Proverbs 26:17

He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife belonging not to him, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears. HE THAT PASSETH BY, (AND) MEDDLETH WITH [OR AS THE HITHPAEL OF `aabar (H5674 ) MEANS (CF. MARGIN), 'IS IN A TRANSPORT OF RAGE WITH'] STRIFE (BELONGING) NOT TO HIM, (IS LIKE) ONE THAT TAKETH A DOG BY THE EARS. Needless and uncalled for, and especially angry intermeddling with the quarrels of others not only does no good, but brings mischief on the meddler; as if one caught a dog by the ears, and so gotten himself bitten for his pains. On the other hand, wise interposition as a mediator, for the sake of peace, is altogether right....

Verse Proverbs 26:17. _HE THAT PASSETH BY_] This proverb stands true _ninety-nine_ times out of a _hundred_, where people meddle with _domestic broils_, or differences between _men_ and their _wives_....

EXPOSITION PROVERBS 26:1 Certain proverbs concerning the fool (_kesil_),_ _with the exception, perhaps, of Proverbs 26:2 (see on Proverbs 1:22). PROVERBS 26:1 AS SNOW IN SUMMER, AND AS RAIN IN HARVEST. Snow in summer would be quite unnatural and unheard of (see on Proverbs 25:13). Rain falls in the usual course of things only at stated times; whence arose the phrase of "the early and of latter rains" (see on...

HE THAT PASSETH BY, AND MEDDLETH WITH STRIFE [BELONGING] NOT TO HIM,.... One that going along the streets, and passing by the door, where two or more persons are quarrelling, and he thrusts himself in and intermeddles in the affair he has no concern in; and interests himself in the cause of the quarrel he has nothing to do with, on account of acquaintance, relation, or office; and especially when, instead of being a mediator and peacemaker, he takes on one side, and acts the angry part, as Aben Ezra interprets the word rendered "meddleth"; blows things up into a greater flame, and enrages the one against the other. Such a man [IS LIKE] ONE THAT TAKETH A DOG BY THE EARS; which are short, and difficult to be held, and tender; and therefore cannot bear to be held by them, especially to be pulled and lugged by them, and which is very provoking; and as such a man has work enough to do to hol...

CHAPTER 26 CONCERNING THE FOOL AND THE SLUGGARD Eleven times we meet the word fool in this chapter. Three different words are used in the Hebrew for fool. The first is “avil” which signifies weakness. The second word “kesil” occurs nearly fifty times, means fat or dense. The third word is the Hebrew “nabal,” which is derived from the verb to fade, or to wither; it means a vulgar, bad man who has given himself over to wickedness. The natural man in his condition, his darkened mind, his sinfulness answers to much that is said about the fool in this book. As snow in summer and rain at harvest time are quiteimpossible in Palestine, so is honor for a fool. A fool may utter a curse, as they often do, and wish something evil, but being causeless, it will not be fulfilled. The fool needs correction, the stripes for his back, he deserves no answer, and if he is answered it must be according to hi...

THE BOOK OF FOOLS. A section containing a series of synthetic couplets dealing with folly (except Proverbs 26:2). The text is unusually corrupt and defective. PROVERBS 26:1. For the opposite use of snow in harvest _cf._ Proverbs 25:13 *. Proverbs 26:2. Directed against the superstitious belief in the magical value of a curse. The simile refers to the aimless wandering of a bird, and is not to be compared with the flying roll of curses in Zechariah 5:1....

MEDDLETH. vexeth himself....

_meddleth_ Rather, VEXETH HIMSELF, R.V. See Proverbs 20:2, where the same word is rendered, _provoketh to anger_, A.V. and R.V. text, or _angereth himself against_, R.V. marg. Of course in this place the "meddling" is implied as the consequence of his "vexing himself." He is provoked to interfere. By neglecting the Heb. accents the word rendered _passeth by_is transferred in R.V. margin to the dog: "_a passing dog_." But the force of the proverb lies in the fact that the man who is provoked to interfere is a mere _passer by;_the strife in no way belongs to him. _the ears_ The LXX. substitute, _the tail_: ὁ κρατῶν κέρκον κυνός. The meaning in either case is, he deserves to be bitten for his pains. "The Latin proverbial phrase, -auribus lupum tenere," may be noticed for its curious parallelism." _Speaker's Comm_....

TEXT Proverbs 26:9-19 9. As a thorn that goeth up into the hand of a drunkard, So is a parable in the mouth of fools. 10. As an archer that woundeth all, So is he that hireth a fool and he that hireth them that pass by. 11. As a dog that returneth to his vomit, So is a fool that repeateth his folly. 12. Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? There is more hope of a fool than of him. 13. The sluggard saith, There is a lion in the way; A lion is in the streets. 14. As the door turneth upon its hinges, So doth the sluggard upon his bed. 15. The sluggard burieth his hand in the dish; It wearieth him to bring it again to his mouth. 16. The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit Than seven men that can render a reason. 17. He that pa

FOOLS. SLUGGARDS. TALKERS 1-12. The vv. refer chiefly to fools....