Proverbs 12:26
in Proverbs 12A righteous man is cautious in friendship, but the ways of the wicked lead them astray.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
The righteous is a guide to his neighbor; But the way of the wicked causeth them to err.
KJV
The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour: but the way of the wicked seduceth them.
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This verse in Proverbs 12
Commentary
6 notes on this verseThe righteous is more excellent than his neighbor - That is, if the neighbor be a wicked man. The spirit of the proverb lies here: The Poor righteous man is more excellent than his sinful neighbor, though affluent and noble. The Syriac has it, “The righteous deviseth good to his neighbor.” A late commentator has translated it, “The righteous explore their pastures.” How מרעהו can be translated Their pastures I know not; but none of the versions understood it in this way.
This site's exposition
The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour
on Proverbs 12:26-28
The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour while the way of the wicked leads its own followers astray, and the sluggard proverb that follows draws the same contrast in miniature: he will not even roast what he caught hunting, too lazy to finish what his own labor started, while the diligent man's substance is called precious. The chapter closes on its plainest line, in the way of righteousness is life, and in the pathway thereof there is no death, stated without qualification as the chapter's own summary.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
The way of the wicked will deceive them. When they rejoice in holding their own or seizing others'. Whence it is rightly added:
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
more excellent--(Compare Margin); or, "more successful," while the wicked fail; or, we may read it: "The righteous guides his friend, but," &c., that is, The ability of the righteous to aid others is contrasted with the ruin to which the way of the wicked leads themselves.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Is more excellent than - Rather, the just man guides his neighbor.
The words behind it
6 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| יָתֵ֣ר | yater | he makes a search | H8446 → | |
| מֵרֵעֵ֣הוּ | mereehu | from friend his | H7453 → | 188 times |
| צַדִּ֑יק | tzadik | a righteous [person] | H6662 → | 206 times |
| וְדֶ֖רֶךְ | vederekh | and [the] way of | H1870 → | 707 times |
| רְשָׁעִ֣ים | reshaim | wicked [people] | H7563 → | 263 times |
| תַּתְעֵֽם׃ | tatem | it misleads them | H8582 → | 50 times |
יָתֵ֣רhe makes a search
yaterH8446 →
מֵרֵעֵ֣הוּfrom friend his
mereehuH7453 →188 times
צַדִּ֑יקa righteous [person]
tzadikH6662 →206 times
וְדֶ֖רֶךְand [the] way of
vederekhH1870 →707 times
רְשָׁעִ֣יםwicked [people]
reshaimH7563 →263 times
תַּתְעֵֽם׃it misleads them
tatemH8582 →50 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Proverbs 17:27A man of knowledge restrains his words, and a man of understanding maintains a calm spirit.
it leads to
- James 3:18
Peacemakers who sow in peace reap the fruit of righteousness.
- James 1:19
My beloved brothers, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger,
- Proverbs 10:19
When words are many, sin is unavoidable, but he who restrains his lips is wise.
- Proverbs 14:29
A patient man has great understanding, but a quick-tempered man promotes folly.
- Proverbs 15:28
The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer, but the mouth of the wicked blurts out evil.
- James 3:18
Through
1 John 2:26I have written these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you.
it leads to
- 2 Peter 2:1–3
Now there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them—bringing swift destruction on…
- 2 John 1:7
For many deceivers have gone out into the world, refusing to confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist.
- Acts 20:29–30
I know that after my departure, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock.
- 2 Peter 2:1–3
About Proverbs
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bede, Commentary on Proverbs; Charles Bridges, An Exposition of the Book of Proverbs; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament and John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763).