Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Proverbs 18:18
The lot causeth contentions to cease, and parteth between the mighty.
Compare Pro 16:33 note. A tacit appeal to the Divine Judge gave a fairer prospect of a just decision than corruption Pro 18:16 or hasty onesidedness Pro 18:17.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 18. The lot causeth contentions to cease] See Clarke on Pr 16:33.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Causeth contentions to cease, by determining the matters in difference.
Parteth; maketh a partition, giveth to every one what is right or meet, by the disposition of Divine Providence.
Between the mighty; so it doth also between mean persons, but he mentions the mighty because they are most prone to contention, and most fierce and intractable in it, and most capable of doing great mischief to themselves and others by it, and therefore they most need this remedy.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
18. The lotwhose disposal isof God (Pr 16:13), may,properly used, be a right mode of settling disputes.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
The lot causeth contentions to cease,…. When a case cannot be determined among parties at variance in a private way, nor in a court of judicature, the lot is cast, and that puts an end to all strife, and makes each party easy; they submit to it, and acquiesce in it;
and parteth between the mighty; the kings and princes of the earth; men of great power and authority, and of great riches and affluence; and so in a capacity of contending with each other, and of prolonging the contention, which may be attended with bad consequences; and who are not easily dissuaded from it: or it may intend such who most vehemently disagree; persons of great spirits, who are obstinate and stubborn, and will by no means yield, and there is no parting them by arguments or legal decisions; these the lot parts, and causes them to cease from their quarrels and contentions, and to rest satisfied with the distributions the lot makes to them; as the children of Israel were with their portion of the land of Canaan, assigned them by lot.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
18 The lot causeth contentions to cease, and parteth between the mighty.
Note, 1. Contentions commonly happen among the mighty, that are jealous for their honour and right and stand upon the punctilios of both, that are confident of their being able to make their part good and therefore will hardly condescend to the necessary terms of an accommodation; whereas those that are poor are forced to be peaceable, and sit down losers. 2. Even the contentions of the mighty may be ended by lot if they cannot otherwise be compromised, and sometimes better so than by arguments which are endless, or concessions which they are loth to stoop to, whereas it is no disparagement to a man to acquiesce in the determination of the lot when once it is referred to that. To prevent quarrels Canaan was divided by lot; and, if lusory lots had not profaned this way of appeal to Providence, perhaps it might be very well used now for the deciding of many controversies, both to the honour of God and the satisfaction of the parties, provided it were done with prayer and due solemnity, this and some other scriptures seeming to direct to it, especially Acts i. 26. If the law be a lottery (as some have called it), it were as well that a lottery were the law.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
Usefulness of the Lot
Verse 18-See comment on Pro 16:33.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
MAIN HOMILETICS OF Pro. 18:18
THE USE OF THE LOT
We have before had the lot as a symbol of human freedom and Divine preordination (chap. Pro. 16:33, page 499). In this verse the thought is the advantage of its use as putting an end to contention. That it is thus a means to a most desirable end appears when we consider
I. That it prevents waste of time. Time is to human creatures a very precious commodity, because the longest life lived in this world is comparatively short. If a man has a very small inheritance he cannot afford to have one and another of his neighbours encroaching upon his land and taking a portion here and there, or others putting their hands into his pockets and helping themselves to what is only sufficient for his own needs. If a young artist has a sketch given to him by his master which he is to fill up in a given time, he cannot afford to spend the moments in disputing with his fellow-pupils about their respective rights to certain brushes and colours; while he is contending the hours are going, and when the master calls for the picture he will have none to show. A mans life is a limited inheritance, given to him by God, to use first of all for his own spiritual good, and he cannot afford to be robbed of any part of it. It is an outline which God has given to him to be filled up in a certain timespiritual and mental capacities and abilities are bestowed upon him which he is expected so to use as to form a godly noble character, and he cannot afford to waste any of the life given him for this purpose in contention with his brother man, thereby arousing the devil within himself and in him with whom he disputes. The use of the lot is therefore desirable under certain conditions and restrictions, because in ending contention it saves time. When the eleven Apostles were awaiting the seal of their commission, they felt that they had no time to waste in contending who should fill up the empty place in their bandthey knew that, although they were brethren in Christ, they might differ in their opinions in the matterand they therefore wisely determined to decide it by referring to the lot. There have been, since, Christian men and women who resort to the same method of avoiding contention; and with the example of the Apostles before us, we can have no doubt that they are justified in so doing. But
II. It prevents waste of material wealth. If the kings and great men of the earth had resorted to this method of causing contentions to cease and parting between the mighty, how many homes and cities would have escaped overthrow, how many a fruitful and prosperous country would have been preserved from desolation, and how many a princely fortune would have remained in the hands of its rightful owners. God divided the land of Israel by lot, and if men had generally been content to permit Him to divide the earth among them in a similar manner, how much more rich and prosperous would they have been.
III. It prevents waste of human life. It would be indeed a blessing if property was the most precious thing wasted in the contentions of men. But, alas, disputes often lead to far more serious consequences, and that life of man, which is at the best so limited, has been made much shorter by the sword of his fellow-man. Sometimes family feuds have led men to resort to this terrible method of settling disputes, and men of the same parentage have fought till one shed the others blood. And sometimes it has been a nation that has contended with another, and then not one has fallen a victim, but hundreds on both sides. And when we think not only of the wounds thus inflicted, and the lives thus cut off, but of the wounded hearts and darkened lives of those who mourn them, we must allow that any means of ending contention is better than permitting it to work its deadly work. And the fact that the lot was used by Israel at the command of God, and sanctioned by Him in the early history of the Christian Church, makes it certain that if used in a right spirit it might still be employed so as to be acceptable to Him.
OUTLINES AND SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS
As the lot was had recourse to when causes were such as admitted not of determination otherwise, there seems to be a natural enough relation of suggestion between this verse and the preceding. In cases when representations differed, and the evidence between them was such as to leave it impossible to say certainly on which side was the preponderance, or when the parties would not submit to arbitration, or when they were too powerful to be safely meddled with, then the lot caused contentions to cease, and parted between the mighty.Wardlaw.
There seems no Scriptural prohibition to the use of this ordinance, provided it be exercised in a reverential dependence upon God, and not profaned for common purposes or worldly ends. At the same time the Word of God appears to be more fully recognised as the arbiter of the Divine will. Perhaps it is more easy to abide by the decision of the lot than of the Word. The last requires more self-denial, humility, and patience, and therefore is more practically useful.Bridges.
He that hath commanded to cease from labour, hath much more commanded to cease from strife. He that was pleased to make the Sabbath of rest, is also pleased with those who make a Sabbath of peace. This is a Sabbath altogether moral, never to be abrogated. Wherefore let reason and indifferency hear the differences that are between any, and if it can be done let them be reconciled. But if otherwise it cannot be ordered then let a lot be the compromiser of them. In that there can be no partiality, and though itself cannot judge of right, yet He that guides it is the most righteous Judge of the world. If a lot have erred, it is when mens understanding could have put things right, for God, having given power to men, He looks that men should use it. But God so loveth peace, that, where men cannot, He will do right, if that the lot refer unto His arbitrament. Wherefore, when the mighty strive, and might of reason standeth on both sides equally, being too strong for man to decide, let the Almighty by His lot decide it.Jermin.
Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell
(18) The lot causeth contentions to cease, as being the judgment of God (Pro. 16:33).
And parteth between the mighty, who would otherwise settle their differences by blows.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
18. The lot cease Some read this in connexion with the preceding verse, and think that it justifies and perhaps it does the use of the lot in some legal cases, as well as in others. The use of the lot is not prohibited in the Scriptures when employed on proper occasions and with proper motives. Its use is even enjoined in some cases, and holy men have practised it. But it should not be used superstitiously, nor in order to “tempt God,” as the Scriptures say; nor when there are natural means of knowing what needs to be known, as by the use of our reason and the teachings of science and religion. God cannot be expected to dispose the lot to meet the demands of folly, wickedness, or superstition.
Parteth between the mighty Settles a dispute between strong men, which might otherwise lead to blows or war. Instead of the lot in the first clause, the Septuagint has, singularly enough, “the silent man!”
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
v. 18. The lot,
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
Pro 18:18 The lot causeth contentions to cease, and parteth between the mighty.
Ver. 18. The lot causeth contentions to cease. ] As it did in Jos 14:2 , where it is remarkable, that Joshua, that lotted out the land, left none to himself; and that portion that was given him, and he content with it, was but a mean one in the barren mountains. So again in Act 1:26 , where it is remarkable, that this Joseph, called Barsabas, seeing it was not God’s mind by lot to make choice of him now to succeed Judas in the apostleship, was content with a lower condition; therefore, afterwards God called him to that high and honourable office of an apostle, if at least this Joseph Barsabas, were the same with that Joseph Barnabas in Act 4:36 , as the Centurists are of opinion. See Trapp on “ Pro 16:23 “
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Pro 18:18
Pro 18:18
See comment under Pro 16:33.
Pro 18:18. The ancients sometimes resorted to this to settle important contentions. Moderns in our land sometimes draw straws and other means to settle minor matters. Pulpit Commentary: If it were not for the decision by lot, persons…would settle their differences by violent means. The apostle used this method in determining who was to succeed Judas (Act 1:26). There is no doubt but what God directed the pagans lot to fall upon Jonah (Jon 1:7). See comment on Pro 16:33.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Pro 16:33, Jos 14:2, 1Sa 10:21-27, 1Sa 14:42, 1Ch 6:63, 1Ch 24:31, Neh 11:1
Reciprocal: Num 26:55 – by lot Jos 18:6 – that I may cast Jos 18:10 – cast lots Jos 21:8 – by lot Neh 10:34 – cast
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Pro 18:18. The lot causeth contentions to cease By determining the matters in difference; and parteth between the mighty Maketh a partition, and giveth to each of the contending parties what is right or meet, by the order and disposition of divine providence. It parteth also between mean persons, but he mentions the mighty, because they are most prone to contention, and most fierce and obstinate in it, and most capable of doing great mischief to themselves and others by it, and therefore they most need this remedy.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
18:18 The lot {l} causeth contentions to cease, and {m} parteth between the mighty.
(l) If a controversy cannot otherwise be decided, it is best to cast lots to know whose the thing will be.
(m) Appeases their controversy, who are so stout that they cannot otherwise be pacified.