Proverbs 25:18 kjv

A man that beareth false witness against his neighbour is a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow.

Proverbs 25:18 nkjv

A man who bears false witness against his neighbor Is like a club, a sword, and a sharp arrow.

Proverbs 25:18 niv

Like a club or a sword or a sharp arrow is one who gives false testimony against a neighbor.

Proverbs 25:18 esv

A man who bears false witness against his neighbor is like a war club, or a sword, or a sharp arrow.

Proverbs 25:18 nlt

Telling lies about others
is as harmful as hitting them with an ax,
wounding them with a sword,
or shooting them with a sharp arrow.

Proverbs 25 verses

Proverbs 25 18 Meaning

Proverbs 25:18 declares that a person who speaks falsely against their neighbor is comparable to deadly weapons: a war club, a sword, or a sharp arrow. This proverb highlights the extremely destructive and damaging impact of false testimony. It conveys that such a verbal transgression is not a minor offense but an act of violent assault, capable of causing devastating harm to a person's reputation, relationships, and livelihood, just as a physical weapon can inflict injury or death.

Proverbs 25 18 Context

Proverbs 25 contains various proverbs collected by the men of King Hezekiah, emphasizing wisdom related to social interactions, royal conduct, self-control, and moral rectitude. The verses preceding and following Proverbs 25:18 discuss diverse topics, including appropriate speech and avoiding quarrels. Specifically, this verse appears within a section warning against deceitful behavior and rash actions that can damage relationships and bring about negative consequences. Its immediate context underscores the value of truth and integrity within communal life, reflecting the high regard for justice and interpersonal trust within ancient Israelite society.

Proverbs 25 18 Word analysis

• A man (אִישׁ, 'ish): This term refers to any individual, male or female, who engages in this destructive act. It emphasizes the universal potential for harmful speech, irrespective of social standing or gender.
• who bears false witness (עֹנֶה בְעֵד שֶׁקֶר, 'ōneh ve'ed sheqer): This phrase signifies the act of testifying or responding as a witness in a way that is deceitful or untrue. The Hebrew root for "answer/respond" (ענה, 'anah) combined with "witness" (עד, 'ed) denotes giving evidence. The added word "falsehood/deceit" (שקר, sheqer) which is implied from the nature of comparison, directly links this to a violation of the ninth commandment (Exo 20:16), making it a grave legal and moral offense. It refers to a deliberate lie told under oath or in a public setting to harm someone.
• against his neighbor (בְרֵעֵהוּ, v're'ēhū): "Neighbor" (רֵעַ, re'a') in the Old Testament broadly refers to any fellow human being, particularly within one's community or fellow Israelite. Bearing false witness against one's neighbor represents a betrayal of communal trust and undermines the social fabric, indicating a breakdown of foundational relationships.
• is like (כְּ, ke-): This comparative particle introduces a powerful simile, illustrating the abstract harm of false witness through concrete, tangible images of destruction.
• a war club (מַּפֵץ, mappēṣ): This word derives from a root meaning "to shatter" or "to break into pieces." It describes a blunt weapon used for crushing and breaking bones. Metaphorically, false testimony can shatter a person's reputation, social standing, or even their spirit with brutal, irreversible force.
• a sword (חֶרֶב, cherev): A sharp, piercing, and lethal weapon, often associated with direct combat and killing. It suggests the targeted and incisive harm of false witness, which can cut deeply into a person's life, leading to legal conviction, loss of livelihood, or character assassination.
• or a sharp arrow (וְחֵץ שָׁנוּן, vechetz shanun): An arrow (חֵץ, chetz) is a missile weapon, striking from a distance and often unexpectedly. "Sharp" (שָׁנוּן, shanun) intensifies its penetrating power. This suggests the covert, sudden, and deeply penetrating harm that false witness can inflict, capable of striking from afar and inflicting precise, deadly damage without direct confrontation, leaving lasting wounds.

Words-group analysis

• "A man who bears false witness against his neighbor": This entire phrase encapsulates an act of severe betrayal and moral transgression. It denotes a person deliberately leveraging truth-telling as a mechanism for destructive deceit, directly attacking a member of their community and thereby violating God's law and communal trust.
• "a war club, a sword, or a sharp arrow": These three distinct weapons represent the varied and severe forms of damage inflicted by false testimony. The war club signifies crushing, pervasive damage to one's entire life structure. The sword speaks to precise, targeted destruction, cutting into core aspects of existence. The sharp arrow illustrates stealthy, far-reaching, and penetrating harm that strikes with precision and devastating effect. Together, they vividly portray false witness as a comprehensive arsenal of destruction against an innocent party.

Proverbs 25 18 Bonus section

• Cultural Significance: In ancient Israel, oral testimony was central to legal proceedings. Without extensive written records, the spoken word in witness was binding. Therefore, false witness had profound practical implications, often leading to unjust convictions, loss of property, or even execution, making it one of the gravest sins. The punishment for false witness was often "an eye for an eye"—the false witness would suffer the punishment intended for the accused (Deut 19:18-19).
• Ethical Foundation: The inclusion of "bearing false witness" in the Ten Commandments underscores its fundamental nature as a breach against both divine command and societal order. It is an assault on truth itself, which is a core attribute of God.
• Spiritual Ramifications: From a biblical worldview, God is truth (Psa 31:5), and He hates lying lips (Prov 12:22). False witness is an alignment with the nature of the devil, who is described as the "father of lies" (John 8:44). Thus, the act has profound spiritual implications, distancing the individual from God and his righteous character.
• Broader Application: While specifically referring to formal witness, the proverb's spirit extends to all forms of slander, malicious gossip, and baseless accusations that destroy character or harm another's well-being, highlighting the immense responsibility associated with human speech.

Proverbs 25 18 Commentary

Proverbs 25:18 powerfully communicates the devastating consequences of false testimony, elevating it beyond a simple lie to an act of violent aggression. It is not just idle gossip, but an intentional perversion of justice and truth, aimed at harming another person. The metaphor of a war club, a sword, and a sharp arrow illustrates that words spoken falsely carry the destructive potential of physical weapons—they can shatter lives, sever reputations, and inflict wounds deeper than any blade. This proverb serves as a stern warning that dishonesty, particularly when aimed at legal or social ruin of another, is a profound moral evil that undermines communal trust and invites divine displeasure, leading to irreparable harm. It implicitly urges careful and truthful speech, emphasizing that our words have tangible power to destroy or uphold life and justice.