'Silence' in the Bible

Meanwhile, the man stood gazing at Rebekah in [reverent] silence, [waiting] to know if the Lord had made his trip successful or not.

You shall not go around as a gossip among your people, and you are not to act against the life of your neighbor [with slander or false testimony]; I am the Lord.

Then Moses and the Levitical priests said to all Israel, “Be silent and listen, O Israel! This day you have become a people for the Lord your God.

But Ehud himself turned back from the sculptured stones at Gilgal, [and he returned to Eglon] and said [to him], “I have a secret message for you, O king.” Eglon said “Keep silence.” And all who attended him left him.

Then Saul said, “Come here, all you who are leaders of the people, and let us find out how this sin [causing God’s silence] happened today.

Now the king of Israel said to his servants, “Do you know that Ramoth in Gilead is ours, yet we are still doing nothing to take it from the hand of the king of Aram?”

“The spirit stood still, but I could not discern its appearance;A form was before my eyes;There was silence, and then I heard a voice, saying:

“They listened to me and waitedAnd kept silent for my counsel.

Because I feared the great multitude,And the contempt of families terrified me,So that I kept silence and did not acknowledge my sin and did not go out of the door?

“I will not keep silence concerning his limbs,Nor his mighty strength, nor his orderly frame.

Out of the mouths of infants and nursing babes You have established strengthBecause of Your adversaries,That You might silence the enemy and make the revengeful cease.

When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted awayThrough my groaning all the day long.

You have seen this, O Lord; do not keep silent.O Lord, do not be far from me.

I was mute and silent [before my enemies],I refrained even from good,And my distress grew worse.

May our God come and not keep silent;Fire devours before Him,And around Him a mighty tempest rages.

Do you indeed speak righteousness, O gods (heavenly beings)?Do you judge fairly, O sons of men?

For God alone my soul waits in silence;From Him comes my salvation.

To You belongs silence [the submissive wonder of reverence], and [it bursts into] praise in Zion, O God;And to You the vow shall be performed.

Do not keep silent, O God;Do not hold Your peace or be still, O God.

If the Lord had not been my help,I would soon have dwelt in [the land of] silence.

O God of my praise!Do not keep silent,

The dead do not praise the Lord,Nor do any who go down into silence;

A time to tear apart and a time to sew together;A time to keep silent and a time to speak.

The [mournful, inspired] oracle (a burden to be carried) concerning Moab:Because in a night Ar of Moab is devastated and ruined;Because in a night Kir of Moab is devastated and ruined.

“Listen to Me in silence, you islands and coastlands,And let the nations gain their strength;Let them come near, then let them speak;Let us come together for judgment [and decide the issue between us concerning the enemy from the east].

“Sit in silence, and go into darkness,O daughter of the Chaldeans;For you will no longer be calledThe queen of kingdoms.

On your walls, O Jerusalem, I have appointed and stationed watchmen (prophets),Who will never keep silent day or night;You who profess the Lord, take no rest for yourselves,

“Indeed, it is written before Me,I will not keep silent, but I will repay;I will even repay it [directly] into their arms,

“And the peaceful folds are devastated and made silentBecause of the fierce anger of the Lord.

“The glory of Moab is no more;In Heshbon they planned evil against her,Saying, ‘Come, let us cut her off from being a nation!’You also, O [city of] Madmen, shall be silenced;The sword will pursue you.

Therefore, I will bring the worst of the [Gentile] nations, and they will take possession of their houses [those of the people of Judah]; I will also silence their pride, and their holy places will be profaned.

Therefore, he who is prudent and has insight will keep silent at such a [corrupt and evil] time, for it is an evil time [when people will not listen to truth and will disregard those of good character].

In that day, the songs of the palace shall turn to wailing,” says the Lord God. “There will be many dead bodies; in [sacred] silence they will throw them everywhere.”

“But the Lord is in His holy temple.Let all the earth hush and be silent before Him.”

Jesus came up and said to them, “All authority (all power of absolute rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.

He asked them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save a life or to kill?” But they kept silent.

Now to Him who is able to establish and strengthen you [in the faith] according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery [of the plan of salvation] which has been kept secret for long ages past,

I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet [in the congregation].

For it is the will of God that by doing right you may silence (muzzle, gag) the [culpable] ignorance and irresponsible criticisms of foolish people.

When He (the Lamb) broke open the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour [in awe of God’s impending judgment].