And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.
Ver. 13. They learn to be idle] It is an art soon learned, by doing nothing to do naughtily. Nihil agendo male agere discunt, Idleness is the hour of temptation, and an idle person is the devil's tennis ball, tossed by him at his pleasure.
Wandering about from house to house] As vagrants, or as pedlars opening their packs, and dropping here a tale and there a tale. A practice flatly forbidden by God, Leviticus 19:16; "Thou shalt not go up and down as a tale bearer." The Hebrew word signifieth a pedlar, רגל whence רגל for a foot. And another Hebrew word used for defaming or slandering, Psalms 15:3, properly noteth a footing or trotting it up and down, prying and spying and carrying tales and rumours, 2 Samuel 19:27. The Greek word also αργεω, and the Latin word arguo, first signifies to be idle, and next to reprehend others. (Beckman de Origin. ling. Lat.) Because they that have little to do at home, will be overly busy abroad, in censuring and slandering others.
And not only idle] The firstborn of idleness is, to do nothing; the next issue that she hath is, to do evil. Otium negotium, Idleness is a kind of business.
But tattlers also] Gr. φλυαροι, triflers; Magno conatu magnas nugas agunt. The Rabbis have a proverb, "That ten kabs of speech descended into the world, and the women took away nine of them."
And busybodies] For "every fool will be meddling," Proverbs 20:3 .
Speaking things, &c.] It is a very hard thing well to manage many words: εν πολυλογια πολυμωρια, In multiloquio stultiloquium.