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.
• 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.
• New Living Translation (NLT)An offended friend is harder to win back than a fortified city. Arguments separate friends like a gate locked with bars.

Context of Proverbs 18:19

17In a lawsuit the first to speak seems right, until someone comes forward and cross-examines. 18Casting the lot settles disputes and keeps strong opponents apart. A brother wronged is more unyielding than a fortified city; disputes are like the barred gates of a citadel. 20From the fruit of their mouth a person’s stomach is filled; with the harvest of their lips they are satisfied. 21The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.

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 pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.
• Genesis 4:5but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.
• Genesis 27:41Esau held a grudge against Jacob because of the blessing his father had given him. He said to himself, “The days of mourning for my father are near; then I will kill my brother Jacob.”
• Genesis 32:6When the messengers returned to Jacob, they said, “We went to your brother Esau, and now he is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him.”
• Genesis 37:3Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made an ornate robe for him.
• 2 Samuel 13:22And Absalom never said a word to Amnon, either good or bad; he hated Amnon because he had disgraced his sister Tamar.
• 1 Kings 2:23Then King Solomon swore by the Lord: “May God deal with me, be it ever so severely, if Adonijah does not pay with his life for this request!
• 1 Kings 12:16When all Israel saw that the king refused to listen to them, they answered the king: “What share do we have in David, what part in Jesse’s son? To your tents, Israel! Look after your own house, David!” So the Israelites went home.
• 2 Chronicles 13:17Abijah and his troops inflicted heavy losses on them, so that there were five hundred thousand casualties among Israel’s able men.
• Acts 15:39They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus,
• Proverbs 16:32Better a patient person than a warrior, one with self-control than one who takes 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