Proverbs 18:6

A fool's lips enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for strokes. A FOOL'S LIPS ENTER INTO CONTENTION, AND HIS MOUTH CALLETH FOR STROKES - by his contentiousness of mouth he brings "strokes" on himself....

The first verse speaks of the immediate, the others of the remote, results of the “fool’s” temper. First, “contention,” then “strokes” or blows, then “destruction,” and last, “wounds.” Proverbs 18:8 WOUNDS - The word so rendered occurs here and in Proverbs 26:22 only. Others render it “dainties,” and take the verse to describe the avidity with which people swallow in tales of scandal. They find their way to the innermost recesses of man’s nature....

EXPOSITION PROVERBS 18:1 This is a difficult verse, and has obtained various interpretations. The Authorized Version gives, THROUGH DESIRE A MAN, HAVING SEPARATED HIMSELF, SEEKETH AND INTERMEDDLETH WITH ALL WISDOM; _i.e. _a man who has an earnest desire for self-improvement will hold himself aloof from worldly entanglements, and, occupying himself wholly in this pursuit, will become conversant with all wisdom. This gives good sense, and offers a contrast to the fool in Proverbs 18:2, who "hath no delight in understanding." But the Hebrew does not rightly bear this interpretation. Its conciseness occasions ambiguity. Literally, _For his desire a man who separates himself seeks_;_ in _(or _against_) all wisdom he mingles

A FOOL'S LIPS ENTER INTO CONTENTION,.... That is, between others, when he has nothing to do with it; but he must be meddling, and make himself a party in the contention, which is an argument of his folly; he says things which occasion disputes, raise contentions among men, and provoke to wrath and anger. The Septuagint version is, "the lips of a fool lead him to evils": for, as they lead him to contention and strife, the issue of that is confusion and every evil work; AND HIS MOUTH CALLETH FOR STROKES: as he stirs up and encourages contention, so he proceeds to blows, and excites others to them; from words he goes to blows, and, by the ill and provoking language of his mouth, gets many a blow to himself. Jarchi seems to understand it of chastisement, from the hand of God; see Proverbs 26:3....

CHAPTER 18 PROVERBS OF PERSONAL INSTRUCTION There is first a warning against separation produced by desire, that is for gratification and pleasure, and not for a righteous purpose. Such a one becomes an enemy of true wisdom and one who intermeddleth with all wisdom. This proverb finds a New Testament illustration in Alexander the coppersmith, as well as Hymenaeus and Philetus, and Diotrephes of whom John writes in his epistle. A fool foams out his own folly. This proverb in Proverbs 18:2 is illustrated by many of the critics of the Bible. They have no delight in true understanding but their own hearts are laid bare by their mad oppositions to God's Holy Word. The fool's mouth, his lips, the talebearer (whisperer), and the slothful are the themes of the proverbs in Proverbs 18:6. Then we read

PROVERBS 18:1. MT yields no satisfactory sense. The LXX reads The man who wishes to separate from his friends seeks pretexts, but is always liable to reproach. Frankenberg renders the alienated friend seeks an occasion (emending the word for - desire-'), seeks by all means to stir up strife. Proverbs 18:4. RV translates correctly, but the sense is strange. Read, perhaps, The words of the wise are deep waters, a flowing brook, a fountain of life, but this is conjecture rather than emendation. Proverbs 18:5. _cf._ Proverbs 17:26, which may have originally followed this verse....

LIPS. Put by Figure of speech _Metonymy_ (of Cause), for what is spoken by them. MOUTH. See above note. Illustrations: Judges 8:4. 2Ki 2:23, 2 Kings 2:24; Luke 19:22....

_enter into_ The Heb. may mean either "come into," or "come with," "bring" (R.V. marg.). _strokes_ Or, STRIPES, R.V., as the same Heb. word is rendered in Proverbs 19:29, the only other place in which it occurs. Some, however, take "calleth for" to mean "provokes," "causes." "Os ejus jurgia provocat," Vulg.; "In causa est ut a verbis ad verbera veniatur," Maur., which accords with "bring" contention, if that be adopted in the first clause....

CHAPTER 18 TEXT Proverbs 18:1-12 1. He that separateth himself seeketh his own desire, And rageth against all sound wisdom. 2. A fool hath no delight in understanding, But only that his heart may reveal itself. 3. When the wicked cometh, there cometh also contempt, And with ignominy cometh reproach. 4. The words of a man's mouth are as deep waters; The wellspring of wisdom is as a flowing brook. 5. To respect the person of the wicked is not good, Not to turn aside the righteous in judgment. 6. A fool's lips enter into contention, And his lips are the snare of his soul. 7. A fool's mouth is his destruction, And his lips are the snare of his soul. 8. The words of a whisperer are as dainty morsels, And they go down into the innermost parts.

18:6 into (l-5) Or 'bring.'...