Proverbs 26 Study Notes: Fools, Slackers, and Deceivers
This chapter gathers sayings about the fool, including paired advice on when to answer him and when not to. It then mocks the lazy man and his excuses and warns against meddling, gossip, flattery, and hatred disguised by smooth words, which will be exposed.
General
Verses 26:4 and 26:5 give opposite-sounding instructions about replying to a fool. How do they fit together?
Answer: Each warns of a different danger, and wisdom discerns which fits the moment
The two sayings are placed side by side on purpose. One warns that replying to a fool on his own terms can drag you down to his level (26:4); the other warns that leaving his folly unchallenged can let him think himself clever (26:5). Both dangers are real, so wisdom must judge which response a particular situation calls for. Ecclesiastes says silence and speech each have their proper time (3:7). When religious leaders questioned Jesus in bad faith, He answered with a question of His own and, when they would not answer it, declined to answer theirs (Matthew 21:24-27). Proverbs also notes that correcting a mocker can backfire, while a wise person welcomes it (9:7-8).
- Proverbs 26:4-5 (BSB)“Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be like him. Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he become wise in his own eyes.”Two sayings placed side by side about whether to answer a fool.
- Ecclesiastes 3:7 (BSB)“a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak,”Ecclesiastes says silence and speech each have their proper time.
- Matthew 21:24-27 (BSB)““I will also ask you one question,” Jesus replied, “and if you answer Me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. What was the source of John’s baptism? Was it from heaven or from men?” They deliberated among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will ask, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ But if we say, ‘From men,’ we are afraid of the people, for they all regard John as a prophet.” So they answered, “We do not know.” And Jesus replied, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”Jesus met a bad-faith question with a question of His own and, when they would not answer, declined to answer theirs.
- Proverbs 9:7-8 (BSB)“He who corrects a mocker brings shame on himself; he who rebukes a wicked man taints himself. Do not rebuke a mocker, or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man, and he will love you.”Correcting a mocker can bring harm, while a wise person welcomes correction.
Theological
How are the paired instructions of 26:4 and 26:5 about replying to a fool best understood?
Answer: Each warns of a different danger, and wisdom discerns which fits the moment
The juxtaposition is deliberate and complementary. Replying in kind risks assimilating oneself to the fool's folly (26:4); silence risks confirming him in his self-assessment (26:5). Wisdom lies in discerning which danger is greater in a given case, for speech and silence each have their season (Ecclesiastes 3:7). Jesus exemplified this discernment when He met the leaders' bad-faith challenge with a counter-question and then withheld an answer (Matthew 21:24-27), and Proverbs 9:7-8 distinguishes the mocker who resents correction from the wise man who receives it.
- Proverbs 26:4-5 (BSB)“Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be like him. Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he become wise in his own eyes.”Two sayings placed side by side about whether to answer a fool.
- Ecclesiastes 3:7 (BSB)“a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak,”Ecclesiastes says silence and speech each have their proper time.
- Matthew 21:24-27 (BSB)““I will also ask you one question,” Jesus replied, “and if you answer Me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. What was the source of John’s baptism? Was it from heaven or from men?” They deliberated among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will ask, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ But if we say, ‘From men,’ we are afraid of the people, for they all regard John as a prophet.” So they answered, “We do not know.” And Jesus replied, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”Jesus met a bad-faith question with a question of His own and, when they would not answer, declined to answer theirs.
- Proverbs 9:7-8 (BSB)“He who corrects a mocker brings shame on himself; he who rebukes a wicked man taints himself. Do not rebuke a mocker, or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man, and he will love you.”Correcting a mocker can bring harm, while a wise person welcomes correction.
General
True or False: According to 26:18-19, the harm done by deceiving a neighbor is excused if the deceiver afterward claims it was just a joke.
Answer: False
This is false. The one who misleads his neighbor and then brushes it off as a prank is compared to a madman throwing flaming darts and deadly arrows (26:18-19). Calling it a joke does not undo the damage; he is responsible for the harm his lies cause. Paul tells believers to put away falsehood and speak truth to one another (Ephesians 4:25), and Proverbs says the LORD detests lying lips but delights in those who act faithfully (12:22).
- Proverbs 26:18-19 (BSB)“Like a madman shooting firebrands and deadly arrows, so is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, “I was only joking!””The deceiver who excuses himself as joking is compared to a madman shooting deadly missiles.
- Ephesians 4:25 (BSB)“Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one another.”Paul tells believers to put away falsehood and speak truth to one another.
- Proverbs 12:22 (BSB)“Lying lips are detestable to the LORD, but those who deal faithfully are His delight.”The LORD detests lies but delights in faithful dealing.
Theological
True or False: 26:18-19 treats deceit toward a neighbor as excusable when the deceiver afterward calls it a jest.
Answer: False
This is false. The deceiver who pleads that he was jesting is likened to a madman hurling firebrands and lethal arrows (26:18-19): the plea does not reduce his culpability for the damage done. The apostolic command to lay aside lies and speak honestly rests on believers' union as members of one body (Ephesians 4:25), and the LORD abhors lying lips (12:22).
- Proverbs 26:18-19 (BSB)“Like a madman shooting firebrands and deadly arrows, so is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, “I was only joking!””The deceiver who excuses himself as joking is compared to a madman shooting deadly missiles.
- Ephesians 4:25 (BSB)“Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one another.”Paul tells believers to put away falsehood and speak truth to one another.
- Proverbs 12:22 (BSB)“Lying lips are detestable to the LORD, but those who deal faithfully are His delight.”The LORD detests lies but delights in faithful dealing.
General
What does 26:11 compare to a dog going back to what it threw up, and where does the New Testament use this saying?
Answer: A fool repeating his folly; Peter applies it to false teachers
The image is deliberately disgusting: a fool who falls back into the same foolishness again and again is like a dog going back to what it has vomited (26:11). Peter quotes this proverb about the false teachers he warns of, who had come to know the path of righteousness yet turned back to corruption (2 Peter 2:1, 20-22). His paired picture of a washed pig returning to the mud shows an outward cleaning that never changed the animal's nature. The next chapter adds that even pounding a fool in a mortar will not remove his folly (27:22).
- Proverbs 26:11 (BSB)“As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly.”The fool who keeps going back to his folly is likened to a dog returning to its vomit.
- 2 Peter 2:1 (BSB)“Now there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves.”Peter warns that false teachers will arise among believers, as false prophets did in Israel.
- 2 Peter 2:20-22 (BSB)“If indeed they have escaped the corruption of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, only to be entangled and overcome by it again, their final condition is worse than it was at first. It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than to have known it and then to turn away from the holy commandment passed on to them. Of them the proverbs are true: “A dog returns to its vomit,” and, “A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud.””Peter applies this proverb to false teachers who turned back to corruption after knowing the way of righteousness.
- Proverbs 27:22 (BSB)“Though you grind a fool like grain with mortar and a pestle, yet his folly will not depart from him.”The next chapter says even harsh grinding will not remove a fool's folly.
Theological
What is compared to a dog returning to its vomit in 26:11, and how is the saying used in the New Testament?
Answer: A fool repeating his folly; Peter applies it to false teachers
The fool's compulsive return to his folly is as repulsive as a dog returning to its vomit (26:11). Peter applies the proverb to the false teachers he warns of (2 Peter 2:1), who after coming to know the righteous path reverted to corruption; his accompanying image of the washed sow shows outward reformation without a change of nature (2 Peter 2:20-22). Proverbs 27:22 likewise stresses how deeply folly clings to the fool.
- Proverbs 26:11 (BSB)“As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly.”The fool who keeps going back to his folly is likened to a dog returning to its vomit.
- 2 Peter 2:1 (BSB)“Now there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves.”Peter warns that false teachers will arise among believers, as false prophets did in Israel.
