Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Proverbs 26:5
Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.
According to his folly; so as his folly needs and requires, convincing him strongly, reproving him sharply, exposing him to just shame, and correcting him with a rod, when he deserves it, and thou hast a just power to use it.
Lest he be wise in his own conceit; lest thy silence make him arrogant and presumptuous, as if his words were unanswerable.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
5. Answerby reproof.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Answer a fool according to his folly,…. The Targum is,
“but speak with a fool in thy wisdom;”
and the Syriac version,
“yea, speak with a fool according to thy wisdom;”
which would at once remove the seeming contradiction in these words to the former, but then they are not a true version; indeed it is right, and must be the sense, that when a fool is answered, as it is sometimes necessary he should, that it be done in wisdom, and so as to expose his folly; he is to be answered and not answered according to different times, places, and circumstances, and manner of answering; he is to be answered when there is any hope of doing him good, or of doing good to others; or of preventing ill impressions being made upon others by what he has said; when the glory of God, the good of the church, and the cause of truth, require it; and when he would otherwise glory and triumph, as if his words or works were unanswerable, as follow;
lest he be wise in his own conceit; which fools are apt to be, and the rather when no answer is given them; imagining it arises from the strength of their arguments, and their nervous way of reasoning, when it is rather from a neglect and contempt of them.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
5 Answer the fool according to his folly,
Lest he regard himself as wise.
(with Makkeph, and Gaja, and Chatef)
(Note: Thus after Ben Asher; while, on the contrary, Ben Naphtali writes with Munach, vid., Thorath Emeth, p. 41.)
here stands opposed to . The Gospel of John, e.g., Joh 5:31, cf. Pro 8:31,
(Note: Vid., my dissertation on three little-observed passages in the Gospel of John, and their practical lessons, in the Evang. luth. Kirchenzeitung, 1869, Nos. 37, 38.)
is rich in such apparently contradictory sayings. The sic et non here lying before us is easily explained; after, or according to his folly, is this second time equivalent to, as is due to his folly: decidedly and firmly rejecting it, making short work with it (returning a sharp answer), and promptly replying in a way fitted, if possible, to make him ashamed. Thus one helps him, perhaps, to self-knowledge; while, in the contrary case, one gives assistance to his self-importance. The Talmud, Schabbath 30b, solves the contradiction by referring Pro 26:4 to worldly things, and Pro 26:5 to religious things; and it is true that, especially in the latter case, the answer is itself a duty toward the fool, and towards the truth. Otherwise the Midrash: one ought not to answer when one knows the fool as such, and to answer when he does not so know him; for in the first instance the wise man would dishonour himself by the answer, in the latter case he would give to him who asks the importance appertaining to a superior.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
(5) Answer a fool according to his folly.As his folly deserves, sharply and decisively, and in language suited to his comprehension.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Pro 26:5 Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.
Ver. 5. Answer a fool according to his folly. ] Cast in somewhat that may sting him, and stop his mouth. Stone him with soft words but hard arguments, as Christ dealt with Pilate, lest he lift up his crest, and look upon himself as a conqueror, and be held so by the hearers. In fine, when a fool is among such as himself, answer him, lest he seem wise. If he be among wise men, answer him not, and they will regard rather quid tu taceas, quam quod ille dicat, thy seasonable silence than his passionate prattle.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
conceit = eyes.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
a fool: 1Ki 22:24-28, Jer 36:17, Jer 36:18, Mat 15:1-3, Mat 16:1-4, Mat 21:23-27, Mat 22:15-32, Luk 12:13-21, Luk 13:23-30, Joh 8:7, Joh 9:26-33, Tit 1:13
lest: Pro 26:12, Pro 28:11, Rom 11:25
conceit: Heb. eyes, Isa 5:21, Rom 12:16
Reciprocal: Pro 23:9 – Speak Mat 21:24 – I also Mat 22:22 – they marvelled Mar 11:33 – Neither Luk 20:8 – General Luk 20:26 – they could Luk 20:40 – General Joh 8:49 – I have not Col 4:6 – how
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
26:5 Answer a fool {b} according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.
(b) Reprove him as the matter requires.