Proverbs 25:26
in Proverbs 25Like a muddied spring or a polluted well is a righteous man who gives way to the wicked.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
As a troubled fountain, and a corrupted spring, So is a righteous man that giveth way before the wicked.
KJV
A righteous man falling down before the wicked is as a troubled fountain, and a corrupt spring.
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This verse in Proverbs 25
Commentary
6 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Falling down before - i. e., Yielding and cringing. To see this instead of stedfastness, is as grievous as for the traveler to find the spring at which he hoped to quench his thirst turbid and defiled.
This site's exposition
Like cold water to a weary soul
on Proverbs 25:25-26
"Like cold water to a weary soul is good news from a distant land" pictures relief across distance, a traveler's report at last arrived. The next verse turns the image dark: "Like a muddied spring or a polluted well is a righteous man who gives way to the wicked."
This site's exposition
Like a muddied spring or a polluted well
The righteous man is meant to be a clear spring. Albert Barnes reads the giving way as yielding and cringing, as grievous as a traveler finding the spring he hoped to drink from muddied. Verse 25 pictured cold water to a weary soul, and this verse fouls that same water.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
"A muddied spring, and a corrupt fountain," etc. The mouth and tongue of the just are the spring and fountain of life, which meditates wisdom and speaks judgment. And if it happens that this is overcome by the devil and brought to a fall, then …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
A righteous man falling dozen before the wicked,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
From troubled fountains and corrupt springs no healthy water is to be had, so when the righteous are oppressed by the wicked, their power for good is lessened or destroyed.
The words behind it
8 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| מַעְיָ֣ן | ma'yan | a spring | H4599 → | 23 times |
| נִ֭רְפָּשׂ | nirpos | fouled | H7515 → | |
| וּמָק֣וֹר | umakor | and a fountain | H4726 → | 18 times |
| מָשְׁחָ֑ת | mashechat | ruined | H7843 → | 146 times |
| צַ֝דִּ֗יק | tzadik | a righteous [person] | H6662 → | 206 times |
| מָ֣ט | mat | [who] sways | H4131 → | 38 times |
| לִפְנֵֽי־ | lifnei- | <to> before | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| רָשָֽׁע׃ | rasha' | a wicked [person] | H7563 → | 263 times |
מַעְיָ֣ןa spring
ma'yanH4599 →23 times
נִ֭רְפָּשׂfouled
nirposH7515 →
וּמָק֣וֹרand a fountain
umakorH4726 →18 times
מָשְׁחָ֑תruined
mashechatH7843 →146 times
צַ֝דִּ֗יקa righteous [person]
tzadikH6662 →206 times
מָ֣ט[who] sways
matH4131 →38 times
לִפְנֵֽי־<to> before
lifnei-H6440 →2123 times
רָשָֽׁע׃a wicked [person]
rasha'H7563 →263 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
1 Thessalonians 2:15who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and drove us out as well. They are displeasing to God and hostile to all men,
it leads to
- Matthew 5:12
Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets before you.
- Acts 7:52
Which of the prophets did your fathers fail to persecute? They even killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One. And now you are His betrayers and murderers—
- Luke 11:48–53
So you are witnesses consenting to the deeds of your fathers: They killed the prophets, and you build their tombs.
- Matthew 5:12
Through
Genesis 4:8Then Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let us go out to the field.” And while they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.
it leads to
- Matthew 23:35
And so upon you will come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and…
- 1 John 3:12–15
Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did Cain slay him? Because his own deeds were evil, while those of his brother were righteous.
- Jude 1:11
Woe to them! They have traveled the path of Cain; they have rushed headlong into the error of Balaam; they have perished in Korah’s rebellion.
- Proverbs 26:24–26
A hateful man disguises himself with his speech, but he lays up deceit in his heart.
- Luke 11:51
from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, all of it will be charged to this generation.
- Matthew 23:35
Where this verse is studied
About Proverbs
This page draws on 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).