Proverbs 17:18 (ASV)

Passage

A man void of understanding striketh hands, And becometh surety in the presence of his neighbor.

Nearby Context

Proverbs 17:16 Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom, Seeing he hath no understanding?

Proverbs 17:17 A friend loveth at all times; And a brother is born for adversity.

Proverbs 17:18 A man void of understanding striketh hands, And becometh surety in the presence of his neighbor.

Proverbs 17:19 He loveth transgression that loveth strife: He that raiseth high his gate seeketh destruction.

Proverbs 17:20 He that hath a wayward heart findeth no good; And he that hath a perverse tongue falleth into mischief.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "void", "understanding", "striketh", "hands", "becometh", "surety", "presence", and "neighbor". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "void" and "understanding", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 17's "A friend loveth at all times And..." into verse 19's "He loveth transgression that loveth strife He...", so "void" and "understanding" belong inside that flow. In Proverbs context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "void" and "understanding" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.