Proverbs 18:18 (ASV)

Passage

The lot causeth contentions to cease, And parteth between the mighty.

Nearby Context

Proverbs 18:16 A man`s gift maketh room for him, And bringeth him before great men.

Proverbs 18:17 He that pleadeth his cause first [seemeth] just; But his neighbor cometh and searcheth him out.

Proverbs 18:18 The lot causeth contentions to cease, And parteth between the mighty.

Proverbs 18:19 A brother offended [is harder to be won] than a strong city; And [such] contentions are like the bars of a castle.

Proverbs 18:20 A man`s belly shall be filled with the fruit of his mouth; With the increase of his lips shall he be satisfied.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "causeth", "contentions", "cease", "parteth", "between", and "mighty". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "causeth" and "contentions", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 17's "He that pleadeth his cause first seemeth..." into verse 19's "A brother offended is harder to be...", so "causeth" and "contentions" 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 "causeth" and "contentions" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.