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 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

17The first one to plead his cause seems right, Until his neighbor comes and examines him. 18Casting lots causes contentions to cease, And keeps the mighty apart. A brother offended is harder to win than a strong city, And contentions are like the bars of a castle. 20A man’s stomach shall be satisfied from the fruit of his mouth; From the produce of his lips he shall be filled. 21Death and life are in the power of the tongue, 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 speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren.
• Genesis 4:5but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell.
• Genesis 27:41So Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father blessed him, and Esau said in his heart, “The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then I will kill my brother Jacob.”
• Genesis 32:6Then the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, “We came to your brother Esau, and he also is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him.”
• Genesis 37:3Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age. Also he made him a tunic of many colors.
• 2 Samuel 13:22And Absalom spoke to his brother Amnon neither good nor bad. For Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar.
• 1 Kings 2:23Then King Solomon swore by the Lord, saying, “May God do so to me, and more also, if Adonijah has not spoken this word against his own life!
• 1 Kings 12:16Now when all Israel saw that the king did not listen to them, the people answered the king, saying: “What share have we in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse. To your tents, O Israel! Now, see to your own house, O David!” So Israel departed to their tents.
• 2 Chronicles 13:17Then Abijah and his people struck them with a great slaughter; so five hundred thousand choice men of Israel fell slain.
• Acts 15:39Then the contention became so sharp that they parted from one another. And so Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus;
• Proverbs 16:32He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, And he who rules his spirit than he 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)
• Proverb

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