- 2 Peter 2:20-22 (BSB)“If indeed they have escaped the corruption of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, only to be entangled and overcome by it again, their final condition is worse than it was at first. It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than to have known it and then to turn away from the holy commandment passed on to them. Of them the proverbs are true: “A dog returns to its vomit,” and, “A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud.””Peter applies this proverb to false teachers who turned back to corruption after knowing the way of righteousness.
- Proverbs 27:22 (BSB)“Though you grind a fool like grain with mortar and a pestle, yet his folly will not depart from him.”The next chapter says even harsh grinding will not remove a fool's folly.
General
What is the shared point of the images in 26:6-10 about messages, sayings, and hiring?
Answer: Trusting a fool with a task or with wise words leads to harm and failure
Sending a message through a fool is like cutting off your own feet: it cripples your purpose and invites damage (26:6). In a fool's mouth a wise saying dangles uselessly like a lame limb (26:7) or becomes dangerous, like a thorn waved about by a drunk man (26:9). Hiring a fool or a random passerby is as reckless as an archer shooting at whatever he meets (26:10). Wisdom is not just knowing sayings but applying them rightly. Proverbs contrasts the wicked messenger who falls into trouble with the faithful envoy who brings healing (13:17) and the dependable messenger who refreshes his masters like cool snow at harvest time (25:13).
- Proverbs 26:6-7 (BSB)“Like cutting off one’s own feet or drinking violence is the sending of a message by the hand of a fool. Like lame legs hanging limp is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.”Sending a message by a fool cripples the sender, and a proverb hangs useless in a fool's mouth.
- Proverbs 26:9-10 (BSB)“Like a thorn that goes into the hand of a drunkard is a proverb in the mouth of a fool. Like an archer who wounds at random is he who hires a fool or passerby.”A proverb in a fool's mouth becomes dangerous, and hiring a fool is reckless.
- Proverbs 13:17 (BSB)“A wicked messenger falls into trouble, but a faithful envoy brings healing.”A wicked messenger falls into trouble, while a faithful envoy brings healing.
- Proverbs 25:13 (BSB)“Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest is a trustworthy messenger to those who send him; he refreshes the soul of his masters.”A trustworthy messenger refreshes those who send him.
Theological
What common lesson emerges from the images of 26:6-10?
Answer: Trusting a fool with a task or with wise words leads to harm and failure
Entrusting a fool with a message is like maiming oneself (26:6); a proverb in his mouth is either limp and ineffective (26:7) or harmful, like a thorn brandished by a drunkard (26:9); and employing a fool or a random stranger is indiscriminate recklessness (26:10). Wisdom requires character and judgment, not merely possession of maxims. Proverbs 13:17 sets the wicked messenger against the faithful envoy, and 25:13 praises the reliable messenger who refreshes his masters.
- Proverbs 26:6-7 (BSB)“Like cutting off one’s own feet or drinking violence is the sending of a message by the hand of a fool. Like lame legs hanging limp is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.”Sending a message by a fool cripples the sender, and a proverb hangs useless in a fool's mouth.
- Proverbs 26:9-10 (BSB)“Like a thorn that goes into the hand of a drunkard is a proverb in the mouth of a fool. Like an archer who wounds at random is he who hires a fool or passerby.”A proverb in a fool's mouth becomes dangerous, and hiring a fool is reckless.
- Proverbs 13:17 (BSB)“A wicked messenger falls into trouble, but a faithful envoy brings healing.”A wicked messenger falls into trouble, while a faithful envoy brings healing.
- Proverbs 25:13 (BSB)“Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest is a trustworthy messenger to those who send him; he refreshes the soul of his masters.”A trustworthy messenger refreshes those who send him.
General
What point do 26:20-21 make about gossip and quarrels?
Answer: Quarrels die down when gossip stops, just as fire dies without fuel
Fire needs fuel. Take away the wood and it goes out; take away the gossip and a conflict dies down (26:20). A quarrelsome person, by contrast, feeds strife the way charcoal and wood feed a fire (26:21). Gossip is dangerous because people enjoy it, swallowing its tasty bits deep inside (26:22, the same saying as 18:8). Proverbs says a gossip separates close friends (16:28), and James compares the tongue to a small spark that can set a whole forest ablaze (James 3:5-6).
