Proverbs 26

CHAPTER 26

More Proverbs of Solomon, Continued (26:1–28)

1–28 Verse 2: Many people, even today, believe that any curse that is uttered will surely do great harm. But this proverb shows that an undeserved curse placed on an innocent person will not come to rest—it will not have any effect.

Verses 4–5: These verses at first seem to be contradictory, but in fact they are complementary. We should avoid pointless arguments with a fool or we will simply be lowering ourselves to his level (verse 4). However, there are times when we must rebuke a fool, or he may begin to think himself wise and deceive others into thinking it too⁶⁴ (verse 5).

Verse 6: If we send a fool on an errand, we maybe“cutting off our own feet”; he is likely to undermine our purpose in sending him.

Verse 7: Learning wisdom from a fool is like learning to walk from a lame man; both are impossible.

Verse 8: You can’t give honor to a fool any more than you can throw a stone that’s been tied to the slingshot!

Verse 9: A fool reciting a proverb can do much harm; he will misquote it and misapply it, and thereby deceive himself and others.

Verse 11: Animals sometimes return and eat their own vomit; in the same way,drunkards return to their drink, fools return to their folly, and sinners return to their sin—all forgetting how “sick” it made them! (2 Peter 2:22).

Verse 12: Those who think they are wise are impossible to teach; they are even worse off than fools.

Verse 13: See Proverbs 22:13.

Verse 16: The sluggard also thinks he is wise; he thinks he can get by in life without doing any work! (see verse 12).

Verses 18–19: These verses describe a “practical joker” who ends up hurting his neighbor. We must be very careful how we “joke” with people; we must never joke at their expense. We can laugh with them—but never at them. We must “think twice” before making jokes, lest we find ourselves shooting deadly arrows.

Verse 22: See Proverbs 18:8.

Verse 23: See Proverbs 5:3–4; Matthew 23:25–28.

Verses 24–26: In these verses, as in verse 23, Solomon describes how people cover up the evil in their hearts with charming speech. But sooner or later, their wickedness will come to light (verse 26). And even if wicked people can escape detection in this life, they will not escape detection by God (Hebrews 4:13). The same is true of those who worship God with their lips but not from their heart (Isaiah 29:13; Matthew 15:8).

Verse 27: If a man digs a pit for his neighbor to fall into, what he wished for his neighbor will recoil upon himself (see Psalm 7:15–16). In the same way, if he rolls a stone to strike his neighbor, he will end up being struck himself. God is just.

Verse 28: A flattering mouth works ruin (see Proverbs 29:5). Flattery is a form of lying; a flatterer offers false praise to another person in order to gain some advantage. Flattery usually works, because we all like to hear people praise us! But the truth is always better. True praise is encouraging to a fellow believer; true criticism is beneficial. Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but the kisses of an enemy cannot! (Proverbs 27:6).