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Read the Bible

THE MESSAGE

Proverbs 18:8

Listening to gossip is like eating cheap candy; do you really want junk like that in your belly?

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Slander;   Speaking;   Talebearer;   Words;   Thompson Chain Reference - Evil;   Silence-Speech;   Speaking, Evil;   Talebearers;   The Topic Concordance - Speech/communication;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Slander;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Gossip;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Pardon;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Belly;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Proverbs, Book of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Inwards, Inward Parts;   King James Dictionary - Belly;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Tale;   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Belly;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
A gossip’s words are like choice foodthat goes down to one’s innermost being.
Hebrew Names Version
The words of a gossip are like dainty morsels: They go down into a person's innermost parts.
King James Version
The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.
English Standard Version
The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels; they go down into the inner parts of the body.
New American Standard Bible
The words of a gossiper are like dainty morsels, And they go down into the innermost parts of the body.
New Century Version
The words of a gossip are like tasty bits of food. People like to gobble them up.
Amplified Bible
The words of a whisperer (gossip) are like dainty morsels [to be greedily eaten]; They go down into the innermost chambers of the body [to be remembered and mused upon].
World English Bible
The words of a gossip are like dainty morsels: They go down into a person's innermost parts.
Geneva Bible (1587)
The wordes of a tale bearer are as flatterings, and they goe downe into the bowels of the belly.
Legacy Standard Bible
The words of a whisperer are like dainty morsels,And they go down into the innermost parts of the stomach.
Berean Standard Bible
A gossip's words are like choice morsels; they sink into the inmost being.
Contemporary English Version
There's nothing so delicious as the taste of gossip! It melts in your mouth.
Complete Jewish Bible
A slanderer's words are tasty morsels; they slide right down into the belly.
Darby Translation
The words of a talebearer are as dainty morsels, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.
Easy-to-Read Version
People love to hear gossip. It is like tasty food on its way to the stomach.
George Lamsa Translation
The words of a slothful man bring evil to him, and they cause him to go down into the inner chambers of Sheol.
Good News Translation
Gossip is so tasty—how we love to swallow it!
Lexham English Bible
The words of a whisper are like delicious morsels, and they themselves go down to inner parts of the body.
Literal Translation
The words of a slanderer are greedily swallowed; yea, they go down into the innermost chambers of the belly.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
The wordes of a slaunderer are very woudes, and go thorow vnto the ynmost partes of the body.
American Standard Version
The words of a whisperer are as dainty morsels, And they go down into the innermost parts.
Bible in Basic English
The words of one who says evil of his neighbour secretly are like sweet food, and go down into the inner parts of the stomach.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
The words of a whisperer are as dainty morsels, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.
King James Version (1611)
The words of a tale bearer are as wounds, and they goe downe into the innermost parts of the belly.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
The wordes of a slaunderer are very woundes, and go through vnto the innermost partes of the body.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Fear casts down the slothful; and the souls of the effeminate shall hunger.
English Revised Version
The words of a whisperer are as dainty, morsels, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
The wordis of a double tungid man ben as symple; and tho comen `til to the ynnere thingis of the wombe. Drede castith doun a slowe man; forsothe the soulis of men turned in to wymmens condicioun schulen haue hungur.
Update Bible Version
The words of a whisperer are as dainty morsels, And they go down into the innermost parts.
Webster's Bible Translation
The words of a tale-bearer [are] as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.
New English Translation
The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down into the person's innermost being.
New King James Version
The words of a talebearer are like tasty trifles, [fn] And they go down into the inmost body.
New Living Translation
Rumors are dainty morsels that sink deep into one's heart.
New Life Bible
The words of one who speaks about others in secret are like tempting bites of food. They go down into the inside parts of the body.
New Revised Standard
The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels; they go down into the inner parts of the body.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
the words of a tattler, are dainties, they, therefore go down into the chambers of the inner man.
Douay-Rheims Bible
The words of the double tongued are as if they were harmless: and they reach even to the inner parts of the bowels. Fear casteth down the slothful: and the souls of the effeminate shall be hungry.
Revised Standard Version
The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels; they go down into the inner parts of the body.
Young's Literal Translation
The words of a tale-bearer [are] as self-inflicted wounds, And they have gone down [to] the inner parts of the heart.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
The words of a whisperer are like dainty morsels, And they go down into the innermost parts of the body.

