Authority in Words (Proverbs 6:2; 18:21)

POSITIVE WORDS

PROVERBS 6:2 says, "You are snared with the words of your mouth, you are taken with the words of your mouth"

"Have been snared with sayings of your mouth, Have been captured with sayings of your mouth" (Youngs Literal).

"Hast snared thyself by thine own lips [words of thy mouth, (Hebrew)], Trapped thyself by the words of thy mouth" (Toy).

"For a man's own lips become a strong snare to him, and he is caught with the lips of his own mouth" (Breton, LXX).

"For a man's own lips are a strong snare, and he is captured by the words of his own mouth" (Apostolic Bible, LXX).

SYNONYMOUS

In Hebrew poetry, this is synonymous parallelism, meaning that the thought or concept in the first line or sentence, is repeated using similar words in the second line of the verse. The context, as evident from 6:1, is a business transaction where you have legally bound yourself to a financial obligation, by the words you have spoken, and now you are committed to those words, as well as having "stricken your hand", referencing the "legal procedure for concluding a bargain" (Proverbs,Toy), similar to persons 'shaking hands' today as a form of agreement to something. The clear implication is that the words spoken are just as binding as the covenant agreement of 'giving your hand' as a pledge, to cover the debt of another.

SNARED

The Hebrew word for "snared", is (יָקשׁ , yaqosh) , 3369, which has the basic literal meaning of 'a snare or trap to catch birds; to lay a bait or lure'. The main portrayal is the actions of the fowler in capturing birds; although the word can apply to other animals. The 'snare' is designed to be unsuspecting, concealed, luring the prey into the trap, unawares of the impending danger that they are in, until the victim is seized by the device. "This word always refers figuratively to the catching of a person or people in an undesirable situation" (The Complete Word Study Dictionary, OT). The verse has been translated "...you have been ensnared..." or, "...caught by bait..." (Proverbs, Waltke).

TAKEN

The word translated as "taken", is (לָכַד, lakad), 3920, which has the similar literal meaning of capturing or seizing animals in a net or in snares; mainly describes a net as the means of capture. The emphasis of the word translated "taken" seems to focus more on the fact of actually being caught, snared, or 'taken,' whereas the word translated 'snared' seems to focus more on the method or means of being caught. Some speculation is that this word, as it relates to people, deals more specifically with being captured as a prisoner of war.

SPIRITUAL PERSPECTIVE

Looking at things from a strictly spiritual perspective; your words have authority and can be legally binding, in your life. Obviously, people joke around and say things humorously, but when you take a serious stance in declaring certain things about yourself or others, the implication is that what you say does matter, because something happens in the spiritual realm that creates life or death, positive or negative outcomes, in your life.

PROVERBS 18:21 says, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof" (KJV).

"Life and death are in the power of the tongue, and they that rule it shall eat [enjoy] the fruits thereof" (Brenton, LXX), [where the word 'rule' means to 'master' or 'command'].

TOTAL of YOUR TALKING

Kenneth E. Hagin had a saying, that "you are the total of your talking yesterday". If you want to change your life, check up on what you've been speaking about yourself and your circumstances, and change your 'self-talk' to change your future.

You are God's Best and God's Best is Yours