Proverbs 26:12-28

12 Do you see persons wise in their own eyes? There is more hope for fools than for them.

13 The lazy person says, "There is a lion in the road! There is a lion in the streets!"

14 As a door turns on its hinges, so does a lazy person in bed.

15 The lazy person buries a hand in the dish, and is too tired to bring it back to the mouth.

16 The lazy person is wiser in self-esteem than seven who can answer discreetly.

17 Like somebody who takes a passing dog by the ears is one who meddles in the quarrel of another.

18 Like a maniac who shoots deadly firebrands and arrows,

19 so is one who deceives a neighbor and says, "I am only joking!"

20 For lack of wood the fire goes out, and where there is no whisperer, quarreling ceases.

21 As charcoal is to hot embers and wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife.

22 The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels; they go down into the inner parts of the body.

23 Like the glaze covering an earthen vessel are smooth lips with an evil heart.

24 An enemy dissembles in speaking while harboring deceit within;

25 when an enemy speaks graciously, do not believe it, for there are seven abominations concealed within;

26 though hatred is covered with guile, the enemy's wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.

27 Whoever digs a pit will fall into it, and a stone will come back on the one who starts it rolling.

28 A lying tongue hates its victims, and a flattering mouth works ruin.

Proverbs 26:12-28 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 1 KINGS 13

In this chapter is an account of a man of God being sent to exclaim against Jeroboam's altar, and threaten its destruction, of which he gave a sign, which was accomplished, and with it the withering of the king's hand, which was healed upon the prophet's prayer for him, 1Ki 13:1-7, who would have entertained him at his house, but he refused the offer, and departed, 1Ki 13:8-10, but an old prophet in Bethel hearing of him, rode after him, and fetched him back to eat bread with him, through a lie he told him, 1Ki 13:11-19 upon which the word came to the old prophet, threatening the man of God with death for disobeying his command, and which was accordingly executed by a lion that met him in the way, and slew him, 1Ki 13:20-24, of which the old prophet being informed, went and took up his carcass, and buried it in his own sepulchre, where he charged his sons to bury him also when dead, believing that all the man of God had said would be fulfilled, 1Ki 13:25-30 and the chapter is closed with observing the continuance of Jeroboam in his idolatry, 1Ki 13:33,34.

Footnotes

• [a]. Cn: Heb [silver of dross]
• [b]. Gk: Heb [burning]