Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Proverbs 18:1

Clarke's Commentary

CHAPTER XVIII

The man who separates himself and seeks wisdom. The fool and

the wicked man. Deep wisdom. Contention of fools. The

talebearer and the slothful. The name of the Lord. Pride and

presumption because of riches. Hastiness of spirit. The wounded

spirit. The influence of gifts. The lot. The offended brother.

The influence of the tongue. A wife a good from God. The true

friend.

NOTES ON CHAP. XVIII

Verse Proverbs 18:1. Through desire a man, having separated himself — The original is difficult and obscure. The Vulgate, Septuagint, and Arabic, read as follows: "He who wishes to break with his friend, and seeks occasions or pretenses, shall at all times be worthy of blame."

My old MS. Bible translates, Occasioun seeketh that wil go awei fro a freend: at al tyme he schal ben wariable.

Coverdale thus: "Who so hath pleasure to sowe discorde, piketh a quarrel in every thinge."

Bible by Barker, 1615: "Fro the desire thereof he will separate himself to seeke it, and occupie himself in all wisdome." Which has in the margin the following note: "He that loveth wisdom will separate himself from all impediments, and give himself wholly to seek it."

The Hebrew: לתאוה יבקש נפרד בכל תושיה יתגלע lethaavah yebakkesh niphrad, bechol tushiyah yithgalla. The nearest translation to the words is perhaps the following: "He who is separated shall seek the desired thing, (i.e., the object of his desire,) and shall intermeddle (mingle himself) with all realities or all essential knowledge." He finds that he can make little progress in the investigation of Divine and natural things, if he have much to do with secular or trifling matters: he therefore separates himself as well from unprofitable pursuits as from frivolous company, and then enters into the spirit of his pursuit; is not satisfied with superficial observances, but examines the substance and essence, as far as possible, of those things which have been the objects of his desire. This appears to me the best meaning: the reader may judge for himself.

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

Real strength (18:1-24)

When people become too confident in their own opinions, they are liable to break away from former friends. They become unreasonable in discussion and blind to the viewpoints of others. Those who despise others will themselves be disgraced (18:1-3). The words of the wise bring refreshment, but those of a fool or a gossip bring destruction (4-8).
Those who leave work undone are almost as bad as those who wreck what already has been done (9). Those who trust in God know they are safe, but those who trust in their wealth only think they are safe. One day they will find that pride leads to disaster. God exalts those who willingly take the lowest place (10-12).
Strength of mind and spirit is more important in the battle of life than strength of body. The wise listen to opinions from all available sources before giving their judgment (13-15). People may try to win a judge’s favour by giving him gifts or telling him only those parts of a story that support their viewpoint. In some cases the only way a judge may be able to settle a dispute is by the drawing of lots (16-18).
People may become strong friends or strong enemies, depending on how they are treated. Words will bring a person good or ill, depending on what they mean and how they are spoken (19-21). True friendship is not easily broken, nor does it make a distinction between the richer partner and the poorer partner. But a good wife is the best friend of all (22-24).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

“He that separateth himself seeketh his own desire, And rageth against all sound wisdom.”

“The Hebrew text of the O.T. here yields no satisfactory sense.”Arthur S. Peake, A Commentary on the Bible (London: T. C. and E. C. Jack, Ltd., 1924), p. 405. Hooke preferred this; “A man who wishes to separate from friends seeks excuses; but at all times he will be liable to reproach.”The Greek Septuagint (LXX). Another various reading is, “The alienated friend seeks an occasion of quarrel to stir up strife.”The Cross-Reference Bible (New York: The Cross-Reference Bible Company, 1910), p. 1145. We shall paraphrase the apparent meaning here: “When any man wishes to separate himself from former friends, he will seek some pretext for doing so; but his behavior is altogether reprehensible.

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

The text and the marginal readings indicate the two chief constructions of this somewhat difficult verse. Other renderings are

(1) He who separateth himself from others seeks his own desire, and rushes forward against all wise counsel: a warning against self-will and the self-assertion which exults in differing from the received customs and opinions of mankind.

(2) he who separates himself (from the foolish, unlearned multitude) seeks his own desire (that which is worthy to be desired), and mingleth himself with all wisdom. So the Jewish commentators generally.

