Proverbs 26 21

Proverbs 26:21 kjv

As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife.

Proverbs 26:21 nkjv

As charcoal is to burning coals, and wood to fire, So is a contentious man to kindle strife.

Proverbs 26:21 niv

As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife.

Proverbs 26:21 esv

As charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.

Proverbs 26:21 nlt

A quarrelsome person starts fights
as easily as hot embers light charcoal or fire lights wood.

Proverbs 26 21 Cross References

VerseTextReference
Prov 10:12Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses.Love mitigates strife.
Prov 15:18A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger quiets contention.Anger fuels contention.
Prov 16:28A dishonest man spreads strife, and a whisperer separates close friends.Deception and gossip lead to division.
Prov 17:14The beginning of strife is like releasing water; therefore check a quarrel before it overflows.Strife can escalate rapidly if unchecked.
Prov 17:19Whoever loves transgression loves strife; he who makes his door high seeks destruction.Those who love wrong also love conflict.
Prov 22:10Drive out a scoffer, and strife will go out; quarrels and insults will cease.Removing troublemakers restores peace.
Prov 28:25A greedy man stirs up strife, but whoever trusts in the LORD will be enriched.Greed as a source of contention.
Prov 29:22A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, and a furious man commits many transgressions.Hot temper causes repeated conflict.
Prov 30:33For pressing milk produces curds, and pressing the nose produces blood, and pressing anger produces strife.Anger naturally results in strife.
Rom 1:29They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice... full of envy, murder, strife...Strife listed as a characteristic of unrighteousness.
1 Cor 1:11...that there is quarreling among you, my brothers.Presence of strife within the church.
1 Cor 3:3For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh...?Strife indicates spiritual immaturity.
Gal 5:20...idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions...Strife as a work of the flesh.
Phil 2:3Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.Humility prevents selfish strife.
1 Tim 6:4...he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions.Wrong motives lead to constant quarrels.
Tit 3:9But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless.Avoid unprofitable debates that lead to strife.
Jas 3:16For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.Jealousy and ambition are roots of disorder.
Prov 18:6A fool's lips walk into a fight, and his mouth invites blows.Foolish speech ignites conflict.
Prov 25:8Do not hastily bring an action into court, for what will you do in the end...Caution against rushing into disputes.
2 Tim 2:23Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies that only engender quarrels.Avoid arguments that breed disputes.
Prov 6:14with perverted heart, he devises evil, continually sowing discord.Wicked individuals actively sow discord.
Prov 6:19...one who sows discord among brothers.God abhors those who cause division.

Proverbs 26 verses

Proverbs 26 21 Meaning

Proverbs 26:21 illustrates the natural inclination of a contentious person to fuel strife, much like wood fuels a fire or charcoal maintains embers. The verse highlights that certain individuals are predisposed to stir up conflict, escalating minor disagreements or latent tensions into full-blown quarrels and divisions within a community. It underscores the destructive potential of such individuals who actively perpetuate and intensify discord, transforming peace into turmoil by their very presence and actions.

Proverbs 26 21 Context

Proverbs 26 falls within a section of proverbs collected and copied by "the men of Hezekiah" (Prov 25:1). This chapter predominantly addresses the foolish person (kesil) and various aspects of their behavior, particularly how they deal with words, arguments, and reputation. It contains many parallels between destructive natural forces and human folly, highlighting how foolish or contentious individuals can be as harmful and uncontrollable as a wildfire or dangerous animal. Verse 21 fits this theme by likening a contentious person to the fuel that intensifies strife, drawing a clear analogy between a physical fire and relational discord. The chapter provides wisdom on how to interact with fools—or, often, how not to interact with them—to avoid escalating problems.

