Proverbs 11:13

Pro 11:13 A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter.

Ver. 13. A talebearer revealeth secrets.] Heb., A pedlar. {See Trapp on "Lev 19:16"} {See Trapp on "1Ti 5:13"} Si sapis arcano vina reconde cado. God forbids us to chaffer with these petty chapmen. {Pro 20:19}

Concealeth the matter.] Tacitus to him is the best historian - primus in historia. He is a rare friend that can both give counsel and keep counsel. One being hit in the teeth with his stinking breath, wittily excused it, that it was by reason of the many secrets committed to him, and concealed by him so long, till they were even rotten in his bosom.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

11:13 This perspective on a gossip is repeated in 20:19.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

tale-bearer--(Compare Margin), one trading as a peddler in scandal, whose propensity to talk leads him to betray confidence.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 13. A talebearer] הולך רכיל holech rachil, the walking busybody, the trader in scandal.

Revealeth secrets] Whatever was confided to him he is sure to publish abroad. The word means a hawker, or travelling chapman. Such are always great newsmongers; and will tell even their own secrets, rather than have nothing to say.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

13. A talebearer] Rather, He that goeth about as a talebearer. This, as indicated in A.V. marg. (He that walketh being a talebearer), is the literal and more forcible rendering. It also brings out the warning more clearly, q.d. Don’t trust such a man.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

A talebearer revealeth secrets,.... The Arabic version adds, in the congregation, openly and publicly; that goes about with tales from place to place, who is like a walking merchant or peddler, as the word (l) signifies; who takes up his wares at one place, and exposes them to sale, and vends them at another; so a talebearer, he goes from house to house, and picks up tales at one place and carries them to another and tells them; and as by his going about he gets into the secrets of persons and families, or is intrusted with them, his character not being known, he reveals them to others, and so breaks the trust committed to him see Ti1 5:13. The Targum and Syriac version render it "an accuser"; and the same name is given to the devil in the New Testament, and indeed such a man is no better;

but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter; that is "faithful" to his friend, that trusts him with his secrets, of which there are but few; he "conceals the matter" he is entrusted with: "the things", as the Septuagint version; the secrets which are imparted to him; or "the word" (m) that he has heard, and has been spoken to him in privacy, and in strict friendship: or he "covers the matter" (n) or thing; he hides the infirmities of his friend and neighbour, and does not expose them as the talebearer does; see Pe1 4:8.

(l) "obambulat ut mercator", Tigurine version; "qui incedit nundinator", Schultens. (m) "verbum", Pagninus, Montanus, Mercerus, Baynus. (n) "tegit rem", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; "velat negotium", Schultens.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

The man who comes to us with tales about others will reveal our secrets also. Faithfulness is shown, not only in doing what a man has been commissioned to do, but in doing it quietly and without garrulity.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Walketh. Septuagint, "the double-tongued," dissembler, or great talker. (Calmet)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

A tale-bearer, or, he that goeth about (from one place or person to another, as the manner of such is) telling tales, making it his business to scatter reports, revealeth secrets; this tattling humour is so prevalent with him, that he cannot forbear to publish, either his neighbour’s secret faults, or such things as were committed to his trust with a charge of secrecy.

He that is of a faithful spirit, that hath a sincere, and constant, and faithful mind, which both can and will govern his tongue,

concealeth the matter, so far as he can lawfully do.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

13. A talebearer — הולךְ רכיל, holekh rakhil. The root of the first word means to walk, of the second, to go about as a trader, a pedler. Such persons gather up the news and carry the gossip from house to house and from place to place; hence, perhaps, the word came to signify a talebearer, a pedler of news, a newsmonger.

He that is of a faithful spirit — A right thinking and right feeling man will cover up whatever word or thing comes to his knowledge that would be injurious to honest people. Compare Pro_20:19; Pro_25:9; Jeremiah 16:28; Lev_19:16; 1Pe_2:1, James 3; also Jas_4:11.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

A tale-bearer. The word implies one who goes about chattering, gossiping, and slandering; (Lev_19:16) Vulgate, qui ambulat fraudulenter; Septuagint, "the man of double tongue." To such a man it is safe to trust nothing; he revealeth secrets. (Pro_20:19) He that is of a faithful spirit; a steadfast, trusty man, not a gadder about; he retains what is committed to him (Ecc 27:16, "Whoso discovereth secrets luseth his credit, and shall never find friend to his mind"). Septuagint, "He that is faithful in spirit pnoh , as in Pro_20:27, where see note concealeth matters.

