Proverbschapter 18
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Summary
Chapter summary
'He that separateth himself seeketh his own desire, and rageth against all sound wisdom.' The name of Jehovah is a strong tower: 'the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.' A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city. 'Death and life are in the power of the tongue.' He that giveth answer before he heareth, it is folly and shame unto him. 'Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favor of Jehovah.' There is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.
Context
Poetry · Solomon, Agur, Lemuel — Proverbs overview
- A. 1–12 The Name of Jehovah Is a Strong Tower
- B. 13–24 Death and Life Are in the Power of the Tongue
The outline
A.The Name of Jehovah Is a Strong Towervv. 1 to 12
Read vv. 1 to 12 →B.Death and Life Are in the Power of the Tonguevv. 13 to 24
Read vv. 13 to 24 →
The world behind this chapter
Proverbs 18The history
"The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe." A tower was the last refuge in a fortified town — a thick-walled keep, sometimes at the gate, where people fled when the wall was breached. Every hearer knew what it was to look up at one and know that was where you would run.
"He that is first in his own cause seemeth just; but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him." This is courtroom procedure at the gate: the plaintiff spoke first, and his account sounded airtight until the other man arrived and cross-examined it. The proverb is a rule for elders and for anyone who hears one side of a story.
"The lot causeth contentions to cease, and parteth between the mighty." When two powerful families deadlocked and no evidence settled it, the case went to the lot — which nobody could bribe and both had agreed in advance to accept.
"A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city: and their contentions are like the bars of a castle." The picture is of a gate barred from the inside with heavy timber or bronze bars. You do not talk your way through that; the siege of a family quarrel could outlast the people in it.
What it meant to them
"Death and life are in the power of the tongue" was heard by people whose reputation was decided by talk at the gate and whose court cases were decided by testimony. Words really did kill.
And the chapter's line about the rich man's wealth being "his strong city, and as an high wall in his own conceit" is placed near the tower verse on purpose. Two refuges are on offer; only one of them is actually there when the wall is breached.
Sources cited
- Roland de Vaux, Ancient Israel: Its Life and Institutions
- John H. Walton, Victor H. Matthews, Mark W. Chavalas, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament
The text of this chapter
This page carries no textual note on Proverbs 18. Where this site has examined a place the manuscripts differ, the examination is in the manuscripts room. Every place this site examines →
This page draws on Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory and Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary.