Proverbs 26:20

Proverbs 26:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.
• New International Version (NIV)Without wood a fire goes out; without a gossip a quarrel dies down.
• English Standard Version (ESV)For lack of wood the fire goes out, and where there is no whisperer, quarreling ceases.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Where there is no wood, the fire goes out; And where there is no talebearer, strife ceases.

Context of Proverbs 26:20

18Like a madman who throws Firebrands, arrows, and death, 19So is the man who deceives his neighbor (acquaintance, friend) And then says, “Was I not joking?” For lack of wood the fire goes out, And where there is no whisperer [who gossips], contention quiets down. 21Like charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire, So is a contentious man to kindle strife. 22The words of a whisperer (gossip) are like dainty morsels [to be greedily eaten]; They go down into the innermost chambers of the body [to be remembered and mused upon].

Proverbs 26:20 word by word

בְּאֶ֣פֶס עֵ֭צִים תִּכְבֶּה־אֵ֑שׁ וּבְאֵ֥ין נִ֝רְגָּ֗ן יִשְׁתֹּ֥ק מָדֽוֹן׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Where noאֶ֫פֶס'ephes · endH657
• woodעֵץ‛êts · tree: woodH6086
• the fireאֵשׁ'êsh · fireH784
• goeth outכָּבָהkâbâh · to quenchH3518
• no talebearerנִרְגָּןnirgân · whispererH5372
• the strifeמָדוֹןmâdôn · strifeH4066
• ceasethשָׁתַקshâthaq · be quietH8367

Cross-references for Proverbs 26:20

• Proverbs 26:22The words of a whisperer (gossip) are like dainty morsels [to be greedily eaten]; They go down into the innermost chambers of the body [to be remembered and mused upon].
• Proverbs 16:28A perverse man spreads strife, And one who gossips separates intimate friends.
• Proverbs 22:10Drive out the scoffer, and contention will go away; Even strife and dishonor will cease.
• James 3:6And the tongue is [in a sense] a fire, the very world of injustice and unrighteousness; the tongue is set among our members as that which contaminates the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life [the cycle of man’s existence], and is itself set on fire by hell (Gehenna).

Commentaries on Proverbs 26:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out - The tale-receiver and the tale-bearer are the agents of discord. If none received the slander in the first instance, it could not be propagated. Hence our proverb, "The receiver is as bad as the thief." And our laws treat them equally; for the receiver of stolen goods, knowing them to be stolen, is hanged, as well as he who stole them.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 20-22Verses 20-22 Contention heats the spirit, and puts families and societies into a flame. And that fire is commonly kindled and kept burning by whisperers and backbiters.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20-21A gossip and a quarrelsome person both add fuel to the fire of trouble and conflict.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 20-2120-21. The talebearers foster (Pr 16:28), and the contentious excite, strife.Read the comment

Topics related to Proverbs 26:20

• Slander
• Speaking
• Strife
• Talebearer

In the dictionaries

• Causeless
• Conceit
• Kindle
• Render
• Seemly
• Sport
• Talebearer
• Hezekiah (2)
• Proverbs, the Book of
• Tale

Commentaries on Proverbs 26

• 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