Proverbs 26:23

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Proverbs 26:23

This may be meant either, 1. Of a wicked heart showing itself in burning lips, furious, passionate, outrageous words, burning in malice, and persecuting those to whom, or of whom, they are spoken; ill words and ill-will agree as well together as a potsherd and the dross of silver, which, now that the pot is broken and the dross separated from the silver, are fit to be thrown together to the dunghill. 2. Or of a wicked heart disguising itself with burning lips, burning with the professions of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 26:23

Burning lips, and a wicked heart ,.... Either burning with wrath and malice; breathing out threatenings and slaughter; pursuing men with reproaches and slanders, arising from a wicked heart: or rather, burning with profession of love to God, and affection to good men; with great pretensions of kindness, and promises of good things, when their hearts are wicked, and they design noticing less; say one thing with their lips, with the greatest show of affection and sincerity, and mean another in... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Proverbs 26:23

Burning lips and a wicked heart - Splendid, shining, smooth lips; that is, lips which make great professions of friendship are like a vessel plated over with base metal to make it resemble silver; but it is only a vile pot, and even the outside is not pure. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 26:17-28

A series of proverbs connected more or less with peacefulness and its opposite. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 26:20-28

Spite, cunning, and deceit I. THE TALE BEARER AND MISCHIEF MAKER . ( Proverbs 26:20-22 .) 1 . His inflammatory character . ( Proverbs 26:20 , Proverbs 26:21 .) He keeps alive quarrels which, but for his vice, would die down for want of fuel. It is easy to fire the imagination with tales of evil, not so easy to quench the flames thus kindled. If the character is odious, let us beware of countenancing it by opening our ears to scandal. Personal gossip has in our day... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 26:23

The next proverbs are concerned with hypocrisy. The Hebrew denotes the comparison simply by position (see on Proverbs 25:11 ), thus: An earthen vessel (or, potsherd ) overlaid with silver dross — growing lips and a wicked heart. So called "silver dross" is litharge, an oxide of lead used to this day to put a glaze on pottery (comp. Ecclesiasticus 38:30). The comparatively worthless article is thus made to assume a fine appearance. Thus lips that seem to burn with affection, and give... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 26:23-28

On guard Unfortunately, we have to treat men as we find them, not as we wish that they were and as their Creator meant them to be. We are compelled to learn caution as we pass on our way. I. OUR FIRST DUTY AND ITS NATURAL REWARD . Our first duty, natural to the young and the unsophisticated, is to be frank, open-minded, sincere, trustful; to say all that is in our heart, and to expect others to do the same; to believe that men mean what they say and say what they mean.... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Proverbs 26:23

Proverbs 26:23. Burning lips Either, 1st, Lips pretending much love, that is, words delivered with a show of truth and fervent affection; or, rather, 2d, Burning with malice or hatred; that is, a slanderous or evil tongue; and a wicked heart From whence evil thoughts and malicious words proceed; are like a potsherd covered with silver dross Such a tongue and heart are of no real worth, although sometimes they make a show of it, as dross does of silver. read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Proverbs 26:1-28

Fools and troublemakers (26:1-28)Only a fool honours a fool, and only a fool curses another without cause. Such a curse cannot come true (26:1-2). People with wisdom know on which occasions to ignore a fool and on which occasions to answer him (3-5). Fools cannot be trusted. For them, proverbs are as useless as paralysed legs, and honour is as useless as a stone tied to the sling that is supposed to throw it out (6-8). Fools with a little knowledge can be dangerous. As employees, they can... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Proverbs 26:23

Burning lips: i.e. warm professions. silver dross. Figure of speech Hypallage ( App-6 ). Hebrew = silver of dross. read more

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