God’s Word Translation
Proverbs 20:18
18Plans are confirmed by getting advice, and with guidance one wages war.
Proverbs 20:18 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Every purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice make war.
- New International Version (NIV)Plans are established by seeking advice; so if you wage war, obtain guidance.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Plans are established by counsel; by wise guidance wage war.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Plans are established by counsel; By wise counsel wage war.
Context of Proverbs 20:18
16Hold on to the garment of one who guarantees a stranger’s loan, and hold responsible the person who makes a loan on behalf of a foreigner. 17Food gained dishonestly tastes sweet to a person, but afterwards his mouth will be filled with gravel. Plans are confirmed by getting advice, and with guidance one wages war. 19Whoever goes around as a gossip tells secrets. Do not associate with a person whose mouth is always open. 20The lamp of the person who curses his father and mother will be snuffed out in total darkness.
Read all of Proverbs 20Proverbs 20:18 word by word
מַ֭חֲשָׁבוֹת בְּעֵצָ֣ה תִכּ֑וֹן וּ֝בְתַחְבֻּל֗וֹת עֲשֵׂ֣ה מִלְחָמָֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Proverbs 20:18
- Proverbs 15:22Without advice plans go wrong, but with many advisers they succeed.
- Proverbs 24:6After all, with the right strategy you can wage war, and with many advisers there is victory.
- Proverbs 25:8Do not be in a hurry to go to court. What will you do in the end if your neighbor disgraces you?
- Judges 1:1After Joshua’s death the Israelites asked the Lord, “Who will go first to fight the Canaanites for us?”
- Judges 9:29How I wish I controlled these people! Then I’d get rid of Abimelech. I would tell him, ‘Get yourself a big army and come out.’ ”
- Judges 20:7All you people of Israel, tell me what you think. Give me your advice right now!”
- 2 Samuel 2:26Then Abner called to Joab, “Should this slaughter go on forever? Don’t you know this will end in bitterness? How long will it be before you will call off your troops from chasing their relatives?”
- 2 Chronicles 25:17After getting advice ⌞from his advisers⌟, King Amaziah of Judah sent messengers to King Jehoash, son of Jehoahaz and grandson of Jehu of Israel, to declare war on Israel.
- Luke 14:31“Or suppose a king is going to war against another king. He would first sit down and think things through. Can he and his 10,000 soldiers fight against a king with 20,000 soldiers?
Commentaries on Proverbs 20:18
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18With good advice make war, - Perhaps there is not a precept in this whole book so little regarded as this. Most of the wars that are undertaken are wars of injustice, ambition, aggrandizement, and caprice, which can have had no previous good counsel. A minister, who is perhaps neither a good nor a great man, counsels his king to make war; the cabinet must be brought into it, and a sufficient number out of the states of the kingdom gained over to support…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 18Verse 18 Especially we need advice in spiritual warfare. The word and Spirit of God are the best counsellors in every point.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1818. (Compare Pr 15:22). Be careful and considerate in important plans.Read the comment
Topics related to Proverbs 20:18
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Proverbs 20
- 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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
Commentaries