Proverbs 26:6

“He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool, etc.] Who knows not how to deliver it in a proper manner, and is incapable of taking the answer, and reporting it as he should; or unfaithful in it, and brings a bad or false report, as the spies did upon the good land; cutteth off the feet; he may as well cut off his feet before he sends him, or send a man without feet, as such an one; for prudence, diligence, and faithfulness in doing a message, and bringing back the answer, are as necessary to a messenger as his feet are; [and] drinketh damage; to himself; his message not being rightly performed, and business not done well; which is a loss to the sender, as well as to his credit and…”

“A fool fails by folly as surely as if he were maimed. drinketh damage--that is, gets it abundantly (Job 15:16; Job 34:7).”

“Cutteth off the feet - Mutilates him, spoils the work which the messenger ought to fulfill. Drinketh damage - i. e., “has to drink full draughts of shame and loss” (compare Job 15:16). return to 'Top of Page'”

“Cutteth off the feet - Of his messenger; bids one go that wants legs. Drinketh - Drinking, in scripture, frequently denotes the plentiful doing or receiving of any thing. Proverbs 26:7”

“sendeth: Pro 10:26, Pro 13:17, Pro 25:13; Num 13:31 damage: or, violence Proverbs 26:7”

“6 He cutteth off the feet, he drinketh injury, Who transacteth business by a fool. He cutteth off, i.e., his own feet, as we say: he breaks his neck, il se casse le cou; Lat. frangere brachium, crus, coxam; frangere navem (Fleischer). He thinks to supplement his own two legs by those of the messenger, but in reality he cuts them off; for not only is the commission not carried out, but it is even badly carried out, so that instead of being refreshed ( Pro 13:17; Pro 25:13) by the quick, faithful execution of it, he has to swallow nothing but damage; cf. Job 34:7, where, however, drinking scorn is meant of another (lxx), not his own; on the contrary, חמס here refers to injury suffered (as if…”