Proverbs 18:7

A fool's mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul. A FOOL'S ... LIPS (ARE) THE SNARE OF HIS SOUL. He is ruined by his own recklessness and wantonness of speech....

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 MOUTH [IS] HIS DESTRUCTION,.... The cause of it; for his contentions, and quarrels, and evil speaking, lawsuits are commenced against him, which bring ruin upon himself and his family now; as well as for his idle and wicked words he will be condemned hereafter, Matthew 12:35; there is a world of iniquity in the mouth and tongue of a wicked man, which bring destruction upon himself and others, James 3:6; AND HIS LIPS [ARE] THE SNARE OF HIS SOUL; from speaking in his own defence, he says things which should not be said, and by which he is entangled yet more and more; he is caught by his own words and condemned by them; or his loquacity, in which he delights, is a snare unto him to say things which neither become him, nor are for his advantage, but the contrary; see...

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....

SOUL. OWN SELF. Hebrew. _nephesh._ App-13....

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.

1. Lit. 'One who separates himself seeks desire, quarrels with all wisdom.' This would mean that a solitary recluse follows his own wishes and opposes everything reasonable. But LXX suggests, 'The alienated friend seeks an occasion of quarrel, seeks by all means to stir up strife.'...

LESSONS ABOUT WISDOM PROVERBS _KEITH SIMONS_ CHAPTER 18 V1 An unfriendly man is selfish. He is not sensible. V2 A fool does not like knowledge. A fool likes to speak his own opinions. V3 The words ‘evil’ and ‘hate’ belong together. The words ‘shame’ and ‘punishment’ belong together....