May I know what this verse means?

[loriequin]

"With their words, the godless destroy their friends, but knowledge will rescue the righteous."
Proverbs 11:9 (NLT)

 

[Edyos]

Hypocrites lead others into sin, trouble, and eventually destruction by their lying words. But a just man, with the wisdom and knowledge of God and His word, will not be led astray by these wicked talkers. He will see through them.

 

[brinny]

loriequin, i gotta agree with Edyos.

Thank you Edyos, that was edifying.

And a belated welcome to CF, to you, loriequin.

 

[Halbhh]

"With their words, the godless destroy their friends, but knowledge will rescue the righteous."
Proverbs 11:9 (NLT)

The proceeding proverbs are helpful to broaden the whole picture with this verse --

3 The integrity of the upright guides them,
but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.

4 Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath,
but righteousness delivers from death.

5 The righteousness of the blameless makes their paths straight,
but the wicked are brought down by their own wickedness.

6 The righteousness of the upright delivers them,
but the unfaithful are trapped by evil desires.

7 Hopes placed in mortals die with them;
all the promise of their power comes to nothing.

8 The righteous person is rescued from trouble,
and it falls on the wicked instead.

9 With their mouths the godless destroy their neighbors,
but through knowledge the righteous escape.


Verse 8 helps I think. Very often those trying to harm others with words and tricks will themselves fall into a snare, often of their own making. The trap they think to set for others destroys them instead (the book of Esther illustrates this strongly).

Paraphrasing verse 9 -- the malicious gossip or slanderer seeks to harm others by saying untrue or exaggerated descriptions, or half-truths meant to create an illusion. But if the person being slandered is righteous, this attack will not work in the end.

Ellicott says: "Through knowledge.--The just, by the knowledge given them by God, shall see through the fraud."
Proverbs 11:9 With his mouth the ungodly man destroys his neighbor, but through knowledge the righteous are rescued.

 

[Halbhh]

"With their words, the godless destroy their friends, but knowledge will rescue the righteous."
Proverbs 11:9 (NLT)

I'm also noticing from a cross reference proverbs 12:6, and really the whole chapter is good to expand on this too .

Proverbs 12 NIV

 

[longwait]

"With their words, the godless destroy their friends, but knowledge will rescue the righteous."
Proverbs 11:9 (NLT)

We all have slanderers around us. Espacially if we live a life trying to please the Lord. But we will be protected by God and also by the knowledge of His Word in us.
For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. 1Peter 2:15

 

[Daniel Marsh]

I take the words in question to mean gossip