Matthew Henry's Concise Bible Commentary

Proverbs 26

Commentaries

Proverbs 26:1 Honour is out of season to those unworthy and unfit for it. MHBC 655.1

Proverbs 26:2 He that is cursed without cause, the curse shall do him no more harm than the bird that flies over his head. MHBC 655.2

Proverbs 26:3 Every creature must be dealt with according to its nature, but careless and profligate sinners never will be ruled by reason and persuasion. Man indeed is born like the wild ass's colt; but some, by the grace of God, are changed. MHBC 655.3

Proverbs 26:4,5 We are to fit our remarks to the man, and address them to his conscience, so as may best end the debate. MHBC 655.4

Proverbs 26:6-9 Fools are not fit to be trusted, nor to have any honour. Wise sayings, as a foolish man delivers and applies them, lose their usefulness. MHBC 655.5

Proverbs 26:10 This verse may either declare how the Lord, the Creator of all men, will deal with sinners according to their guilt, or, how the powerful among men should disgrace and punish the wicked. MHBC 655.6

Proverbs 26:11 The dog is a loathsome emblem of those sinners who return to their vices, 2 Peter 2:22. MHBC 655.7

Proverbs 26:12 We see many a one who has some little sense, but is proud of it. This describes those who think their spiritual state to be good, when really it is very bad. MHBC 655.8

Proverbs 26:13 The slothful man hates every thing that requires care and labour. But it is foolish to frighten ourselves from real duties by fancied difficulties. This may be applied to a man slothful in the duties of religion. MHBC 655.9

Proverbs 26:14 Having seen the slothful man in fear of his work, here we find him in love with his ease. Bodily ease is the sad occasion of many spiritual diseases. He does not care to get forward with his business. Slothful professors turn thus. The world and the flesh are hinges on which they are hung; and though they move in a course of outward services, yet they are not the nearer to heaven. MHBC 655.10

Proverbs 26:15 The sluggard is now out of his bed, but he might have lain there, for any thing he is likely to bring to pass in his work. It is common for men who will not do their duty, to pretend they cannot. Those that are slothful in religion, will not be at the pains to feed their souls with the bread of life, nor to fetch in promised blessings by prayer. MHBC 655.11

Proverbs 26:16 He that takes pains in religion, knows he is working for a good Master, and that his labour shall not be in vain. MHBC 655.12

Proverbs 26:17 To make ourselves busy in other men's matters, is to thrust ourselves into temptation. MHBC 655.13

Proverbs 26:18,19 He that sins in jest, must repent in earnest, or his sin will be his ruin. MHBC 655.14

Proverbs 26:20-22 Contention heats the spirit, and puts families and societies into a flame. And that fire is commonly kindled and kept burning by whisperers and backbiters. MHBC 655.15

Proverbs 26:23 A wicked heart disguising itself, is like a potsherd covered with the dross of silver. MHBC 655.16

Proverbs 26:24-26 Always distrust when a man speaks fair unless you know him well. Satan, in his temptations, speaks fair, as he did to Eve; but it is madness to give credit to him. MHBC 655.17

Proverbs 26:27 What pains men take to do mischief to others! but it is digging a pit, it is rolling a stone, hard work; and they prepare mischief to themselves. MHBC 655.18

Proverbs 26:28 There are two sorts of lies equally detestable. A slandering lie, the mischief of this every body sees. A flattering lie, which secretly works ruin. A wise man will be more afraid of a flatterer than of a slanderer. MHBC 655.19