In the Bible, the concept of whispering is often associated with secrecy, gossip, and deceit. The act of whispering is typically portrayed in a negative light, as it can lead to division, misunderstanding, and the spread of falsehoods. The Bible warns against the dangers of whispering and the harm it can cause within a community or among individuals.

Old Testament References

In the Old Testament, whispering is frequently linked to the spreading of rumors and slander. Proverbs 16:28 states, "A perverse man spreads dissension, and a gossip separates close friends." Here, the act of whispering is equated with sowing discord and breaking the bonds of friendship. Similarly, Proverbs 18:8 notes, "The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down into the inmost being." This verse highlights the insidious nature of whispered words, which can deeply affect those who hear them.

The book of Psalms also addresses the issue of whispering. In Psalm 41:7, the psalmist laments, "All who hate me whisper against me; they imagine the worst for me." This verse illustrates how whispering can be used as a tool by enemies to plot harm and spread malicious intent.

New Testament References

In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul warns against whispering as a behavior unbecoming of Christians. In Romans 1:29-30, Paul lists whispering among a series of sinful behaviors: "They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed, and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant, and boastful." Here, whispering is associated with a broader spectrum of moral failings, emphasizing its destructive potential.

Paul further advises the Corinthian church in 2 Corinthians 12:20, expressing concern that he may find "quarreling, jealousy, rage, rivalries, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorder" among them. The inclusion of gossip and whispering in this list underscores the apostle's desire for unity and purity within the church.

Theological Implications

From a theological perspective, whispering is seen as contrary to the values of truth, transparency, and love that are central to Christian teaching. Whispering often involves deceit and manipulation, which are antithetical to the character of God, who is described as a God of truth (Deuteronomy 32:4). Christians are called to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15) and to avoid any form of communication that could harm others or disrupt the unity of the body of Christ.

Practical Considerations

In practical terms, believers are encouraged to guard their speech and to avoid engaging in or listening to whispering and gossip. James 1:26 advises, "If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not bridle his tongue, he deceives his heart and his religion is worthless." This admonition serves as a reminder of the power of words and the responsibility Christians have to use their speech to edify and build up others rather than to tear down.

Overall, the biblical perspective on whispering is clear: it is a practice that can lead to division and harm, and it is to be avoided by those who seek to live in accordance with God's will.1. (v. i.) To speak softly, or under the breath, so as to be heard only by one near at hand; to utter words without sonant breath; to talk without that vibration in the larynx which gives sonorous, or vocal, sound. See Whisper, n.

2. (n.) To make a low, sibilant sound or noise.

3. (n.) To speak with suspicion, or timorous caution; to converse in whispers, as in secret plotting.

4. (v. t.) To utter in a low and nonvocal tone; to say under the breath; hence, to mention privately and confidentially, or in a whisper.

5. (v. t.) To address in a whisper, or low voice.

6. (v. t.) To prompt secretly or cautiously; to inform privately.

7. (n.) A low, soft, sibilant voice or utterance, which can be heard only by those near at hand; voice or utterance that employs only breath sound without tone, friction against the edges of the vocal cords and arytenoid cartilages taking the place of the vibration of the cords that produces tone; sometimes, in a limited sense, the sound produced by such friction as distinguished from breath sound made by friction against parts of the mouth. See Voice, n., 2, and Guide to Pronunciation, // 5, 153, 154.

8. (n.) A cautious or timorous speech.

9. (n.) Something communicated in secret or by whispering; a suggestion or insinuation.

10. (n.) A low, sibilant sound.

5587. psithurismos -- a whispering
... 5587 (from , "whisper") -- properly, a to "quietly" spread ; "" that launches
"secret attacks on a person's character" (Souter). ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5587.htm - 7k

1111. gogguzo -- to mutter, murmur
... to mutter, murmur. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: gogguzo Phonetic Spelling:
(gong-good'-zo) Short Definition: I whisper, murmur, grumble Definition: I ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1111.htm - 7k

5260. hupoballo -- to throw or put under
... hoop-ob-al'-lo) Short Definition: I suborn, instruct privately Definition: I throw
or put under; met: I subject, submit, suggest, whisper, prompt, suborn ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5260.htm - 6k

3907. lachash -- to whisper, charm
... 3906, 3907. lachash. 3908 . to whisper, charm. Transliteration: lachash Phonetic
Spelling: (law-khash') Short Definition: charmers. ... charmer, whisper together ...
/hebrew/3907.htm - 6k

8102. shemets -- a whisper
... 8101, 8102. shemets. 8103 . a whisper. Transliteration: shemets Phonetic
Spelling: (sheh'-mets) Short Definition: faint. Word Origin ...
/hebrew/8102.htm - 5k

7279. ragan -- to murmur, whisper
... 7278, 7279. ragan. 7280 . to murmur, whisper. Transliteration: ragan Phonetic
Spelling: (raw-gan') Short Definition: whisperer. Word Origin a prim. ...
/hebrew/7279.htm - 5k

1901. hagig -- a whisper, musing, murmuring
... 1900, 1901. hagig. 1902 . a whisper, musing, murmuring. Transliteration: hagig
Phonetic Spelling: (haw-gheeg') Short Definition: groaning. ...
/hebrew/1901.htm - 6k

1827. demamah -- a whisper
... 1826b, 1827. demamah. 1828 . a whisper. Transliteration: demamah Phonetic
Spelling: (dem-aw-maw') Short Definition: blowing. Word ...
/hebrew/1827.htm - 6k

8103. shimtsah -- whisper, derision
... 8102, 8103. shimtsah. 8104 . whisper, derision. Transliteration: shimtsah
Phonetic Spelling: (shim-tsaw') Short Definition: derision. ...
/hebrew/8103.htm - 6k

