Proverbs 26:9

As a thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard, so is a parable in the mouth of fools. AS A THORN GOETH UP INTO THE HAND OF A DRUNKARD, SO IS A PARABLE IN THE MOUTH OF FOOLS - as he knows not how to handle a thorn, and grasps it as a staff, whereas the sober take the precaution of fencing themselves with iron in grasping it (2 Samuel 23:6); so a sententious maxim is hurtful to fools themselves, and to others, while they improperly handle them, making it subserve laughter and wantonness....

Better: “As a thorn which is lifted up in the hand of the drunkard” etc. As such a weapon so used may do mischief to the man himself or to others, so may the sharp, keen-edged proverb when used by one who does not understand it....

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...

[AS] A THORN GOETH UP INTO THE HAND OF A DRUNKARD,.... And he perceives it not; or being in his hand he makes an ill use of it, and hurts himself and others with it; SO [IS] A PARABLE IN THE MOUTH OF FOOLS, a proverbial sentence respecting religious matters; or a passage of holy Scripture which either he understands not, and has no spiritual perception of, any more than the drunkard has of the thorn in his hand; or which being used as a pun, or by way of jest, as it is the manner of some to pun upon or jest with the Scripture, hurts himself and others, wounds his own conscience, and ruins the souls of others; for it is dangerous meddling with edge tools, and hard to kick against the pricks; so to do is like a drunken man's handling thorns, which he does without judgment, and to his own prejudice and others. Gussetius x understands this of a fish hook coming up into the hand of a drunkar...

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....

A DRUNKARD: i.e. insensible to. thorn....

As _a thorn goeth up into the hand_ i.e. as a thorn or thornbush taken up by a drunkard wounds himself. This proverb carries the thought of Proverbs 26:7 a step further. A parable, or proverb, in the mouth of fools is not only useless but injurious. They take up a sharp, pointed saying, and instead of turning it to account, only injure themselves with it, as a drunkard pierces his own hand with the thorn which he grasps....

CHAPTER 26 TEXT Proverbs 26:1-9 1. As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, So honor is not seemly for a fool. 2. As a sparrow in her wandering, as the swallow in her flying, So the curse that is causeless alighteth not. 3. A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, And a rod for the back of fools. 4. Answer not a fool according to his folly, Lest thou also be like unto him. 5. Answer a fool according to his folly. Lest he be wise in his own conceit. 6. He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool Cutteth off his own feet, and drinketh in damage. 7. The legs of the lame hang loose; So is a parable in the mouth of fools. 8. As one that bindeth a stone in a sling, So is he that giveth honor to a fool. 9. As a thorn that goet

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