Deciding when to speak and when to stay silent

Exodus 28:3

And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron's garments to consecrate him, that he may minister unto me in the priest's office.

Deuteronomy 32:1

Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth.

2 Samuel 19:10

And Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now therefore why speak ye not a word of bringing the king back? speak...: Heb. are ye silent?

2 Samuel 20:18

Then she spake, saying, They were wont to speak in old time, saying, They shall surely ask counsel at Abel: and so they ended the matter. They were...: or, They plainly spake in the beginning, saying, Surely they will ask of Abel, and so make an end

Nehemiah 13:24

And their children spake half in the speech of Ashdod, and could not speak in the Jews' language, but according to the language of each people. could...: Heb. they discerned not to speak of each...: Heb. of people and people

Job 7:11

Therefore I will not refrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.

Job 13:5

O that ye would altogether hold your peace! and it should be your wisdom.

Job 13:13

Hold your peace, let me alone, that I may speak, and let come on me what will. Hold...: Heb. Be silent from me

Job 15:8

Hast thou heard the secret of God? and dost thou restrain wisdom to thyself?

Job 33:31

Mark well, O Job, hearken unto me: hold thy peace, and I will speak.

Job 33:33

If not, hearken unto me: hold thy peace, and I shall teach thee wisdom.

Psalms 34:13

Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.

Psalms 37:30

The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment.

Psalms 49:3

My mouth shall speak of wisdom; and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding.

Psalms 77:4

Thou holdest mine eyes waking: I am so troubled that I cannot speak.

Proverbs 2:11

Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee:

Proverbs 3:13

Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. that getteth...: Heb. that draweth out understanding

Proverbs 4:5

Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.

Proverbs 4:7

Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.

Proverbs 9:10

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

Proverbs 11:12

He that is void of wisdom despiseth his neighbour: but a man of understanding holdeth his peace. void...: Heb. destitute of heart

Proverbs 17:28

Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.

Ecclesiastes 2:3

I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life. to give...: Heb. to draw my flesh with wine all...: Heb. the number of the days of their life

Ecclesiastes 3:7

A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

Isaiah 9:17

Therefore the Lord shall have no joy in their young men, neither shall have mercy on their fatherless and widows: for every one is an hypocrite and an evildoer, and every mouth speaketh folly. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. folly: or, villany

Isaiah 29:14

Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid. proceed: Heb. add

Isaiah 32:4

The heart also of the rash shall understand knowledge, and the tongue of the stammerers shall be ready to speak plainly. rash: Heb. hasty plainly: or, elegantly

Isaiah 33:15

He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil; righteously: Heb. in righteousnesses uprightly: Heb. uprightnesses oppressions: or, deceits blood: Heb. bloods

Jeremiah 8:14

Why do we sit still? assemble yourselves, and let us enter into the defenced cities, and let us be silent there: for the LORD our God hath put us to silence, and given us water of gall to drink, because we have sinned against the LORD. gall: or, poison

Jeremiah 20:9

Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay.

Jeremiah 38:27

Then came all the princes unto Jeremiah, and asked him: and he told them according to all these words that the king had commanded. So they left off speaking with him; for the matter was not perceived. they...: Heb. they were silent from him

Ezekiel 3:27

But when I speak with thee, I will open thy mouth, and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; He that heareth, let him hear; and he that forbeareth, let him forbear: for they are a rebellious house.

Ezekiel 24:17

Forbear to cry, make no mourning for the dead, bind the tire of thine head upon thee, and put on thy shoes upon thy feet, and cover not thy lips, and eat not the bread of men. Forbear: Heb. Be silent lips: Heb. upper lip

Ezekiel 24:27

In that day shall thy mouth be opened to him which is escaped, and thou shalt speak, and be no more dumb: and thou shalt be a sign unto them; and they shall know that I am the LORD.

Ezekiel 33:30

Also, thou son of man, the children of thy people still are talking against thee by the walls and in the doors of the houses, and speak one to another, every one to his brother, saying, Come, I pray you, and hear what is the word that cometh forth from the LORD. against thee: of, of thee

Amos 5:13

Therefore the prudent shall keep silence in that time; for it is an evil time.

Amos 6:10

And a man's uncle shall take him up, and he that burneth him, to bring out the bones out of the house, and shall say unto him that is by the sides of the house, Is there yet any with thee? and he shall say, No. Then shall he say, Hold thy tongue: for we may not make mention of the name of the LORD. we...: or, they will not, or, have not

Habakkuk 2:20

But the LORD is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him. let...: Heb. be silent all the earth before him

Acts 18:9

Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace:

1 Corinthians 1:19

For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.

1 Corinthians 14:6

Now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine?

1 Corinthians 14:9

So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak into the air. easy...: Gr. significant

1 Corinthians 14:19

Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.

1 Peter 3:10

For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:

2 Peter 2:16

But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet.