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KING JAMES BIBLE · PCE

Proverbs 26:2–4

TEXT EDITION
Pure Cambridge Edition selected
As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse causeless shall not come.
A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the fool’s back.
Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.
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PASSAGE SELECTION

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SCRIPTURE WITH SCRIPTURE

Cross References

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From verse 2

  1. Numbers 23:8Rank 1 from verse 2
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    8How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, whom the Lord hath not defied?

  2. Nehemiah 13:2Rank 2 from verse 2
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    2Because they met not the children of Israel with bread and with water, but hired Balaam against them, that he should curse them: howbeit our God turned the curse into a blessing.

  3. Psalms 109:28Rank 3 from verse 2
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    28Let them curse, but bless thou: when they arise, let them be ashamed; but let thy servant rejoice.

  4. 2 Samuel 16:12Rank 4 from verse 2
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    12It may be that the Lord will look on mine affliction, and that the Lord will requite me good for his cursing this day.

  5. Deuteronomy 23:4–5Rank 5 from verse 2
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    4Because they met you not with bread and with water in the way, when ye came forth out of Egypt; and because they hired against thee Balaam the son of Beor of Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse thee.

    5Nevertheless the Lord thy God would not hearken unto Balaam; but the Lord thy God turned the curse into a blessing unto thee, because the Lord thy God loved thee.

  6. 1 Samuel 17:43Rank 6 from verse 2
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    43And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.

  7. Proverbs 27:8Rank 7 from verse 2
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    8As a bird that wandereth from her nest, so is a man that wandereth from his place.

  8. 1 Samuel 14:28–29Rank 8 from verse 2
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    28Then answered one of the people, and said, Thy father straitly charged the people with an oath, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth any food this day. And the people were faint.

    29Then said Jonathan, My father hath troubled the land: see, I pray you, how mine eyes have been enlightened, because I tasted a little of this honey.

From verse 3

  1. Proverbs 10:13Rank 1 from verse 3
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    13In the lips of him that hath understanding wisdom is found: but a rod is for the back of him that is void of understanding.

  2. 1 Corinthians 4:21Rank 2 from verse 3
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    21What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?

  3. Psalms 32:9Rank 3 from verse 3
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    9Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee.

  4. 2 Corinthians 10:6Rank 4 from verse 3
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    6And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

  5. 2 Corinthians 13:2Rank 5 from verse 3
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    2I told you before, and foretell you, as if I were present, the second time; and being absent now I write to them which heretofore have sinned, and to all other, that, if I come again, I will not spare:

  6. Judges 8:5–7Rank 6 from verse 3
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    5And he said unto the men of Succoth, Give, I pray you, loaves of bread unto the people that follow me; for they be faint, and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian.

    6¶ And the princes of Succoth said, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we should give bread unto thine army?

    7And Gideon said, Therefore when the Lord hath delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into mine hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.

  7. Proverbs 17:10Rank 7 from verse 3
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    10A reproof entereth more into a wise man than an hundred stripes into a fool.

  8. Proverbs 19:25Rank 8 from verse 3
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    25Smite a scorner, and the simple will beware: and reprove one that hath understanding, and he will understand knowledge.

  9. Proverbs 19:29Rank 9 from verse 3
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    29Judgments are prepared for scorners, and stripes for the back of fools.

  10. Proverbs 27:22Rank 10 from verse 3
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    22Though thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar among wheat with a pestle, yet will not his foolishness depart from him.

From verse 4

  1. Proverbs 26:5Rank 1 from verse 4
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    5Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.

  2. 1 Peter 3:9Rank 2 from verse 4
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    9Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.

  3. Jude 1:9Rank 3 from verse 4
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    9Yet 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.

  4. 1 Kings 12:14Rank 4 from verse 4
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    14And 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.

  5. Proverbs 17:14Rank 5 from verse 4
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    14The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water: therefore leave off contention, before it be meddled with.

  6. 1 Kings 12:16Rank 6 from verse 4
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    16¶ So when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: to your tents, O Israel: now see to thine own house, David. So Israel departed unto their tents.

  7. 2 Samuel 19:41–43Rank 7 from verse 4
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    41¶ And, behold, all the men of Israel came to the king, and said unto the king, Why have our brethren the men of Judah stolen thee away, and have brought the king, and his household, and all David’s men with him, over Jordan?

    42And all the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, Because the king is near of kin to us: wherefore then be ye angry for this matter? have we eaten at all of the king’s cost? or hath he given us any gift?