- Proverbs 26:20-22 (BSB)“Without wood, a fire goes out; without gossip, a conflict ceases. Like charcoal for embers and wood for fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife. The words of a gossip are like choice morsels that go down into the inmost being.”Gossip is pictured as fuel that keeps conflict burning, and tales are swallowed eagerly.
- Proverbs 16:28 (BSB)“A perverse man spreads dissension, and a gossip divides close friends.”Proverbs says a gossip separates close friends.
- James 3:5-6 (BSB)“In the same way, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it boasts of great things. Consider how small a spark sets a great forest ablaze. The tongue also is a fire, a world of wickedness among the parts of the body. It pollutes the whole person, sets the course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.”James compares the tongue to a small spark that can set a forest on fire.
Theological
What do 26:20-21 teach about the relationship between gossip and strife?
Answer: Quarrels die down when gossip stops, just as fire dies without fuel
Strife is sustained by fuel: remove the talebearer and contention subsides, as a fire dies without wood (26:20); the contentious man supplies fuel as charcoal feeds embers (26:21). Gossip spreads because it is savored and internalized (26:22, repeating 18:8). Proverbs 16:28 shows the talebearer dividing intimate friends, and James portrays the tongue as a small spark that sets a vast forest alight (James 3:5-6).
- Proverbs 26:20-22 (BSB)“Without wood, a fire goes out; without gossip, a conflict ceases. Like charcoal for embers and wood for fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife. The words of a gossip are like choice morsels that go down into the inmost being.”Gossip is pictured as fuel that keeps conflict burning, and tales are swallowed eagerly.
- Proverbs 16:28 (BSB)“A perverse man spreads dissension, and a gossip divides close friends.”Proverbs says a gossip separates close friends.
- James 3:5-6 (BSB)“In the same way, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it boasts of great things. Consider how small a spark sets a great forest ablaze. The tongue also is a fire, a world of wickedness among the parts of the body. It pollutes the whole person, sets the course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.”James compares the tongue to a small spark that can set a forest on fire.
General
What warning do 26:23-26 give about the hateful person who speaks kindly?
Answer: Distrust his charm, for his heart hides evil that will one day be exposed
A wicked heart covered by warm words is like cheap clay pottery coated with a shiny glaze (26:23). The hateful person hides deceit behind his speech, so even when he sounds gracious he should not be believed, for his heart is filled with many detestable things (26:24-25). Yet his wickedness will not stay hidden; it will come to light before the whole community (26:26). The psalmist describes an enemy whose words were smooth while war filled his heart (Psalm 55:21), Jesus compared hypocrites to tombs painted white on the outside and full of decay within (Matthew 23:27-28), and He said nothing hidden will stay hidden (Luke 12:2).
- Proverbs 26:23-26 (BSB)“Like glaze covering an earthen vessel are burning lips and a wicked heart. A hateful man disguises himself with his speech, but he lays up deceit in his heart. When he speaks graciously, do not believe him, for seven abominations fill his heart. Though his hatred is concealed by deception, his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.”A hateful heart disguised by smooth speech will still be brought into the open.
- Psalm 55:21 (BSB)“His speech is smooth as butter, but war is in his heart. His words are softer than oil, yet they are swords unsheathed.”The psalmist describes an enemy whose smooth words hid war in his heart.
- Matthew 23:27-28 (BSB)“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of impurity. In the same way, on the outside you appear to be righteous, but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.”Jesus compares hypocrites to tombs painted white outside but full of decay inside.
- Luke 12:2 (BSB)“There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, and nothing hidden that will not be made known.”Jesus says that everything hidden will be brought to light.
Theological
What do 26:23-26 teach about the hateful man whose speech is gracious?
