Proverbs 26:1-8

1 Like snow in summer and rain when the grain is being cut, so honour is not natural for the foolish.

2 As the sparrow in her wandering and the swallow in her flight, so the curse does not come without a cause.

3 A whip for the horse, a mouth-bit for the ass, and a rod for the back of the foolish.

4 Do not give to the foolish man a foolish answer, or you will be like him.

5 Give a foolish man a foolish answer, or he will seem wise to himself.

6 He who sends news by the hand of a foolish man is cutting off his feet and drinking in damage.

7 The legs of one who has no power of walking are hanging loose; so is a wise saying in the mouth of the foolish.

8 Giving honour to a foolish man is like attempting to keep a stone fixed in a cord.

Proverbs 26:1-8 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.