A fraudulent man sows strife: and a whisperer separates chief friends.
froward
Proverbs 6:14,19 Frowardness is in his heart, he deviseth mischief continually; he soweth discord…
Proverbs 15:18 A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife.
Proverbs 18:8 The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.
soweth
Proverbs 17:9 He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends.
Genesis 3:1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
1 Samuel 24:9 And David said to Saul, Wherefore hearest thou men's words, saying, Behold, David seeketh thy hurt?
and a gossip divides close friends
Gossip, or the spreading of rumors and secrets, is portrayed as a destructive force that can sever even the strongest of relationships. The cultural context of ancient Israel placed a high value on loyalty and trust within friendships and family. The act of gossiping is seen as a betrayal of that trust, leading to division and strife. This is echoed in other scriptures such as James 3:5-6, which compares the tongue to a small fire that can set a great forest ablaze, illustrating the potential for words to cause significant harm. The division of close friends through gossip is a reminder of the power of words and the importance of using them wisely, as emphasized throughout the book of Proverbs.
“a crooked, morally warped person” (see Proverbs 2:12-15; 10:31-32)
• His heart has turned from God’s straight path, so his words and actions follow suit.
• Rather than building up, he delights in twisting truth and motives, much like the “schemer” in Proverbs 6:14 who “plots evil continually.”
• Such a person stands opposed to the God of order and peace (1 Corinthians 14:33) and therefore to the health of any community he enters.
“spreads” pictures sowing seeds; conflict is the inevitable harvest (Proverbs 6:19).
• Methods include half-truths, subtle innuendo, and the cynical tone that makes suspicion sound sophisticated (James 3:14-16).
• Dissension doesn’t erupt overnight; it’s cultivated, like weeds in an untended field (Proverbs 26:20-21).
• God hates this practice because He loves unity among His people (Psalm 133:1; John 17:21).
“gossip” translates to the person who whispers behind backs (Proverbs 18:8).
• The gossip often disguises slander as concern, curiosity, or even a prayer request (Proverbs 26:22-25).
• Paul lists gossip with sins that destroy a church’s witness (Romans 1:29-30; 2 Corinthians 12:20).
• Unlike honest, loving confrontation (Ephesians 4:15), gossip hides in the dark; it cannot survive the light of truth.
The most vulnerable relationships are the deepest ones.
• Words once shared in confidence become weapons that fracture trust (Proverbs 17:9).
• The rupture affects more than the two parties; circles of family, church, and workplace feel the shock waves (Proverbs 11:9; 15:18).
• God’s design is covenant loyalty—friends who “stick closer than a brother” (Proverbs 18:24)—but gossip drives a wedge where God intends steadfast love.
Proverbs 16:28 warns that twisted hearts produce twisted words, and those words wreck relationships God treasures. Pursue straight paths, speak truth in love, refuse every whisper that wounds, and you will cultivate the unity Christ died to secure (Ephesians 4:29-32).
(28) A froward man.--Who distorts the truth.Verse 28. - A froward man soweth strife (Proverbs 6:14, 19). The verb means, literally, "sends forth," which may signify "scatters as seed" or "hurls as a missile weapon." The character intended is the perverse man, who distorts the truth, gives a wrong impression, attributes evil motives; such a one occasions quarrels and heartburnings. And a whisperer separateth chief friends (Proverbs 17:9). Nirgan is either "a chatterer," or "a whisperer," "calumniator." In Proverbs 18:8 and Proverbs 26:20, 22 it is translated "tale bearer." "Be not called a whisperer (ψίθυρος)," says the Son of Sirach (Ecclus. 5:14), speaking of secret slander. "Slanderers," says an old apothegm, "are Satan's bellows to blow up contension." Septuagint, "A perverse man sendeth abroad evils, and kindleth a torch of deceit for the wicked, and separateth friends." The alternative rendering of the second clause, "estrangeth a leader," i.e. alienates one leader from another, or from his army, is not confirmed by the authority of the versions or the best commentators.