THE FULL ARTICLE — from the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1915), general editor James Orr — public domain, printed whole.

in-ter-med'-'-l (`arabh, "to mix up (self) with something," "mingle in," "share," "take interest in"): The word occurs only once (Pr 14:10) in a passage descriptive of "the ultimate solitude of each man's soul at all times." "The heart knoweth its own bitterness."

"Nor even the tenderest heart, and next our own, Knows half the reasons why we smile and sigh."

(Compare 1Ki 8:38.) Something there is in every sorrow which no one else can share. "And a stranger doth not intermeddle with its joy," not necessarily in an interfering or any offensive way, but simply does not share or take any interest in the other's joy.

For "intermeddleth with" (Pr 18:1 the King James Version), the Revised Version (British and American) gives "rageth against" (margin "quarrelleth with").

M. O. Evans