Proverbs 12:26 Commentary and Bible Study

This verse is difficult to translate and a variety of quite different renderings have been suggested. The difficulty comes from translating the first verb used. It could be from a verb meaning ‘to remain over’, which in the form used here can mean ‘to excel’, ‘to shew pre-eminence’ (KJV); alternatively it could be a verb meaning ‘to search out’, ‘to spy out’, which in the causative form would mean ‘to lead about’, hence ‘to shew the way’, ‘to guide’ (ASV, ESV, NAS). In addition the word ‘neighbour’ or friend is preceded by the preposition ‘from’ often used in Hebrew comparisons and suggesting a comparison in the first half of the verse, but others understand this to indicate the beneficiary of guidance and translate ‘to his friend’. The KJV takes the first of both of these alternatives and sees a contrast between one who is a more excellent influence on his neighbour, and another who only tends to lead his neighbour astray.A more forceful contrast comes when the ability of a man to guide his friends is compared with the inability of the wicked to guide even himself. One through his life and words not only reaches his destination safely, but guides others to the same safety, but the other cannot save himself from destruction. Christ himself is the way and it is the lifelong task of his people to point this lost world to him. The Scripture nowhere teaches that the world is longing to hear about God. No, the task is hard and there are few that respond to the gospel, but the righteous do not give up because the task is hard. The wicked on the other hand only add to the problems of those around them and encourage them in a path that leads to destruction. They cannot prevent even themselves from falling into the ditch, let alone those they presume to guide. Because they walk in darkness, their eyes are blinded and they do not know where they are going.