Proverbs 26:21
As dead coals at quick coals, and trees at the fire, [or As dead coals to quick coals, and wood to fire]; so a wrathful man (that) raiseth chidings. (Like dead coals to burning coals, and wood to fire, is an angry person who raiseth up arguments, or strife.)
Wycliffe Modern Spelling
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 20:1Also it befelled, that a man of Belial was there, Sheba by name, the son of Bichri, a man of the generation of Benjamin; and he sounded with a trump, and said, No part is to us in David, neither heritage in the son of Jesse; thou Israel, turn again into thy tabernacles. (And it befell, that a man of Belial was there, named Sheba, the son of Bichri, a man of the tribe of Benjamin; and he sounded with a trumpet, and said, There is no part for us with David, nor inheritance with the son of Jesse; O Israel, return to thy homes!)
1 Kings 12:20Forsooth it was done, when all Israel had heard that Jeroboam [was] turned again, they sent, and called him, when the company was gathered together, and they made him king upon all Israel; and no man followed the house of David, except the lineage alone of Judah. (And so it was done, when all Israel had heard that Jeroboam had returned, they sent for him, and when the people were gathered together, they made him king upon all Israel; and no man followed the house of David, except the tribe of Judah.)
Proverbs 10:12Hatred raiseth up chidings; and charity covereth all sins. (Hatred raiseth up arguments, or strife; but love covereth all sins.)
Proverbs 29:22A wrathful man stirreth chidings; and he that is light to have indignation, shall be more inclined to sins. (An angry person stirreth up arguments; and he who is quick to have indignation, shall be more inclined to sin.)
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 →