--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The first author of speech was God…" description: "\"The first author of speech was God himself, that instructed Adam how to name such creatures as He presented to his sight.\" — Thomas Hobbes" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ce/thomas-hobbes-1127_adam_the-first-author-of-speech-was-god-himse_714515.jpg" --- # The first author of speech was God himself, that… ![“The first author of speech was God himself, that instructed Adam how to name such creatures as He presented to his sight.” quote by Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ce/thomas-hobbes-1127_adam_the-first-author-of-speech-was-god-himse_714515.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ce/thomas-hobbes-1127_adam_the-first-author-of-speech-was-god-himse_714515.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ce/thomas-hobbes-1127_adam_the-first-author-of-speech-was-god-himse_714515.jpg) > “The first author of speech was God himself, that instructed Adam how to name such creatures as He presented to his sight.” [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Hobbes suggests that divine authority first taught humans language, implying God as the original speaker. **In simple terms:** God taught humans to speak. Key Takeaway Recognize the roots of communication. Themes origin language divinity Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical theological When to use this quote - religious education - historical linguistics - philosophical debate Key Concepts theology philosophy anthropology Questions to Reflect On - How does this view affect our understanding of language? - What are the implications for secular societies? A Different Perspective Modern secular views may reject divine origin. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adam/) [Adam Creatures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adam-creatures-5627906/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Creatures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creatures/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [God Instructed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-instructed-3077239/) [Instructed Adam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instructed-adam-5627905/) [Names](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/names/) [Sight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sight/) [Speech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speech/) [Speech God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speech-god-739611/) ## Related quotes > [People who couldn't walk, they'd come in wheelchairs, and he'd make them walk. It's just the power of God. It wasn't my dad; it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tory-lanez/people-who-couldn-t-walk-they-d-come-in-wheelchairs-and-he-d-make/) [Tory Lanez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tory-lanez/) > [ When we rise out of \[the night\] into the new life and there begin to receive the signs, what can we know of that… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-buber/when-we-rise-out-of-the-night-into-the-new-life-and-there-begin-to/) [Martin Buber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-buber/) > [The speech of God is silence. His Word is solitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/the-speech-of-god-is-silence-his-word-is-solitude/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [Let thy speech of God be renewed day by day, aye, rather than thy meat and drink.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/let-thy-speech-of-god-be-renewed-day-by-day-aye-rather-than-thy-meat/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [“The speech of God’s beautiful woman is a fountain of life to those around her.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-george/the-speech-of-god-s-beautiful-woman-is-a-fountain-of-life-to-those/) [Elizabeth George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-george/) > [Whoever has received knowledge and eloquence in speech from God should not be silent or secretive but demonstrate it willingly. When a great good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-de-france/whoever-has-received-knowledge-and-eloquence-in-speech-from-god/) [Marie de France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-de-france/) > [Remember that thought is speech before God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/remember-that-thought-is-speech-before-god/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [“it would have been absurd in the Evangelist to say that the   Speech was always with God, if he had not some kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/it-would-have-been-absurd-in-the-evangelist-to-say-that-the-speech/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [A season of silence is the best preparation for speech with God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-chadwick/a-season-of-silence-is-the-best-preparation-for-speech-with-god/) [Samuel Chadwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-chadwick/) > [It never frightened a Puritan when you bade him stand still and listen to the speech of God. His closet and his church were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillips-brooks/it-never-frightened-a-puritan-when-you-bade-him-stand-still-and/) [Phillips Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phillips-brooks/) > [“So, without doubt, and much more, is the speech of God (if there be any such thing as the speech of God) to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/so-without-doubt-and-much-more-is-the-speech-of-god-if-there-be-any/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [Music has been called the speech of the angels; I will go farther and call it the speech of God Himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kingsley/music-has-been-called-the-speech-of-the-angels-i-will-go-farther-and/) [Charles Kingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kingsley/) > [But all this language gotten, and augmented by Adam and his posterity, was again lost at the tower of Babel , when by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/but-all-this-language-gotten-and-augmented-by-adam-and-his-posterity/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [The writings of latter-day prophets clearly teach that the sorrows and sufferings endured by Adam and Eve upon their leaving the Garden of Eden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-k-judd/the-writings-of-latter-day-prophets-clearly-teach-that-the-sorrows/) [Daniel K Judd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-k-judd/) > [Women rule the world. It's not really worth fighting because they know what they're doing. Ask Napoleon. Ask Adam. Ask Richard Burton or Richie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-bon-jovi/women-rule-the-world-it-s-not-really-worth-fighting-because-they-know/) [Jon Bon Jovi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-bon-jovi/) ## More by Thomas Hobbes > [“Give an inch, he'll take an ell.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/give-an-inch-he-ll-take-an-ell/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [Do not that to another, which thou wouldst not have done to thyself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/do-not-that-to-another-which-thou-wouldst-not-have-done-to-thyself/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [For it is with the mysteries of our religion, as with wholesome pills for the sick, which swallowed whole, have the virtue to cure;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/for-it-is-with-the-mysteries-of-our-religion-as-with-wholesome-pills/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [Intemperance is naturally punished with diseases; rashness, with mischance; injustice; with violence of enemies; pride, with ruin; cowardice, with oppression; and rebellion, with slaughter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/intemperance-is-naturally-punished-with-diseases-rashness-with/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [A man's conscience and his judgment is the same thing; and as the judgment, so also the conscience, may be erroneous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/a-man-s-conscience-and-his-judgment-is-the-same-thing-and-as-the/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [He that is to govern a whole Nation , must read in himself, not this, or that particular man; but Mankind; which though it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/he-that-is-to-govern-a-whole-nation-must-read-in-himself-not-this-or/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [If men are naturally in a state of war, why do they always carry arms and why do they have keys to lock their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/if-men-are-naturally-in-a-state-of-war-why-do-they-always-carry-arms/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [Let a man (as most men do) rate themselves as the highest Value they can; yet their true Value is no more than it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/let-a-man-as-most-men-do-rate-themselves-as-the-highest-value-they/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [A free man is he that, in those things which by his strength and wit he is able to do, is not hindered to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/a-free-man-is-he-that-in-those-things-which-by-his-strength-and-wit/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [“Covenants, without the sword, are but words and of no strength to secure a man at all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/covenants-without-the-sword-are-but-words-and-of-no-strength-to/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [Fear of things invisible in the natural seed of that which everyone in himself calleth religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/fear-of-things-invisible-in-the-natural-seed-of-that-which-everyone/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [Because silver and gold have their value from the matter itself, they have first this privilege, that the value of them cannot be altered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/because-silver-and-gold-have-their-value-from-the-matter-itself-they/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [What reason is there that he which laboreth much, and, sparing the fruits of his labor, consumeth little, should be more charged than he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/what-reason-is-there-that-he-which-laboreth-much-and-sparing-the/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [The cause of Sense, is the External Body, or Object, which presseth the organ proper to each Sense, either immediately, as in theTaste and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/the-cause-of-sense-is-the-external-body-or-object-which-presseth-the/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [The characters of man's heart, blotted and confounded as they are with dissembling, lying, counterfeiting, and erroneous doctrines, are legible only to him that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/the-characters-of-man-s-heart-blotted-and-confounded-as-they-are-with/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) [Explore all 285 Thomas Hobbes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) ## More Adam quotes > [Women rule the world. It's not really worth fighting because they know what they're doing. Ask Napoleon. Ask Adam. Ask Richard Burton or Richie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-bon-jovi/women-rule-the-world-it-s-not-really-worth-fighting-because-they-know/) [Jon Bon