Proverbs 26:4-14

4 Don't answer a foolish person in keeping with his foolish acts. If you do, you will be like him yourself.

5 Answer a foolish person in keeping with his foolish acts. If you do, he won't be wise in his own eyes.

6 Sending a message in the hand of a foolish person is like cutting off your feet or drinking something harmful.

7 A proverb in the mouth of a foolish person is like disabled legs that are useless.

8 Giving honor to a foolish person is like tying a stone in a slingshot.

9 A proverb in the mouth of a foolish person is like a thorn in the hand of someone who is drunk.

10 Anyone who hires a foolish person or someone who is passing by is like a person who shoots arrows at just anybody.

11 A foolish person who does the same foolish things again is like a dog that returns to where it has thrown up.

12 Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a foolish person than for him.

13 A person who doesn't want to work says, "There's a lion in the road! There's an angry lion wandering in the streets!"

14 A person who doesn't want to work turns over in bed just like a door that swings back and forth.

Proverbs 26:4-14 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.