Proverbs 16:27 - Meaning and Application

There are some people who are not only sinful themselves, but also cruel and harmful to others. They are among the worst kind of people. This verse describes two kinds of them.

First, there are those who envy a person’s good name and do all they can to destroy it through lies and false reports. They “dig up evil,” meaning they work hard to find something they can use as slander. If nothing is obvious, they search in secret matters, look far back into the past, or rely on suspicions, guesses, and twisted hints. A slanderer’s words are like fire. They do not just stain a neighbor’s reputation, they can also burn it up. A little of that fire can spread quickly, and it is very hard to put out (James 3:5-6).

Second, there are those who envy the comfort of friendship and try to break it apart. They stir up trouble by saying things to each side that push friends, relatives, or long-time companions against one another. A twisted person, one who cannot bear to love anyone but himself, feels troubled when he sees others living in peace. So he makes it his business to sow strife, spreading false stories and bad reports between close friends. He turns them suspicious, angry, or distant from each other. Men and women who do this are doing the devil’s work, and they will be paid with what he gives.