Between (1) blaming and (2) commending the life of isolation, the decision must be that (1) is most in harmony with the temper of the Book of Proverbs; but it is not strange that Pharisaism, in its very name, separating and self-exalting, should have adopted (2).

Smith's Bible Commentary

Chapter 18

Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeks and intermeddleth with all wisdom. A fool has no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself. When the wicked comes, then comes also contempt, and with ignominy reproach. The words of a man's mouth are as deep waters, and the wellspring of wisdom as a flowing brook. It is not good to accept the person of the wicked, to overthrow the righteous in judgment. A fool's lips enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for strokes ( Proverbs 18:1-6 ).

That is, the fool's lips enters into contention, and by his mouth, the strokes is really, is blows.

A fool's mouth is his destruction, his lips are a snare of his soul. The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly. He also that is slothful in his work is a brother to him that is a great waster ( Proverbs 18:7-9 ).

Now Solomon has quite a bit to say about the slothful or the lazy person. The man who is lazy, slothful in his work, he's a brother to him that is a great waster.

The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe ( Proverbs 18:10 ).

What a strong tower the name Jehovah is. How many times we have run into it to find safety.

The rich man's wealth is his strong city, and as a high wall in his own conceit. Before destruction the heart of man is haughty ( Proverbs 18:11-12 ),

That's again, "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before the fall." "Before destruction the heart of man is haughty."

and before honor is humility ( Proverbs 18:12 ).

Humble thyself; He shall exalt thee. Exalt thyself; He'll abase you. So same concept, another proverb.

He that answers a matter before he hears it, it's a folly and a shame ( Proverbs 18:13 ).

So many times we answer a person before we really understand completely what they're asking for. They're starting to explain their situation and we assume that, "Oh, yes, this is what they want to know," and we start giving out all these worthless information.

Like the little child who came in to her mother one day and said, "Mother, where did I come from?" And the mother thought, "Uh-oh, this is it. Time for the story of the birds and the bees and all." She said, "Well, honey, you go outside and play for a little while and then come on in and Mother will tell you." So she sent the little girl out and she got into this psyche books on how to explain the facts of life to your child and all and boned them all up. And then called the little girl in and sat her down and started through and explained to her the whole process of life and procreation and everything else. And she said, "Well, now, honey, do you think you understand?" She said, "Oh yes, Mommy." She said, "The little girl next door said she came from Missouri and I just wondered where I came from."

So it's possible to answer a matter before you really know what the matter is. And he that answers a matter before he hears it, it is folly and a shame to him.

The spirit of a man will sustain his weakness; but a wounded spirit who can bear? ( Proverbs 18:14 )

Oh, how hard it is when your spirit has been wounded. And yet, if you have a strong spirit, how it can bear the infirmities, the weaknesses, the sicknesses.

The heart of the prudent gets knowledge; and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge. A man's gift makes room for him, and brings him before great men ( Proverbs 18:15-16 ).

Actually, he's saying that by giving gifts you can open a lot of doors. It gives a place for you. It will bring you before great men. It actually brought me before Begin last week. I'd never be able to see Begin if we didn't have a gift for him, for Israel.

He that is first in his own cause seems just; but his neighbor comes and searches him. The lot causeth contentions to cease, and parts between the mighty ( Proverbs 18:17-18 ).

So the casting of the lot. You're arguing over this thing. Let's cast lots for it. Stops the argument. It's idea of flipping a coin, you know. Same idea. Let's flip a coin. Can't agree on something, we'll flip a coin. Heads, we will. Tails, we won't. And so it stops the contentions.

A brother who is offended is harder to be won than a strong city ( Proverbs 18:19 ):

So the idea is, don't offend your brother.

and their contentions are like the bars of a castle ( Proverbs 18:19 ).

You can't get through them.

A man's belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; and with the increase of his lips shall he be filled ( Proverbs 18:20 ).

This is, I think, quite an important proverb, the next one.

Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. Whoso findeth a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor of the LORD ( Proverbs 18:21-22 ).

So Solomon found a thousand of them. He surely learned an awful lot about women.

The poor useth entreaties; but the rich answereth roughly ( Proverbs 18:23 ).

The poor man has to entreat; sort of beg.

A man that hath friends must show himself friendly ( Proverbs 18:24 ):

That's basic now. If you want to have friends, you've just got to show yourself friendly. A lot of people complain, "Oh, we don't have any friends." Well, you're not you're not showing yourself friendly. You if you're going to have friends, you've got to just be friendly.

and there is a friend [there is a special friend] who will stick closer than a brother ( Proverbs 18:24 ).

