rude, illiterate (comp. xxxv. 6 ; on Is. xxviii. see Lowth). In xxxiii. 19 it means a foreign lan guage, which seems gibberish to those who do not understand it (comp. Ezek. 5); 'the tongue of the learned' (1s. 1. 4)—i.e. of the instructor. The lexicons will point out many other instances. 8. Some metaphorical exprcssions are highly signifi cant. Thus, Hos. vii. 16, 'the rage of the tongue' —i.e. verbal abuse ; strife of tongues' (Ps. xxxi. 2o) ; scourge of the tong-uc' (Job v. 21 [EXECRA TION] ; comp. Ecclus. xxvi. 6 ; xxviii. /7) ; snare of the slanderous tongue ' (li. 2) ; on the phrase strange tongue' (Is. xxviii. 1), see Lowth, notes on ver. 9- i2, and afterwards the vivid rendering of the Vulg. ; to slip with the tongue' (Ecclus. xx. 18 ; xxv. 8)—i.e. use inadvertent or unguarded speech ; they bend their tongues, their bows, for lies' (Jer. ix. 3)—i.e. tell determined and malici ous falsehoods ; they sharpen their tongues' (Ps. cxl. 3)—i.e. prepare cutting speeches (comp. lvii. 4) ; to smooth the tongue ' (Jer. xxiii. 31), employ flattering language ; to smite with the tongue' (Jer. xviii. to traduce—if it should not be rendered, on the tongue,' alluding to a punishment for false witness ; to lie in wait with the tongue' (Ecclus. v. 14) ; to stick out the tongue' (Is. lvii. 4)—I.e. to mock ; against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongde' (Exod. xi. 7)—i.e. none shall hurt them ; but both Sept. and Vulg. have, not a dog belonging to the children of Israel shall howl,' which, as opposed to the great cry' in Egypt over the firstborn, means, not one of the children of Israel shall have cause to wail (Josh. X. 2I ; JIldith xi. 9). To hide under the tongue,' means, to have in the mouth, whether spoken of hidden wickedness (Job xx: r2 ; comp. Ps. x. 7), or delicious language (Cant. iv. ; the word of God in the tongue,' denotes inspiration (2 Sam. xxiii. 2) ; to divide the tongues of the wicked,' is to raise up dissensions among them (Ps. Iv. 9 ; comp. 2 Sam. XV. 34 ; xvii. 14, I5)• The tongue cleaving to the palate,' signifies pro found attention (Job xxix. to), or excessive thirst
(Lam. iv. 4 ; comp. xxii. r6) ; to cause the tongue to cleave to the palate,' is to inflict supernatural dumbness (Ezek. 26 ; Ps. cxxxvii. 6). 9. Some beautiful comparisons occur. An evil tongue is a sharp sword' (Ps. lvii. 4) ; the tongue of the wise is health' (Prov. xii. 18); 'like choice silver' (x. 20)—i.e. his words are solid, valuable, sincere. ro. The vkes of the tongue are specified in great variety ; flattery (Ps. v. 9 ; Prov. xxviii. 33 ; back biting (Ps. xv. 3), literally, run about with the tongue' (Prov. xxviii. 23) ; deceit (Ps. 1. 19) ; un restrained speech (1xxiii. 9) ; lying (cbc. 2) ; a lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it' (Prov. xxvi. 28) ; comp. Tac. (.4gr. 42), Proprium humani ingenii est, odisse, quern Iseris). They have taught their tong-ue to speak lies, and weary themselves to commit iniquity' (Jer. ix. 5)—words which beautifully illustrate the fact, that falsehood and vice are not natural, but are a restraint and compulsion upon nature : double-tongued' (I Tim. iii. 8), SIXo-yos, saying one thing to this man and another to that (comp. Ecclus. v. 9, 14 ; xxviii. 13). The retribution of evil speakers brought on themselves (Ps. lxiv. 8). 1. The virtuous uses of the tongue are specified : keeping the tongue' (Ps. xxxiv. 13 ; I Pet. iii. ; Prov. xxi. 23) ; ruling the tongue' (Ecclus. xix. 6 ; James i. 26) ; the origin of the right and wrong use of the tongue traced to the heart (Matt. xii. 34). 12. Mistransla tions : as holding the tongue ;' the Hebrews had no such idiom (Ps. xxxix. 2 ; comp. the Bible and prayer-book version of Habak. 13). In Ezra iv. 7, the Syrian tongue,' literally, in Syriac' (Esth. vii. 4 ; Ecclus. xx. i. 7). Our mistranslation of Prov. xvi. r, has misled many : The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tong,tie, is from the Lord ;' literally, Of man are the dis positions of the heart, but a hearing of the tongue is of the Lord.'—J. F. D. [On the miraculous gift of tongues, see SPIRITUAL, GIFT'S.]