Proverbs 18

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 18:1-9

Unsocial vices There is an inner connection between them all. I. MISANTHROPY . ( Proverbs 18:1 .) If this verse be more correctly rendered, this is the meaning yielded. From a diseased feeling the man turns aside to sullen solitude, and thus rejects wisdom. This affords a fine meaning. It is one thing to feel the need of occasional solitude, another to indulge the passion for singularity. II. OBTRUSIVENESS . ( Proverbs 18:2 .) Contrast Proverbs 18:4 . The talkative fool... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 18:2

A fool hath no delight in understanding. This may mean that he takes no pleasure in the wisdom of others, is self-opinionated; or, it may be, does not care for understanding in itself, apart from the use which he can make of it. Vulgate, "The fool receives not the words of wisdom;" Septuagint, "A man of no sense has no need of wisdom." To try to teach a fool is to cast pearls before swine, and to give that which is holy unto dogs. But that his heart may discover itself; i.e. his only... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 18:2

(See homily on Proverbs 17:16 , Proverbs 17:24 .)—C. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 18:3

When the wicked cometh, then cometh also contempt. The contempt here spoken of is not that with which the sinner is regarded, but that which he himself learns to feel for all that is pure and good and lovely ( Psalms 31:18 ). As the LXX . interprets, "When the wicked cometh into the depth of evil, he despiseth," he turns a despiser. So the Vulgate. Going forward in evil, adding sin to sin, he end by casting all shame aside, deriding the Law Divine and human, and saying in his heart,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 18:4

The words of a man's mouth are as deep waters. "Man" ( ish ) here means the ideal man in all his wisdom and integrity, just as in Proverbs 18:22 the ideal wife is intended under the general term "wife." Such a man's words are as deep waters which cannot be fathomed or exhausted. The metaphor is common (see Proverbs 20:5 ; Ecclesiastes 7:24 ; Ec 21:13). For "mouth," the Septuagint reads "heart:" "Deep water is a word in a man's heart." The second hemistich explains the first: The... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 18:4

The utterances of wisdom Taking the sense of this passage to be continuous and not antithetical, and understanding it to refer to the utterances of the wisdom which is from above, we notice their constant characteristics, viz.— I. THEIR DEPTH . The words which come from the mouth of wisdom are "as deep waters." How shallow is much, if not most, that is spoken in our hearing! It strikes no deeper than "the hour's event," than the mere gilding of our life; it only extends to the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 18:5

It is not good to accept the person of the wicked. To "accept the person" is to show partiality, to be guided in judgment, not by the facts of a case, or the abstract principles of right or wrong, but by extraneous considerations, as a man's appearance, manners, fortune, family. (For the expression, comp. Le Proverbs 19:15 ; Deuteronomy 1:17 ; and in our book, Proverbs 24:23 ; Proverbs 28:21 .) The Septuagint phrase is θαυμάσαι πρόσωπον , which St. Jude adopts ( Jude 1:16 ).... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 18:6

A fool's lips enter into contention; literally, come with quarrel (comp. Psalms 66:13 ); i.e. they lead him into strife and quarrels; miscent se rixis, Vulgate; "lead him into evils," Septuagint. The foolish man meddles with disputes in which he is not concerned, and by his silly interference not only exposes himself to reprisals, but also exacerbates the original difficulty. His mouth calleth for strokes. His words provoke severe punishment, "stripes for his back," as it is said... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 18:7

The results of the fool's disposition and actions are further noted. A fool's mouth is his destruction (comp. Proverbs 10:15 ; Proverbs 13:9 ; Ecclesiastes 10:12 ). A mediaeval adage pronounces, "Ex lingua stulta veniunt incommoda multa." His lips are the snare of his soul; bring his life into danger (see on Proverbs 12:13 ; comp. Proverbs 13:14 ; Proverbs 14:27 ; Proverbs 17:28 ). So St. Luke ( Luke 21:35 ) speaks of the last day, coming upon men like "a snare ( παγίς ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 18:8

The words of a tale bearer are as wounds. Nergan , "tale bearer," is better rendered "whisperer" (see on Proverbs 16:28 ). The Authorized Version reminds one of the mediaeval jingle— "Lingua susurronis Est pejor felle draconis." The verse recurs in Proverbs 26:22 ; but the word rendered "wounds" ( mitlahamim ) is to be differently explained. It is probably the hithp. participle of laham, " to swallow," and seems to mean "dainty morsels," such as one eagerly swallows. Thus... read more

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