Proverbs 26:20-22 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Where no wood is, the fire goeth out: &c. As the fire will soon be extinguished if you take away the fuel that feeds it; so, where there is no tale-bearer To carry such reports from one to another as may provoke them to mutual anger, enmity, and contention; the strife ceaseth Animosity, hatred, and quarrels will die away. As coals to burning coals, &c. As dead coals laid on burning coals, and wood on fire, increase the heat and flame; so is a contentious man Hebrew, אישׁ מדונים, a man of contentions, that is, who loveth and giveth himself up to contentions; or, who is hard to please, and apt to find fault with every person and thing; to kindle strife For unkind tempers and provoking words quickly produce quarrels and enmities, which destroy all peace, unanimity, and concord, and embroil people in endless hostilities against one another. The words of a tale-bearer are as wounds This was observed before, Proverbs 18:8, (on which see the note,) and is here repeated, as being a point of great importance to the peace and welfare of all societies, and proper to be often and earnestly pressed upon the consciences of men, because of their great and general proneness to this sin.