Proverbs 18:19

Proverbs 18:19 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city: and their contentions are like the bars of a castle.
• New International Version (NIV)A brother wronged is more unyielding than a fortified city; disputes are like the barred gates of a citadel.
• English Standard Version (ESV)A brother offended is more unyielding than a strong city, and quarreling is like the bars of a castle.
• New King James Version (NKJV)A brother offended is harder to win than a strong city, And contentions are like the bars of a castle.

Context of Proverbs 18:19

17The first one to plead his case seems right, Until another comes and cross-examines him. 18To cast lots puts an end to quarrels And decides between powerful contenders. A brother offended is harder to win over than a fortified city, And contentions [separating families] are like the bars of a castle. 20A man’s stomach will be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; He will be satisfied with the consequence of his words. 21Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it and indulge it will eat its fruit and bear the consequences of their words.

Proverbs 18:19 word by word

אָ֗ח נִפְשָׁ֥ע מִקִּרְיַת־עֹ֑ז וּ֝מִדְיָנִ֗ים כִּבְרִ֥יחַ אַרְמֽוֹן׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• A brotherאָח'âch · brother: male-siblingH251
• offendedפָּשַׁעpâsha‛ · to transgressH6586
• than a strongעֹז‛ôz ‛ôz · strengthH5797
• cityקִרְיָהqiryâh · townH7151
• contentionsמָדוֹןmâdôn · strifeH4066
• contentionsמִדְיָןmidyân · contentionH4079
• like the barsבְּרִיחַberîyach · barH1280
• of a castleאַרְמוֹן'armôn · citadel: fortressH759

Cross-references for Proverbs 18:19

• Proverbs 6:19A false witness who breathes out lies [even half-truths], And one who spreads discord (rumors) among brothers.
• Genesis 4:5but for Cain and his offering He had no respect. So Cain became extremely angry (indignant), and he looked annoyed and hostile.
• Genesis 27:41So Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father blessed him; and Esau said in his heart, “The days of mourning for my father are very near; then I will kill my brother Jacob.”
• Genesis 32:6The messengers returned to Jacob, saying, “We went to your brother Esau, and now he is coming to meet you, and there are four hundred men with him.”
• Genesis 37:3Now Israel (Jacob) loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age; and he made him a [distinctive] multicolored tunic.
• 2 Samuel 13:22But Absalom did not speak to Amnon either good or bad; for Absalom hated Amnon because he had violated his sister Tamar.
• 1 Kings 2:23Then King Solomon swore by the Lord, saying, “May God do the same to me, and more also, if Adonijah has not requested this [deplorable] thing against his own life.
• 1 Kings 12:16So when all [the ten northern tribes of] Israel saw that the king did not listen to them, the people replied to the king, saying, “What portion do we have in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse; To your tents, O Israel! Look now after your own house, David!” Then Israel went back to their tents.
• 2 Chronicles 13:17Abijah and his people inflicted on them a great defeat, so that 500,000 chosen men of Israel fell slain.
• Acts 15:39And it became such a sharp disagreement that they separated from one another, and Barnabas took [John] Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus.
• Proverbs 16:32He who is slow to anger is better and more honorable than the mighty [soldier], And he who rules and controls his own spirit, than he who captures a city.

Commentaries on Proverbs 18:19

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 19A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city - Almost all the versions agree in the following reading: "A brother assisted by a brother, is like a fortified city; and their decisions are like the bars of a city." Coverdale is both plain and terse: "The unitie of brethren is stronger then a castell, and they that holde together are like the barre of a palace." The fable of the dying father, his sons, and the bundle of faggots, illustrates this…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 19The meaning of the first clause is obtained in the King James Version by the insertion of the words in italics, and it seems on the whole to be the best. The Septuagint and Vulgate give an entirely different rendering, based, apparently, upon a different text.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 19Verse 19 Great care must be taken to prevent quarrels among relations and those under obligations to each other. Wisdom and grace make it easy to forgive; but corruption makes it difficult.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1919. No feuds so difficult of adjustment as those of relatives; hence great care should be used to avoid them.Read the comment

Topics related to Proverbs 18:19

• Castle
• Family
• Strife

In the dictionaries

• Brother
• Contention
• Innermost
• Offend
• Slothful
• Snare
• Stick
• Waster
• Bar (2)
• Offence; Offend

Commentaries on Proverbs 18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings