Proverbs 26:21
Black coal to burning blocks, and wood to fire, so is a contentious man, for kindling strife.
The Emphasised Bible by J. B. Rotherham
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 a fire is quenched, and, where there is no tattler, strife is hushed.
22the words of a tattler, are dainties, they, therefore go down into the chambers of the inner man.
Cross References
2 Samuel 20:1Now, in that place, there happened to be an abandoned man, whose name, was Sheba son of Bichri, a man of Benjamin,—so he blew a horn, and said—We have no share in David, Nor inheritance have we in the son of Jesse, Every man to his home, O Israel!
1 Kings 12:20And it came to pass, when all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, that they sent and called him into the assembly, and made him king over all Israel,—there were none that followed the house of David, saving the tribe of Judah only.
Proverbs 10:12Hatred, stirreth up strifes, but, over all transgressions, love throweth a covering.
Proverbs 29:22A man given to anger, stirreth up strife, and, he that exceedeth in wrath, 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 →