Matthew Henry on Proverbs 18:6-7
Solomon has often shown what mischief bad men do to others with their ungoverned tongues; here he shows what mischief they do to themselves. 1. They embroil themselves in quarrels: A fool's lips, without any cause or call, enter into contention, by advancing foolish notions which others find themselves obliged to oppose, and so a quarrel is begun, or by giving provoking language, which will be resented, and satisfaction demanded, or by setting men at defiance, and bidding them do if they dare. Proud, and passionate men, and drunkards, are fools, whose lips enter into contention. A wise man may, against his will, be drawn into a quarrel, but he is a fool that of choice enters into it when he…
Read the whole note in the consoleJamieson-Fausset-Brown on Proverbs 18:6
The quarrelsome bring trouble on themselves. Their rash language ensnares them (Pro 6:2).
John Gill on Proverbs 18:7
A fool's mouth is his destruction,.... The cause of it; for his contentions, and quarrels, and evil speaking, lawsuits are commenced against him, which bring ruin upon himself and his family now; as well as for his idle and wicked words he will be condemned hereafter, Matthew 12:35; there is a world of iniquity in the mouth and tongue of a wicked man, which bring destruction upon himself and others, James 3:6;
and his lips are the snare of his soul; from speaking in his own defence, he says things which should not be said, and by which he is entangled yet more and more; he is caught by his own words and condemned by them; or his loquacity, in which he delights, is a snare unto him to say th…
Read the whole note in the consoleKeil & Delitzsch on Proverbs 18:7
7 The mouth of the fool is to him destruction,
And his lips are a snare to his soul.
As Pro 18:6 corresponds to Pro 17:27 of the foregoing group, so this Pro 18:7 corresponds to Pro 17:28. Regarding מחתּה־לּו, vid., Pro 13:3. Instead of פי כּסיל, is to be written פּי־כסיל, according to Torath Emeth, p. 40, Cod. 1294, and old editions.
