Read Proverbs 20:19 This is the fourth time we have heard of a talebearer.  Solomon must have thought that talebearing was important to be warned about.  A talebearer is someone who carries a tale around.  They bear a tale.  A tale is a story that may or may not be true.  The truthfulness of the story is not important to the talebearer.  They just want to carry the story around to several people so that they are the ones who are important.  The talebearer will come by and say, "Have you heard the latest story?"  And of course you haven't, so they get to tell you the latest tale.  The talebearer likes to be the first one to carry a story around.  That is why they talk to so many people.  They have to be "in the know."  They are nosy.  They stick their nose into other people's business so that they can carry more tales to the next person.  And what do they say at the next person's?  They say, "Have you heard the latest story?"  As a mater of fact, they will actually add things to the story that they carry in order to make it more exciting.  They call it embellishing the truth but God calls it lying.  Whether a story is true or not is not the important thing to a talebearer.  What is important to the talebearer is that they have a new story and that they are the first to bring it to you.  A talebearer will bring you gossip about someone else and then try to get information out of you.  They want you to join in their talebearing.  But the problem with a talebearer is that when they leave you, they will talk about you to the next person.  They come to you with a tale about someone else, and then they go to someone else with a tale about you!  So when a talebearer comes by with some juicy gossip, just remember that they will be talking about you at their next stop.  Be honest and faithful in your words.  Don't fall for the flattering words of the talebearer because they will turn the tale around at their next stop.  At their next stop you will be the next tale.