Proverbs 18:24 (BSB)

A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who stays closer than a brother.

From Proverbs 18. Also in the ESV.

Commentary on Proverbs 18:24

• Matthew Henry (Presbyterian), Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary on Proverbs 18:24: Solomon here recommends friendship to us, and shows, 1. What we must do that we may contract and cultivate friendship; we must show ourselves friendly. Would we have friends and keep them, we must not only not affront them, or quarrel with them, but we must love them, and make it appear that we do so by all expressions that are endearing, by being free...
• John Gill (Reformed Baptist), Exposition of the Old and New Testaments on Proverbs 18:24: A man that hath friends must show himself friendly,.... Friendship ought to be mutual and reciprocal, as between David and Jonathan; a man that receives friendship ought to return it, or otherwise he is guilty of great ingratitude. This may be spiritually applied; a believer is "a man of friends" (b), as it may be rendered; he has many friends: God is his friend, as...
• Jamieson-Fausset-Brown (Reformed), Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible on Proverbs 18:24: 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" [Mat 11:19; Luk 7:34], who may have been before the writer's mind. Next: Proverbs Chapter 19
• Geneva Bible Notes (Reformed), Geneva Bible Study Notes on Proverbs 18:24: A man [that hath] friends must show himself friendly: and there is a friend [that] sticketh closer than a brother. (q) That is, often such are found who are more ready to do pleasure, than he that is more bound by duty.