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Proverbs 20:19

He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.

A talebearer - Hebrew, raakiyl (H7400); a detractor; literally, a trafficker, who 'goeth about' offering his wares of scandal, and 'revealing secrets,' to the prejudice of others.

Meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips - to elicit from thee what he may afterward repeat to others. Though there is need of "counsel" (Proverbs 20:19), yet it is not safe to ask it from everyone, and to tell secrets to everyone; for many go about as "talebearers," 'revealing secrets' which they have elicited by 'flattery.'

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See also Proverbs 20:19 in other biblical comments:

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    FLATTERETH - literally, “The man who opens his lips,” who has no reticence; such a man, with or without intending it, does the work of a talebearer....

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 20 PROVERBS AS TO PERSONAL CONDUCT Proverbs of warning and instructions as to personal conduct are found mostly in this chapter; a number of them are of special interest if applied to Solomon....

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    PROVERBS 20. We have still further traces in Proverbs 20:9; Proverbs 20:24 of the sceptical spirit and the obstinate questionings of self characteristic of the later Greek period of Jewish thought. P...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    MEDDLE. mingle, mix thyself up. Not the same word as in Proverbs 20:3. LIPS. Put by Figure of speech _Metonymy_ (of Cause) for the flattery spoken by them....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _flattereth_with] Rather, OPENETH WIDE, R.V.; dilatat labia sua, Vulg.; has his mouth always open as a tattling gossip. Comp. the prohibition of the Law, Leviticus 19:16, and St Paul's rebuke of "tatt...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    TEXT Proverbs 20:11-20 11. Even a child maketh himself known by his doings, Whether his work be pure, and whether it be right. 12. The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, Jehovah hath made even bot...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    1. RAGING] RV 'a brawler.' IS deceived] RM 'reeleth.' It makes a man sneer, quarrel and reel about....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    A 'chatterbox,' not a 'flatterer,' is meant....

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    LESSONS ABOUT WISDOM PROVERBS _KEITH SIMONS_ CHAPTER 20 V1 Wine is like a man who insults you. Beer is like a man who shouts at you. If wine and beer tempt you, then you are not wise....

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    You cannot trust this man. He gossips, so he will tell your secrets to everyone. We should not gossip. See James 4:11-12....

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    FLATTERETH WITH HIS LIPS. — Rather, _is open with his lips,_ cannot keep them shut....

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    גֹּֽולֶה ־סֹּ֖וד הֹולֵ֣ךְ רָכִ֑יל וּ לְ פֹתֶ֥

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER 21 IDLENESS "After the autumn gathering the slothful does not plough; he asks in the harvest, and there is nothing."- Proverbs 20:4 WE have already in the sixth lecture caught a glimpse of t...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER 17 A JUST BALANCE "A just balance and scales are the Lord's: all the weights of the bag are His work."- Proverbs 16:11 "A false balance is an abomination to the Lord: but a just weight is...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    “THE GLORY OF YOUNG MEN” Proverbs 20:16-30 What a wonderful thought is given in Proverbs 20:27! We stand like a row of unlighted candles until God's Spirit kindles us. Has the Divine Nature ever bent...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    Verse Proverbs 20:9. This is the eternal challenge which has but one answer. When a man recognizes this he begins to inquire for a Saviour. Verse Proverbs 20:14. "It is bad, it is bad," is the descrip...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _Lips. And speaketh much. These people are unworthy of our friendship._...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread. It is naught, it is naught, saith the buyer: but when he is gone his way, then he boasteth. There is...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 10 THROUGH 31. In chapter 10 begin the details which teach those who give ear how to avoid the snares into which the simple might fall, the path to be followe...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    HE THAT GOETH ABOUT [AS] A TALEBEARER REVEALETH SECRETS,.... Or, "he that revealeth secrets goeth about as a talebearer"; a man that has really got the secrets of others out of them respecting themsel...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    He that goeth about [as] a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips. Ver. 9. _He that goeth about as a talebearer._] Therefore make not such of thy co...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    V. 19. HE THAT GOETH ABOUT AS A TALEBEARER, making it his business to carry gossip and slander, REVEALETH SECRETS; THEREFORE MEDDLE NOT WITH HIM THAT FLATTERETH WITH HIS LIPS. cf Proverbs 11:13; Prove...

  • Marginal Notes in the King James Version (1611)

    FLATTERETH: Or, enticeth...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    HE THAT GOETH ABOUT AS A TALE-BEARER REVEALETH SECRETS; he that delighteth in and accustometh himself to the practice of spreading tales or evil reports, will not forbear to publish the greatest secre...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Proverbs 20:19 about H1980 (H8802) talebearer H7400 reveals H1540 (H8802) secrets H5475 associate H6148 (H8691)

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Warnings and instructions regarding the ways of folly. CHARACTERS: God. CONCLUSION: Here in this imperfect state, no person can claim to be sinless, but the just man, walking by the rule o...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Proverbs 20:1. _Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging._ In the book of Ecclesiasticus intoxication is connected with poverty, with harlots, with destruction: chap. Proverbs 19:1. Cyrus, after notic...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips._ ON KEEPING AWAY PEOPLE WE DON’T WANT Not all insects are welcome visitors to plants; there are unbidden guests who do harm. To their visits there...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL NOTES.— PROVERBS 20:18. The first clause may be read, _Establish thy purpose by counsel_. PROVERBS 20:19. “HIM THAT FLATTERETH.” Rather, _him that openeth wide his lips, i.e._, the babbler....

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION PROVERBS 20:1 WINE IS A MOCKER; or, scorner, the word (_luts_) being taken up from the last chapter. The liquor is, as it were, personified, as doing what men do under its influence. Thus...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Into chapter 20. Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise (Proverbs 20:1). He will have more to say about wine as we move along in our study next week,...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    Leviticus 19:16; Proverbs 11:13; Proverbs 16:29; Proverbs 18:8;...

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