Proverbs 15:18-28

18 Hot tempers start fights; a calm, cool spirit keeps the peace.

19 The path of lazy people is overgrown with briers; the diligent walk down a smooth road.

20 Intelligent children make their parents proud; lazy students embarrass their parents.

21 The empty-headed treat life as a plaything; the perceptive grasp its meaning and make a go of it.

22 Refuse good advice and watch your plans fail; take good counsel and watch them succeed.

23 Congenial conversation - what a pleasure! The right word at the right time - beautiful!

24 Life ascends to the heights for the thoughtful - it's a clean about-face from descent into hell.

25 God smashes the pretensions of the arrogant; he stands with those who have no standing.

26 God can't stand evil scheming, but he puts words of grace and beauty on display.

27 A greedy and grasping person destroys community; those who refuse to exploit live and let live.

28 Prayerful answers come from God-loyal people; the wicked are sewers of abuse.

Proverbs 15:18-28 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO FIRST KINGS 5

This chapter relates Solomon's preparation for building the temple: on Hiram, king of Tyre, sending a congratulatory letter to him, he returned another to him, signifying his intention to build an house for God, and requesting him to supply him with timber, and men to work it, 1Ki 5:1-6; to which Hiram readily agreed, and sent him cedar and fir, and Solomon in return sent him food for his household; and things went on very amicably between them, 1Ki 5:7-12; the chapter concludes with an account of Solomon's workmen, where, how, and in what they were employed, 1Ki 5:13-18.