Proverbs 17:18 kjv

A man void of understanding striketh hands, and becometh surety in the presence of his friend.

Proverbs 17:18 nkjv

A man devoid of understanding shakes hands in a pledge, And becomes surety for his friend.

Proverbs 17:18 niv

One who has no sense shakes hands in pledge and puts up security for a neighbor.

Proverbs 17:18 esv

One who lacks sense gives a pledge and puts up security in the presence of his neighbor.

Proverbs 17:18 nlt

It's poor judgment to guarantee another person's debt
or put up security for a friend.

Proverbs 17 verses

Proverbs 17 18 Meaning

Proverbs 17:18 reveals a fundamental principle of biblical wisdom concerning financial prudence and discernment. It states that a person lacking sound judgment or "understanding" impulsively enters into a guarantee or security agreement for another, often a friend, thus putting their own assets and well-being at risk. The verse serves as a stern warning against thoughtlessly pledging one's future or resources as surety for someone else's debt, as such actions often lead to ruin for the guarantor, particularly one who fails to perceive the associated dangers or is unable to bear the potential consequences.

Proverbs 17 18 Context

Proverbs 17:18 is nestled within a larger collection of wisdom sayings, each a concise observation designed to instruct listeners in practical righteousness and successful living according to God's ways. The chapter broadly addresses various aspects of moral conduct, relationships, communication, and discernment, often contrasting the wise with the foolish. This specific verse warns against an ill-considered financial practice prevalent in ancient Near Eastern society: suretyship, or acting as a guarantor for another person's debt. In a world without formal banking institutions, private loans were common, and a handshake or verbal agreement, sometimes formalized, was often enough to establish one person's pledge of security for another's loan. This advice flows from the pervasive theme in Proverbs that wisdom brings prosperity and security, while folly leads to downfall and ruin. It encourages individual responsibility and foresight over impulsive, potentially self-destructive, acts, even if motivated by a misguided sense of loyalty to a "friend."

Proverbs 17 18 Word analysis

• A man void of understanding: In Hebrew, חֲסַר לֵב (chasar lev).

  • Chasar (חסר): meaning "lacking," "deficient," or "missing."
  • Lev (לֵב): While often translated as "heart," in Hebrew thought, the "lev" encompasses the entire inner person—intellect, will, emotion, moral capacity, and discernment. Therefore, "void of understanding" means lacking practical wisdom, foresight, and sound judgment necessary for making prudent decisions, especially financial ones. This person fails to grasp the consequences of their actions.

• strikes hands: Hebrew תּוֹקֵעַ כָּף (toqea kaph).

  • Toqea (תּוֹקֵעַ): "strikes," "claps," or "thrusts."
  • Kaph (כָּף): "palm" or "hand."
  • This phrase refers to a specific, culturally recognized gesture symbolizing a binding agreement, a pledge, or a solemn contract in the ancient world, akin to shaking hands to seal a deal today. It signifies entering into a firm commitment.

• in a security, and becomes surety: Hebrew עֹרֵב עֲרֻבָּה (orev arubbah) for the first part and then עֹרֵב (orev) for the second verb.

  • Orev (עֹרֵב) (verb): "to act as guarantor," "to pledge oneself," "to be responsible for."
  • Arubbah (עֲרֻבָּה) (noun): "a pledge," "security," "something given as a guarantee."
  • This phrase emphasizes the legal and financial commitment being made. The repetition, using both the noun and the verb from the same root ('rb), serves to underscore the act of becoming a guarantor—taking on the financial liability for another person's debt.

• in the presence of his friend: Hebrew לִפְנֵי רֵעֵהוּ (lifnei re'ehu).

  • Lifnei (לִפְנֵי): "before," "in the presence of."
  • Re'ehu (רֵעֵהוּ): "his friend," "his neighbor," "his companion."
  • This implies the relationship with the debtor and suggests the agreement might be made out of misplaced trust, loyalty, or even social pressure. It also hints at the public or known nature of such agreements.

• Words-group analysis:

  • "A man void of understanding strikes hands in a security": This phrase directly links a lack of discernment with the rash act of formalizing a financial guarantee. It highlights that the problem isn't the act of helping, but the absence of wisdom behind the commitment. The one without understanding enters into a formal pledge.
  • "strikes hands in a security, and becomes surety": The verse employs a degree of parallelism and slight redundancy to reinforce the gravity and binding nature of the act. Both clauses describe the same folly: making a commitment to stand financially responsible for another. This emphasis solidifies the warning against this particular type of financial exposure. The action of striking hands solidifies the agreement to "become surety" – an unbreakable commitment for the lack-of-understanding person.

Proverbs 17 18 Bonus section

This proverb, alongside many others on the subject of suretyship, implicitly stands in contrast to common societal pressures to uphold familial or communal bonds unconditionally. While mutual support is valued, Proverbs consistently prioritizes prudent stewardship and individual responsibility, often placing boundaries on "help" that might become ruinous folly. The "friend" aspect adds a layer, as emotional ties can often cloud rational judgment. The book of Proverbs encourages shrewdness and self-control, teaching that true charity does not undermine one's own household but enables continued giving from a position of stability. This concept prefigures New Testament principles of good stewardship (e.g., Matt 25:14-30, the Parable of the Talents) and order within the family and community. In the grand biblical narrative, only God, and specifically Christ (Heb 7:22), can serve as the ultimate, absolutely reliable Surety and Guarantor for humanity, for He possesses infinite understanding and boundless resources, unlike any "man void of understanding."

Proverbs 17 18 Commentary

Proverbs 17:18 is a concise yet powerful warning rooted in pragmatic wisdom about personal financial responsibility. It illustrates that sound financial decisions are fundamentally tied to one's discernment, not merely intelligence. A person "void of understanding" — lacking common sense, foresight, and the ability to calculate risk — thoughtlessly puts themselves on the hook for another's debt. This isn't a condemnation of generosity or helping others, but rather a sharp caution against foolishly jeopardizing one's own well-being through irresponsible pledges, even for a "friend." The act of "striking hands" underscores the solemn, legally binding nature of such an agreement in the ancient world. The counsel repeatedly given in Proverbs to avoid suretyship without proper security or discernment reflects a divinely ordered principle of stewardship: each individual should manage their own resources wisely and avoid imprudent financial entanglements that can lead to destitution and bondage. Wisdom teaches not just kindness, but prudent kindness that doesn't imperil one's ability to care for self and family (1 Tim 5:8).

• Examples:
  • A young man pledges his savings or even house as collateral for a friend's business loan, without truly understanding the friend's financial stability or the market risks.
  • Someone cosigns a significant loan for a relative who has a history of financial irresponsibility, believing it’s an act of loyalty, but without counting the cost of their own potential liability.
  • An individual makes an open-ended verbal guarantee to cover any debt for a casual acquaintance, without clearly defined limits or the means to fulfill such an expansive promise.