Proverbs 26:13-23

13 The slacker says, "There's a lion in the road- a lion in the public square!"[a]
14 A door turns on its hinge, and a slacker, on his bed.
15 The slacker buries his hand in the bowl; he is too weary to bring it to his mouth.[b]
16 In his own eyes, a slacker is wiser[c] than seven men who can answer sensibly.
17 A passerby who meddles in a quarrel that's not his is like one who grabs a dog by the ears.
18 Like a madman who throws flaming darts and deadly arrows,
19 so is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, "I was only joking!"
20 Without wood, fire goes out; without a gossip, conflict dies down.
21 As charcoal for embers and wood for fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.[d]
22 A gossip's words are like choice food that goes down to one's innermost being.[e] [f]
23 Smooth[g] lips with an evil heart are like glaze on an earthen vessel.

Proverbs 26:13-23 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 7

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