Commentary - Proverbs 16:28

Bird's-eye view

This proverb, like many in this section of the book, is a tightly packed couplet that contrasts two related but distinct forms of social poison. The first line deals with the agent of chaos, the "perverse man" who actively manufactures and disseminates strife. The second line focuses on a specific and insidious tactic, that of the "whisperer" who specializes in sundering the deepest of human bonds. Together, these two clauses paint a grim picture of how twisted hearts produce twisted words, and how those words are weapons designed to wreck the peace of a community. The proverb serves as a stark warning against both being such a person and listening to such a person. It reveals that strife and division are not unfortunate accidents; they are the cultivated harvest of a corrupt character. The ultimate target of this verbal venom is covenantal unity, the very fabric of a healthy society, church, or family.

At its root, this is a matter of allegiance. The perverse man and the whisperer are doing the devil's work. The word for devil, diabolos, means slanderer. He is the archetypal accuser and divider. Therefore, those who engage in this behavior are acting as his little field agents. This proverb is a diagnostic tool for the heart. If you find yourself drawn to stirring the pot or listening to juicy tidbits about others, you are revealing a perversity within that needs to be mortified by the gospel. Conversely, if you love peace and pursue it, if you are a defender of reputations and a mender of breaches, you are walking in the footsteps of the Prince of Peace.

Outline

Context In Proverbs

Proverbs 16 is a collection of sayings that heavily emphasizes the sovereignty of God over all human affairs, from the plans of the heart (16:1, 9) to the roll of the dice (16:33). Within this context of divine oversight, the proverbs repeatedly address the power of human speech. The king's mouth is an oracle (16:10), pleasant words are a honeycomb (16:24), and a worthless man plots evil with his speech (16:27). Our current verse, 16:28, fits squarely within this theme. It follows a description of the "ungodly man" whose lips are like a "burning fire" (16:27) and is followed by a warning about the destructive path of violence (16:29). The placement highlights that perverse speech is not a minor foible; it is a form of spiritual violence, a destructive fire that flows from a heart set against God's created order of peace and fellowship.

Key Issues

Two Kinds of Social Arsonist

The Bible treats sins of the tongue with the utmost seriousness, and this proverb gives us two profiles of those who specialize in such sins. We are not dealing here with an accidental slip of the tongue or a thoughtless comment. We are dealing with character. The "perverse man" and the "whisperer" are not titles for someone having a bad day. They describe a settled disposition, a way of being in the world. The first is a loud and proud troublemaker, the kind of person who thrives on conflict and seems to leave a trail of arguments and hurt feelings wherever he goes. He is the agent provocateur. The second is more subtle, but no less deadly. He is the back channel operator, the purveyor of "prayer requests" that are really just juicy gossip, the one who slides in a quiet word that poisons a relationship forever. Both are arsonists, but one uses a flamethrower while the other uses a lit match and a pile of oily rags in the basement. The end result is the same: everything burns.

Verse by Verse Commentary

28a A perverse man spreads strife,

The Hebrew for "perverse man" (ish tahpukoth) describes a man who is twisted, turned upside down, or distorted. His moral compass is fundamentally broken. He sees good as evil and evil as good. Because his character is bent, everything that comes from him is likewise bent. He cannot help but spread strife, anymore than a bad tree can help but produce bad fruit. The word for "spreads" (yeshalleach) means to send out, to cast forth, or to sow. This is an active, intentional process. Strife is not something that just happens around him; it is his project, his crop. He sows discord like a farmer sows wheat, and he delights in the harvest of broken relationships, arguments, and factionalism. He is the opposite of the peacemaker who is called a son of God. This man is a son of the devil, the original sower of discord in God's creation.

28b And a whisperer separates close companions.

The second clause gives us a specific methodology of the perverse man. The "whisperer" (nirgan) is a talebearer, a gossip. The word has the connotation of murmuring or muttering. This is not open confrontation; it is covert operation. His weapon is the half-truth, the out-of-context quote, the insinuation, the carefully placed seed of doubt. And notice his target: "close companions." The Hebrew here is potent; it speaks of chief friends, the most intimate and trusted of allies. This is not about breaking up casual acquaintanceships. The whisperer aims for the heart of a community's strength, which is found in the loyal, covenantal bonds between its members. He drives a wedge into the deepest and most precious relationships. Why? Because a community where brothers dwell in unity is a picture of the Trinity and a powerful witness to the world. The whisperer, as an agent of the serpent, cannot stand this. He must isolate, divide, and conquer. He separates the sheep from one another so the wolf can have his way. This is a profound evil, and it is why Scripture tells us that God hates the one who "sows discord among brothers" (Proverbs 6:19).

Application

There are three primary applications we must draw from this text. First, we must conduct a thorough self-examination. Do you have a perverse streak? Do you find a secret little thrill in conflict? Do you enjoy being the bearer of bad news or critical information about someone else? Do you find yourself "just sharing concerns" that have the effect of driving people apart? If so, you need to repent. This is not a personality quirk; it is a deep-seated sin that flows from a heart that is not right with God. You must confess it as the wickedness it is and plead with God to give you a new heart, one that loves peace and unity.

Second, we must learn to identify and resist the whisperer. When someone comes to you with a juicy story about another person, especially a close friend, your spiritual alarms should go off. You must refuse to be a party to it. A godly response is to stop the whisperer in his tracks. You can do this by asking, "Have you spoken to him about this directly?" or "Why are you telling me this?" or simply by saying, "I don't listen to gossip about my friends." Refusing to provide an audience for the talebearer is like depriving a fire of oxygen. If we all did this, the whisperers in our midst would soon find themselves talking to the walls.

Finally, we must be agents of the opposite spirit. If the perverse man sows strife, we must be those who sow peace. If the whisperer separates friends, we must be those who bind them together. This means we must be quick to believe the best of others, slow to take offense, and eager to forgive. It means actively building others up, defending their reputations, and facilitating reconciliation when breaches occur. This is the work of Christ, who broke down the dividing wall of hostility to make one new man in Himself. To be a Christian is to be enlisted in this glorious project of reconciliation, first with God, and then with one another. Let us, therefore, put away all perverse speech and whispering, and instead let our words be like those described elsewhere in Proverbs: a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.