A "tale-bearer" in biblical terms refers to a person who engages in spreading gossip, rumors, or slander. This behavior is consistently condemned in Scripture as it often leads to discord, strife, and division among individuals and communities. The Hebrew word often translated as "tale-bearer" is "rakil," which implies a person who travels about spreading accounts, often with malicious intent.

Old Testament References:

The concept of the tale-bearer is addressed multiple times in the Old Testament, particularly in the wisdom literature and the Law. In Leviticus 19:16, the Israelites are explicitly commanded, "You must not go about spreading slander among your people. You must not endanger the life of your neighbor. I am the LORD." This command underscores the seriousness with which God views the act of tale-bearing, associating it with endangering others.

Proverbs, a book rich in practical wisdom, frequently warns against the dangers of tale-bearing. Proverbs 11:13 states, "A gossip reveals a secret, but a trustworthy person keeps a confidence." This verse highlights the breach of trust that occurs when someone engages in tale-bearing. Similarly, Proverbs 20:19 advises, "He who goes about as a gossip reveals secrets; therefore do not associate with a babbler." The wisdom literature emphasizes the importance of discretion and the value of maintaining trust within relationships.

Proverbs 26:20-22 further illustrates the destructive nature of tale-bearing: "Without wood a fire goes out; without a gossip a conflict ceases. As charcoal to embers and wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife. The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down into the inmost being." These verses metaphorically compare gossip to fuel for a fire, suggesting that tale-bearing can ignite and sustain conflict.

New Testament Context:

While the specific term "tale-bearer" is not used in the New Testament, the principles against gossip and slander are reiterated. The apostle Paul, in his letters, frequently warns against such behavior. In Romans 1:29-30, he lists gossip among the sins of those who have turned away from God: "They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed, and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant, and boastful."

In 2 Corinthians 12:20, Paul expresses concern about finding quarreling and gossip among the believers: "For I am afraid that when I come, I may not find you as I wish, and you may not find me as you wish. I fear that there may be quarreling, jealousy, rage, rivalries, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorder." This indicates that tale-bearing was a significant issue in the early church, capable of undermining unity and harmony.

James 3:5-6 also speaks to the power of the tongue, warning of its potential to cause great harm: "So also the tongue is a small part of the body, but it boasts of great things. Consider how small a spark sets a great forest ablaze. The tongue also is a fire, a world of wickedness among the parts of the body. It pollutes the whole person, sets the course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell." This passage underscores the destructive potential of careless or malicious speech, including tale-bearing.

Moral and Ethical Implications:

The biblical admonitions against tale-bearing reflect a broader ethical concern for truthfulness, integrity, and the preservation of community. Tale-bearing is seen as antithetical to the love and unity that should characterize the people of God. It is a behavior that not only harms individuals but also disrupts the fabric of communal life.

The Scriptures call believers to a higher standard of communication, one that builds up rather than tears down. Ephesians 4:29 instructs, "Let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building up the one in need and bringing grace to those who listen." This directive encourages speech that edifies and strengthens relationships, contrasting sharply with the divisive nature of tale-bearing.5372. nirgan -- talebearer, whisperer
... 5371, 5372. nirgan. 5373 . talebearer, whisperer. Transliteration: nirgan Phonetic
Spelling: (neer-gawn') Short Definition: talebearer. ... talebearer, whisperer ...
/hebrew/5372.htm - 5k

7400. rakil -- slander
... Word Origin from rakal Definition slander NASB Word Usage slanderer (3), slanderous
(1), talebearer (2). slander, carry tales, talebearer. ...
/hebrew/7400.htm - 6k

1980. halak -- to go, come, walk
... X 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 ...
/hebrew/1980.htm - 8k

7270. ragal -- to go about on foot
... A primitive root; to walk along; but only in specifically, applications, to reconnoiter,
to be a tale-bearer (ie Slander); also (as denominative from regel) to ...
/hebrew/7270.htm - 6k

Whether Tale-Bearing is a Sin Distinct from Backbiting?
... x): "The susurro [tale-bearer] takes his name from the sound of his speech, for
he speaks disparagingly not to the face but into the ear." But to speak of ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether tale-bearing is a sin.htm