Proverbs 26 21 Word analysis

  • As charcoal (כִּפֶּחָם - kippecham) for coals (לְגַחֶל - legachel):
    • Pecham refers to charcoal, a highly combustible fuel made by heating wood in the absence of oxygen.
    • Gachel (plural gechalim) denotes burning embers or live coals.
    • Significance: This pair signifies the process of active ignition and sustenance of fire. Charcoal is already a processed, efficient fuel, ready to intensify an existing spark into glowing embers, providing potent, lasting heat. The image is not of starting a fire from scratch, but intensifying what is already present.
  • and wood (וְעֵצִים - ve'etsim) for fire (לְאֵשׁ - le'esh):
    • Etsim means "wood," referring to any material used for fuel.
    • Esh means "fire," the general term for the combustion process.
    • Significance: This is the common, fundamental relationship of fuel to flame. Wood, when added to a small fire, helps it grow and spread. Both analogies ("charcoal for coals" and "wood for fire") convey the same truth of providing what is necessary to increase and sustain a destructive force.
  • so is (כֵּן - ken):
    • Meaning "thus," "so," "in like manner."
    • Significance: Introduces the direct comparison, highlighting the absolute certainty and natural consequence of the analogy. Just as physical laws govern fire, a contentious person naturally affects conflict.
  • a contentious person (אִישׁ מָדֹון - 'ish madon or 'ish midyanim):
    • The term in this specific verse is 'ish midyanim, from the root midyan which means "quarrel" or "strife." An 'ish madon or 'ish midyanim is a "man of quarrels" or "a quarrelsome man."
    • Significance: This describes an individual whose nature or habit is marked by disputation, argumentation, and a readiness to provoke conflict. This is not merely someone who sometimes disagrees, but one who seems to thrive on discord and consistently finds opportunities to instigate or inflame disputes. They are the human equivalent of kindling, pre-disposed to stirring up trouble.
  • to kindle (לְחַרְחֵר - leḥarḥer) strife (רִיב - riv):
    • Leḥarḥer means "to stir up," "to inflame," "to incite." It implies an active role in escalating a situation, not merely passive participation.
    • Riv means "quarrel," "dispute," "contention." It refers to verbal and often legal strife.
    • Significance: This phrase reveals the precise destructive action of the contentious person: they don't resolve or mitigate, but rather intentionally, or by their nature, intensify existing friction into a full-blown quarrel. They take a small ember of disagreement and turn it into a raging, consuming fire of conflict.

Proverbs 26 21 Bonus section

The analogy of fire throughout Proverbs (and the Bible) consistently portrays it as a powerful, uncontrollable, and destructive force when mismanaged or improperly contained. Here, "strife" (רִיב - riv) is identified as a negative consequence directly fueled by the contentious individual. This kind of strife often involves verbal conflict, gossip, accusations, and general social discord, capable of tearing apart friendships, families, and communities. The wisdom here extends beyond merely observing such people; it carries an implicit warning about engaging with them. One who supplies the "wood" for their "fire" of strife also shares in the destructive outcome. The verse also hints at the persistent nature of such individuals; their predisposition to strife is inherent, much like wood inherently burns. This aligns with other Proverbs that advise separation from those who consistently sow discord.

Proverbs 26 21 Commentary

Proverbs 26:21 offers a profound and easily graspable insight into the nature and impact of contentious individuals. It teaches that just as certain materials are perfectly suited to fuel and magnify fire, so too are certain personalities intrinsically geared toward escalating conflict. A contentious person isn't necessarily one who initiates every disagreement from nothing, but rather one who seizes upon existing tensions, petty grievances, or slight differences of opinion and deliberately or instinctively pours fuel on them, transforming minor irritations into widespread, destructive quarrels. Their very presence or involvement in a situation serves to exacerbate rather than resolve. The verse implicitly advises recognition and caution, suggesting that dealing with such individuals is like playing with fire – it inevitably leads to heat and potential destruction. For instance, in a discussion about a minor issue, a contentious person might seize on a differing viewpoint, inflate its significance, question motives, or introduce irrelevant divisive topics, thereby ensuring that peace gives way to arguments and ill will.