#oldtestament #proverbs #proverbs26 #bible #Biblestudy # Proverbs 26 > [!info] Table of Contents > [[#📜 Scripture Text (NET)]] [[#📖 Verse-by-Verse Commentary]] [[#🧠 Chapter Summary]] [[#🔎 Key Observations / 🛟 Life Application]] [[#✍️ Key Verses to Remember]] > [[#🤔 Interesting Facts]] [[#🔗 Related Passages]] [[#🙏 Devotional Reflection]] >[[Proverbs Overview]] --- ## 📜 Scripture Text (NET) Honor is no more associated with fools     than snow with summer or rain with harvest. 2 Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow,     an undeserved curse will not land on its intended victim. 3 Guide a horse with a whip, a donkey with a bridle,     and a fool with a rod to his back! 4 Don’t answer the foolish arguments of fools,     or you will become as foolish as they are. 5 Be sure to answer the foolish arguments of fools,     or they will become wise in their own estimation. 6 Trusting a fool to convey a message     is like cutting off one’s feet or drinking poison! 7 A proverb in the mouth of a fool     is as useless as a paralyzed leg. 8 Honoring a fool     is as foolish as tying a stone to a slingshot. 9 A proverb in the mouth of a fool     is like a thorny branch brandished by a drunk. 10 An employer who hires a fool or a bystander     is like an archer who shoots at random. 11 As a dog returns to its vomit,     so a fool repeats his foolishness. 12 There is more hope for fools     than for people who think they are wise. 13 The lazy person claims, “There’s a lion on the road!     Yes, I’m sure there’s a lion out there!” 14 As a door swings back and forth on its hinges,     so the lazy person turns over in bed. 15 Lazy people take food in their hand     but don’t even lift it to their mouth. 16 Lazy people consider themselves smarter     than seven wise counselors. 17 Interfering in someone else’s argument     is as foolish as yanking a dog’s ears. 18 Just as damaging     as a madman shooting a deadly weapon 19 is someone who lies to a friend     and then says, “I was only joking.” 20 Fire goes out without wood,     and quarrels disappear when gossip stops. 21 A quarrelsome person starts fights     as easily as hot embers light charcoal or fire lights wood. 22 Rumors are dainty morsels     that sink deep into one’s heart. 23 Smooth words may hide a wicked heart,     just as a pretty glaze covers a clay pot. 24 People may cover their hatred with pleasant words,     but they’re deceiving you. 25 They pretend to be kind, but don’t believe them.     Their hearts are full of many evils. 26 While their hatred may be concealed by trickery,     their wrongdoing will be exposed in public. 27 If you set a trap for others,     you will get caught in it yourself. If you roll a boulder down on others,     it will crush you instead. 28 A lying tongue hates its victims,     and flattering words cause ruin. --- ## 📖 Verse-by-Verse Commentary Each verse is important. --- ## 🤔 Interesting Facts - This chapter contains multiple proverbs that mock or expose the fool, often through irony and satire. - Verses 4 and 5 appear contradictory on purpose, highlighting the nuance required when dealing with fools. - The “lazy man” is depicted with humorous extremes, such as putting his hand in a dish but not bringing it to his mouth (v. 15). - Gossip is likened to tasty morsels that go down deep, a powerful metaphor about the danger of slander (v. 22). - It warns about those who disguise hate with flattery or charm, pointing to hidden motives (vv. 23–28). --- ## 🧠 Chapter Summary **Main Teaching**: Proverbs 26 offers sharp warnings about the foolish, lazy, and deceitful, using vivid analogies to show the dangers of folly and the destruction caused by gossip and meddling. It highlights the futility of arguing with fools and the ruin of repeating folly. **How It Fits in Proverbs**: This chapter continues the focus on practical wisdom in speech and relationships, especially regarding social conflict and character discernment. It reinforces Proverbs’ emphasis that folly is both dangerous and contagious. **Apologetic Insight**: Proverbs 26 underscores the moral reality of human foolishness, rejecting the idea that all perspectives deserve equal weight. It also supports a biblical anthropology that recognizes the fallen nature of people and the need for wisdom grounded in truth, not ego or emotion. --- ## 🔎 Key Observations / 🛟 Life Application - 📌 Fools repeat their mistakes like a dog returning to its vomit. - 📌 Gossip and slander fuel conflict and division. - 📌 Engaging with a fool often leads to more folly. #### Today, I can apply this chapter by: - ✅ Don’t waste time arguing with foolish people online or in person. - ✅ Avoid returning to bad habits—break the cycle with intentional choices. - ✅ Be cautious when giving advice—make sure it’s not enabling harmful behavior. - ✅ Don’t pretend to be nice while harboring bitterness in your heart. - ✅ Let your actions prove your wisdom more than your words. --- ## ✍️ Key Verses to Remember **📖 Proverbs 26:11** “As a dog returns to its vomit, so fools repeat their folly.” - **Why it matters**: A vivid image of what it looks like to return to destructive habits. It’s a warning to break harmful cycles. --- ## 🔗 Related Passages - 🔗 2 Thessalonians 3:11–12 – “We hear that some among you are idle and disruptive…” - 🔗 Titus 3:10 – “Warn a divisive person once… then have nothing to do with them.” - 🔗 Proverbs 11:13 – “A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy person keeps a secret.” --- ## 🙏 Devotional Reflection Write 3–6 sentences reflecting on: - How this chapter encourages your faith, - Convicts your heart, - Reveals God's character. Optional format: "In light of this chapter, I am challenged to..." or "I am comforted by..." --- ## 🛤 Life Application **Today, I can apply this chapter by:** - ✅ Application 1 - ✅ Application 2 Make these very practical: - "Trust God's timing in an uncertain situation." - "Speak truth even when it’s unpopular." --- ## 📂 Tags