    43And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said, We have ten parts in the king, and we have also more right in David than ye: why then did ye despise us, that our advice should not be first had in bringing back our king? And the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.

  8. Judges 12:1–6Rank 8 from verse 4
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    1AND the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and went northward, and said unto Jephthah, Wherefore passedst thou over to fight against the children of Ammon, and didst not call us to go with thee? we will burn thine house upon thee with fire.

    2And Jephthah said unto them, I and my people were at great strife with the children of Ammon; and when I called you, ye delivered me not out of their hands.

    3And when I saw that ye delivered me not, I put my life in my hands, and passed over against the children of Ammon, and the Lord delivered them into my hand: wherefore then are ye come up unto me this day, to fight against me?

    4Then Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead, and fought with Ephraim: and the men of Gilead smote Ephraim, because they said, Ye Gileadites are fugitives of Ephraim among the Ephraimites, and among the Manassites.

    5And the Gileadites took the passages of Jordan before the Ephraimites: and it was so, that when those Ephraimites which were escaped said, Let me go over; that the men of Gilead said unto him, Art thou an Ephraimite? If he said, Nay;

    6Then said they unto him, Say now Shibboleth: and he said Sibboleth: for he could not frame to pronounce it right. Then they took him, and slew him at the passages of Jordan: and there fell at that time of the Ephraimites forty and two thousand.

  9. 1 Peter 2:21–23Rank 9 from verse 4
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    21For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:

    22Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:

    23Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:

  10. 2 Kings 14:8–10Rank 10 from verse 4
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    8¶ Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash, the son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, Come, let us look one another in the face.

    9And Jehoash the king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, Give thy daughter to my son to wife: and there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon, and trode down the thistle.

    10Thou hast indeed smitten Edom, and thine heart hath lifted thee up: glory of this, and tarry at home: for why shouldest thou meddle to thy hurt, that thou shouldest fall, even thou, and Judah with thee?

  11. Isaiah 36:21Rank 11 from verse 4
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    21But they held their peace, and answered him not a word: for the king’s commandment was, saying, Answer him not.

WORDS IN THIS PASSAGE

Definitions

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DEFINED WORDS

Proverbs 26:2

COMBINED MEANING

swallow

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Sense 1: A small bird. Sense 2: To take into the mouth and pass inward, consume, engulf, devour, or overwhelm.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

curse

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Sense 1: A pronouncement, sentence, or imposed condition of evil, loss, or judgment; an oath invoking such a penalty. Sense 2: As a verb, to pronounce judgment or evil upon, condemn, or revile.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

shall

↗

An auxiliary verb expressing future action, intention, promise, command, requirement, or determination.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

DEFINED WORDS

Proverbs 26:3

COMBINED MEANING

for

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1. In behalf of or in the place of. 2. With respect to, concerning, or toward. 3. Because of or on account of. 4. During or throughout. 5. In order to obtain or reach. 6. As a conjunction, because or seeing that.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

bridle

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1. The bit, reins, or headgear used to guide and restrain an animal. 2. A means of restraint or control. 3. To restrain or control.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

fool

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Sense 1: A person lacking wisdom or moral understanding. Sense 2: As a verb, to act foolishly or deceive.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

back

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Sense 1: The rear part; a position or direction behind. Sense 2: A return to a former place or condition.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

DEFINED WORDS

Proverbs 26:4

COMBINED MEANING

answer

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Sense 1: A reply or response. Sense 2: As a verb, to reply, respond, or give account.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

fool

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Sense 1: A person lacking wisdom or moral understanding. Sense 2: As a verb, to act foolishly or deceive.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

lest

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For fear that, to prevent the possibility that, or so that an undesired or warned-of result may not occur.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

thou

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The singular second-person subject pronoun, meaning you when directly addressing one person, being, or individually treated addressee.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

like

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Sense 1: Similar or of the same kind; in the same manner; likely. Sense 2: A like person or thing; an equal or counterpart. Sense 3: To please, choose, or regard with favour.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Skeat 1893 · Webster 1828

READ THE PASSAGE

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Nearby verses · passage boundary unavailable · Proverbs 26:1–5

The selected passage is highlighted. Context is a study aid.

26:1AS snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honour is not seemly for a fool.

26:2As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse causeless shall not come.

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26:3A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the fool’s back.

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26:4Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.

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26:5Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.

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