Tongue
Tongue [1]
tung : Almost invariably for either לשׁון , lāshōn , or γλῶσσα , glṓssa the latter word with the cognates ἑτερόγλωσσος , heteróglōssos , "of strange tongues" ( 1 Corinthians 14:21 ), γλωσσώδης , glōssṓdēs , "talkative," English Versions of the Bible "full of tongue" (Sirach 8:3; 9:18), γλωσσοτομέω , glōssotoméō , "to cut out the tongue" (2 Macc 7:4), δίγλωσσος , dı́glōssos , "double-tongued" (Sirach 5:9; 28:13). In 1 Timothy 3:8 , however, "double-tongued" is for δίλογος , dı́logos , literally, "two-worded." Where "tongue" in the King James Version translates διάλεκτος , diálektos ( Acts 1:19; Acts 2:8; Acts 21:40; Acts 22:2; Acts 26:14 ), the Revised Version (British and American) has "language," while for the King James Version "in the Hebrew tongue" in John 5:2; Revelation 9:11; Revelation 16:16 ( Ἑβραΐστί , Hebraistı́ ) 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 ( σιωπάω , siōpáō ).
The various uses of "tongue" in English are all possible also for lāshōn and glōssa , whether as the physical organ ( Exodus 11:7; Mark 7:33 , etc.) or as meaning "language" ( Genesis 10:5; Acts 2:4 , etc.) or as describing anything shaped like a tongue ( Isaiah 11:15; Acts 2:3 , etc.). In addition, both words, especially las̄hōn 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" ( Exodus 4:10; Psalm 71:24; Psalm 78:36; Proverbs 16:1; Philippians 2:11 , etc.), and hence, "tongue" is used figuratively for the words uttered ( Job 6:30; Psalm 139:4; 1 John 3:18 , etc.). So the tongue can be said to have moral qualities ( Psalm 109:2; Proverbs 15:4 , etc.) or to be "glad" ( Acts 2:26 ); to "love with the tongue" ( 1 John 3:18 ) is to love in word only, and to be "double-tongued" (Sirach 5:9; 28:13; 1 Timothy 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" ( Psalm 64:3 ); "His tongue is as a devouring fire" ( Isaiah 30:27 ); "My tongue is the pen of a ready writer" ( Psalm 45:1 ), and, especially, "Their tongue walketh through the earth" ( Psalm 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 Psalm 10:7; Psalm 66:17 (Revised Version margin), however "under the tongue" means "in readiness to utter," while in Song of Solomon 4:11 , "Honey and milk are under thy tongue," the pleasure of a caress is described. To "divide their tongue" ( Psalm 55:9 ) is to visit on offenders the punishment of Babel. See Tongues , Confusion Of .
