It is inter
esting to study the history of the word devil. It stems from the Greek term diabolos, which means “slanderous or accusing falsely.” From it we get our word diabolic. Diabolos is then the root of the English word devil. The devil has been a slanderer from the beginning, and his lies about God and his people will continue until the end of time. Already in Eden the devil was telling lies about what God did and did not say. As a slanderer, he also falsely accuses us of crimes we did not commit. That is his style. That is his plan.
The sin of slandering covers a broad range of transgressions, including backbiting, whispering, talebearing, babbling, tattling, speaking evil, defaming, bearing false witness, judging uncharitably, rumormongering, and repeating matters and secrets. It is deceitful, addictive, and flows from an evil heart. Slander is hated by the Lord: “Whoever slanders his neighbor in secret, him will I put to silence” (Psalm 101:5). Christ himself was subject to slanderous allegations throughout his ministry and especially at his trial.
In secret or open, slander is destructive. Once it cost the lives of over 40,000 men! Hanun was the son of Nahash, king of the Ammonites. Because Nahash once aided King David, he was honored by David as a friend. When Nahash died, “David thought, ‘I will show kindness to Hanun son of Nahash, just as his father showed kindness to me.’ So David sent a delegation to express his sympathy to Hanun concerning his father” (2 Samuel 10:2). Certainly David’s actions were honorable. But the Ammonite nobles came to Hanun and slandered David by telling young Hanun, “Do you think David is honoring your father by sending men to you to express sympathy? Hasn’t David sent them to you to explore the city and spy it out and overthrow it?” (10:3).
Hanun listened to his evil advisors and had David’s delegation arrested. They “shaved off half of each man’s beard, cut off their garments in the middle at the buttocks, and sent them away” (10:4). This action so humiliated these men that they could not even return to the city. David told them to take refuge in Jericho until they received a change of clothes and their beards grew back. Then the story gets interesting.
David was exceedingly angry, and Hanun knew it. So Hanun hired mercenary Arameans to fight against Israel. Meanwhile David sent his army against Hanun’s Ammonites. As David’s army camped at the edge of the Ammonite city ready to attack, the Arameans snuck up behind David’s army attempting to wedge them in. First, David’s army moved against the Arameans. Eventually, David’s warriors annihilated the Arameans killing 700 charioteers and 40,000 foot soldiers. When the Ammonites saw this, they decided they didn’t want to fight David either. “So the Arameans were afraid to help the Ammonites anymore” (10:19). Finally, David sent the entire Israelite army against the Ammonites and destroyed them.
All this happened because someone made a slanderous remark about David’s motives. What a stunning example of the power that we hold within our mouths. James writes: “Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire” (James 3:5,6). And where does this fire originate? James continues: “. . . and is itself set on fire by hell” (3:6).
So the next time we’re tempted to speak evil about someone, spread gossip, begin unfounded rumors, or slander in any way, perhaps we should know that these carry consequences with them. Remember Hanun and the thousands who died because of a single slanderous remark. But there is forgiveness for our sins of slander. Because of Jesus, Satan cannot accuse us before God.
Lord, help me to use my mouth as a blessing to those around me.
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