Hold your peace

Posted by Masakim on May 17, 2003

In Reply to: Hold your peace posted by David Bergdahl on May 17, 2003

: I know the Book of Common Prayer includes the phrase and that it is used to translate the heb. hacah; was it a proverbial expression before the 16th-century when Wyatt used it?

It comes from the Bible:

The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace. (Exodus 14:14)

And the sons of the prophets that were at Bethel came forth to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he said, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace. (2 Kings 2:3)

And the sons of the prophets that were at Jericho came to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he answered, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace. (2 Kings 2:5)

So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace, for the day is holy; neither be ye grieved. (Nehemiah 8:11)

O that ye would altogether hold your peace! and it should be your wisdom. (Job 13:5)

Hold your peace, let me alone, that I may speak, and let come on me what will. (Job 13:13)
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"Hold thy peace, Wamba," said Gurth; "it may all be as thou dost guess." (Scott, _Ivanhoe_, )

And he struck me rudely, to make me hold my peace. (Stevenson, "Olalla," )