We Shall not be Curious in the Ranking of the Duties in which ...
... Charity is no tale bearer. ... "Thou shalt not go up and down as a tale-bearer, nor
stand against the blood of thy neighbour," Leviticus 19:16. ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/chapter iv we shall not.htm

Whether Backbiting is a Graver Sin than Tale-Bearing?
... backbiter speaks of his neighbor things that are evil simply, for such things lead
to the loss or depreciation of his good name: whereas a tale-bearer is only ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether backbiting is a graver.htm

Concerning Peaceableness
... Among these we may rank talebearers (Leviticus 19:16). The talebearer carries
reports up and down. ... The talebearer is an incendiary. ...
/.../the beatitudes an exposition of matthew 51-12/18 concerning peaceableness.htm

Glossary
... Ravishing. Ecstasy. Reckless. Indifferent. Ronker. A whisperer. Ronner. A gossip
or tale-bearer. Swink. To labour. Witting. Knowledge. Wode. Mad, furious. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/anonymous/the cloud of unknowing/glossary.htm

The Fourth Chapter: Prudence in Action
... Perfect men, however, do not readily believe every talebearer, because they know
that human frailty is prone to evil and is likely to appear in speech. ...
/.../kempis/the imitation of christ/the fourth chapter prudence in.htm

The Duty of Reproving Our Neighbour
... (Lev.19:15.) "Thou shalt not go up and down as a tale-bearer among thy people:"
(Lev.19:16:) Although this is a sin which human laws have never yet been able ...
/.../wesley/sermons on several occasions/sermon 65 the duty of.htm

That Tale-Bearers are Accursed.
... In Ecclesiasticus, in Solomon: "The talebearer and the double-tongued is accursed;
for he will disturb many who have peace." [4614]. Footnotes: [4614] Ecclus. ...
/.../110 that tale-bearers are accursed.htm

Whether Derision is a Special Sin Distinct from those Already ...
... Now just as the railer intends to injure the honor of the person he rails, the
backbiter to depreciate a good name, and the tale-bearer to destroy friendship ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether derision is a special.htm

Whether Cursing is a Graver Sin than Backbiting?
... Accordingly it belongs to the reviler, the tale-bearer, the backbiter and the derider
to speak evil of fault, whereas it belongs to the evil-speaker, as we ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether cursing is a graver.htm

Talebearer (8 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Talebearer (8 Occurrences). ... Proverbs 11:13 A talebearer
revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter. ...
/t/talebearer.htm - 8k

Tale-bearer (7 Occurrences)
Tale-bearer. Talebearer, Tale-bearer. Talebearers . Multi-Version Concordance ...
(WBS YLT). Talebearer, Tale-bearer. Talebearers . Reference Bible.
/t/tale-bearer.htm - 8k

Tale (7 Occurrences)
... In talebearer the word has another meaning, namely, "slanderous talk or gossip."
The word occurs 5 times in Proverbs 11:13; Proverbs 18:8; Proverbs 20:19 ...
/t/tale.htm - 12k

Revealeth (9 Occurrences)
... (See JPS). Proverbs 11:13 A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a
faithful spirit concealeth the matter. (KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS). ...
/r/revealeth.htm - 8k

Reveals (14 Occurrences)
... as a talebearer revealeth secrets; but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth
a matter. (See NAS RSV). Proverbs 20:19 He who goes about as a tale-bearer...
/r/reveals.htm - 10k

Self-inflicted (2 Occurrences)
... Proverbs 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). ...
/s/self-inflicted.htm - 7k

Secrets (26 Occurrences)
... Proverbs 11:13 A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful ... Proverbs
20:19 He who goes about as a tale-bearer reveals secrets; therefore don't ...
/s/secrets.htm - 14k

Wounds (57 Occurrences)
... (BBE). Proverbs 18:8 The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go
down into the innermost parts of the belly. (KJV WBS YLT). ...
/w/wounds.htm - 22k

Belly (62 Occurrences)
... (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT RSV). Proverbs 18:8 The words of a talebearer are as
wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly. ...
/b/belly.htm - 28k

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