Answer: Distrust his charm, for his heart hides evil that will one day be exposed
Fervent lips over a wicked heart are like glaze on cheap earthenware (26:23). The hater dissembles with his lips while storing up deceit, so his gracious words must not be trusted, since his heart is full of abominations (26:24-25); yet his malice will ultimately be laid bare before the congregation (26:26). The psalmist's treacherous companion, smooth of speech but warlike in heart (Psalm 55:21), Jesus' indictment of hypocrites as whitewashed tombs (Matthew 23:27-28), and His promise that all concealed things will be disclosed (Luke 12:2) confirm the pattern.
- Proverbs 26:23-26 (BSB)“Like glaze covering an earthen vessel are burning lips and a wicked heart. A hateful man disguises himself with his speech, but he lays up deceit in his heart. When he speaks graciously, do not believe him, for seven abominations fill his heart. Though his hatred is concealed by deception, his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.”A hateful heart disguised by smooth speech will still be brought into the open.
- Psalm 55:21 (BSB)“His speech is smooth as butter, but war is in his heart. His words are softer than oil, yet they are swords unsheathed.”The psalmist describes an enemy whose smooth words hid war in his heart.
- Matthew 23:27-28 (BSB)“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of impurity. In the same way, on the outside you appear to be righteous, but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.”Jesus compares hypocrites to tombs painted white outside but full of decay inside.
- Luke 12:2 (BSB)“There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, and nothing hidden that will not be made known.”Jesus says that everything hidden will be brought to light.
General
What do 26:1 and 26:8 say about honoring a fool?
Answer: It is out of place and backfires, like weather in the wrong season
Summer snowfall and harvest-time rain are not only odd but damaging in Israel's farming year; honoring a fool is just as out of place (26:1). Giving a fool honor is also compared to fastening a stone in a sling, a senseless act that defeats its own purpose (26:8). Here a fool means someone who scorns wisdom and correction, not someone who simply lacks intelligence. Proverbs says luxury does not suit such a person (19:10) and neither does refined speech (17:7).
- Proverbs 26:1 (BSB)“Like snow in summer and rain at harvest, honor does not befit a fool.”Honor for a fool is as unfitting as snow in summer or rain at harvest.
- Proverbs 26:8 (BSB)“Like binding a stone into a sling is the giving of honor to a fool.”Giving honor to a fool is compared to a senseless use of a sling.
- Proverbs 19:10 (BSB)“Luxury is unseemly for a fool—how much worse for a slave to rule over princes!”Another saying calls luxury unsuited to a fool.
- Proverbs 17:7 (BSB)“Eloquent words are unfit for a fool; how much worse are lying lips to a ruler!”Fine speech is likewise said to be unfit for a fool.
Theological
What is the point of the comparisons in 26:1 and 26:8 about honoring a fool?
Answer: It is out of place and backfires, like weather in the wrong season
Honor bestowed on a fool is as incongruous and harmful as summer snow or harvest rain (26:1), and as senseless as fastening a stone in a sling (26:8). The fool in Proverbs is the morally obstinate person who despises instruction; elevating him inverts the moral order. The same incongruity appears in sayings that deny the fool luxury (19:10) and fine speech (17:7).
- Proverbs 26:1 (BSB)“Like snow in summer and rain at harvest, honor does not befit a fool.”Honor for a fool is as unfitting as snow in summer or rain at harvest.
- Proverbs 26:8 (BSB)“Like binding a stone into a sling is the giving of honor to a fool.”Giving honor to a fool is compared to a senseless use of a sling.
- Proverbs 19:10 (BSB)“Luxury is unseemly for a fool—how much worse for a slave to rule over princes!”Another saying calls luxury unsuited to a fool.
- Proverbs 17:7 (BSB)“Eloquent words are unfit for a fool; how much worse are lying lips to a ruler!”Fine speech is likewise said to be unfit for a fool.
General
What warning does the dog image in 26:17 give?
Answer: Stepping into someone else's fight is foolish and likely to hurt you
Grabbing a passing dog by its ears is asking to be bitten, and letting go is just as risky. So is the bystander who involves himself in a dispute that is none of his business (26:17). Proverbs says it is honorable to settle a dispute, while any fool is eager to quarrel (20:3), and it forbids bringing a baseless charge against someone who has not harmed you (3:30). Paul tells believers to aim at a quiet life and look after their own affairs (1 Thessalonians 4:11).
