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“Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding” Part 2

(Pro 18:8-16)

[Study Aired August 28, 2025]

Pro 18:8  The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.
Pro 18:9  He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster.
Pro 18:10  The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.
Pro 18:11  The rich man’s wealth is his strong city, and as an high wall in his own conceit.
Pro 18:12  Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honour is humility.
Pro 18:13  He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.
Pro 18:14  The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?
Pro 18:15  The heart of the prudent getteth knowledge; and the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge.
Pro 18:16  A man’s gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men.

This section of Proverbs 18:8–16 contains a series of wise sayings that touch on themes of speech, work ethic, pride, humility, wisdom, and justice.

The overall theme of these verses emphasize the value of wise living—guarding one’s words, maintaining humility, seeking knowledge, being diligent, and relying on God rather than false securities like physical wealth. All of these qualities are a gift of God that we grow in through a lifetime of overcoming which will lead to greater joy and happiness, as we see the day approaching more and more clearly (Col 1:24 , Php 4:4 , Heb 10:25).

Col 1:24  Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church:

Php 4:4  Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.

Heb 10:25  Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

Our first verse:

Pro 18:8  The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly. (KJV)
Pro 18:8  The words of a slanderer are greedily swallowed; yea, they go down into the innermost chambers of the belly (LITV)
Pro 18:8  the words of a tattler, are dainties, they, therefore go down into the chambers of the inner man. (Rotherham)
Pro 18:8  The words of a tale-bearer are as self-inflicted wounds, And they have gone down to the inner parts of the heart. (YLT)

The Bible warns often against talebearers—those who spread gossip, slander, or secrets that cause division and harm. Here are three verses in the old covenant that have to do with a talebearer.

1. Leviticus 19:16 (KJV): “Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people.”

2. Proverbs 11:13: “A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter.”

3. Proverbs 20:19: “He who goes about as a slanderer reveals secrets, therefore do not associate with a gossip.”

Here are some examples of talebearers (or gossipers/slanderers) in the Bible that should help us round off our understanding of this word, and our first verse were looking at (Pro 18:8).

1.  Doeg the Edomite (1Sa 21:1-22)

Doeg saw David receive help from the priest Ahimelek and reported it to King Saul. His report, while factually accurate, was used maliciously. Saul then ordered the killing of Ahimelek and 85 priests.

Doeg spread damaging information with evil intent, leading to innocent deaths.

Again these examples were written for our admonition, upon whom the end of the ages are come (1Co 10:11). God uses these extreme examples of old to motivate us to be diligently guarding our hearts against this evil spirit of gossip.

2.  The Spies Who Gave a Bad Report (Num 13:1-14)

Ten of the twelve spies sent to scout the Promised Land returned with a fearful and discouraging report, causing the Israelites to doubt God and rebel.

They spread exaggerated, fear-driven reports that undermined faith and unity, leading to national disaster.

This example in God’s word reveals that it is the ten that represents our flesh that must be mortified as we die daily so that the other two spies who represent the witness of Jesus Christ in our lives can go forth and conquer the land as we are promised we will (Rom 8:35-37).

Rom 8:35  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or anguish, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
Rom 8:36  Even as it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; We were accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
Rom 8:37  Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

3.  Absalom (David’s Son) (2 Samuel 15)

Absalom quietly spread dissatisfaction by telling people their concerns weren’t being heard and that he would treat them better if he were king.

He used manipulation and subtle criticism to undermine his father King David and steal loyalty, leading to civil war.

The lesson here with Absalom is that a little leaven leavens the whole lump, and there is no such a thing as a little bit of gossip being okay, or a little leaven. When the adversary attacks us, as he will, being the accuser of the brethren, we are to pray for one another, and those prayers will give us the ability to persevere and overcome evil with good, rather than being overcome by the evil that gossip is (Rom 12:21).

Rom 12:21  Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

4.  The Enemies of Nehemiah (e.g., Sanballat and Tobiah) (Neh 6:5-9)

They spread false rumours that Nehemiah was rebelling against the king to make himself king in Judah.

They used lies and gossip to try to stop God’s work and discredit Nehemiah.

