SLANDER

ISBE

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 ). See also CRIMES ; PUNISHMENTS . D. Miall Edwards