PRO 11

Proverbs 11:13

WEB

One who brings gossip betrays a confidence, but one who is of a trustworthy spirit is one who keeps a secret.

BSB

A gossip reveals a secret, but a trustworthy person keeps a confidence.

KJV

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

Matthew Henry

Verses 12–13

Proverbs 11:12–13

I. Silence is here recommended as an instance of true friendship, and a preservative of it, and therefore an evidence, 1. Of wisdom: A man of understanding, that has rule over his own spirit, if he be provoked, holds his peace, that he may neither give vent to his passion nor kindle the passion of others by any opprobrious language or peevish reflections. 2. Of sincerity: He that is of a faithful spirit, that is true, not only to his own promise, but to the interest of his friend, conceals every matter which, if divulged, may turn to the prejudice of his neighbour.

II. This prudent friendly concealment is here opposed to two very bad vices of the tongue: - 1. Speaking scornfully of a man to his face: He that is void of wisdom discovers his folly by this; he despises his neighbour, calls him Raca, and Thou fool, upon the least provocation, and tramples upon him as not worthy to be set with the dogs of his flock. He undervalues himself who thus undervalues one that is made of the same mould. 2. Speaking spitefully of a man behind his back: A tale-bearer, that carries all the stories he can pick up, true or false, from house to house, to make mischief and sow discord, reveals secrets which he has been entrusted with, and so breaks the laws, and forfeits all the privileges, of friendship and conversation.

Hebrew interlinear

H1980

הָלַךְhâlak/haw-lak'/

v — walk

Derivation: akin to 3212; a primitive root;

to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)

KJV: (all) along, apace, behave (self), come, (on) continually, be conversant, depart, be eased, enter, exercise (self), follow, forth, forward, get, go (about, abroad, along, away, forward, on, out, up and down), greater, grow, be wont to haunt, lead, march, × more and more, move (self), needs, on, pass (away), be at the point, quite, run (along), send, speedily, spread, still, surely, tale-bearer, travel(-ler), walk (abroad, on, to and fro, up and down, to places), wander, wax, (way-) faring man, × be weak, whirl.

הָלַךְ

vb — go

הָלַךְ 1546 vb. go, come, walk

Qal Impf. usually (629 t.) as if from ילך

I. lit.

1. of persons

2. Also of animals, in similar meanings and combinations

3. in like manner of inanimate things

4. The inf. abs. is often used

a. as in other vbs., quite independently

b. to intensify meaning of finite form

c. most noteworthy is the joining of the Inf. abs.

(1). with a following Inf. abs. denoting a simutaneous action or process, and so emphasizing duration or continuance

(2). with a foll. vb. fin. c. ו consec. (rare)

(3). in cases where vb. fin. is foll. by Inf. abs. adj. denoting progress, advance

(4). twice, where vb. fin. is not הלך, but another vb. denoting motion

(5). quite by itself

(6). 13 t. the Inf. abs. = Imv. & is followed by Pf. consec.

d. akin to the use of Inf. abs. are some instances of Pt.

5. In combination with other verbal forms

II. Fig.; the most common uses follow; in most the origin in a literal meaning is evident:

1. pass away, die

2. live (‘walk’), in general

3. of moral and religious life

4. other fig. uses

Pi. (chiefly poet. and late)

1. walk in or with a throng

2. also of walking about = living

3. depart, go entirely away

4. fig. of mode of life, action, etc.

Hithp. walk, walk about, move to and fro

Hiph.

1. lead, bring

2. lead away

3. carry, bring

4. fig. of influence on character

5.

a. cause to walk, go

b. cause to flow, run

c. cause to depart, retire, go back

H7400

רָכִילrâkîyl/raw-keel'/

n-m — scandal-monger

Derivation: from 7402

a scandal-monger (as travelling about)

KJV: slander, carry tales, talebearer.

רָכִיל

n.[m.] — slander

רָכִיל n.[m.] slander, > tale-bearer, informer

H1540

גָּלָהgâlâh/gaw-law'/

v — denude, exile, reveal

Derivation: a primitive root;

to denude (especially in a disgraceful sense); by implication, to exile (captives being usually stripped); figuratively, to reveal

KJV: advertise, appear, bewray, bring, (carry, lead, go) captive (into captivity), depart, disclose, discover, exile, be gone, open, × plainly, publish, remove, reveal, × shamelessly, shew, × surely, tell, uncover.

גָּלָה

vb — uncover

גָּלָה 189 vb. uncover, remove

Qal

1. uncover the ear of one, i.e. reveal to him

2. intr. remove, depart

3. go into exile

Niph.

1. refl.

a. uncover oneself (one’s nakedness)

b. discover or shew oneself

2. pass.

a. be uncovered (one’s nakedness)

b. be disclosed, discovered

3. be removed

Pi.