- Proverbs 26:17 (BSB)“Like one who grabs a dog by the ears is a passerby who meddles in a quarrel not his own.”Interfering in a quarrel that is not yours is compared to seizing a dog by the ears.
- Proverbs 20:3 (BSB)“It is honorable for a man to resolve a dispute, but any fool will quarrel.”Proverbs honors resolving a dispute and says any fool will quarrel.
- Proverbs 3:30 (BSB)“Do not accuse a man without cause, when he has done you no harm.”The father forbids a baseless accusation against someone who has caused no harm.
- 1 Thessalonians 4:11 (BSB)“and to aspire to live quietly, to attend to your own matters, and to work with your own hands, as we instructed you.”Paul urges believers to live quietly and attend to their own matters.
Theological
What is the lesson of the dog image in 26:17?
Answer: Stepping into someone else's fight is foolish and likely to hurt you
The passerby who interferes in a quarrel that is not his own has grabbed a dog by its ears: he has invited injury and cannot easily let go (26:17). Proverbs honors the one who ends strife and marks the fool by his readiness to quarrel (20:3), and it forbids baseless accusation of one who has done no wrong (3:30). Paul likewise enjoins a quiet life devoted to one's own responsibilities (1 Thessalonians 4:11).
- Proverbs 26:17 (BSB)“Like one who grabs a dog by the ears is a passerby who meddles in a quarrel not his own.”Interfering in a quarrel that is not yours is compared to seizing a dog by the ears.
- Proverbs 20:3 (BSB)“It is honorable for a man to resolve a dispute, but any fool will quarrel.”Proverbs honors resolving a dispute and says any fool will quarrel.
- Proverbs 3:30 (BSB)“Do not accuse a man without cause, when he has done you no harm.”The father forbids a baseless accusation against someone who has caused no harm.
- 1 Thessalonians 4:11 (BSB)“and to aspire to live quietly, to attend to your own matters, and to work with your own hands, as we instructed you.”Paul urges believers to live quietly and attend to their own matters.
General
What does 26:27 teach about someone who sets a trap for others?
Answer: His scheme will turn back and harm him instead
The one who prepares a pit for others ends up falling into it, and the one who sends a stone rolling toward others has it come back on him (26:27). Evil schemes tend to recoil on those who make them. The chapter closes by noting that lies are a form of hatred toward the people they crush, and flattery brings ruin (26:28). The psalmist describes the wicked man falling into the hole he dug (Psalm 7:15-16), Haman died on the gallows that he himself had set up for Mordecai (Esther 7:10), and Paul warns that a person reaps what he sows (Galatians 6:7).
- Proverbs 26:27-28 (BSB)“He who digs a pit will fall into it, and he who rolls a stone will have it roll back on him. A lying tongue hates those it crushes, and a flattering mouth causes ruin.”Schemes against others recoil on the schemer, and lying and flattery bring ruin.
- Psalm 7:15-16 (BSB)“He has dug a hole and hollowed it out; he has fallen into a pit of his own making. His trouble recoils on himself, and his violence falls on his own head.”The psalmist describes the wicked man falling into the hole he made.
- Esther 7:10 (BSB)“So they hanged Haman on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the fury of the king subsided.”Haman died on the gallows he had set up for Mordecai.
- Galatians 6:7 (BSB)“Do not be deceived: God is not to be mocked. Whatever a man sows, he will reap in return.”Paul warns that a person reaps what he sows.
Theological
What principle does 26:27 state about one who plots harm against others?
Answer: His scheme will turn back and harm him instead
The pit-digger falls into his own pit and the stone-roller is struck by his own stone (26:27): wicked schemes rebound on their authors under God's moral government of the world. Lying is an act of hatred toward its victims, and flattery works ruin (26:28). The psalmist describes the evildoer ensnared by his own device (Psalm 7:15-16), Haman perished on the very gallows he had built for another (Esther 7:10), and Paul states the universal law of sowing and reaping (Galatians 6:7).
