Proverbs 26:9

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Proverbs 26:6-9

To recommend wisdom to us, and to quicken us to the diligent use of all the means for the getting of wisdom, Solomon here shows that fools are fit for nothing; they are either sottish men, who will never think and design at all, or vicious men, who will never think and design well. 1. They are not fit to be entrusted with any business, not fit to go on an errand (Prov. 26:6): He that does but send a message by the hand of a fool, of a careless heedless person, one who is so full of his jests... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 26:9

As a thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard ,.... And he perceives it not; or being in his hand he makes an ill use of it, and hurts himself and others with it; so is a parable in the mouth of fools , a proverbial sentence respecting religious matters; or a passage of holy Scripture which either he understands not, and has no spiritual perception of, any more than the drunkard has of the thorn in his hand; or which being used as a pun, or by way of jest, as it is the manner of... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 26:1-9

Honouring the unworthy There are different ways in which we may honour men, whether the wise or the unwise. We may I. ITS PAINFUL INCONGRUITY . "As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honour is not seemly for a fool." To hear a fool attempting lamely to discourse wisdom is suggestive of the motion of a man whose "legs are not equal." For the post of honour to be occupied by one who has disgraced himself by guilty foolishness, or who has neglected his opportunities, and is... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 26:1-12

Certain proverbs concerning the fool ( kesil ), with the exception, perhaps, of Proverbs 26:2 (see on Proverbs 1:22 ). read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 26:4-12

Discussion of folly and its treatment I. How we ANSWER THE FOOL . ( Proverbs 26:4 , Proverbs 26:5 .) 1 . Not according to his folly; i . e . so chiming in with his nonsense that yon become as he is. Do not descend into the arena with a fool. Preserve self-respect, and observe the conduct of the Saviour when to folly he "answered not again." 2 . According to his folly; that is, with the sharp and cutting reply his folly invites and deserves. We have also... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 26:9

As a thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard. There is here no idea of the drunkard's hand being pierced with a thorn while he is insensible to the pain, but rather of his being armed with it, and ripe for mischief. So it is best to render, "A thornbush cometh into the hand of a drunkard;" he somehow gets possession of it, and in his stupid excitement is liable to become dangerous. Some understand עלה of the growth of the thorn; thus the Septuagint, "Thorns grow in the hand of a... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Proverbs 26:9

Proverbs 26:9. As a thorn, &c. “It is as dangerous for a fool to meddle with a proverb as for a drunkard to handle a thorn, wherewith he hurts himself: but the sharpest saying no more touches a fool with any compunction, though spoken by his own mouth, than the drunkard feels the thorn when it runs into his hand and gives him a grievous wound.” Bishop Patrick. 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 26:9

a drunkard: i.e. insensible to a thorn. read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Proverbs 26:9

9. As vexatious and unmanageable as a thorn in a drunkard's hand is a parable to a fool. He will be as apt to misuse is as to use it rightly. read more

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