Proverbs 18:19
17 The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.
18 Casting the lot ends quarrels and separates strong opponents.
An offended brother is harder to win than a fortified city, and disputes are like the bars of a castle.
20 From the fruit of his mouth a man’s belly is filled; with the harvest from his lips he is satisfied.
21 Life and death are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.
Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- An offended brother is harder to win than a fortified city, and disputes are like the bars of a castle.
- KJV
- A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city: and their contentions are like the bars of a castle.
- WEB
- A brother offended is more difficult than a fortified city. Disputes are like the bars of a fortress.
- ASV
- A brother offended [is harder to be won] than a strong city; And [such] contentions are like the bars of a castle.
- DARBY
- A brother offended is [harder to be won] than a strong city; and contentions are as the bars of a palace.
- BLB
- A brother transgressed [is] as a city of strength, and quarrels [are] like the gate bar of a citadel.
- ÅB
- En bror som en har gjort urett mot, er vanskeligere å vinne enn en festning, og trette med ham er som en bom for en borg.
- OTB
- En fornærmet bror er mer ubøyelig enn en befestet by, og tvister er som de stengte portene til en borg.
- B1930
- En bror som en har gjort urett mot, er vanskeligere å vinne enn en festning, og trette med ham er som en bom for en borg.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Proverbs 16:32
He who is slow to anger is better than a warrior, and he who controls his temper is greater than one who captures a city.
Read in contextActs 15:39
Their disagreement was so sharp that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus,
Read in contextProverbs 6:19
a false witness who gives false testimony, and one who stirs up discord among brothers.
Read in contextGenesis 37:3–5
Now Israel loved Joseph more than his other sons, because Joseph had been born to him in his old age; so he made him a robe of many colors.
Read in context1 Kings 12:16
When all Israel saw that the king had refused to listen to them, they answered the king: “What portion do we have in David, and what inheritance in the son of Jesse? To your tents, O Israel! Look now to your own house, O David!” So the Israelites went home,
Read in contextGenesis 27:41–45
Esau held a grudge against Jacob because of the blessing his father had given him. And Esau said in his heart, “The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then I will kill my brother Jacob.”
Read in contextGenesis 4:5–8
but He had no regard for Cain and his offering. So Cain became very angry, and his countenance fell.
Read in context2 Samuel 13:22
And Absalom never said a word to Amnon, either good or bad, because he hated Amnon for disgracing his sister Tamar.
Read in context