Slander, Talebearing
Slander, Talebearing
SLANDER, TALEBEARING.Both noun and verb slander are used of malicious gossip of varying degrees of heinousness. The references are all to the slandering of persons, except Num 14:36 AV [Note: Authorized Version.] , where RV [Note: Revised Version.] has an evil report against the land. The expression walking with slanders (Jer 6:28; cf. Jer 9:4) is in the original identical with going about as a talebearer (Lev 19:16, Pro 11:13; Pro 20:19; cf. Eze 22:9 in AV [Note: Authorized Version.] and RV [Note: Revised Version.] ). The element of falsehood in the gossip is seen in 2Sa 19:27, where slandered is synonymous with falsely accused. Of no sin and wickedness are there so many complaints in OT as of slander and false accusationwhereof the Psalms are witness (Cornill, Jeremia, 89). See, further, Crimes and Punishments, 5.
A. R. S. Kennedy.