- Proverbs 26:27-28 (BSB)“He who digs a pit will fall into it, and he who rolls a stone will have it roll back on him. A lying tongue hates those it crushes, and a flattering mouth causes ruin.”Schemes against others recoil on the schemer, and lying and flattery bring ruin.
- Psalm 7:15-16 (BSB)“He has dug a hole and hollowed it out; he has fallen into a pit of his own making. His trouble recoils on himself, and his violence falls on his own head.”The psalmist describes the wicked man falling into the hole he made.
- Esther 7:10 (BSB)“So they hanged Haman on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the fury of the king subsided.”Haman died on the gallows he had set up for Mordecai.
- Galatians 6:7 (BSB)“Do not be deceived: God is not to be mocked. Whatever a man sows, he will reap in return.”Paul warns that a person reaps what he sows.
General
What do the three pictures of the slacker in 26:13-15 have in common?
Answer: He invents excuses and avoids even the least effort
The slacker claims a wild beast is loose in the streets so he can stay home (26:13), a ridiculous excuse. He turns over in bed as a door swings on its hinges, moving but going nowhere (26:14). He is even too tired to lift his hand from the dish to feed himself (26:15). Proverbs uses nearly the same pictures earlier (19:24; 22:13) and warns that a little more sleep leads to poverty arriving like a robber (6:9-11). Paul told the church that anyone who refuses to work should not eat (2 Thessalonians 3:10).
- Proverbs 26:13-15 (BSB)“The slacker says, “A lion is in the road! A fierce lion roams the public square!” As a door turns on its hinges, so the slacker turns on his bed. The slacker buries his hand in the dish; it wearies him to bring it back to his mouth.”Three pictures of the slacker: an absurd excuse, turning in bed, and a hand too tired to lift.
- Proverbs 22:13 (BSB)“The slacker says, “There is a lion outside! I will be slain in the streets!””An earlier saying records the same kind of lion excuse.
- Proverbs 6:9-11 (BSB)“How long will you lie there, O slacker? When will you get up from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and need like a bandit.”The father warns that a little more sleep brings poverty like a robber.
- 2 Thessalonians 3:10 (BSB)“For even while we were with you, we gave you this command: “If anyone is unwilling to work, he shall not eat.””Paul tells the church that one who will not work should not eat.
Theological
What unites the three portraits of the slacker in 26:13-15?
Answer: He invents excuses and avoids even the least effort
The slacker fabricates danger to avoid going out (26:13), rolls over in bed like a door on its hinges without progress (26:14), and is too weary even to bring food from dish to mouth (26:15). Proverbs 22:13 records the same excuse, and 6:9-11 warns that indulged sleep ends in sudden poverty. Paul applies the principle in the church: the one who refuses to work should not be fed by others (2 Thessalonians 3:10).
- Proverbs 26:13-15 (BSB)“The slacker says, “A lion is in the road! A fierce lion roams the public square!” As a door turns on its hinges, so the slacker turns on his bed. The slacker buries his hand in the dish; it wearies him to bring it back to his mouth.”Three pictures of the slacker: an absurd excuse, turning in bed, and a hand too tired to lift.
- Proverbs 22:13 (BSB)“The slacker says, “There is a lion outside! I will be slain in the streets!””An earlier saying records the same kind of lion excuse.
- Proverbs 6:9-11 (BSB)“How long will you lie there, O slacker? When will you get up from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and need like a bandit.”The father warns that a little more sleep brings poverty like a robber.
- 2 Thessalonians 3:10 (BSB)“For even while we were with you, we gave you this command: “If anyone is unwilling to work, he shall not eat.””Paul tells the church that one who will not work should not eat.
General
True or False: 26:2 teaches that a curse spoken without cause will not land on its target.
Answer: True
This is true. Like a sparrow or swallow that flits about without ever settling, a curse that is not deserved never settles on the person (26:2). Hostile words have no power over someone God has not condemned. When Balak hired Balaam to curse Israel, Balaam admitted he was unable to curse a people God had not cursed (Numbers 23:8), and Moses later said the LORD overturned that curse and made it a blessing because He loved His people (Deuteronomy 23:5).
- Proverbs 26:2 (BSB)“Like a fluttering sparrow or darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest.”Like birds that flit about without settling, an unjust curse does not alight.
- Numbers 23:8 (BSB)“How can I curse those whom God has not cursed? How can I denounce those whom the LORD has not denounced?”Balaam admits he is unable to curse a people God has not cursed.
- Deuteronomy 23:5 (BSB)“Yet the LORD your God would not listen to Balaam, and the LORD your God turned the curse into a blessing for you, because the LORD your God loves you.”Moses says the LORD overturned Balaam's curse because of His love for Israel.
Theological
True or False: According to 26:2, a causeless curse will not alight on the one it targets.
Answer: True
This is true. The unmerited curse is like a restless sparrow or swallow that never settles (26:2); malicious words cannot bind a person God has not condemned. Balaam's oracle confesses exactly this inability to curse a people God has not placed under a curse (Numbers 23:8), and Moses attributes the reversal of that curse into blessing to the LORD's covenant love for Israel (Deuteronomy 23:5).
- Proverbs 26:2 (BSB)“Like a fluttering sparrow or darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest.”Like birds that flit about without settling, an unjust curse does not alight.
- Numbers 23:8 (BSB)“How can I curse those whom God has not cursed? How can I denounce those whom the LORD has not denounced?”Balaam admits he is unable to curse a people God has not cursed.
- Deuteronomy 23:5 (BSB)“Yet the LORD your God would not listen to Balaam, and the LORD your God turned the curse into a blessing for you, because the LORD your God loves you.”Moses says the LORD overturned Balaam's curse because of His love for Israel.
General
According to 26:12, who has less hope than a fool?
Answer: A person who considers himself wise
Proverbs is usually very hard on the fool, which makes 26:12 striking: a fool has better prospects than someone who rates himself wise. The fool may yet be corrected, but the self-satisfied person sees no need to learn. The slacker in 26:16 shows the same blindness, rating himself wiser than seven people who give sensible answers. Proverbs warns against trusting your own wisdom and calls instead for fearing the LORD (3:7), Isaiah pronounces woe on those who think themselves clever (Isaiah 5:21), and Paul tells believers not to be conceited (Romans 12:16).
- Proverbs 26:12 (BSB)“Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.”The self-satisfied person is said to be in a worse state than a fool.
- Proverbs 26:16 (BSB)“The slacker is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who answer discreetly.”The slacker rates himself wiser than many sensible people.
- Proverbs 3:7 (BSB)“Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and turn away from evil.”Proverbs warns against self-made wisdom and pairs humility with fearing the LORD.
- Isaiah 5:21 (BSB)“Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight.”Isaiah pronounces woe on those who think themselves clever.
- Romans 12:16 (BSB)“Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but associate with the lowly. Do not be conceited.”Paul tells believers not to be conceited.
Theological
Whom does 26:12 rank below a fool in hope?
Answer: A person who considers himself wise
The self-assessed wise man is in a worse condition than the fool (26:12), because self-conceit closes the door to correction; the slacker who esteems himself wiser than seven discreet counselors illustrates it (26:16). Proverbs sets the fear of the LORD against self-reliant wisdom (3:7), Isaiah pronounces woe on the self-wise (Isaiah 5:21), and Paul forbids conceit among believers (Romans 12:16).
- Proverbs 26:12 (BSB)“Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.”The self-satisfied person is said to be in a worse state than a fool.
- Proverbs 26:16 (BSB)“The slacker is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who answer discreetly.”The slacker rates himself wiser than many sensible people.
- Proverbs 3:7 (BSB)“Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and turn away from evil.”Proverbs warns against self-made wisdom and pairs humility with fearing the LORD.
- Isaiah 5:21 (BSB)“Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight.”Isaiah pronounces woe on those who think themselves clever.
- Romans 12:16 (BSB)“Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but associate with the lowly. Do not be conceited.”Paul tells believers not to be conceited.