In this story we learn of the motives behind the devil who is intent on destroying the unity of the body of Christ and always has been (Mat 24:24). Satan is very subtle, more than any beast of the field [the world] (Gen 3:1) and his approach is going to be so, using a word of truth here, and then twisting God’s word to spread false rumours as the accuser of the brethren (Rev 12:10). Thanks be to God we are not ignorant of his devices (2Co 2:10-11) and are covering each others sins with the blood of Christ, not letting the devil get any advantage over our body, the church (1Pe 4:8).

2Co 2:10  To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ;
2Co 2:11  Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

Mat 24:24  For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

1Pe 4:8  above all things being fervent in your love among yourselves; for love covereth a multitude of sins:

5.  Jezebel and Her Hired Slanderers (1 Kings 21)

Jezebel arranged for false witnesses (essentially talebearers) to accuse Naboth of cursing God and the king, so she could steal his vineyard.

These witnesses lied publicly, resulting in Naboth’s unjust execution.

Jezebel’s lying and stealing of the vineyard of Naboth is typical of Babylon taking the words of God that come forth from the vine Jesus Christ and then misappropriate them and kill the innocent Christ, typified by Naboth (Mat 21:37-39).

Mat 21:37  But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son.
Mat 21:38  But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance.
Mat 21:39  And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him.

I spent a little more time with this important first verse of our study in hopes that we can see how the next few verses can be used to instruct us in ways to overcome the adversary and the divisive tool of gossip that he has utilized through the ages:

Pro 18:9  He also that is slack in his work is brother to him that is a destroyer.

This verse reminds me of Christ’s words in (Joh 10:10).

Joh 10:10  The thief cometh not, but that he may steal, and kill, and destroy: I came that they may have life, and may have it abundantly.

A thief steals because he doesn’t want to work, and when we are not diligent in our work, or working out our own salvation with fear and trembling it is going to cause us to reap the fruits of that slothfulness. God can burn that spirit out of us and if we are being received of him in this age through a chastening and scourging process of judgement we’ve been called unto, it will bring about a peculiar people who are zealous of good works (Tit 2:11-14).

Tit 2:11  For the grace of God hath appeared, bringing salvation to all men,
Tit 2:12  instructing us [G3811 = Paideuo], to the intent that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly and righteously and godly in this present world;
Tit 2:13  looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
Tit 2:14  who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a people for his own possession, zealous of good works.
Tit 2:15  These things speak and exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no man despise thee.

An idle hand truly is the workshop of the devil, and Satan’s workmanship as we read is being accomplished through those idle hands and hearts that become instrumental in spreading gossip and causing division in the body of Christ. God will make the bride ready, and these sins are caused of Him and will be overcome through Christ within each joint that supplies in love.

Pro 18:10  The name of Jehovah is a strong tower; The righteous runneth into it, and is safe
Pro 18:11  The rich man’s wealth is his strong city, And as a high wall in his own imagination.

Christ is our tower and refuge in this life, without him we have no chance of overcoming, that is why it is only the righteous who truly run into that tower that represents Christ who is our safe haven who gives us the power to overcome in this life as we’re dragged to him by our Father (Psa 107:30 , Joh 6:44).

Psa 107:30  Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.

Joh 6:44  No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

The walls of New Jerusalem represent the bride of Christ the body of Christ where “The rich man’s wealth is his strong city”. It is with the mind of Christ that we can imagine what is impossible for the world to conceive and believe “And as a high wall in his own imagination”. Conversely, the world’s imagination is full of deceit and unbelief (Hab 1:5 , 2Th 2:11) that is increasing as we near the end of this age (2Pe 3:3-4 , 2Ti 3:1-5).

Hab 1:5  Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvellously: for I will work a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be told you.

2Th 2:11  And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:

2Pe 3:3  Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,
2Pe 3:4  And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.

2Ti 3:1  This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2Ti 3:2  For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
2Ti 3:3  Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
2Ti 3:4  Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
2Ti 3:5  Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

In the negative, the rich man’s wealth is a metaphor that describes the pride of life within us, “and as a high wall in his own imagination” which is the way that seems right to our first man Adam and leads to death. By God’s grace and the faith of Christ (Eph 2:8) we can overcome that pride and bring every thought into captivity to Christ so that there is no chance of our being a talebearer in this life, as Christ increases and we decrease (Joh 3:30).

