Proverbs 22:24-25
Make no friendship with a man given to anger, nor go with a wrathful man, lest you learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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This isn't just about avoiding someone who gets mad easily; the Hebrew suggests avoiding a "lord of anger," someone whose entire disposition is ruled by their temper. Hanging out with such a person isn't just unpleasant; it's a direct pathway to letting their chaotic anger become a trap for your own soul.
This verse is part of a larger collection of wisdom sayings and warnings in Proverbs, specifically within a section that offers practical advice for living a prudent and righteous life. It’s embedded within warnings about choosing companions carefully, immediately preceding advice against becoming a guarantor for someone's debt. The preceding verses also caution against foolishness and impulsivity, setting the stage for this direct instruction on avoiding negative influences in friendships.
The Bible doesn't just say 'avoid angry people,' it calls them 'lords of anger.' Why such a strong image, and what does it reveal about the danger?
Proverbs 22:24 uses vivid language to describe someone prone to anger. The phrase translated 'angry man' literally means 'a lord of anger.' This isn't just someone who gets angry occasionally; it's someone who seems to rule over their anger, or perhaps has anger ruling them.
This mastery, or lack thereof, makes them dangerous:
We often think of friendship as just enjoying someone's company. But Proverbs offers a deeper perspective on the spiritual impact of our closest relationships.
The core message of Proverbs 22:24 is about the profound influence our companions have on us. It’s not just about avoiding conflict, but about actively guarding your spirit.
Understand the original words
ba'al aph · Hebrew Noun phrase
A person characterized by a habitual, uncontrolled, and destructive temper. Scripture warns against close association with such people because their character and behavior are contagious and destructive to the soul.
moqesh · Hebrew Noun
A trap or instrument of capture. Metaphorically, it refers to a situation or relationship that ensnares a person, leading them into sin, compromise, or moral destruction.
This passage lists 'hatreds, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, divisions, envyings, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these' as works of the flesh, directly paralleling the destructive nature of anger described in Proverbs.
Ephesians 4:26This verse advises 'Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger,' highlighting the danger of unchecked anger and the need for control, reinforcing the wisdom of avoiding habitually angry individuals.
Matthew 5:22Jesus warns against calling someone a 'fool' or 'raca,' showing that even spoken anger carries divine judgment, underscoring the seriousness of the temper Proverbs cautions against.
Proverbs 1:10-19This earlier section of Proverbs describes how sinners entice others into their destructive ways, much like the 'angry man' can lead others astray by example, serving as a broader context for the specific warning in 22:24.
James 1:19-20The author of James urges everyone to be 'quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger,' as 'man's anger does not produce God's righteousness,' directly supporting the avoidance of wrathful companions.
gillProverbs 22:24: "Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go:"
Make no friendship with an angry man,.... Do not associate with him; contract not a familiarity with him; make him not a companion; take him not into an intimacy, or use him as a particular friend and acquaintance: a man should be courteous, and carry it civilly to all men; but he should take care whom he admits as his bosom friend; he should be cautious in his choice of a familiar friend, and not…
pulpitProverbs 22:24: "Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go:"
Verses 24, 25. - Another tetrastich. Make no friendship with an angry (irascible) man. Have no close intercourse with a man given to fits of passion. And with a furious man thou shalt not go. Avoid the society of such a one. The reason follows: Lest thou learn his ways; his manner of life and conduct. as Proverbs 1:15 (where see note). Anger breeds anger; impotence, impatience. St. Basil ('De Ira')…
This isn't just about avoiding someone who gets mad easily; the Hebrew suggests avoiding a "lord of anger," someone whose entire disposition is ruled by their temper. Hanging out with such a person isn't just unpleasant; it's a direct pathway to letting their chaotic anger become a trap for your own soul.
This verse is part of a larger collection of wisdom sayings and warnings in Proverbs, specifically within a section that offers practical advice for living a prudent and righteous life. It’s embedded within warnings about choosing companions carefully, immediately preceding advice against becoming a guarantor for someone's debt. The preceding verses also caution against foolishness and impulsivity, setting the stage for this direct instruction on avoiding negative influences in friendships.
This verse is part of a larger collection of wisdom sayings and warnings in Proverbs, specifically within a section that offers practical advice for living a prudent and righteous life. It’s embedded within warnings about choosing companions carefully, immediately preceding advice against becoming a guarantor for someone's debt. The preceding verses also caution against foolishness and impulsivity, setting the stage for this direct instruction on avoiding negative influences in friendships.
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"Make no friendship with a man given to anger, nor go with a wrathful man, lest you learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare." — This isn't just about avoiding someone who gets mad easily; the Hebrew suggests avoiding a "lord of anger," someone whose entire disposition is ruled by their temper. Hanging out with such a person i…
