Tongue [nave]
TONGUELanguage, Gen. 10:5, 20; Isa. 66:18; Rev. 7:9.
Confusion of, Gen. 11:1-9.
Gift of, Acts 2:1-18, 33; 10:46; 19:6; 1 Cor. 12:10, 28, 30; 14.
Chatters, Prov. 10:8, 19.
Restrained by wisdom, Prov. 17:27; 21:23; Eccl. 3:7.
Hasty, Prov. 29:20.
An evil, See: Speaking, Evil; Slander.
TONGUE [isbe]
TONGUE - tung: Almost invariably for either lashon, or glossa the latter word with the cognates heteroglossos, "of strange tongues" (1 Cor 14:21), glossodes, "talkative," English Versions of the Bible "full of tongue" (Sirach 8:3; 9:18), glossotomeo, "to cut out the tongue" (2 Macc 7:4), diglossos, "double-tongued" (Sirach 5:9; 28:13). In 1 Tim 3:8, however, "double-tongued" is for dilogos, literally, "two-worded." Where "tongue" in the King James Version translates dialektos (Acts 1:19; 2:8; 21:40; 22:2; 26:14), the Revised Version (British and American) has "language," while for the King James Version "in the Hebrew tongue" in Jn 5:2; Rev 9:11; 16:16 (Hebraisti) the Revised Version (British and American) has simply "in Hebrew." In addition, in the Old Testament and Apocrypha, the King James Version uses "to hold one's tongue" as a translation for various verbs meaning "to be silent"; the Revised Version (British and American) in the Old Testament writes "to hold one's peace" and in the Apocrypha "to be silent," except in Sirach 32:8, where the King James Version is retained (siopao).The various uses of "tongue" in English are all possible also for lashon and glossa, whether as the physical organ (Ex 11:7; Mk 7:33, etc.) or as meaning "language" (Gen 10:5; Acts 2:4, etc.) or as describing anything shaped like a tongue (Isa 11:15; Acts 2:3, etc.). In addition, both words, especially lashon appear in a wider range of meanings than can be taken by "tongue" in modern English. So the tongue appears as the specific organ of speech, where we should prefer "mouth" or "lips" (Ex 4:10; Ps 71:24; 78:36; Prov 16:1; Phil 2:11, etc.), and hence, "tongue" is used figuratively for the words uttered (Job 6:30; Ps 139:4; 1 Jn 3:18, etc.). So the tongue can be said to have moral qualities (Ps 109:2; Prov 15:4, etc.) or to be "glad" (Acts 2:26); to "love with the tongue" (1 Jn 3:18) is to love in word only, and to be "double-tongued" (Sirach 5:9; 28:13; 1 Tim 3:8 is to be a liar. A further expansion of this figurative use has produced expressions that sound slightly bizarre in English, although their meaning is clear enough: e.g., "Who have whet their tongue like a sword" (Ps 64:3); "His tongue is as a devouring fire" (Isa 30:27); "My tongue is the pen of a ready writer" (Ps 45:1), and, especially, "Their tongue walketh through the earth" (Ps 73:9).
In Job 20:12, "Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth, though he hide it under his tongue," the figure is that of an uncultured man rolling a choice morsel around in his mouth so as to extract the utmost flavor. In Ps 10:7; 66:17 (Revised Version margin), however "under the tongue" means "in readiness to utter," while in Song 4:11, "Honey and milk are under thy tongue," the pleasure of a caress is described. To "divide their tongue" (Ps 55:9) is to visit on offenders the punishment of Babel.
See TONGUES, CONFUSION OF.
Burton Scott Easton
TONGUE [bridgeway]
Speech is one of the most powerful forces human beings have available to them, for by their words they can bring great benefit or do great damage (Prov 12:18,25; 15:1,4; James 3:5,9). What they say and the way they say it are therefore matters of the highest importance. Yet all people have difficulty with them. The person who can control the tongue can control the whole self (James 3:1-4,7-8; cf. Ps 141:3).Control of the tongue
The root of people’s problem with the tongue is the evil heart within them. Sin has corrupted human nature, and the wrong within people shows itself in an uncontrolled tongue (Mark 7:21-23; James 3:6). Christians, being indwelt by the Spirit, have divine help in resisting the pressures of the old nature. The Spirit teaches them to control the tongue and makes them realize the inconsistency of using the same tongue to bless God and curse their fellows (Gal 5:17,22; Eph 4:30-31; Col 4:6; Titus 2:8; James 1:26; 3:9-12; see BLESSING; CURSE; MALICE; PRAISE).
Wrong use of the tongue does not have to be as obvious as cursing in order to be damaging. It may consist only of idle chatter, because even that can easily involve harmful gossip (Prov 11:9,13; 26:18-22; Eccles 5:3; see GOSSIP). Since the more a people speak the more likely they are to sin, wise people will limit their words and control the way they expresses them. Fools, by contrast, talk at length and so proclaims their folly (Prov 10:19; 12:23; 15:2; 17:27-28; 18:2,6-7; 2 Cor 11:16-19; Eph 5:4; see BOASTING; FOOLISHNESS).
Although people may control their words, such control must be sincere. If they simply uses smooth words to hide evil feelings, they are hypocrites (Ps 41:5-6; 55:21; Prov 10:18; 26:23-25; Matt 22:15-18; 23:28; see HYPOCRISY). They must be truthful and straightforward with the words they use. The cunning twisting of words can be merely a form of lying (Prov 12:19; 2 Cor 4:2; Eph 4:25; 1 Peter 3:10; see LIE). While people should always speak the truth, they should do so in a spirit of love. Their words give an indication of the quality of their character (Prov 10:11,20-21; 16:23; Eph 4:15; James 1:19; see TRUTH).
Christian witness
Words are an indication of people’s relationship with Christ. They may confess Christ as Lord, or deny all knowledge of him (Rom 10:9; Matt 26:70-74; see CONFESSION; DENIAL). But a confession of faith may be false (1 Tim 1:19), and a denial of Christ may be a temporary failure that a person soon corrects (John 21:15-17). Everyday speech, rather than an occasional public declaration, is often a better indication of a person’s spiritual condition. Such everyday speech will be used as evidence on the day of judgment (Matt 12:36-37).
Christian preachers in particular have to be careful with their words. They know that words are persuasive (Prov 16:21), and therefore they must be careful not to use their speaking abilities to gain control over people. They should want people to have their faith rooted in God and his Word, not in the preacher and his style (1 Cor 2:1-5; 3:5-7; 2 Cor 4:2; 11:6; 1 Thess 2:4; see PREACHING).
