--- title: "Proverbs 26 - Study King James Bible with preachers complete homiletical commentary" description: "Read Proverbs 26 with preachers complete homiletical commentary commentary. 1 As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honour is not seemly for a fool. 2 As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse causel" image: "/_app/immutable/assets/missing.C7wGMEZ6.jpg" url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/preachers-complete-homiletical-commentary/proverbs/26" --- [ Read](/kjv/proverbs/26)[ Commentary](/study/proverbs/26)[ Interlinear](/interlinear/proverbs/26) Audio 1 As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honour is not seemly for a fool. 2 As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse causeless shall not come. 3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the fool’s back. 4 Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him. 5 Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.* 6 He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool cutteth off the feet, *and* drinketh damage.* 7 The legs of the lame are not equal: so *is* a parable in the mouth of fools.* 8 As he that bindeth a stone in a sling, so *is* he that giveth honour to a fool.* 9 *As* a thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard, so *is* a parable in the mouth of fools. 10 The great *God* that formed all *things* both rewardeth the fool, and rewardeth transgressors.* 11 As a dog returneth to his vomit, *so* a fool returneth to his folly.* 12 Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? *there is* more hope of a fool than of him. 13 The slothful *man* saith, *There is* a lion in the way; a lion *is* in the streets. 14 *As* the door turneth upon his hinges, so *doth* the slothful upon his bed. 15 The slothful hideth his hand in *his* bosom; it grieveth him to bring it again to his mouth.* 16 The sluggard *is* wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason. 17 He that passeth by, *and* meddleth with strife *belonging* not to him, *is like* one that taketh a dog by the ears.* 18 As a mad *man* who casteth firebrands, arrows, and death,* 19 So *is* the man *that* deceiveth his neighbour, and saith, Am not I in sport? 20 Where no wood is, *there* the fire goeth out: so where *there is* no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.*** 21 *As* coals *are* to burning coals, and wood to fire; so *is* a contentious man to kindle strife. 22 The words of a talebearer *are* as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.* 23 Burning lips and a wicked heart *are like* a potsherd covered with silver dross. 24 He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit within him;* 25 When he speaketh fair, believe him not: for *there are* seven abominations in his heart.* 26 *Whose* hatred is covered by deceit, his wickedness shall be shewed before the *whole* congregation.* 27 Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein: and he that rolleth a stone, it will return upon him. 28 A lying tongue hateth *those that are* afflicted by it; and a flattering mouth worketh ruin. [Proverbs 25](/study/proverbs/25) [Proverbs 27](/study/proverbs/27) ## Commentary To verse 1 *MAIN HOMILETICS OF**[Proverbs 26:1](/kjv/proverbs/26/1)* A GIFT WRONGLY BESTOWED **I. To honour some men is both seemly and right**. The snow and the rain come from heaven by Divine command, and are indispensable to the beauty and fruitfulness of the earth. So to accord honour where it is due is a Divine command ([Romans 13:7](/kjv/romans/13/7)), and is indispensable to our social well-being. **II. But honour accorded to a fool** (*i.e.*, **a bad man) is incongruous and hurtful**. Snow in summer is an exception to the rules of nature. It would indeed be a surprise to our reapers when they were about to gather in the grain, to find the fields white with snow, and such an event would be most mischievous in its effects. And in Oriental countries rain in summer would be equally surprising, and probably as hurtful, since the rain in those lands generally descends in torrents and not in gentle showers as with us. So, although God has commanded us to “*honour all men*” ([1 Peter 2:17](/kjv/1-peter/2/17)), the wicked man, by his wickedness, puts himself outside this rule, and to place him in a position of honour, or to give him reverence, is entirely out of place, and an act which can only produce evil consequences. 1. *It does harm to the man who gives it*. The heavy rain or snow falling upon the ripened cornfield, takes away all its beauty and lessens its worth—it may make it utterly valueless. And so it degrades a soul to bow down where it ought to stand erect and firm, and a man who will from cowardice or any other cause cringe before a moral fool is a man who is of no use in the world from a moral point of view. (See on this subject, on [Proverbs 26:26](/kjv/proverbs/26/26) of the preceding chapter, page 711). 2. *It injures the man who receives it*. It makes him feel as if there was no difference between vice and virtue, when he finds himself receiving that which ought to be given to a good man only, and so he is confirmed in his wickedness. This will be the case especially if the person who does him honour is a better man than himself, if it is such a case as is described in the verse referred to above. 