Jovi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-bon-jovi/) > [The writings of latter-day prophets clearly teach that the sorrows and sufferings endured by Adam and Eve upon their leaving the Garden of Eden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-k-judd/the-writings-of-latter-day-prophets-clearly-teach-that-the-sorrows/) [Daniel K Judd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-k-judd/) > [“Mary: Some call this "Eve's curse," but I think that is stupid because the real curse of Eve was having to put up with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/mary-some-call-this-eve-s-curse-but-i-think-that-is-stupid-because/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [Adam Clayton Powell's entire political career has to be looked at in the entire context of the American history and the history of, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/adam-clayton-powell-s-entire-political-career-has-to-be-looked-at-in/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [“Adam could imagine what he looked like: a debauched nerd.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-cullinan/adam-could-imagine-what-he-looked-like-a-debauched-nerd/) [Heidi Cullinan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-cullinan/) > [Adam Berenson knows how to compose, organize an ensemble, do musical research, play solo and trio piano, write for musical journals, and enlist others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bley/adam-berenson-knows-how-to-compose-organize-an-ensemble-do-musical/) [Paul Bley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bley/) > [“Finally, someone had seen him. And what had he done? Let her get away. Undermined by his disgusting human anatomy. It had just been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/finally-someone-had-seen-him-and-what-had-he-done-let-her-get-away/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [“I’d think there are degrees of greatness,” Adam said. “I don’t think so,” said Samuel. “That would be like saying there is a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-d-think-there-are-degrees-of-greatness-adam-said-i-don-t-think-so/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [An ineffably holy God, who has the utmost abhorrence of sin, was never invented by any of Adam's descendents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-w-pink/an-ineffably-holy-god-who-has-the-utmost-abhorrence-of-sin-was-never/) [Arthur W. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-w-pink/) > [“think Adam is looking to break Kenji’s neck at this point.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/think-adam-is-looking-to-break-kenji-s-neck-at-this-point/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“Adam's lips are set in a grime line. I can't tell if he's about to cry or about to punch the guard. For his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gayle-forman/adam-s-lips-are-set-in-a-grime-line-i-can-t-tell-if-he-s-about-to-cry/) [Gayle Forman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gayle-forman/) > [And as regards Adam and Eve we must maintain that before the fall they were virgins in Paradise: but after they sinned, and were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-jerome/and-as-regards-adam-and-eve-we-must-maintain-that-before-the-fall/) [St. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-jerome/) > [Adam became so proud that he wished to become God and died for his pride; the Son of God humbled Himself unto death, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-of-kronstadt/adam-became-so-proud-that-he-wished-to-become-god-and-died-for-his/) [John of Kronstadt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-of-kronstadt/) > [Oh, Adam was a gardener, and God who made him sees That half a proper gardener's work is done upon his knees, So when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/oh-adam-was-a-gardener-and-god-who-made-him-sees-that-half-a-proper/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [“Barışı elde etmek için çabalayan her adam olağanüstü bir adamdır!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/bar-elde-etmek-i-in-abalayan-her-adam-ola-an-st-bir-adamd-r/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) [Browse all 1,360 Adam quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adam/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The first author of speech was God himself, that instructed Adam how to name such creatures as He presented to his sight.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Thomas Hobbes" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/the-first-author-of-speech-was-god-himself-that-instructed-adam-how/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Adam" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/the-first-author-of-speech-was-god-himself-that-instructed-adam-how/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ce/thomas-hobbes-1127_adam_the-first-author-of-speech-was-god-himse_714515.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ce/thomas-hobbes-1127_adam_the-first-author-of-speech-was-god-himse_714515.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ce/thomas-hobbes-1127_adam_the-first-author-of-speech-was-god-himse_714515.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The first author of speech was God himself, that instructed Adam how to name such creatures as He presented…” — Thomas Hobbes", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Thomas Hobbes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The first author of speech was...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/the-first-author-of-speech-was-god-himself-that-instructed-adam-how/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/the-first-author-of-speech-was-god-himself-that-instructed-adam-how/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```