The tale-bearer.

Tale-bearing may result from spite and malice, or it may be an incident of idle gossip; but even in its milder phases it is a most mischievous practice, and one deserving of severe reprobation. Connected with what are called the minor moralities of life, the evil of it is far too little recognized by many Christian people, people who undoubtedly, endeavour on the whole to square their conduct with right principles. It is very important, therefore, that the character of this very common fault should be exposed.

I WHEN CONFIDENCE HAS BEEN REPOSED, TALE-BEARING IS SHAMEFULLY DISHONOURABLE. All of us admit in the abstract that it is mean and dastardly to betray confidence. But the practice is terribly frequent with people whose character should be proof against it. Of course, no man of principle would deliberately worm a secret out of an innocent, trusting friend for the very purpose of blazing it abroad. But there are cases in which the evil is less clearly recognized.

1. Confidence may be implied when it is not expressed. A man need not say in so many words that he is telling us a secret, and bind us over to keep silent by solemn promises, in order to put us under an obligation not to betray his confidence. If he evidently trusts us, calls us into his counsels as an exceptional privilege of friendship, and tells us what we know he would not wish us to make public, the duty not to repeat his words is scarcely less binding. If, through being admitted into a man"s house, we have discovered the skeleton in his cupboard, by accepting his hospitality, we are pledged not to reveal it.

2. Confidence may be betrayed through carelessness. If any one lends a jewel to a friend, he is required not only not to sell it, but not to leave it exposed to the danger of theft. Confidence is a jewel. It must be guarded. Should we through recklessness reveal what is entrusted to us, we are culpable. Two practical considerations:

(1) Do not be over-anxious to learn secrets. They bring with them painful, difficult obligations. Those people who are most careless in betraying confidence are generally most eager in their curiosity to pry into the affairs of their neighbours. Both habits imply a low moral tone.

(2) Be careful how you give confidence. This is not merely a maxim of prudence; it is a rule of charity, for the trust is an obligation, possibly a very arduous one. Why should you force it upon a friend, and so increase his burdens?

II WHEN CONFIDENCE HAS NOT BEEN REPOSED, TALEBEARING IS UNCHARITABLE.

1. It is unkind, even if nothing damaging to character is said. We may know many innocent things about a man which it would be highly unbecoming to make public. The modest will respect decency of soul as well as of body. The veil of mental reserve is a requirement which should distinguish the civilized man from the savage as much as the clothing of his body. One of the penalties of royalty is the exposure of private. and home life in "the fierce light that beats upon a throne." Unhappily, this evil grows upon public characters; and the tendency of "society papers" to pander to idle curiosity with personal gossip about celebrities is one of the most unwholesome habits of our day.

2. It is often injurious when no harm is meant. The report is misunderstood, or it is unfairly judged by going forth without the lights and shares of accompanying circumstances, like a text without its context. Thus a deed appears harsh which would be condoned if the causes which led up to it were all known. Like a rolling snowball, rumour grows as it progresses through the world. The love of dramatic effect unconsciously colours the "simple, round, unvarnished tale," till the author could no longer recognize it.

3. It is ungenerous when it is a true tale of guilt. We are not called to tell all the evil which we know of our neighbours. Charity would hide it. It is most inhuman to take pleasure in the vivisection of character. On the other hand, we must bear in mind that it is sometimes our duty to speak out unpleasant truths, as in bearing witness to a crime from obligations of justice, and in giving a servant"s character; untruthfulness in the latter case is dishonest, unjust to employers, and directly unfair to persons of good character by the depreciation of the value of truthful testimonials in the loss of confidence in all such documents.

In conclusion, see how injurious tale-bearing is to the tale-bearer.