3. *It has a bad influence upon men around them*. It is an encouragement to bad men to continue in their evil courses when they see wickedness enthroned in high places, and worthless men receiving honour instead of the scorn which they deserve. Such an elevation makes all bad men more shameless and daring, and it also discourages and depresses better men. Although the truly good man’s actions spring from a deeper source, and have their origin in a higher motive than the praise or blame of their fellow-men, yet there are many who are not firmly rooted in the practice of virtue, who are much influenced by the moral atmosphere in which they live. If they see their fellow-men doing as God does, and being a respecter of persons in regard to *character*, and to character *only*, their better nature will be strengthened, and their efforts to be upright and godly will be encouraged, but if they see “*the wicked walk on every side*,” and “*the vilest men exalted*” ([Psalms 12:8](/kjv/psalms/12/8)), they may give up the struggle after a higher and better life in despair. And thus the effect upon the moral tone of the community will be as blighting and destructive as floods upon the growing corn, or as snow upon the ripening fruits. It is, therefore, the solemn duty of every man in this respect to “*discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God, and him that serveth Him not*.” ([Malachi 3:18](/kjv/malachi/3/18)). *OUTLINES AND SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS* Honour is unfit for a fool, in two respects especially; the one, for that punishment is properly due unto him; the other, for that he abuseth his authority, be it civil or ecclesiastical, unto the hurt of those that are subject unto him.—*Muffett*. ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#website","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com","name":"Real Bible Believers","description":"RBB","publisher":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#/schema/person/e966585dde703268e7f6ae890ea98509"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/search?q={search_term_string}","query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/preachers-complete-homiletical-commentary/proverbs/26#primaryimage","inLanguage":"en-US","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/_app/immutable/assets/missing.C7wGMEZ6.jpg","contentUrl":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/_app/immutable/assets/missing.C7wGMEZ6.jpg","width":672,"height":448,"caption":"Real Bible Believers"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/preachers-complete-homiletical-commentary/proverbs/26#webpage","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/preachers-complete-homiletical-commentary/proverbs/26","name":"Proverbs 26 - Study King James Bible with preachers complete homiletical commentary","isPartOf":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/preachers-complete-homiletical-commentary/proverbs/26#primaryimage"},"author":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#/schema/person/e966585dde703268e7f6ae890ea98509"},"description":"Read Proverbs 26 with preachers complete homiletical commentary commentary. 1 As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honour is not seemly for a fool. 2 As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse causel","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/preachers-complete-homiletical-commentary/proverbs/26#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/preachers-complete-homiletical-commentary/proverbs/26"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/preachers-complete-homiletical-commentary/proverbs/26#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/","name":"Home"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/study","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/study","name":"Study Bible"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/preachers-complete-homiletical-commentary","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/preachers-complete-homiletical-commentary","name":"preachers complete homiletical commentary"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"item":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/preachers-complete-homiletical-commentary/proverbs","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/preachers-complete-homiletical-commentary/proverbs","name":"Proverbs"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":5,"item":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/preachers-complete-homiletical-commentary/proverbs/26","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/preachers-complete-homiletical-commentary/proverbs/26","name":"26"}}]},{"@type":["Person","Organization"],"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#/schema/person/e966585dde703268e7f6ae890ea98509","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#personlogo","inLanguage":"en-US","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/android-chrome-512x512.png","contentUrl":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/android-chrome-512x512.png","width":512,"height":512},"logo":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#personlogo"},"sameAs":["https://twitter.com/RBiblebeliever","https://www.facebook.com/RBibleBelievers"]}]} ```