Tree of Life Version
Proverbs 20:18
18Plans are made by counsel, so wage war with guidance.
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
16Take a man’s garment, who puts up security for a stranger, and hold it in pledge, as security for a foreign woman. 17Bread gained by fraud is sweet to a man, but later his mouth is filled with gravel. Plans are made by counsel, so wage war with guidance. 19A talebearer goes about, revealing secrets, so do not associate with a babbler. 20Whoever curses his father or his mother, his lamp will be snuffed out in utter 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 15:22Plans fail when there is no counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.
- Proverbs 24:6For with wise advice you wage war and in many counselors there is victory.
- Proverbs 25:8do not bring hastily to court, or what will you do afterward, when your neighbor puts you to shame?
- Judges 1:1Now it came to pass after the death of Joshua that Bnei-Yisrael inquired of Adonai saying, “Who will be the first to go up for us against the Canaanites to attack them?”
- Judges 9:29Now, if this people were under my hand, then I would get rid of Abimelech.” So he said to Abimelech, “Muster your army and come out!”
- Judges 20:7Behold, all you sons of Israel, give your advice and counsel here.”
- 2 Samuel 2:26Then Abner called out to Joab and said, “Must the sword devour forever? Don’t you realize how bitter it will be in the end? How long until you order the people to stop pursuing their kinsmen?”
- 2 Chronicles 25:17Then Amaziah king of Judah took counsel and sent this message to Joash son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu, king of Israel saying, “Come, let us meet face to face.”
- Luke 14:31“Or what king, going to make war against another king, won’t first sit down to consider whether he is able with ten thousand to confront the one coming against him with twenty thousand?
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
Tree of Life Version — © 2015 The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society
Commentaries