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

17You will always believe the first person to speak in court, until the other person starts to ask him questions. 18If two powerful people have an argument, you may have to throw dice to decide who is right. If you insult a relative, it will be difficult to become friends with him again. Arguments keep people apart, like the walls of a strong city. 20If you speak words that help people, they are like good food. 21Words have the power to bring life or death. So be careful if you talk a lot!

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 person who tells lies in court. A person who causes trouble in a family.
• Genesis 4:5But God was not pleased with Cain and his gift. So Cain became very angry. His face looked sad.
• Genesis 27:41Because Isaac had blessed Jacob, Esau hated his younger brother Jacob. Esau said quietly, ‘My father will die soon. When we have buried his body, I will kill my brother.’
• Genesis 32:6When the men returned, they said to Jacob, ‘We went to your brother Esau. Now he is coming to meet you and he has 400 men with him.’
• Genesis 37:3Jacob loved Joseph more than he loved any of his other sons. This was because Joseph was born when Jacob was old. So Jacob made a special coat for Joseph.
• 2 Samuel 13:22But Absalom would not say anything to Amnon, good or bad. He hated Amnon because he had brought shame on his sister, Tamar.
• 1 Kings 2:23Then King Solomon made this strong promise in the Lord's name. He said, ‘Because Adonijah has asked to have Abishag as his wife, I will certainly punish him with death. If I do not do that, I pray that God will punish me instead!
• 1 Kings 12:16All the Israelites realized that the king refused to listen to them. So they said to the king, ‘We can no longer serve the family of Jesse's son, David! Israelites, go back to your homes! You descendant of David, take care of your own family!’ So the Israelites went to their homes.
• 2 Chronicles 13:17Abijah and his army killed many of the Israel soldiers. 500,000 of Israel's best soldiers died.
• Acts 15:39Paul and Barnabas argued strongly about this. They could not agree, so they went in different directions. Barnabas took John Mark with him and they sailed to Cyprus.
• Proverbs 16:32A person who is patient is better than a brave soldier. If you can control your anger, you can win any battle.

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