Proverbs 26:21
Like breath on coals and wood on fire, so a man given to argument gets a fight started.
Bible in Basic English
In The King James Version
As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife.
In Context
20Without wood, the fire goes out; and where there is no secret talk, argument is ended.
Cross References
2 Samuel 20:1Now by chance there was present a good-for-nothing person named Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite: and he, sounding the horn, said, We have no part in David, or any interest in the son of Jesse: let every man go to his tent, O Israel.
1 Kings 12:20Now when all Israel had news that Jeroboam had come back, they sent for him to come before the meeting of the people, and made him king over Israel: not one of them was joined to the family of David but only the tribe of Judah.
Proverbs 10:12Hate is a cause of violent acts, but all errors are covered up by love.
Proverbs 29:22An angry man is the cause of fighting, and a man given to wrath does much wrong.
Matthew Henry on Proverbs 26:21-23
20 Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth. 21 As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife. 22 The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly. Contention is as a fire; it heats the spirit, burns up all that is good, and puts families and societies into a flame. Now here we are told how that fire is commonly kindled and kept burning, that we may avoid the occasions… Read the whole commentary →