Pro 18:12  Before destruction the heart of man is haughty; And before honor goeth humility.

All that is in the heart of man becomes very manifest when God wants it to be so, and before destruction God always lets the sins of the Amorites come to their fulness in each of our lives, making manifest what needs to be burnt out of us (Gen 15:16).

Gen 15:16  But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.

This tells us that our humbling trials and sins in this life are of God, and what is required before honour is humility which these sins being worked in our lives will cause.  The talebearer in me is haughty and proud and exalted, and must be destroyed through the humbling circumstances God causes in our lives so that in due time we can be exalted under His mighty hand that humbles us (1Pe 5:1-10).

1Pe 5:1  The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:
1Pe 5:2  Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
1Pe 5:3  Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.
1Pe 5:4  And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
1Pe 5:5  Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
1Pe 5:6  Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
1Pe 5:7  Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
1Pe 5:8  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
1Pe 5:9  Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
1Pe 5:10  But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

Pro 18:13  He that giveth answer before he heareth, It is folly and shame unto him.

Here is another way that we bring shame unto ourselves, that by God’s grace can also be burnt out of us. We all naturally lean unto our own understanding (Pro 3:5-8), until God starts to receive us as sons (Heb 12:6 , 2Co 1:9). That receiving is a lifelong process that is needed to get us to stop trusting in our flesh and only in the living God who knows our frame and how to make us a people who are quick to hear and slow to speak (Jas 1:19). Christ is the one who gives us the ability to tame the tongue and bring every thought into subjection unto him (2Co 10:5).

Heb 12:6  For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

2Co 1:9  But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:

2Co 10:5  Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

Pro 18:14  The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; But a broken spirit who can bear?

It sounds like God is out of the picture in this first part of the proverb when it says “The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity”, but that is just not the case if we consider the sum of his word on the matter. God gave us the spirits that we have and He is the one who knows what we can endure in these marred clay vessels, so yes we sustain our own infirmities, but it is God who has created us to do so, not independent of his will (Eph 1:11). A broken spirit is also something that God can bring about in our lives so that we cry out to the only one who can restore us in this life (Psa 51:1-3 , Gal 6:1 , 1Jn 2:1).

Christ was sorrowful near unto death, and yet God held him up, and Christ made clear that all of his life was in his Father’s hand as we are now in His hands (Joh 5:30 , Joh 15:5 , Joh 18:9 , Joh 10:28-29).

Joh 5:30  I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.
Joh 5:31  If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true. [Luk 24:48 , 1Jn 4:17 , Col 1:27]

Joh 18:9  That the saying might be fulfilled, which he spake, Of them which thou gavest me have I lost none.

Joh 10:28  And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
Joh 10:29  My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.

The broken spirit is harder to bear than even great physical trials (Pro 18:14), and some of the hardest trials Christ had to endure were centered around not having the comfort of either his disciples who would forsake him (Mar 14:50) (negative), and then His Father who forsook him (Mat 27:46) (positive), his Adamic flesh, for a moment for our sakes (2Co 4:15).

Mat 27:46  And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

2Co 4:15  For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.

Pro 18:15  The heart of the prudent getteth knowledge; And the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge.

God’s people are blessed to have a hunger and thirst for His righteousness in this life (Mat 5:6), and as our hearts are changed by going from glory to glory, the prudent spirit God gives us will want to get knowledge, and the ear of the wise will want to seek knowledge (Heb 11:6).

Heb 11:6  But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.[“Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled”(Mat 5:6)]
Heb 11:7  By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

Pro 18:16  A man’s gift maketh room for him, And bringeth him before great men.[KJV]
Pro 18:16 A man’s gift widens the way for him, And guides him before the great.” [CLV]
Pro 18:16  A gift will get you in to see anyone. [CEV]

God has given us his holy spirit, and that gift is the one that is needed in order to obtain salvation in this life (Eph 2:8).

Eph 2:8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

The physical gifts that mankind have may open many physical doors for them, but the gift of the holy spirit opens the most important and greatest door one could ever go through, bringing us to our Creator, who we see in each other through Christ the door day by day (Joh 10:9 , 1Jn 4:17 ,  Joh 14:9).

Joh 10:9  I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

1Jn 4:17  Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

Joh 14:9  Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?