That, of course, is Jesus Christ. That's an important proverb to me. A man to have friends has to show himself friendly. But there is one friend who will stick closer than a brother. "

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

Evidently the intent is, "He who separates himself [from other people]" does so because he wants his own way and does not want others to restrain him. Such an approach runs counter to sound wisdom because we all need input from other people to make wise decisions. It is unwise to be antisocial in the schismatic sense of that word (cf. Genesis 13:11). [Note: Toy, p. 354.]

". . . unfriendliness and unreasonableness are inseparable." [Note: Waltke, The Book . . . 31, p. 69.]

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

3. Friendship and folly ch. 18

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

Through desire a man having separated himself, seeketh,.... Or, "a separated man seeketh desire" g; his own desire, will, and pleasure. This is either to be understood in a good sense, of one that has a real and hearty desire after sound wisdom and knowledge, and seeks in the use of all proper means to attain it; and in order to which he separates himself from the world and the business of it, and retires to his study, and gives up himself to reading, meditation, and prayer; or goes abroad in search of it, as Aben Ezra: or of a vain man that affects singularity; and who, through a desire of gratifying that lust, separates himself, not only from God, as Jarchi interprets it, pursuing his evil imagination and the lust of his heart; and from his friends, as the Septuagint and Arabic versions; but from all men, like the Jews, who "please not God, and are contrary to all men"; so such a man sets himself to despise and contradict the sentiments and opinions of others, and to set up his own in opposition to them. This is true of the Pharisees among the Jews, who had their name from separating themselves from all others, having an high opinion of their own Wisdom and sanctify; and also of the Gnostics among the Christians, who boasted of their knowledge, and separated themselves from the Christian assemblies; and were sensual, not having the Spirit, being vainly puffed up with their fleshly mind;

[and] intermeddleth with all wisdom; the man who is desirous of being truly wise and knowing grasps at all wisdom, every branch of useful knowledge; would gladly learn something of every art and science worthy of regard; and he makes use of all means of improving himself therein; and covets the company and conversation of men of wisdom and knowledge, that he may attain to more; he intermingles himself with men of wisdom, as Aben Ezra interprets it, and walks and converses with them. Or if this is to be understood of a vain glorious person, the sense is, "he intermeddles" or "mingles himself with all business" h, as it may be rendered; he thrusts himself into affairs that do not concern him, and will pass his judgment on things he has nothing to do with; or he monopolizes all knowledge to himself, and will not allow any other to have any share with him. Jarchi interprets this clause thus,

"among wise men his reproach shall be made manifest;''

and observes, that their Rabbins explain it of Lot separating from Abraham, following the desires of his heart: but R. Saadiah Gaon better interprets it of an apostate from religion; that objects to everything solid and substantial, in a wrangling and contentious manner; and "shows his teeth" i at it, as Schultens, from the use of the Arabic word, renders it.

g So the Targum. h בכל תושיה יתגלע "immiscet se omni negotio", Munster; "omnibus quae sunt immiscet se", Junius & Tremellius. i "Et in omne solidum dentes destringei", Schultens.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      1 Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom.

      The original here is difficult, and differently understood. 1. Some take it as a rebuke to an affected singularity. When men take a pride in separating themselves from the sentiments and society of others, in contradicting all that has been said before them and advancing new notions of their own, which, though ever so absurd, they are wedded to, it is to gratify a desire or lust of vain-glory, and they are seekers and meddlers with that which does not belong to them. He seeks according to his desire, and intermeddles with every business, pretends to pass a judgment upon every man's matter. He is morose and supercilious. Those generally are so that are opinionative and conceited, and they thus make themselves ridiculous, and are vexatious to others. 2. Our translation seems to take it as an excitement to diligence in the pursuit of wisdom. If we would get knowledge or grace, we must desire it, as that which we need and which will be of great advantage to us, 1 Corinthians 12:31. We must separate ourselves from all those things which would divert us from or retard us in the pursuit, retire out of the noise of this world's vanities, and then seek and intermeddle with all the means and instructions of wisdom, be willing to take pains and try all the methods of improving ourselves, be acquainted with a variety of opinions, that we may prove all things and hold fast that which is good.