Proverbs 10:18-28

18 Whoever conceals hatred with lying lips and spreads slander is a fool.
19 Sin is not ended by multiplying words, but the prudent hold their tongues.
20 The tongue of the righteous is choice silver, but the heart of the wicked is of little value.
21 The lips of the righteous nourish many, but fools die for lack of sense.
22 The blessing of the LORD brings wealth, without painful toil for it.
23 A fool finds pleasure in wicked schemes, but a person of understanding delights in wisdom.
24 What the wicked dread will overtake them; what the righteous desire will be granted.
25 When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone, but the righteous stand firm forever.
26 As vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so are sluggards to those who send them.
27 The fear of the LORD adds length to life, but the years of the wicked are cut short.
28 The prospect of the righteous is joy, but the hopes of the wicked come to nothing.

Proverbs 10:18-28 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO PROVERBS 10

From this chapter to the "twenty fifth" are various proverbial sentences, without any very apparent connection or coherence with each other; describing righteous and wicked men; setting forth their different temper, conduct, and actions, and the fruits and effects of them. It should be observed, that frequently in the preceding chapters two persons are represented as women; one goes by the name of "Wisdom", the other is called the "foolish" woman and a "harlot"; the former is clearly to be understood of Christ; and the latter, being opposed to him, must be antichrist, the whore of Rome, and mother of harlots: now in the following part of this book two sorts of persons are spoken of; the one as wise, righteous, good and the other as foolish, wicked, &c. who are no other than the followers of Christ and antichrist; which observation is a key to the whole book.

Cross References 17

  • 1. S Psalms 31:18
  • 2. S Job 1:22; S Job 6:24; Proverbs 17:28; S Proverbs 20:25; Proverbs 21:23; Ecclesiastes 5:3; James 1:19; James 3:2-12
  • 3. Proverbs 5:22-23; Isaiah 5:13; Jeremiah 5:4; Hos 4:1,6,14
  • 4. S Psalms 128:2
  • 5. S Genesis 13:2; S Genesis 49:25; S Deuteronomy 8:18; Genesis 24:35; Psalms 37:22
  • 6. S 2 Chronicles 25:9
  • 7. S Proverbs 2:14; Proverbs 15:21
  • 8. Isaiah 65:7; Isaiah 66:4
  • 9. S Genesis 42:36
  • 10. S Psalms 37:4; Psalms 145:17-19; Ezekiel 11:8; Matthew 5:6; 1 John 5:14-15
  • 11. S Psalms 20:8; Psalms 15:5
  • 12. Proverbs 12:3,7; Matthew 7:24-27
  • 13. Isaiah 65:5
  • 14. Proverbs 13:17; Proverbs 25:13; Proverbs 26:6
  • 15. S ver 11; Deuteronomy 11:9; Proverbs 9:10-11; Proverbs 19:23; Proverbs 22:4
  • 16. S Job 15:32
  • 17. Esther 7:10; S Job 8:13; Psalms 112:10; Proverbs 11:7
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