Proverbs 26:21
As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife.
JPS TaNaKH 1917
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
20Where no wood is, the fire goeth out; and where there is no whisperer, contention ceaseth.
Cross References
2 Samuel 20:1Now there happened to be there a base fellow, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite; and he blew the horn, and said: 'We have no portion in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse; every man to his tents, O Israel.'
1 Kings 12:20And it came to pass, when all Israel heard that Jeroboam was returned, that they sent and called him unto the congregation, and made him king over all Israel; there was none that followed the house of David, but the tribe of Judah only.
Proverbs 10:12Hatred stirreth up strifes; but love covereth all transgressions.
Proverbs 29:22An angry man stirreth up strife, and a wrathful man aboundeth in transgression.
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 →