Proverbs 26:24

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Proverbs 26:24-26

There is cause to complain, not only of the want of sincerity in men's profession of friendship, and that they do not love so well as they pretend nor will serve their friends so much as they promise, but, which is much worse, of wicked designs in the profession of friendship, and the making of it subservient to the most malicious intentions. This is here spoken of as a common thing (Prov. 26:24): He that hates his neighbour, and is contriving to do him a mischief, yet dissembles with his... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 26:24

He that hateth dissembleth with his lips ,.... He that bears a grudge in his mind, and retains hatred in his heart against any person, hides it all he can, till he has an opportunity of showing it as he would; he pretends a great deal of friendship with his lips, that his hatred might not be known; he would be thought to be a friend, when he is really an enemy; he does not choose as yet to make himself known what he is. Some render it to a sense the reverse, "the enemy", or "he that hateth,... 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 26:23-28

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

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 26:24

He that hateth dissembleth with his lips. This and the next verse form a tetrastich. St. Jerome, Labiis suis intelligitur inimicus . But the verb here used, נכר , bears the meaning "to make one's self unknown," as well as "to make one's self known," and hence "to make one's self unrecognizable" by dress or change of countenance ( 1 Kings 14:5 ). This is much more appropriate in the present connection than the other explanation. The man cloaks his hatred with honeyed words. And... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Proverbs 26:24-26

Proverbs 26:24-26. He that hateth dissembleth with his lips Hebrew, ינכר , carries himself like another man, that is, pretends love and kindness; and layeth up deceit within him Means, by counterfeiting kindness, only the more easily and securely to deceive thee. When he speaketh fair Hebrew, יחנן קולו , uses gracious or supplicating language, gives thee the kindest words, and assures thee he is sincere; believe him not Give no credit to his flatteries and professions of esteem and... 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

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Proverbs 26:24

24. dissembleth—though an unusual sense of the word (compare Margin), is allowable, and better suits the context, which sets forth hypocrisy. read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Proverbs 26:1-28

2. Fools and folly ch. 26The analogies in chapter 25 dealt with both wise and foolish conduct, but those in chapter 26 deal mainly with fools and folly. read more

Group of Brands