1. uncover

2. disclose, discover, lay bare

3. make known, shew, reveal

Pu. be uncovered

Hiph. carry away into exile, take into exile

Hoph. carried into exile

Hithp.

1. was uncovered (naked)

2. that his heart may reveal itself

H5475

סוֹדçôwd/sode/

n-m — session, company, intimacy, consultation, secret

Derivation: from 3245;

a session, i.e. company of persons (in close deliberation); by implication, intimacy, consultation, a secret

KJV: assembly, consel, inward, secret (counsel).

סוֹד

n.[m.] — council

סוֹד n.[m.] council, counsel

H539

אָמַןʼâman/aw-man'/

v — build up, support, foster, render, be, firm, trust, permanent, be true

Derivation: a primitive root; (Isaiah 30:21; interchangeable with 541, to go to the right hand)

properly, to build up or support; to foster as a parent or nurse; figuratively to render (or be) firm or faithful, to trust or believe, to be permanent or quiet; morally to be true or certain;

KJV: hence, assurance, believe, bring up, establish, fail, be faithful (of long continuance, stedfast, sure, surely, trusty, verified), nurse, (-ing father), (put), trust, turn to the right.

אָמַן

vb — confirm

[אָמַן] vb. confirm, support

Qal

1. as vb. support, nourish

2. as subst. foster-father

3. foster-mother, nurse

4. pillars, supporters of the door

Niph.

1. carried by nurse

2. made firm, sure, lasting

3. confirmed, established, sure

4. verified, confirmed

5. reliable, faithful, trusty

Hiph.

1. stand firm

2. trust, believe

H7307

רוּחַrûwach/roo'-akh/

n-f — wind, breath, exhalation, life, anger, unsubstantiality, region of the sky, spirit

Derivation: from 7306;

wind; by resemblance breath, i.e. a sensible (or even violent) exhalation; figuratively, life, anger, unsubstantiality; by extension, a region of the sky; by resemblance spirit, but only of a rational being (including its expression and functions)

KJV: air, anger, blast, breath, × cool, courage, mind, × quarter, × side, spirit(-ual), tempest, × vain, (whirl-) wind(-y).

רוּחַ

n.f — breath

רוּחַ 378 n.f. (less oft. m.) breath, wind, spirit

1. breath of mouth or nostrils (33 t.)

2. wind (117 t.)

3. spirit, as that which breathes quickly in animation or agitation = temper, disposition (76 t.)

4. spirit of the living, breathing being

5. spirit as seat of emotion

6. occasionally (and late) = seat or organ of mental acts

7. rarely of the will

8. רוּחַ esp. of moral character

9. spirit of God (94 t.)

H3680

כָּסָהkâçâh/kaw-saw'/

v — plump, fill up, cover

Derivation: a primitive root;

properly, to plump, i.e. fill up hollows; by implication, to cover (for clothing or secrecy)

KJV: clad self, close, clothe, conceal, cover (self), (flee to) hide, overwhelm. Compare 3780.

כָּסָה

vb — cover

[כָּסָה] vb. cover

Qal

1. conceal

2. pass. (cstr.) covered in respect of sin (by God, which he thus puts out of sight)

Niph. covered

Pi.

1. cover, clothe

2. cover, conceal blood

3. cover (with covering of protection)

4. cover, spread over

5. cover, overwhelm

6. cover over

Pual.

1. be covered

2. be clothed

Hithp. cover, clothe oneself

H1697

דָּבָרdâbâr/daw-baw'/

n-m — word, matter, spoken, thing, cause

Derivation: from 1696;

a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause

KJV: act, advice, affair, answer, × any such (thing), because of, book, business, care, case, cause, certain rate, chronicles, commandment, × commune(-ication), concern(-ing), confer, counsel, dearth, decree, deed, × disease, due, duty, effect, eloquent, errand, (evil favoured-) ness, glory, harm, hurt, iniquity, judgment, language, lying, manner, matter, message, (no) thing, oracle, × ought, × parts, pertaining, please, portion, power, promise, provision, purpose, question, rate, reason, report, request, × (as hast) said, sake, saying, sentence, sign, so, some (uncleanness), somewhat to say, song, speech, × spoken, talk, task, that, × there done, thing (concerning), thought, thus, tidings, what(-soever), wherewith, which, word, work.

דָּבָר

n.m — speech

דָּבָר 1439 n.m. speech, word

I. sg. speech, discourse, saying, word, as the sum of that which is spoken

II. sg. saying, utterance, sentence, as a section of a discourse

III. sg. a word, words

IV. sg. matter, affair, thing about which one speaks

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