Proverbs 26:21

Like charcoal for embers and wood for fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — The author addresses a learner within a wisdom collection, placing this observation immediately after a statement on how gossip sustains conflict. The words — מִדְיָנִים (mi.do.nim) translates to contentions, and רִיב (Riv) translates to strife, both denoting active disputes. The thread — This theme of provoking conflict appears in Proverbs 15:18, Proverbs 29:22, and 2 Samuel 20:1, where hot-tempered or worthless individuals actively stir up dissension. Why it lands — The text demands recognition that strife requires a catalyst, just as fire requires fuel, and instructs the reader to remove the quarrelsome person to extinguish the conflict.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

פֶּחָ֣םpe.Chamcharcoal לְ֭גֶחָלִיםLe./ge.cha.limto/ burning coals וְעֵצִ֣יםve./'e.Tzimand/ wood<s>לְאֵ֑שׁle./'Eshto/ fire וְאִ֥ישׁve./'Ishand/ a person of מִ֝דְיָנִ֗יםmi.do.nimcontentions לְחַרְחַר־le./char.char-to/ kindling רִֽיב׃ פRivstrife

King James Version

As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife.

Cross-references

Proverbs 15:18 A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger calms dispute.
Proverbs 29:22 An angry man stirs up dissension, and a hot-tempered man abounds in transgression.
2 Samuel 20:1 Now a worthless man named Sheba son of Bichri, a Benjamite, happened to be there, and he blew the ram’s horn and shouted: “We have no share in David, no inheritance in Jesse’s son. Every man to his tent, O Israel!”
1 Kings 12:2 When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard about this, he was still in Egypt where he had fled from King Solomon and had been living ever since.
1 Kings 12:20 When all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, they summoned him to the assembly and made him king over all Israel. Only the tribe of Judah followed the house of David.
Psalms 120:4 Sharp arrows will come from the warrior, with burning coals of the broom tree!
Proverbs 10:12 Hatred stirs up dissension, but love covers all transgressions.
Proverbs 30:33 For as the churning of milk yields butter, and the twisting of the nose draws blood, so the stirring of anger brings forth strife.”