Original Word: דָּפִי
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: dophiy
Pronunciation: DOH-fee
Phonetic Spelling: (dof'-ee)
KJV: slanderest
Word Origin: [from an unused root (meaning to push over)]

1. a stumbling-block

slanders

From an unused root (meaning to push over); a stumbling-block -- slanderest.

Word Origin
from an unused word
Definition
a blemish, fault
NASB Translation
slander* (1). [] Psalm 50:20 against thy mother's son thou dost allege a fault ("" ).

Occurrence and Immediate Context

The noun דָּפִי occurs only once, in Psalm 50:20. In its lone appearance it depicts malicious speech directed against a close relative: “You sit and malign your brother; you slander your own mother’s son” (Psalm 50:20). The psalm is a covenant lawsuit in which the LORD, speaking from Zion, arraigns His people for hypocrisy. Their sacrifices continue, yet their daily conduct—including divisive, injurious talk—is evidence of a heart far from God. The single-use vocabulary underlines the gravity of the charge; slander is not a minor social blemish but a covenant violation that invites divine judgment.

Relation to Other Biblical Terms for Slander

Although דָּפִי is rare, Scripture repeatedly addresses the same sin through other Hebrew roots (רָכַל, דִּבָּה, לָשׁוֹן) and their Greek counterparts (βλασφημία, καταλαλία). Together they portray a spectrum of destructive speech: whispering, tale-bearing, defamation, and false accusation. The shared emphasis is the tearing down of another’s reputation, often behind his back, and thus the fracturing of covenant community.

Historical and Legal Background in Israel

Ancient Israel’s legal code safeguarded every Israelite’s name and inheritance. Exodus 20:16 forbids false testimony; Leviticus 19:16 prohibits spreading slander; Deuteronomy 19:15–21 imposes penalties on deceitful witnesses. Honor and shame carried generational consequences, so slander threatened family lines as much as property theft did. Psalm 50:20 reflects the seriousness of verbal assaults within the kinship circle—“your own mother’s son.” To malign a sibling was to undermine the household that formed the bedrock of Israelite society.

Theological Significance

1. Covenant Loyalty: Right speech is part of covenant faithfulness. Malicious talk sets one at odds with God’s ethical demands (Psalm 15:3; Micah 6:8).
2. Image of God: Defaming another image-bearer indirectly demeans the Creator (Genesis 9:6; James 3:9–10).
3. Divine Witness: God hears every word spoken in secret (Psalm 139:4; Matthew 12:36). In Psalm 50 the LORD publicly exposes what was whispered privately, proving Himself the ultimate Judge of human speech.

Wisdom and Prophetic Commentary

The wisdom corpus treats slander as self-destructive: “Whoever spreads slander is a fool” (Proverbs 10:18); “A perverse man spreads dissension” (Proverbs 16:28). Prophets indict Israel for slander alongside bloodshed and idolatry (Ezekiel 22:9). Slander thus becomes both symptom and catalyst of social decay—undermining trust, fragmenting communities, and inviting exile.

Christological Perspective

Jesus Christ embodies the opposite of דָּפִי. He is “full of grace and truth” (John 1:14) and “committed no sin, and no deceit was found in His mouth” (1 Peter 2:22). Yet He endured false accusations (Matthew 26:59–60) and bore slander on the cross, redeeming those who once reviled others. Through union with Him, believers receive both pardon for sinful speech and power by the Spirit to speak life (Ephesians 4:29).

Pastoral and Ministry Application

• Guard the tongue: Churches are commanded, “Rid yourselves of all malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander” (1 Peter 2:1).
• Practice restoration: When slander occurs, biblical confrontation (Matthew 18:15–17) and forgiveness (Ephesians 4:32) must replace gossip.
• Cultivate edifying speech: Leaders are to model speech “seasoned with salt” (Colossians 4:6), promoting unity and witness before a watching world.
• Defend the vulnerable: Like Ancient Israel’s courts, congregations should protect reputations, especially of the defenseless, recognizing that character assassination can cripple lives and ministries.

Key Related Passages

Leviticus 19:16; Proverbs 10:18; Proverbs 26:20–22; Jeremiah 9:4; Ezekiel 22:9; Matthew 12:36; Ephesians 4:31; James 4:11; 1 Peter 3:10.

Summary

דָּפִי spotlights the sin of slander within a covenant community. Though occurring only once, the term aligns with a broad biblical witness that condemns malicious speech, affirms the sanctity of every person’s name, and calls God’s people to tongues governed by truth and love.

דֹּֽפִי׃ דפי׃ dō·p̄î Dofi dōp̄îInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts

Psalm 50:20
HEB: אִ֝מְּךָ֗ תִּתֶּן־ דֹּֽפִי׃
KJV: thou slanderest thine own mother's
INT: mother's thou slanderest

1 Occurrence

Strong's Hebrew 1848
1 Occurrence

dō·p̄î — 1 Occ.