Proverbs 26:21

Proverbs 26:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife.
• New International Version (NIV)As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife.
• New King James Version (NKJV)As charcoal is to burning coals, and wood to fire, So is a contentious man to kindle strife.
• New Living Translation (NLT)A quarrelsome person starts fights as easily as hot embers light charcoal or fire lights wood.

Context of Proverbs 26:21

19is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, "I am only joking!" 20For lack of wood the fire goes out, and where there is no whisperer, quarreling ceases. As charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife. 22The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels; they go down into the inner parts of the body. 23Like the glaze covering an earthen vessel are fervent lips with an evil heart.

Proverbs 26:21 word by word

פֶּחָ֣ם לְ֭גֶחָלִים וְעֵצִ֣ים לְאֵ֑שׁ וְאִ֥ישׁ מִ֝דְיָנִ֗ים לְחַרְחַר־רִֽיב׃ פRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• coalsפֶּחָםpechâm · coalH6352
• to burning coalsגַּחֶ֫לֶתgechel gacheleth · coalH1513
• and woodעֵץ‛êts · tree: woodH6086
• to fireאֵשׁ'êsh · fireH784
• a contentiousמָדוֹןmâdôn · strifeH4066
• a contentiousמִדְיָןmidyân · contentionH4079
• manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• to kindleחָרַרchârar · to scorchH2787
• strifeרִיבrîyb rib · strifeH7379

Cross-references for Proverbs 26:21

• Proverbs 10:12Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses.
• Proverbs 15:18A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger quiets contention.
• Proverbs 29:22A man of wrath stirs up strife, and one given to anger causes much transgression.
• Ezekiel 22:9There are men in you who slander to shed blood, and people in you who eat on the mountains; they commit lewdness in your midst.

Commentaries on Proverbs 26:21

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21Coals - Charcoal.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 26:21

• Speaking
• Strife
• Talebearer

In the dictionaries

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

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