Proverbs 18:17-18

Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible - Proverbs 18:1-24

Proverbs 18:1 . MT yields no satisfactory sense. The LXX reads “ The man who wishes to separate from his friends seeks pretexts, but is always liable to reproach.” Frankenberg renders “ the alienated friend seeks an occasion (emending the word for ‘ desire’ ), seeks by all means to stir up strife.” Proverbs 18:4 . RV translates correctly, but the sense is strange. Read, perhaps, “ The words of the wise are deep waters, a flowing brook, a fountain of life,” but this is conjecture rather than... read more

Matthew Poole

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible - Proverbs 18:17

He that is first in his own cause, he that first pleadeth his cause, seemeth just, both to himself and to the judge or court, by his fair pretences. His neighbour cometh, to contend with him in judgment and to plead his cause, and searcheth him; examineth the truth and weight of his allegations, and disproveth them, and detecteth his weakness. Or, discovers him; for seeking or searching are oft put for finding, as Proverbs 17:9,Proverbs 17:19, and elsewhere. read more

Matthew Poole

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible - Proverbs 18:18

Causeth contentions to cease, by determining the matters in difference. Parteth; maketh a partition, giveth to every one what is right or meet, by the disposition of Divine Providence. Between the mighty; so it doth also between mean persons, but he mentions the mighty because they are most prone to contention, and most fierce and intractable in it, and most capable of doing great mischief to themselves and others by it, and therefore they most need this remedy. read more

Joseph Exell

Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary - Proverbs 18:17

MAIN HOMILETICS OF Proverbs 18:17CROSS-EXAMINATIONI. The evidence of one person alone must not be too much depended on. This is but another way of putting the old proverb that “One tale is good till another is told.” And this does not necessarily imply that the first teller of the tale is an untruthful person, but we are so apt to apprehend facts through the medium of our own prejudices—to see things in the light in which we wish to see them—that even two truthful men may sometimes vary much in... read more

Joseph Exell

Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary - Proverbs 18:18

MAIN HOMILETICS OF Proverbs 18:18THE USE OF THE LOTWe have before had the lot as a symbol of human freedom and Divine preordination (chap. Proverbs 16:33, page 499). In this verse the thought is the advantage of its use as putting an end to contention. That it is thus a means to a most desirable end appears when we consider—I. That it prevents waste of time. Time is to human creatures a very precious commodity, because the longest life lived in this world is comparatively short. If a man has a... read more

Chuck Smith

Chuck Smith Bible Commentary - Proverbs 18:1-24

Chapter 18Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeks and intermeddleth with all wisdom. A fool has no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself. When the wicked comes, then comes also contempt, and with ignominy reproach. The words of a man's mouth are as deep waters, and the wellspring of wisdom as a flowing brook. It is not good to accept the person of the wicked, to overthrow the righteous in judgment. A fool's lips enter into contention, and his mouth... read more

Joseph Sutcliffe

Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments - Proverbs 18:1-24

Proverbs 18:1 . Through desire a man having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom. יתגלע yithgalâ; this word occurs but thrice, and only in the book of Proverbs; viz. here, and in Proverbs 17:14; Proverbs 20:3. Solomon might have introduced it from some other nation. Rabbi Ezra says, it designates a man who travels for the acquisition of wisdom, and devotes himself to literature. Rabbi Levi gives the word a speculative turn, of one devoted to metaphysical studies,... read more

Joseph Exell

The Biblical Illustrator - Proverbs 18:17

Proverbs 18:17He that is first in his own cause seemeth just.The bias on the side of selfThis proverb touches human life at many points, and human beings feel it touching them. It accords with common experience. It is true to nature--nature fallen and distorted. It does not apply to humanity in innocence. It has no bearing on the new nature in a converted man. This Scripture reveals a crook in the creature that God made upright. Self-love is the twist in the heart within, and self-interest is... read more

John Trapp

John Trapp Complete Commentary - Proverbs 18:17

Proverbs 18:17 [He that is] first in his own cause [seemeth] just; but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him. Ver. 17. He that is first in his own cause seemeth just. ] The first tale is good till the second be heard. How fair a tale told Tertullus for the Jews against Paul, till the apostle came after him, and unstarched the orator’s trim speech? Judges had need to get and keep that ους αδιαβληκτον that Alexander boasted of, to keep one ear clear and unprejudiced, for the defendant; for they... read more

John Trapp

John Trapp Complete Commentary - Proverbs 18:18

Pro 18:18 The lot causeth contentions to cease, and parteth between the mighty. Ver. 18. The lot causeth contentions to cease. ] As it did in Joshua 14:2 , where it is remarkable, that Joshua, that lotted out the land, left none to himself; and that portion that was given him, and he content with it, was but a mean one in the barren mountains. So again in Acts 1:26 , where it is remarkable, that this Joseph, called Barsabas, seeing it was not God’s mind by lot to make choice of him now to... read more

Group of Brands