Proverbs 26:4
Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like to him.
A Conservative Version
In The King James Version
Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.
In Context
3A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the back of fools.
5Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.
Cross References
Judges 12:1And the men of Ephraim were gathered together, and passed northward. And they said to Jephthah, Why did thou pass over to fight against the sons of Ammon, and did not call us to go with thee? We will burn thy house upon thee with f
1 Kings 12:14and spoke to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke. My father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.
2 Kings 14:8Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash, the son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, Come, let us look each other in the face.
Proverbs 26:5Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.
1 Peter 2:21For ye were called for this. Because Christ also suffered for us, leaving you an example, so that ye should follow his footsteps.
Jude 1:9But Michael the arch-agent, when he disputed with the devil, contending about the body of Moses, dared not bring a railing judgment, but said, May Lord rebuke thee.
Matthew Henry on Proverbs 26:4
3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the fool's back. Here, 1. Wicked men are compared to the horse and the ass, so brutish are they, so unreasonable, so unruly, and not to be governed but by force or fear, so low has sin sunk men, so much below themselves. Man indeed is born like the wild ass's colt, but as some by the grace of God are changed, and become rational, so others by custom in sin are hardened, and become more and more sottish, as the horse and the mule, Ps. xxxii. 9 . 2.… Read the whole commentary →