Slander
From the Hebrew, ("lashan"),
meaning to use the tongue
to defame, abuse,
scandalize, belittle,
or blacken the character of another.
Commands Against Slander
Exodus 23.1Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the wicked to be
an unrighteous witness.
Deuteronomy 22.13-1813 If any man take a wife, and go in unto her, and hate her, 14 And give
occasions of speech against her, and bring up an evil name upon her,
and say, I took this woman, and when I came to her, I found her not a maid:
15 Then shall the father of the damsel, and her mother, take and bring forth
the tokens of the damsel’s virginity unto the elders of the city in the gate:
16 And the damsel’s father shall say unto the elders, I gave my daughter
unto this man to wife, and he hateth her; 17 And, lo, he hath given occasions
of speech against her, saying, I found not thy daughter a maid; and yet
these are the tokens of my daughter’s virginity. And they shall spread the
cloth before the elders of the city. 18 And the elders of that city shall take
that man and chastise him;
James 4.1111 Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his
brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the
law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.
3 Causes Of Slander
Evil Heart
Luke 6.45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh
Hatred
Psalm 109.3 They compassed me about also with words of hatred; and fought against me without a cause.
Idleness
1 Timothy 5.13 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.
7 Classes Who Slander
The Wicked
Psalm 50.16-20 16 But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth? 17 Seeing thou hatest instruction, and castest my words behind thee. 18 When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him, and hast been partaker with adulterers. 19 Thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit. 20 Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother; thou slanderest thine own mother’s son.
Hypocrites
Proverbs 11.9 An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour: but through knowledge shall the just be delivered.
Satanic Powers
Revelation 12.10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.
Deceivers
Psalm 52.4 Thou lovest all devouring words, O thou deceitful tongue.
Fools
Proverbs 11.9 An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour: but through knowledge shall the just be delivered.
Backsliders
Romans 1.29-32 29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
Homosexuals
2 Peter 2.10 But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.
6 Results Of Slander
Friends Separated
Proverbs 16.28; 17.9 A froward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends.
Proverbs 26.22 The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.
Deadly Wounds Caused
Proverbs 18.8; The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.
Strife
Proverbs 26.20 Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.
Discord Among The Brethren
Proverbs 6.19 A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.
Anger
Proverbs 25.23 The north wind driveth away rain: so doth an angry countenance a backbiting tongue.
Murder
Psalm 31.13; For I have heard the slander of many: fear was on every side: while they took counsel together against me, they devised to take away my life.
Ezekiel 22.9 In thee are men that carry tales to shed blood: and in thee they eat upon the mountains: in the midst of thee they commit lewdness.
6 Examples Of Slander
Potiphar's Wife
Genesis 39.14-18 That she called unto the men of her house, and spake unto them, saying, See, he hath brought in an Hebrew unto us to mock us; he came in unto me to lie with me, and I cried with a loud voice: 15 And it came to pass, when he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled, and got him out. 16 And she laid up his garment by her, until his lord came home. 17 And she spake unto him according to these words, saying, The Hebrew servant, which thou hast brought unto us, came in unto me to mock me: 18 And it came to pass, as I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled out.
Ziba
2 Samuel 16.3 And the king said, And where is thy master’s son? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he abideth at Jerusalem: for he said, To day shall the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father.
2 Samuel 19.24-30 24 And Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king, and had neither dressed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came again in peace. 25 And it came to pass, when he was come to Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said unto him, Wherefore wentest not thou with me, Mephibosheth? 26 And he answered, My lord, O king, my servant deceived me: for thy servant said, I will saddle me an ass, that I may ride thereon, and go to the king; because thy servant is lame. 27 And he hath slandered thy servant unto my lord the king; but my lord the king is as an angel of God: do therefore what is good in thine eyes. 28 For all of my father’s house were but dead men before my lord the king: yet didst thou set thy servant among them that did eat at thine own table. What right therefore have I yet to cry any more unto the king? 29 And the king said unto him, Why speakest thou any more of thy matters? I have said, Thou and Ziba divide the land. 30 And Mephibosheth said unto the king, Yea, let him take all, forasmuch as my lord the king is come again in peace unto his own house.
David's Enemies
Psalm 31.13 For I have heard the slander of many: fear was on every side: while they took counsel together against me, they devised to take away my life
Psalm 35.21 Yea, they opened their mouth wide against me, and said, Aha, aha, our eye hath seen it.
Jezebel
1 Kings 21.9-14 9 And she wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people: 10 And set two men, sons of Belial, before him, to bear witness against him, saying, Thou didst blaspheme God and the king. And then carry him out, and stone him, that he may die. 11 And the men of his city, even the elders and the nobles who were the inhabitants in his city, did as Jezebel had sent unto them, and as it was written in the letters which she had sent unto them. 12 They proclaimed a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people. 13 And there came in two men, children of Belial, and sat before him: and the men of Belial witnessed against him, even against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, Naboth did blaspheme God and the king. Then they carried him forth out of the city, and stoned him with stones, that he died. 14 Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, Naboth is stoned, and is dead.
Jeremiah's Enemies
Jeremiah 18.18 Then said they, Come, and let us devise devices against Jeremiah; for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, and let us smite him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words.
Jesus' Enemies
Matthew 11.19 The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.
Punishment of Slander
Psalm 101.5 Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour, him will I cut off: him that hath an high look and a proud heart will not I suffer.
Romans 1.19-32 19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. 20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: 21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. 24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. 26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. 28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; 29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
Revelation 21.8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
P.S. Have a nice day!