Slander:
slan'-der (substantive, dibbah, "slander"; diabolos, "slanderer"; verb raghal, "to slink about" as a talebearer, lashan, "to use the tongue," "to slander"; diaballo, "to calumniate," "to slander"; and other words): Slander (etymologically a doublet of "scandal," from OFr. esclandre, Latin scandalum, "stumblingblock") is an accusation maliciously uttered, with the purpose or effect of damaging the reputation of another. As a rule it is a false charge (compare Mt 5:11); but it may be a truth circulated insidiously and with a hostile purpose (e.g. Da 3:8, "brought accusation against," where Septuagint has diaballo, "slander"; Lu 16:1, the same Greek word). Warnings, condemnations and complaints in reference to this sin are very frequent, both in the Old Testament and New Testament. Mischievous "tale-bearing" or "whispering" is condemned (Le 19:16; Eze 22:9). There are repeated warnings against evil-speaking (as in Ps 34:13; Pr 15:28; Eph 4:31; Col 3:8; Jas 4:11; 1Pe 3:10), which is the cause of so much strife between man and man (Pr 16:27-30), and which recoils on the speaker himself to his destruction (Ps 101:5; 140:11). Especially is false witness, which is "slander carried into a court of justice," to be condemned and punished (Ex 20:16; De 19:16-21; compare Pr 12:17; 14:5,25; 19:5; 21:28; 24:28). Special cases of slander more than usually mean are when a wife's chastity is falsely impeached by her husband (De 22:13-19), and when one slanders a servant to his master (Pr 30:10). Even a land may be slandered as well as persons (Nu 14:36). Slanderers and backbiters are mentioned in some of Paul's darkest catalogues of evildoers (Ro 1:29,30; 2Co 12:20; 2Ti 3:3). To refrain from slander is an important qualification for citizenship in theocracy (Ps 15:1,3; 24:3,4) and for a place in the Christian church (1Ti 3:11; Tit 2:3). Jesus Himself was the victim of slanders (Mt 11:19) and of false testimony (Mt 27:63). The apostles, too, came in for a full share of it (e.g. Ac 24:5 f; 28:22; 2Co 6:8). In the case of Paul, even his central doctrine of justification was "slanderously reported" as if it encouraged immorality (Ro 3:8). The devil (=" the calumniator") is represented as the great accuser of God's people (Re 12:10), the slanderer paragraph excellence (compare Job 1:9-11; Zec 3:1).
Written by D. Miall Edwards
See CRIMES
See PUNISHMENTS
Slander: Includes
Whispering
Backbiting
Evil surmising
Tale-bearing
Babbling
Tattling
Evil speaking
Defaming
Bearing false witness
Judging charitably
Raising false reports
Repeating matters
Slander: Is a Deceitful Work
Slander: Idleness Leads To
Slander: Hypocrites Addicted To
Slander: A Characteristic of the Devil
Slander: The Wicked Love
Slander: They Who Indulge In, Are Fools
Slander: They Who Indulge In, Not to Be Trusted
Slander: Women Warned Against
Slander: Minister's Wives Should Avoid
Slander: The Nearest Relations Exposed To
Slander: Saints
Should keep their tongue from
Should lay aside
Should be warned against
Should give no occasion for
Should return good for
Blessed in enduring
Characterised as avoiding
Slander: Should Not Be Listened To
Slander: Should Be Discountenanced with Anger
Slander: Effects Of
Separating friends
Deadly wounds
Strife
Discord among brethren
Murder
Slander: The Tongue Of, Is a Scourge
Slander: Is Destructive
Slander: End Of, Is Mischievous Madness
Slander: Punishment For
Slander: Exemplified
Laban's Sons
Doeg
Princes of Ammon
Ziba
Children of Belial
Enemies of the Jews
Gashmu
Haman
David's enemies
Jeremiah's enemies
Jews
Witnesses against Christ
Priests
Enemies of Stephen
Enemies of Paul
Tertullus
The Blue Letter Bible ministry and the BLB Institute hold to the historical, conservative Christian faith, which includes a firm belief in the inerrancy of Scripture. Since the text and audio content provided by BLB represent a range of evangelical traditions, all of the ideas and principles conveyed in the resource materials are not necessarily affirmed, in total, by this ministry.
Loading
Loading
Interlinear |
Bibles |
Cross-Refs |
Commentaries |
Dictionaries |
Miscellaneous |