christ's coming). |
Historical & Cultural Context
These gestures belong to the silent language of deceit known across the ancient Near East. Clarke quotes Ovid's elegy showing lovers using winks, foot touches, and finger signs to communicate secretly. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown observe that such signs persist in Eastern cultures. The verb for 'wink' (qarats) appears also in Psalm 35:19, where enemies 'wink their eyes' without cause, and in Proverbs 10:10, where winking causes sorrow. The foot scraping (molel) and finger pointing (moreh) complete a picture of secret conspiracy.
Literarily, this passage follows warnings against surety (vv1-5) and sloth (vv6-11) and precedes the seven abominations (vv16-19). The worthless person is introduced as one who 'walks with a perverse mouth' (v12), then the gestures demonstrate how he operates when words might betray him. The list of seven things the Lord hates echoes the same body parts, eyes, tongue, hands, heart, feet, underscoring that God sees every hidden signal. The outcome: 'his calamity (ed) will come suddenly.' Jamieson-Fausset-Brown note that ed can mean a crushing weight. The breaking (yishshaber) is final, with marpe (healing) denied, a vivid warning that secret sins do not stay secret forever.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Proverbs 6:13-15. The Hebrew text is stable across manuscripts and editions.
Reception History
Throughout church history, this passage has been cited as a vivid depiction of secret sin. Early monastic writers used it to warn against hypocrisy and hidden faults. Reformation-era commentators applied it to political schemers and false teachers. In modern preaching, it serves as a cautionary tale about the hidden life and the certainty of divine judgment. The image of being 'broken without remedy' has been a powerful pastoral warning against hardening one's heart, while also pointing to the need for grace, a grace found in Christ that this passage does not explicitly offer, but which the whole of Scripture supplies.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Vocabulary of Evil (v13). The body becomes a tool for hidden communication. Winking, foot scraping, finger pointing, each gesture is a coded signal to those in on the scheme. This person avoids open speech but is fully engaged in conspiracy.
- The Workshop of the Heart (v14). Perverseness fills the heart. The verb for 'devise' (choresh) is used for skilled craftsmanship, this person works at evil constantly. Sowing discord is the predictable harvest.
- The Wrecking Ball of Judgment (v15). Calamity arrives suddenly, without warning. The breaking is complete and without remedy. No second chance, no healing. This is the trajectory of unrepentant wickedness.
Five-point outline
- Hidden signals: the eyes, feet, and fingers speak what the mouth dares not say (v13).
- The perverse heart: the root of all the outward evil is inward corruption (v14a).
- Constant crafting: evil is not occasional but habitual, designed with care (v14b).
- Sowing discord: the goal is relational destruction (v14c).
- Sudden ruin: judgment comes unexpectedly and irreparably (v15).
Illustration hooks
- A workplace where gossip is spread through coded language and shared glances, bypassing open conversation.
- A social media account that uses dog whistles and ambiguous posts to attack others without being held accountable.
- A friendship group where someone plays people against each other by sharing secrets and then denying it.
Questions your congregation is asking
- What does it mean to sow discord, and is it always intentional?
- How can I examine my own heart for the seed of perverseness?
- Is there any hope for someone who has lived like this, or is judgment certain?
Leading a Discussion
This passage is a mirror. It shows how easily we can communicate evil without saying a word, and how hidden habits form a character that God calls worthless. As you read Proverbs 6:13-15, consider the power of small gestures and the depth of the human heart.
Discussion questions
- Look at verse 13. Why do you think the writer focuses on the eyes, feet, and fingers? What does this say about how evil can operate beneath the surface?
- The Hebrew word for 'devise' in verse 14 means to craft or plow. What does this tell you about the effort and intentionality behind the person's actions?
- What does 'sowing discord' look like in a family, church, or workplace? Can you describe a real example without naming names?
- Verse 15 says calamity comes 'suddenly' and the person is 'broken without remedy.' Why is the suddenness important? What does it suggest about God's justice?
- Compare this passage with Proverbs 6:16-19. How do the seven things the Lord hates connect to the description of the worthless person?
- In what ways might we, without realizing it, use 'small' gestures or words to manipulate or harm others? How can we guard against this?
- The passage ends with no remedy. How does this challenge our assumptions about second chances? Where does the gospel speak into this picture?
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)
| Job 15:12 | Why does your heart carry you away? Why do your eyes flash, |
| Psalms 35:19 | Don’t let those who are my enemies wrongfully rejoice over me; neither let those who hate me without a cause wink their eyes. |
| Proverbs 5:6 | She gives no thought to the way of life. Her ways are crooked, and she doesn’t know it. |
| Proverbs 10:10 | One who winks with the eye causes sorrow, but a chattering fool will fall. |
| Psalms 36:4 | He plots iniquity on his bed. He sets himself in a way that is not good. He doesn’t abhor evil. |
| Proverbs 2:14 | who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the perverseness of evil, |
| Proverbs 3:29 | Don’t devise evil against your neighbor, since he dwells securely by you. |
| Proverbs 6:18 | a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are swift in running to mischief, |
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
Clarke notes that Solomon describes the adulterer using actions like winking and touching feet to show how he uses secret signals to lure others into sin. He also says the man plots mischief by sowing discord between a husband and his wife. Both descriptions point to a sudden punishment (such as being stoned) that leaves no hope of rescue.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
The duper and the dupe shall share the same calamity.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
Horton notes the word sowing discord appears twice in these verses showing the same person is described throughout. He lists six or seven things that destroy him as explained in the following verses.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
Geneva Bible Notes notes that the person described uses body movements to give warnings and constantly thinks of evil plans. His sudden destruction comes because of these actions.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill notes that the wicked person uses secret signals with his eyes feet and fingers to talk to others without being seen. He also says such a person has evil thoughts and constantly plans to harm others. You will find hope in Christ and the resurrection.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
Jamieson Fausset Brown notes that cunning is a skill used by weak and lazy people to hide their schemes through secret signs rather than speaking. This talent brings sudden calamity and total destruction. You Your peace comes from Christ the resurrection hope.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil and Delitzsch focus on the detailed physical gestures in these verses as deliberate signals of malice. They explore the Hebrew words for winking, scraping the foot, and pointing, arguing these are not innocent habits but calculated signs a deceiver uses to coordinate harm against others.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange argues that the description of the deceitful person in verses 12-15 is not a separate insertion but an intentional part of
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes that such a person uses his eyes feet and fingers to hide his evil plans. He also speaks with his tongue to spread lies and cause trouble among others.