Proverbs 18 · Verse 24

Proverbs 18:24

A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.
Proverbs 18:24, King James Version

Proverbs 18:24 in other translations

BSBA man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who stays closer than a brother.
WEBA man of many companions may be ruined, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
ASVHe that maketh many friends doeth it to his own destruction; But there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.
YLTA man with friends is to show himself friendly, And there is a lover adhering more than a brother!
DARBYA man of many friends will come to ruin but there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.
BBEThere are friends who may be a man's destruction, but there is a lover who keeps nearer than a brother.
WebsterA man that hath friends must show himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

What does Proverbs 18:24 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
24. A man ... friendly--better, "A man ... (is) to, or, may triumph (Psa 108:9), or, shout for joy (Psa 5:11), that is, may congratulate himself." Indeed, there is a Friend who is better than a brother; such is the "Friend of sinners" [Mt 11:19; Lu 7:34], who may have been before the writer's mind.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 24 A man that hath friends must show himself friendly - Love begets love; and love requires love as its recompense. If a man do not maintain a friendly carriage, he cannot expect to retain his friends. Friendship is a good plant; but it requires cultivation to make it grow. There is a kind of factitious friendship in the world, that, to show one's self friendly in it, is very expensive, and in every way utterly unprofitable: it is maintained by expensive parties. feasts, etc., where the table groans with dainties, and where the conversation is either jejune and insipid, or calumnious; backbiting, talebearing, and scandal, being the general topics of the different squads in company. There is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother - In many cases the genuine friend has shown more attachment, and rendered greater benefits, than the natural brother. Some apply this to God; others to Christ; but the text has no such meaning. But critics and commentators are not agreed on the translation of this verse. The original is condensed and obscure. אוש רעים להתרועע ish reim lehithroea, or lehithroeang, as some would read, who translate: A man of friends may ring again; i.e., he may boast and mightily exult: but there is a friend, אהב oheb, a lover, that sticketh closer, דבק dabek, is glued or cemented, מאח meach, beyond, or more than, a brother. The former will continue during prosperity, but the latter continues closely united to his friend, even in the most disastrous circumstances. Hence that maxim of Cicero, so often repeated, and so well known: - Amicus certus in re incerta cernitur. "In doubtful times the genuine friend is known." A late commentator has translated the verse thus: - The man that hath many friends is ready to be ruined: But there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. Holden. "A frende that delyteth in love, doth a man more frendship, and sticketh faster unto him, than a brother." Coverdale. "A man that hath friends ought to show himself friendly for a friend is nearer than a brother." Barker's Bible, 1615. "A man amyable to felowschip, more a freend schal ben thanne a brother." - Old MS. Bible. The two last verses in this chapter, and the two first of the next, are wanting in the Septuagint and Arabic. These are the principal varieties; out of them the reader may choose. I have already given my opinion.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
Christ Jesus never will forsake those who trust in and love him. May we be such friends to others, for our Master's sake. Having loved his own, which were in the world, he loved them unto the end; and we are his friends if we do whatever he commands us, Joh 15:14.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Proverbs 18:24 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

אִ֣ישׁ'isha person ofH376
רֵ֭עִיםRe.'imcompanionsH7453
לְהִתְרֹעֵ֑עַle.hit.ro.'E.a'[is] to be brokenH7489
וְיֵ֥שׁve.Yeshand thereH3426
אֹ֝הֵ֗ב'o.Hev[is one who] lovesH157
דָּבֵ֥קda.VekcleavingH1695
מֵאָֽח\׃me.'Achmore than a brotherH251

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Proverbs 18:24

  • Proverbs 17:17

    A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

  • John 15:13-15

    Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

  • Proverbs 27:9

    Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man’s friend by hearty counsel.

  • 2 Samuel 1:26

    I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women.

  • 1 Samuel 19:4-5

    And Jonathan spake good of David unto Saul his father, and said unto him, Let not the king sin against his servant, against David; because he hath not sinned against thee, and because his works have been to thee-ward very good: For he did put his life in his hand, and slew the Philistine, and the Lord wrought a great salvation for all Israel: thou sawest it, and didst rejoice: wherefore then wilt thou sin against innocent blood, to slay David without a cause?

  • 2 Samuel 9:1-13

    And David said, Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I may shew him kindness for Jonathan’s sake? And there was of the house of Saul a servant whose name was Ziba. And when they had called him unto David, the king said unto him, Art thou Ziba? And he said, Thy servant is he. And the king said, Is there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may shew the kindness of God unto him? And Ziba said unto the king, Jonathan hath yet a son, which is lame on his feet. And the king said unto him, Where is he? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he is in the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, in Lo–debar. …

  • 2 Samuel 21:7

    But the king spared Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, because of the Lord’s oath that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul.

  • 2 Samuel 16:17

    And Absalom said to Hushai, Is this thy kindness to thy friend? why wentest thou not with thy friend?

  • Matthew 26:49-50

    And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed him. And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him.

  • 2 Samuel 17:27-29

    And it came to pass, when David was come to Mahanaim, that Shobi the son of Nahash of Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and Machir the son of Ammiel of Lo–debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite of Rogelim, Brought beds, and basons, and earthen vessels, and wheat, and barley, and flour, and parched corn, and beans, and lentiles, and parched pulse, And honey, and butter, and sheep, and cheese of kine, for David, and for the people that were with him, to eat: for they said, The people is hungry, and weary, and thirsty, in the wilderness.

  • 1 Chronicles 12:38-40

    All these men of war, that could keep rank, came with a perfect heart to Hebron, to make David king over all Israel: and all the rest also of Israel were of one heart to make David king. And there they were with David three days, eating and drinking: for their brethren had prepared for them. Moreover they that were nigh them, even unto Issachar and Zebulun and Naphtali, brought bread on asses, and on camels, and on mules, and on oxen, and meat, meal, cakes of figs, and bunches of raisins, and wine, and oil, and oxen, and sheep abundantly: for there was joy in Israel.

  • 2 Samuel 19:30-39

    And Mephibosheth said unto the king, Yea, let him take all, forasmuch as my lord the king is come again in peace unto his own house. And Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim, and went over Jordan with the king, to conduct him over Jordan. Now Barzillai was a very aged man, even fourscore years old: and he had provided the king of sustenance while he lay at Mahanaim; for he was a very great man. And the king said unto Barzillai, Come thou over with me, and I will feed thee with me in Jerusalem. …

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
that hath.
17:17; 27:9; 1Sa 19:4,5; 30:26-31; 2Sa 9:1-13; 16:17; 17:27-29
2Sa 19:30-39; 21:7; 1Ch 12:38-40; Mt 26:49,50
there.
2Sa 1:26; Joh 15:14,15

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Proverbs 18:23

    The poor useth intreaties; but the rich answereth roughly.

  • Proverbs 18:24

    A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

Read all of Proverbs 18

Proverbs 18:24 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		El hombre que tiene amigos, ha de mostrarse amigo: y amigo hay más conjunto que el hermano.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		L’homme qui a beaucoup de compagnons va se ruinant; mais il est tel ami plus attaché qu’un frère.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Ein Mann vieler Freunde wird zu Grunde gehen; doch es gibt einen, der liebt und anhänglicher ist als ein Bruder.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Vir amabilis ad societatem magis amicus erit quam frater.