6850. tsaphaph -- to chirp, peep
... to chirp, peep. Transliteration: tsaphaph Phonetic Spelling: (tsaw-faf') Short
Definition: whisper. Word Origin a prim. ... chirp, chatter, peep, whisper. ...
/hebrew/6850.htm - 6k

3908. lachash -- a whispering, charming
... Word Origin from lachash Definition a whispering, charming NASB Word Usage amulets
(1), charm (1), charmed (1), enchanter (1), whisper a prayer (1). ...
/hebrew/3908.htm - 6k

5172. nachash -- to practice divination, observe signs
... A primitive root; properly, to hiss, ie Whisper a (magic) spell; generally, to
prognosticate -- X certainly, divine, enchanter, (use) X enchantment, learn by ...
/hebrew/5172.htm - 6k

3784. kashaph -- to practice sorcery
... sorcerer, use witchcraft. A primitive root; properly, to whisper a spell, ie To
inchant or practise magic -- sorcerer, (use) witch(-craft). 3783, 3784. ...
/hebrew/3784.htm - 6k

God's Low Whisper
... THE OLD TESTAMENT GOD'S LOW WHISPER. ... And after the earthquake a fire; but Jehovah
was not in the fire. After the fire there was the sound of a low whisper. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/sherman/the childrens bible/gods low whisper.htm

Holy Spirit, Faithful Guide. D.
... side; Gently lead us by the hand, Pilgrims in a desert land; Weary souls fore'er
rejoice, While they hear that sweetest voice Whisper softly, wanderer come! ...
/.../lorenz/the otterbein hymnal/171 holy spirit faithful guide.htm

Judas.
... that probably there were three others using the same dish as our Lord: John we know
was next Him; Peter was near enough to John to make signs and whisper to him ...
/.../dods/the expositors bible the gospel of st john vol ii/vii judas.htm

The Day was Near Its End. ...
... "I say 'tis a light on the hills." Vergilius now spoke in a husky, solemn whisper. ...
"See! 'Tis gone!" said his friend, in a loud whisper. "The star is gone! ...
//christianbookshelf.org/bacheller/vergilius/chapter 25 the day was.htm

A Chime of Gospel Bells.
... Oh, each time draw me nearer, That soon the 'Come!' may be Nought but a gentle whisper
To one close, close to Thee; Then, over sea and mountain, Far from, or ...
//christianbookshelf.org/moody/sovereign grace/chapter viii a chime of.htm

The Welcome visitor
... Beloved friends who are just now without the present fellowship with Christ, which
you could fondly desire, permit me to whisper this in your ear. ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 61 1915/the welcome visitor.htm

The Secrets of Divine Love are to be Kept
... Thine orb performs its rapid race; Still whisper in his listening ears. The language
of my sighs and tears; ... Ah! whisper not how blest am I,. ...
/.../the secrets of divine love.htm

'Is it I?'
... longsuffering. It was evidently a whisper that did not reach the ears of
any of the others, for he leaves the room without suspicion. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/maclaren/expositions of holy scripture b/is it i.htm

Christ's Coming. January 31.
... through the repose of Nature"the repose of the lonely snow-peak and of the sleeping
forest, of the clouds of sunset and of the summer sea, and whisper Peace. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/daily thoughts /christs coming january 31.htm

A Prince's Bride
... Let none of the household know it"above all things not thy mistress!" The last sentence
was delivered in a whisper in response to certain uneasy gestures the ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/miller/the city of delight/chapter i a princes bride.htm

Whisper (9 Occurrences)
... See Whisper, n. ... 4. (vt) To utter in a low and nonvocal tone; to say under the breath;
hence, to mention privately and confidentially, or in a whisper. ...
/w/whisper.htm - 10k

Voice (651 Occurrences)
... b, v, d, etc., and in the vowels; sonant, or intonated, utterance; tone; --
distinguished from mere breath sound as heard in f, s, sh, etc., and also whisper. ...
/v/voice.htm - 38k

Tale (7 Occurrences)
... (2.) Hebrews hegeh, "a thought;" "meditation" (Psalm 90:9); meaning properly "as
a whisper of sadness," which is soon over, or "as a thought." The LXX. ...
/t/tale.htm - 12k

Enchantment (4 Occurrences)
... by Exodus 8:18. (2) nachash, "to hiss," "whisper" referring to the mutterings
of sorcerers in their incantations. Used as a derivative ...
/e/enchantment.htm - 16k

Chirp (3 Occurrences)
... Version, margin of Isaiah 29:4, "Thy voice shall be as of one that hath a familiar
spirit, out of the ground, and thy speech shall whisper (margin, "chirp ...
/c/chirp.htm - 8k

Orator (3 Occurrences)
... Version (British and American) rightly substitutes "the skillful enchanter." The
word lachash is probably a mimetic word meaning "a hiss," "a whisper" and is ...
/o/orator.htm - 9k

Ortion
... Version (British and American) rightly substitutes "the skillful enchanter." The
word lachash is probably a mimetic word meaning "a hiss," "a whisper" and is ...
/o/ortion.htm - 8k

Worst (8 Occurrences)
... of diseases. (BBE). Psalms 41:7 All who hate me whisper together against
me. They imagine the worst for me. (WEB RSV NIV). Jeremiah ...
/w/worst.htm - 8k

Whispering (7 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Whisper. 2. (a. & n.) from
Whisper. Multi-Version Concordance Whispering (7 Occurrences). ...
/w/whispering.htm - 8k

Whispered (4 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (imp. & pp) of Whisper. Multi-Version Concordance
Whispered (4 Occurrences). Matthew 10:27 What I tell ...
/w/whispered.htm - 7k

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