Contextual Overview

8 Listening to gossip is like eating cheap candy; do you really want junk like that in your belly?

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

words: Proverbs 12:18, Proverbs 16:28, Proverbs 26:20-22, Leviticus 19:16, Psalms 52:2, Psalms 64:3, Psalms 64:4

talebearer: or, whisperer

as wounds: or, like as when men are wounded

innermost parts: Heb. chambers

Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 22:14 - General Judges 16:18 - Come up 1 Samuel 24:9 - General Psalms 120:4 - Sharp Proverbs 15:4 - a breach Proverbs 20:19 - that goeth Proverbs 26:22 - words Ezekiel 22:9 - men that carry tales Ephesians 4:31 - evil speaking

Cross-References

Genesis 19:3
But he insisted, wouldn't take no for an answer; and they relented and went home with him. Lot fixed a hot meal for them and they ate.
Judges 13:15
Manoah said to the angel of God, "Please, stay with us a little longer; we'll prepare a meal for you—a young goat."
Nehemiah 12:44
That same day men were appointed to be responsible for the storerooms for the offerings, the firstfruits, and the tithes. They saw to it that the portion directed by The Revelation for the priests and Levites was brought in from the farms connected to the towns. Judah was so appreciative of the priests and Levites and their service; they, along with the singers and security guards, had done everything so well, conducted the worship of their God and the ritual of ceremonial cleansing in a way that would have made David and his son Solomon proud. That's the way it was done in the olden days, the days of David and Asaph, when they had choir directors for singing songs of praise and thanksgiving to God.
Luke 24:43
Looking for the Living One in a Cemetery At the crack of dawn on Sunday, the women came to the tomb carrying the burial spices they had prepared. They found the entrance stone rolled back from the tomb, so they walked in. But once inside, they couldn't find the body of the Master Jesus. They were puzzled, wondering what to make of this. Then, out of nowhere it seemed, two men, light cascading over them, stood there. The women were awestruck and bowed down in worship. The men said, "Why are you looking for the Living One in a cemetery? He is not here, but raised up. Remember how he told you when you were still back in Galilee that he had to be handed over to sinners, be killed on a cross, and in three days rise up?" Then they remembered Jesus' words. They left the tomb and broke the news of all this to the Eleven and the rest. Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them kept telling these things to the apostles, but the apostles didn't believe a word of it, thought they were making it all up. But Peter jumped to his feet and ran to the tomb. He stooped to look in and saw a few grave clothes, that's all. He walked away puzzled, shaking his head. That same day two of them were walking to the village Emmaus, about seven miles out of Jerusalem. They were deep in conversation, going over all these things that had happened. In the middle of their talk and questions, Jesus came up and walked along with them. But they were not able to recognize who he was. He asked, "What's this you're discussing so intently as you walk along?" They just stood there, long-faced, like they had lost their best friend. Then one of them, his name was Cleopas, said, "Are you the only one in Jerusalem who hasn't heard what's happened during the last few days?" He said, "What has happened?" They said, "The things that happened to Jesus the Nazarene. He was a man of God, a prophet, dynamic in work and word, blessed by both God and all the people. Then our high priests and leaders betrayed him, got him sentenced to death, and crucified him. And we had our hopes up that he was the One, the One about to deliver Israel. And it is now the third day since it happened. But now some of our women have completely confused us. Early this morning they were at the tomb and couldn't find his body. They came back with the story that they had seen a vision of angels who said he was alive. Some of our friends went off to the tomb to check and found it empty just as the women said, but they didn't see Jesus." Then he said to them, "So thick-headed! So slow-hearted! Why can't you simply believe all that the prophets said? Don't you see that these things had to happen, that the Messiah had to suffer and only then enter into his glory?" Then he started at the beginning, with the Books of Moses, and went on through all the Prophets, pointing out everything in the Scriptures that referred to him. They came to the edge of the village where they were headed. He acted as if he were going on but they pressed him: "Stay and have supper with us. It's nearly evening; the day is done." So he went in with them. And here is what happened: He sat down at the table with them. Taking the bread, he blessed and broke and gave it to them. At that moment, open-eyed, wide-eyed, they recognized him. And then he disappeared. Back and forth they talked. "Didn't we feel on fire as he conversed with us on the road, as he opened up the Scriptures for us?" They didn't waste a minute. They were up and on their way back to Jerusalem. They found the Eleven and their friends gathered together, talking away: "It's really happened! The Master has been raised up—Simon saw him!" Then the two went over everything that happened on the road and how they recognized him when he broke the bread. While they were saying all this, Jesus appeared to them and said, "Peace be with you." They thought they were seeing a ghost and were scared half to death. He continued with them, "Don't be upset, and don't let all these doubting questions take over. Look at my hands; look at my feet—it's really me. Touch me. Look me over from head to toe. A ghost doesn't have muscle and bone like this." As he said this, he showed them his hands and feet. They still couldn't believe what they were seeing. It was too much; it seemed too good to be true. He asked, "Do you have any food here?" They gave him a piece of leftover fish they had cooked. He took it and ate it right before their eyes.
Galatians 5:13
It is absolutely clear that God has called you to a free life. Just make sure that you don't use this freedom as an excuse to do whatever you want to do and destroy your freedom. Rather, use your freedom to serve one another in love; that's how freedom grows. For everything we know about God's Word is summed up in a single sentence: Love others as you love yourself. That's an act of true freedom. If you bite and ravage each other, watch out—in no time at all you will be annihilating each other, and where will your precious freedom be then?
Revelation 3:20
"Look at me. I stand at the door. I knock. If you hear me call and open the door, I'll come right in and sit down to supper with you. Conquerors will sit alongside me at the head table, just as I, having conquered, took the place of honor at the side of my Father. That's my gift to the conquerors!

