Proverbs 26:21
Putting charcoal on burning coals or putting wood on a fire causes the fire to keep burning; similarly, people who like to quarrel cause people to keep arguing.
Translation for Translators
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
Cross References
2 Samuel 20:1There was a man there at Gilgal named Sheba. He was a man who always caused trouble. He was from the tribe of Benjamin and was the son of Bichri. He blew a trumpet and called out, “We have nothing to do with [DOU] David, that son of Jesse! So, men of Israel, let’s go to our homes!”
1 Kings 12:20When the Israeli people heard that Jeroboam had returned from Egypt, they invited him to come to a meeting, and there they appointed him to be the king of Israel. Only the people of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin continued to be loyal to the kings descended from King [MTY] David.
Proverbs 10:12When we hate others, it causes quarrels, but if we love others, we forgive them for the wrong things that they do.
Proverbs 29:22Those who quickly become angry cause many arguments, and they also commit many sins.
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 →