Proverbs · 24 verses
Proverbs 18
Every verse links to the people and places named in it, and to the passages readers connect it with.
The chapter
What happens here
Atlas's own reading, written from this chapter and nothing else, and published only once a person has approved it. Each scene names the verses it covers; the names inside it link to the people and places they name.
The rich man has a fortified city, though its high wall stands only in his imagination.
Mouths, ears, and the trouble they makevv. 1–9
The chapter opens with a man shutting himself away, though not into a quiet retreat: he pursues selfish desires and rebels against sound judgment. The fool prefers airing opinions to understanding, and his mouth soon becomes both ruin and snare. Words are deep waters when they belong to a man’s mouth, but wisdom bubbles up like a brook; gossip, meanwhile, goes down like choice morsels, which is a remarkably appetising picture of a decidedly unwholesome habit. Justice is not to be bent towards the wicked, and laziness is given the grim family resemblance of being brother to the destroyer.
Walls, pride, and the hearing of a casevv. 10–18
Then come the towers. The name of the LORD is a strong tower, while the rich man’s wealth is a fortified city with a high wall existing, rather ominously, in his imagination. Pride marches towards downfall, humility towards honor, and answering before hearing earns both folly and disgrace. A broken spirit is harder to survive than sickness; the discerning heart and wise ear therefore go seeking knowledge. A gift opens doors before great men, but the first speaker only seems right until another arrives with questions. Even strong opponents may find their quarrel handed over to the plain little machinery of casting lots.
The bars of a quarrel and the harvest of a tonguevv. 19–24
An offended brother proves harder to win than a fortified city, and a dispute supplies its own castle bars. The mouth then becomes a field: a man is filled with its fruit and satisfied with its harvest, while the tongue holds life and death in its power. A wife is called a good thing and favor from the LORD. The poor man pleads for mercy; the rich man answers harshly. Many companions may lead a man to ruin, but one friend may stay closer than a brother—the chapter having already made brotherhood sound like a fortress, and now producing a friend who can get nearer than the walls.
The text
Read it
Berean Standard Bible, public domain. Names the Hebrew and Greek put in the verse link to the person, place or people they name; the address beside each verse is a link to that verse, which is what a reader copies and shares.
Prov 18:1He who isolates himself pursues selfish desires; he rebels against all sound judgment.
Prov 18:2A fool does not delight in understanding, but only in airing his opinions.
Prov 18:3With a wicked man comes contempt as well, and shame is accompanied by disgrace.
Prov 18:4The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters; the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook.
Prov 18:5Showing partiality to the wicked is not good, nor is depriving the innocent of justice.
Prov 18:6A fool’s lips bring him strife, and his mouth invites a beating.
Prov 18:7A fool’s mouth is his ruin, and his lips are a snare to his soul.
Prov 18:8The words of a gossip are like choice morsels that go down into the inmost being.
Prov 18:9Whoever is slothful in his work is brother to him who destroys.
Prov 18:10The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.
Prov 18:11A rich man’s wealth is his fortified city; it is like a high wall in his imagination.
Prov 18:12Before his downfall a man’s heart is proud, but humility comes before honor.
Prov 18:13He who answers a matter before he hears it—this is folly and disgrace to him.
Prov 18:14The spirit of a man can endure his sickness, but who can survive a broken spirit?
Prov 18:15The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks it out.
Prov 18:16A man’s gift opens doors for him, and brings him before great men.
Prov 18:17The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.
Prov 18:18Casting the lot ends quarrels and separates strong opponents.
Prov 18:19An offended brother is harder to win than a fortified city, and disputes are like the bars of a castle.
Prov 18:20From the fruit of his mouth a man’s belly is filled; with the harvest from his lips he is satisfied.
Prov 18:21Life and death are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.
Prov 18:22He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the LORD.
Prov 18:23The poor man pleads for mercy, but the rich man answers harshly.
Prov 18:24A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who stays closer than a brother.
02 — Read alongside
Where this is echoed
Readers' own connections, from OpenBible's crowd-voted cross-references — agreement about relevance, and not scholarly confidence. 286 passages were voted onto 24 verses of this chapter; the 16 shown lead on votes, and each is listed at the verse it was voted onto most strongly.
- 21Ephesians 4:29Let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building up the one in need and bringing grace to those who listen.
- 21Matthew 12:35–37The good man brings good things out of his good store of treasure, and the evil man brings evil things out of his evil store of treasure.
- 21Colossians 4:6Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
- 21Proverbs 10:19–21When words are many, sin is unavoidable, but he who restrains his lips is wise.
- 21James 3:6–9The tongue also is a fire, a world of wickedness among the parts of the body. It pollutes the whole person, sets the course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.
- 21Proverbs 13:2–3From the fruit of his lips a man enjoys good things, but the desire of the faithless is violence.
- 102 Samuel 22:3My God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation. My stronghold, my refuge, and my Savior, You save me from violence.
- 10Isaiah 26:4Trust in the LORD forever, because GOD the LORD is the Rock eternal.
- 10Psalms 91:2I will say to the LORD, “You are my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”
- 21Ecclesiastes 10:12–14The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious, but the lips of a fool consume him.
- 24Proverbs 17:17A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
- 22Proverbs 19:14Houses and wealth are inherited from fathers, but a prudent wife is from the LORD.
- 10Psalms 144:2He is my steadfast love and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer. He is my shield, in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples under me.
- 10Psalms 61:3–4For You have been my refuge, a tower of strength against the enemy.
- 21Isaiah 57:19bringing praise to their lips. Peace, peace to those far and near,” says the LORD, “and I will heal them.”
- 24John 15:13–15Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
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