Gill's Notes on the Bible

The words of a talebearer [are] as wounds,.... Or rather they are wounds; they wound the credit and reputation of the person of whom the tale is told; they wound the person to whom it is told, and destroy his love and affection to his friend; and in the issue they wound, hurt, and ruin the talebearer himself. Or, they are "as of those that are wounded" m; they pretend to be affected with the case they tell, and to be grieved for the failings and infirmities of those they are secretly exposing, when at the same time they rejoice at them: or, they are "secret" hidden ones, as Aben Ezra interprets it; they are spoken secretly, and wound secretly, in a backbiting way: or, they are "smooth" or flattering n, as Kimchi; they are smoother than oil, and glide easily into the minds of others: rather, "are greedily swallowed down" o, as the word in the Arabic language signifies; as Schultens has shown, and so renders it. Hence it follows:

and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly; go down pleasantly, and sink deep into the hearts of those to whom they are told; where they have a place and remain, both to the injury of the persons that receive them, and of them of whom they are told; and, though pleasing at first, they are as wounds in the inner parts, which are mortal.

m כמתלהמים "similia sunt verbis eorum, qui saepenumero contusi sunt", Junius Tremellius "ut contusorum", Cocceius. n "Ut lenientia", Montanus; "velut blanda", Vatablus, Mercerus, Gejerus; "quasi blandientia", Schmidt, so Ben Melech. o "Tanquam avide deglutita crustula", Schultens.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The first verse speaks of the immediate, the others of the remote, results of the “fool’s” temper. First, “contention,” then “strokes” or blows, then “destruction,” and last, “wounds.”

Proverbs 18:8

Wounds - The word so rendered occurs here and in Proverbs 26:22 only. Others render it “dainties,” and take the verse to describe the avidity with which people swallow in tales of scandal. They find their way to the innermost recesses of man’s nature.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Proverbs 18:8. The words of a tale-bearer — דברי נרגן dibrey nirgan, "the words of the whisperer," the busy-body, the busy, meddling croaker. Verba bilinguis, "the words of the double-tongued." - Vulgate. The wordes of the twisel tunge. - Old MS. Bible. "The words of a slanderer." - Coverdale.

The words of a deceiver, the fair-spoken, deeply-malicious man, though they appear soft and gracious, are wounds deeply injurious.

The original word is כמתלהמים kemithlahamim; they are as soft or simple, or undesigning. But Schultens gives another meaning. He observes that [Arabic] lahamah in Arabic signifies to "swallow down quickly or greedily." Such words are like dainties, eagerly swallowed, because inviting to the taste; like gingerbread, apparently gilded over, though with Dutch leaf, which is a preparation of copper; or sweetmeats powdered over with red candied seeds, which are thus formed by red lead; both deeply ruinous to the tender bowels of the poor little innocents, but, because of their sweetness and inviting colour, greedily swallowed down. This makes a good reading, and agrees with the latter clause of the verse, "they go down into the innermost parts of the belly."


 
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