1. It rouses retaliation. Who among us can defy the tongue of slander thus provoked?

2. It degrades the mind. Wordsworth has described the lowering influence of narrow personal talk in contrast with conversation on topics of larger, nobler interest" Sweetest melodies Are those that are by distance made more sweet. Whose mind is but the mind of his own eyes, He is a slave the meanest we can meet.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Secrets - Such things as were committed to his trust with a charge of secrecy.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

13 He who goeth about tattling revealeth secrets;

But he who is of a faithful spirit concealeth a matter.

The tattler is called רכיל (intensive form of רכל), from his going hither and thither. אנשׁי רכיל, Eze 22:9, are men given to tattling, backbiters; הולך רכיל (cf. Lev 19:16), one of the tattlers or backbiters goes, a divulger of the matter, a tell-tale. It is of such an one that the proverb speaks, that he reveals the secret (סוד, properly the being close together for the purpose of private intercourse, then that intercourse itself, vid., at Psa 25:14); one has thus to be on his guard against confiding in him. On the contrary, a נאמן־רוּח, firmus (fidus) spiritu, properly one who is established, or reflexively one who proves himself firm and true (vid., at Gen 15:6), conceals a matter, keeps it back from the knowledge and power of another. Zckler rightly concludes, in opposition to Hitzig, from the parallelism that the הולך רכיל is subject; the arrangement going before also shows that this is the "ground-word" (Ewald); in Pro 20:19 the relation is reversed: the revealer of secrets is rightly named (cf. Sir. 27:16, ὁ ἀποκαλύπτων μυστήρια, κ.τ.λ.).

Keil & Delitzsch — Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1861–1891) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API. (Old Testament only.)

Another breach of love is here reproved. (Lev 19:16-17 .) The gospel does not shut us up in our own private interests, as if we had no sympathy with our neighbour. It is an universal brotherhood of love. Yet it rebukes the tale-bearer, who, having no business of his own, traffics with his neighbour’s name and honour, and vends his wares of scandal, as it may be, whether for gain or wantonness. (Neh 6:17-19 .) It is most unsafe to be within the breath of this cruel trifler with the happiness of his fellow-creatures. (Pro 16:28 ; Pro 26:22 .) For as readily as he reveals our neighbour’s secrets to us, will he reveal ours to him.†1 All the bonds of confidence and friendship are broken in pieces. Let ears and lips be closed against him. If there be no vessel to receive his base matter, his words will fall to the ground, and die away. Children, servants, and visitors in the family, should guard most carefully against revealing secrets, that have been spoken before them in the unreserved confidence of domestic life. The tale-bearer having much time on his hands, worms out family secrets. He is always delighted to make a discovery. The most idle rumour is a treasure. A quarrel made up before he had time to reveal it, is a disappointment. This busy idleness has always been a sore in the church. (2Th 3:10-12 . 1Ti 5:13 . 1Pe 4:15 .) It is a religion always abroad, occupied impertinently with foreign interference; while at home it is "the field of the slothful, grown over with thorns." (Pro 24:30-31 .) Would we have our friend rest his anxieties on our bosom (Pro 17:17 ), let him not see the results of misplaced confidence dropping out of our mouth. It is of great moment to our peace, that those about us should be of a faithful spirit, to whom it is not necessary on every occasion to enjoin secrecy; true to our interest as to their own; who would rather refuse than betray a trust; whose bosom is a cover of concealment, except when the honour of God and the interests of society plainly forbid. (1Sa 3:17-18 . Jer 38:24-27 . Contrast Jdg 16:16-20 .) Invaluable is such a friend, but rare indeed in this deceitful world. (Pro 20:6 .) Yet Christian consistency includes the faithful spirit; and its habitual absence makes it most doubtful, whether the spirit and mind of Christ is not altogether wanting.

Footnotes:

†1 Pro 20:19. Horace has given us this same warning:

Percontatorem fugito; nam garrulus idem est;

Nec retinent patulæ commissa fideliter aures. — Epistle I. 18. L. 69, 70.

Charles Bridges, An Exposition of the Book of Proverbs (1846) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

v. 13. A talebearer revealeth secrets, his conduct in going about tattling and slandering results in the betrayal of many a thing which had better remained bidden; but he that is of a faithful spirit, one who proves himself trustworthy, one upon whom people can depend, concealeth the matter, secrets which were committed to him, things whose publication will result only in heartaches and not in edification. A different matter is that broached Matthew 18, 15-20.

Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.