PRO 20

Proverbs 20:18

WEB

Plans are established by advice; by wise guidance you wage war!

BSB

Set plans by consultation, and wage war under sound guidance.

KJV

Every purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice make war.

Matthew Henry

Verse 18

Proverbs 20:18

Note, 1. It is good in every thing to act with deliberation, and to consult with ourselves at least, and, in matters of moment, with our friends, too, before we determine, but especially to ask counsel of God, and beg direction from him, and observe the guidance of this eye. This is the way to have both our minds and our purposes established, and to succeed well in our affairs; whereas what is done hastily and with precipitation is repented of at leisure. Take time, and you will have done the sooner. Deliberandum est diu, quod statuendum est semel - A final decision should be preceded by mature deliberation. 2. It is especially our wisdom to be cautious in making war. Consider, and take advice, whether the war should be begun or no, whether it be just, whether it be prudent, whether we be a match for the enemy, and able to carry it on when it is too late to retreat (Luk 14:31); and, when it is begun, consider how and by what arts it may be prosecuted, for management is as necessary as courage. Going to law is a kind of going to war, and therefore must be done with good advice, Pro 25:8. The rule among the Romans was nec sequi bellum, nec fugere - neither to urge war nor yet to shun it.

Cross-references: Luke 14:31 · Prov 25:8

Hebrew interlinear

H4284

מַחֲשָׁבָהmachăshâbâh/makh-ash-aw-baw'/

n-f — contrivance, texture, machine, intention, plan

Derivation: or מַחֲשֶׁבֶת; from 2803;

a contrivance, i.e. (concretely) a texture, machine, or (abstractly) intention, plan (whether bad, a plot; or good, advice)

KJV: cunning (work), curious work, device(-sed), imagination, invented, means, purpose, thought.

מַחֲשָׁבָה

n.f — thought

מַחֲשָׁבָה n.f. thought, device

1. thought

2. device, plan, purpose

3. invention

H6098

עֵצָהʻêtsâh/ay-tsaw'/

n-f — advice, plan, prudence

Derivation: from 3289;

advice; by implication, plan; also prudence

KJV: advice, advisement, counsel([-lor]), purpose.

עֵצָה

n.f — counsel

עֵצָה n.f. counsel, advice

H3559

כּוּןkûwn/koon/

v n-m — be erect, set up, establish, fix, prepare, apply, appoint, render sure, proper, prosperous

Derivation: a primitive root;

properly, to be erect (i.e. stand perpendicular); hence (causatively) to set up, in a great variety of applications, whether literal (establish, fix, prepare, apply), or figurative (appoint, render sure, proper or prosperous)

KJV: certain(-ty), confirm, direct, faithfulness, fashion, fasten, firm, be fitted, be fixed, frame, be meet, ordain, order, perfect, (make) preparation, prepare (self), provide, make provision, (be, make) ready, right, set (aright, fast, forth), be stable, (e-) stablish, stand, tarry, × very deed.

כּוּן

vb — be firm

[כּוּן] 218 vb. prob. be firm, only in der. conj.

Niph.

1. be set up, established, fixed

2. in a moral sense, be directed aright, of ways

3. prepare, be ready

4. pass. be prepared, of judgments

Hiph.

1. establish, set up

2.

a. fix, so as to be ready, make ready, prepare, a gift

b. provide for, provide, furnish

3. direct one's face toward

4. arrange, order

Hoph.

1. be established, of throne

2. be prepared for

Po‛lēl.

1. set up, establish

2. constitute, make, a man (in womb)

3. fix, so as to be ready

4. direct

Po‛lal. be established

Hithpo‛l. be established

נָכוֹן

n. [m.] — blow

נָכוֹן n. [m.] = blow Jb 12:5

H8458

תַּחְבֻּלָהtachbulâh/takh-boo-law'/

n-f — steerage, guidance, plan

Derivation: or תַּחְבּוּלָה; from 2254 as denominative from 2256;

(only in plural) properly, steerage (as a management of ropes), i.e. (figuratively) guidance or (by implication) a plan

KJV: good advice, (wise) counsels.

תַּחְבֻּלָה

n.f — direction

[תַּחְבֻּלָה] n.f. direction, counsel (prob. orig. of rope-pulling, i.e. steering, directing a ship)

H6213

עָשָׂהʻâsâh/aw-saw'/

v — do, make

Derivation: a primitive root;

to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application

KJV: accomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, × certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in) execute(-ion), exercise, fashion, feast, (fight-) ing man, finish, fit, fly, follow, fulfill, furnish, gather, get, go about, govern, grant, great, hinder, hold (a feast), × indeed, be industrious, journey, keep, labour, maintain, make, be meet, observe, be occupied, offer, officer, pare, bring (come) to pass, perform, pracise, prepare, procure, provide, put, requite, × sacrifice, serve, set, shew, × sin, spend, × surely, take, × thoroughly, trim, × very, vex, be (warr-) ior, work(-man), yield, use.

עָשָׂה

vb — do

עָשָׂה 2622 vb. do, make

Qal 2524

I.

1. do (1560 t.)

2. deal with

3. oft. in phr. do kindness with

4. abs. act, act with effect

II.

1. make (670 t.)

2. produce, yield

3. prepare, esp. of dressing and cooking food

4. make offering

5. attend to, put in order

6. observe, celebrate, religious festival

7. acquire property of various kinds

8. appoint priests

9. bring about of י׳’s effecting a deliverance

10. use

11. spend, pass, days of life

Niph. 97

1. be done

2.

a. be made, of concr. things

b. be produced from vine

c. be prepared, of food

d. be offered

e. be observed, passover

f. be used

Pu. I was made

עָשָׂה

vb — press

[עָשָׂה] vb. Pi. press, squeeze

H4421

מִלְחָמָהmilchâmâh/mil-khaw-maw'/

n-f — battle, engagement, war, war-fare

Derivation: from 3898 (in the sense of fighting);

a battle (i.e. the engagement); generally, war (i.e. war-fare)

KJV: battle, fight(-ing), war(-rior).

מִלְחָמָה

n.f — battle

מִלְחָמָה 319 n.f. battle, war

Bible49 app

Get translation compare, commentary, and interlinear study — offline, on iPhone and Mac.

See Bible49