Proverbs 26:4 — KJV with Strong's Concordance

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Chapter 26

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⁴Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.

Proverbs 26:4 —

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← Proverbs 26:3 Proverbs 26:5 →

Original word meaning

— of 4

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Cross-References

From the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Proverbs 26:5
Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.
1 Peter 3:9
Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.
1 Kings 12:14
And spake to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke: my father also chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.
Jude 1:9
Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.
Proverbs 17:14
The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water: therefore leave off contention, before it be meddled with.

Topics

Caution Consistency Counsel Expediency Fool Opinion, Public Prudence Speaking

Commentary

Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary on the Bible (1710)

(vv. 4-5)

See here the noble security of the scripture-style, which seems to contradict itself, but really does not. Wise men have need to be directed how to deal with fools; and they have never more need of wisdom than in dealing with such, to know when to keep silence and when to speak, for there may be a time for both. 1. In some cases a wise man will not set his wit to that of a fool so far as to answer…

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset, David Brown’s Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary (1871)

(vv. 4)

4-5. Answer not--that is, approvingly by like folly.