Proverbs 26:19-28

19 A man who lies to his neighbor and says, "I was only joking!" is just like that person.
20 If you don't have wood, your fire goes out. If you don't talk about others, arguing dies down.
21 Coal glows. Wood burns. And a man who argues stirs up fights.
22 The words of anyone who talks about others are like tasty bites of food. They go deep down inside you.
23 Warm words that come from an evil heart are like shiny paint on a clay pot.
24 Someone who wants to hurt you uses his words to hide his hatred. But his heart is full of lies that cover up his evil plans.
25 What a person says can be charming. But don't believe him. Seven things that God hates can fill that person's heart.
26 Hatred can be hidden by lies. But what is evil will be shown to everyone.
27 If anyone digs a pit, he will fall into it. If he rolls a big stone, it will roll back on him.
28 A tongue that tells lies hates the people it hurts. And words that seem to praise you destroy you.

Proverbs 26:19-28 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.

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