Dictionaries :: Slander

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: Comes from the Evil Heart

Luk 6:45

Slander: Often Arises from Hatred

Psa 109:3

Slander: Idleness Leads To

1Ti 5:13

Slander: Evil People Addicted To

Psa 50:20

Slander: Hypocrites Habitually

Pro 11:9

Slander: A Characteristic of the Devil

Rev 12:10

Slander: Wicked People Love

Psa 52:4

Slander: Those Who Indulge In, Are Fools

Pro 10:18

Slander: Women Warned Against

Tts 2:3

Slander: Wives of God's Servants Should Avoid

1Ti 3:11

Slander: Christ Was Exposed To

Psa 35:11; Mat 26:60

Slander: Rulers Exposed To

Jud 1:8

Slander: Servants of God Exposed To

Rom 3:8; 2Cr 6:8

Slander: The Nearest Relations Exposed To

Psa 50:20

Slander: Saints Exposed To

Psa 38:12; 109:2; 1Pe 4:4

Slander: Saints

Should keep their tongues from,

Psa 34:13; with 1Pe 3:10;

should lay aside,

Eph 4:31;

should be warned against,

Tts 3:1, 2;

should give no occasion for,

1Pe 2:12; 3:16;

should return good for,

1Cr 4:13;

blessed in enduring,

Mat 5:11;

characterized as avoiding,

Psa 15:1, 3.

Slander: Should Not Be Listened To

1Sa 24:9;

causes anger,

Pro 25:23 [R.V.].

Slander: Effects Of:

Separating friends,

Pro 16:28; 17:9;

deadly wounds,

Pro 18:8; 26:22;

strife,

Pro 26:20;

discord among brethren,

Pro 6:19;

murder,

Psa 31:13; Eze 22:9.

Slander: The Tongue Of

Is a scourge,

Job 5:21;

is venomous,

Psa 140:3; Ecc 10:11;

is destructive,

Pro 11:9.

Slander: End Of

Is mischievous madness,

Ecc 10:13.

Slander: People Shall Give Account For

Mat 12:36

Slander: Punishment For

Deu 19:16-21

Slander: Unclassified Scriptures Relating To:

Exd 23:1; Deu 22:13-19; Job 5:21; Psa 41:6-9; 50:20; 101:5; Pro 10:18; 25:23; Jer 6:28; 9:4; Rom 1:29, 30; 1Cr 4:13; 6:10; 2Cr 12:20; Jam 4:11; 1Pe 2:1; 2Pe 2:10

Slander: Instances Of:

Joseph by Potiphar's wife,

Gen 39:14-18.

The land of Canaan misrepresented by the spies,

Num 14:36.

Of Mephiboseth, by Ziba,

2Sa 16:3; 19:24-30.

Of David, by his enemies,

Psa 31:13; 35:21; 41:5; 64:3; 140:3.

Of Naboth, by Jezebel,

1Ki 21:9-14.

Of Jeremiah, by the Jews,

Jer 18:18.

Of Jesus, by the Jews falsely charging that he was a winebibber (wino),

Mat 11:19;

that he blasphemed,

Mar 14:64; Jhn 5:18;

that he had a demon,

Jhn 8:48, 52; 10:20;

that he was seditious,

Luk 22:65; 23:5;

that he was a king,

Luk 23:2; Jhn 18:37; with Jhn 19:1-5.

Of Paul,

see PAUL

See ACCUSATION, FALSE; FALSE WITNESS; FALSEHOOD; SPEAKING EVIL

Slander: An Abomination to God

Pro 6:16,19

Slander: Forbidden

Exd 23:1; Eph 4:31; Jam 4:11

Slander: Includes

Whispering

Rom 1:29; 2Cr 12:20

Backbiting

Rom 1:30; 2Cr 12:20

Evil surmising

1Ti 6:4

Tale-bearing

Lev 19:16

Babbling

Ecc 10:11

Tattling

1Ti 5:13

Evil speaking

Psa 41:5; 109:20

Defaming

Jer 20:10; 1Cr 4:13

Bearing false witness

Exd 20:16; Deu 5:20; Luk 3:14

Judging charitably

Jam 4:11,12

Raising false reports

Exd 23:1

Repeating matters

Pro 17:9

Slander: Is a Deceitful Work

Psa 52:2

Slander: Comes from the Evil Heart

Mat 15:19; Luk 6:45

Slander: Often Arises from Hatred

Psa 41:7; 109:3

Slander: Idleness Leads To

1Ti 5:13

Slander: The Wicked Addicted To

Psa 50:20; Jer 6:28; 9:4

Slander: Hypocrites Addicted To

Pro 11:9

Slander: A Characteristic of the Devil

Rev 12:10

Slander: The Wicked Love

Psa 52:4

Slander: They Who Indulge In, Are Fools

Pro 10:18

Slander: They Who Indulge In, Not to Be Trusted

Jer 9:4

Slander: Women Warned Against

Tts 2:3

Slander: Minister's Wives Should Avoid

1Ti 3:11

Slander: Christ Was Exposed To

Psa 35:11; Mat 26:60

Slander: Rulers Exposed To

2Pe 2:10; Jud 1:8

Slander: Ministers Exposed To

Rom 3:8; 2Cr 6:8

Slander: The Nearest Relations Exposed To

Psa 50:20

Slander: Saints Exposed To

Psa 38:12; 109:2; 1Pe 4:4

Slander: Saints

Should keep their tongue from

Psa 34:13; 1Pe 3:10

Should lay aside

Eph 4:31; 1Pe 2:1

Should be warned against

Tts 3:1,2

Should give no occasion for

1Pe 2:12; 3:16

Should return good for

1Cr 4:13

Blessed in enduring

Mat 5:11

Characterised as avoiding

Psa 15:1,3

Slander: Should Not Be Listened To

1Sa 24:9

Slander: Should Be Discountenanced with Anger

Pro 25:23

Slander: Effects Of

Separating friends

Pro 16:28; 17:9

Deadly wounds

Pro 18:8; 26:22

Strife

Pro 26:20

Discord among brethren

Pro 6:19

Murder

Psa 31:13; Eze 22:9

Slander: The Tongue Of, Is a Scourge

Job 5:21

Slander: Is Venomous

Psa 140:3; Ecc 10:11

Slander: Is Destructive

Pro 11:9

Slander: End Of, Is Mischievous Madness

Ecc 10:13

Slander: Men Shall Give Account For

Mat 12:36; Jam 1:26

Slander: Punishment For

Deu 19:16-21; Psa 101:5

Slander: Illustrated

Pro 12:18; 25:18

Slander: Exemplified

Laban's Sons

Gen 31:1

Doeg

1Sa 22:9-11

Princes of Ammon

2Sa 10:3

Ziba

2Sa 16:3

Children of Belial

1Ki 21:13

Enemies of the Jews

Ezr 4:7-16

Gashmu

Neh 6:6

Haman

Est 3:8

David's enemies

Psa 31:13

Jeremiah's enemies

Jer 38:4

Jews

Mat 11:18,19

Witnesses against Christ

Mat 26:59-61

Priests

Mar 15:3

Enemies of Stephen

Act 6:11

Enemies of Paul

Act 17:7

Tertullus

Act 24:2,5