What Does the Bible Say About Malice?

“And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.”

“And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.”

“And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking.”

“Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac.”

“And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him: and Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then will I slay my brother Jacob.”

“That she called unto the men of her house, and spake unto them, saying, See, he hath brought in an Hebrew unto us to mock us; he came in unto me to lie with me, and I cried with a loud voice: loud: Heb. great”

“And they said one to another, We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us.”

“Thou shalt not curse the deaf, nor put a stumblingblock before the blind, but shalt fear thy God: I am the LORD.”

“Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him. and: or, that thou bear not sin for him”

“Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.”

“An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD; even to their tenth generation shall they not enter into the congregation of the LORD for ever:”

“Because they met you not with bread and with water in the way, when ye came forth out of Egypt; and because they hired against thee Balaam the son of Beor of Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse thee.”

“Cursed be he that removeth his neighbour's landmark. And all the people shall say, Amen.”

“Cursed be he that maketh the blind to wander out of the way. And all the people shall say, Amen.”

“For their vine is of the vine of Sodom, and of the fields of Gomorrah: their grapes are grapes of gall, their clusters are bitter: of the vine: or, worse than the vine”

“Their wine is the poison of dragons, and the cruel venom of asps.”

“And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.”

“And it came to pass on the morrow, that the evil spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house: and David played with his hand, as at other times: and there was a javelin in Saul's hand.”

“And Saul cast the javelin; for he said, I will smite David even to the wall with it. And David avoided out of his presence twice.”

“Then tidings came to Joab: for Joab had turned after Adonijah, though he turned not after Absalom. And Joab fled unto the tabernacle of the LORD, and caught hold on the horns of the altar.”

“And it was told king Solomon that Joab was fled unto the tabernacle of the LORD; and, behold, he is by the altar. Then Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, Go, fall upon him.”

“And Benaiah came to the tabernacle of the LORD, and said unto him, Thus saith the king, Come forth. And he said, Nay; but I will die here. And Benaiah brought the king word again, saying, Thus said Joab, and thus he answered me.”

“And the king said unto him, Do as he hath said, and fall upon him, and bury him; that thou mayest take away the innocent blood, which Joab shed, from me, and from the house of my father.”

“And the LORD shall return his blood upon his own head, who fell upon two men more righteous and better than he, and slew them with the sword, my father David not knowing thereof, to wit, Abner the son of Ner, captain of the host of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, captain of the host of Judah.”

“Their blood shall therefore return upon the head of Joab, and upon the head of his seed for ever: but upon David, and upon his seed, and upon his house, and upon his throne, shall there be peace for ever from the LORD.”

“And the king of Israel said unto Elisha, when he saw them, My father, shall I smite them? shall I smite them?”

“And he answered, Thou shalt not smite them: wouldest thou smite those whom thou hast taken captive with thy sword and with thy bow? set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go to their master.”

“When Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, heard of it, it grieved them exceedingly that there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel.”

“And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence, then was Haman full of wrath.”

“Then went Haman forth that day joyful and with a glad heart: but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king's gate, that he stood not up, nor moved for him, he was full of indignation against Mordecai.”

“They conceive mischief, and bring forth vanity, and their belly prepareth deceit. vanity: or, iniquity”

“If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him:”

“Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by wishing a curse to his soul. mouth: Heb. palate”

“O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? how long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing? Selah.”

“Behold, he travaileth with iniquity, and hath conceived mischief, and brought forth falsehood.”

“He made a pit, and digged it, and is fallen into the ditch which he made. He made a pit: Heb. He hath digged a pit”

“His mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate.”

“His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud: under his tongue is mischief and vanity. deceit: Heb. deceits vanity: or, iniquity”

“He sitteth in the lurking places of the villages: in the secret places doth he murder the innocent: his eyes are privily set against the poor. are: Heb. hide themselves”

“He lieth in wait secretly as a lion in his den: he lieth in wait to catch the poor: he doth catch the poor, when he draweth him into his net. secretly: Heb. in the secret places”

“He croucheth, and humbleth himself, that the poor may fall by his strong ones. He: Heb. He breaketh himself by: or, into his strong parts”

“Thou hast seen it; for thou beholdest mischief and spite, to requite it with thy hand: the poor committeth himself unto thee; thou art the helper of the fatherless. committeth: Heb. leaveth”

“For they intended evil against thee: they imagined a mischievous device, which they are not able to perform.”

“All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, shoot: Heb. open”

“He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him. He trusted: Heb. He rolled himself on seeing: or, if he delight in”

“They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling of my soul. spoiling: Heb. depriving”

“But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom. humbled: or, afflicted”

“I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother. behaved myself: Heb. walked as though: Heb. as a friend, as a brother to me”

“But in mine adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: yea, the abjects gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not; they did tear me, and ceased not: adversity: Heb. halting”

“With hypocritical mockers in feasts, they gnashed upon me with their teeth.”

“Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me: neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause. wrongfully: Heb. falsely”

“For they speak not peace: but they devise deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the land.”

“Yea, they opened their mouth wide against me, and said, Aha, aha, our eye hath seen it.”

“Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.”

“For I said, Hear me, lest otherwise they should rejoice over me: when my foot slippeth, they magnify themselves against me.”

“But mine enemies are lively, and they are strong: and they that hate me wrongfully are multiplied. are lively: Heb. being living, are strong”

“Mine enemies speak evil of me, When shall he die, and his name perish?”

“And if he come to see me, he speaketh vanity: his heart gathereth iniquity to itself; when he goeth abroad, he telleth it.”

“All that hate me whisper together against me: against me do they devise my hurt. my: Heb. evil to me”

“An evil disease, say they, cleaveth fast unto him: and now that he lieth he shall rise up no more. An: Heb. A thing of Belial”

“Because of the voice of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked: for they cast iniquity upon me, and in wrath they hate me.”

“Day and night they go about it upon the walls thereof: mischief also and sorrow are in the midst of it.”

“Wickedness is in the midst thereof: deceit and guile depart not from her streets.”

“Every day they wrest my words: all their thoughts are against me for evil.”

“They gather themselves together, they hide themselves, they mark my steps, when they wait for my soul.”

“My soul is among lions: and I lie even among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword.”

“They have prepared a net for my steps; my soul is bowed down: they have digged a pit before me, into the midst whereof they are fallen themselves. Selah.”

“For, lo, they lie in wait for my soul: the mighty are gathered against me; not for my transgression, nor for my sin, O LORD.”

“They run and prepare themselves without my fault: awake to help me, and behold. help: Heb. meet”

“They return at evening: they make a noise like a dog, and go round about the city.”

“Behold, they belch out with their mouth: swords are in their lips: for who, say they, doth hear?”

“How long will ye imagine mischief against a man? ye shall be slain all of you: as a bowing wall shall ye be, and as a tottering fence.”

“They only consult to cast him down from his excellency: they delight in lies: they bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. Selah. inwardly: Heb. in their inward parts”

“Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked; from the insurrection of the workers of iniquity:”

“Who whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words:”

“That they may shoot in secret at the perfect: suddenly do they shoot at him, and fear not.”

“They encourage themselves in an evil matter: they commune of laying snares privily; they say, Who shall see them? matter: or, speech of: Heb. to hide his snares”

“They search out iniquities; they accomplish a diligent search: both the inward thought of every one of them, and the heart, is deep. they: or, we are consumed by that which they have throughly searched a diligent: Heb. a search searched”

“They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away.”

“When I wept, and chastened my soul with fasting, that was to my reproach.”

“I made sackcloth also my garment; and I became a proverb to them.”

“They that sit in the gate speak against me; and I was the song of the drunkards . drunkards: Heb. drinkers of strong drink”

“For they persecute him whom thou hast smitten; and they talk to the grief of those whom thou hast wounded. those: Heb. thy wounded”

“Let them be ashamed and confounded that seek after my soul: let them be turned backward, and put to confusion, that desire my hurt.”

“Let them be turned back for a reward of their shame that say, Aha, aha.”

“For mine enemies speak against me; and they that lay wait for my soul take counsel together, lay: Heb. watch, or, observe”

“Saying, God hath forsaken him: persecute and take him; for there is none to deliver him.”

“Let them be confounded and consumed that are adversaries to my soul; let them be covered with reproach and dishonour that seek my hurt.”

“My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long: for they are confounded, for they are brought unto shame, that seek my hurt.”

“Have respect unto the covenant: for the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty.”

“O God, the proud are risen against me, and the assemblies of violent men have sought after my soul; and have not set thee before them. violent: Heb. terrible”

“Mine enemies reproach me all the day; and they that are mad against me are sworn against me.”

“For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful are opened against me: they have spoken against me with a lying tongue. of the deceitful: Heb. of deceit are opened: Heb. have opened themselves”

“They compassed me about also with words of hatred; and fought against me without a cause.”

“For my love they are my adversaries: but I give myself unto prayer.”

“And they have rewarded me evil for good, and hatred for my love.”

“Because that he remembered not to shew mercy, but persecuted the poor and needy man, that he might even slay the broken in heart.”

“As he loved cursing, so let it come unto him: as he delighted not in blessing, so let it be far from him.”

“As he clothed himself with cursing like as with his garment, so let it come into his bowels like water, and like oil into his bones. into his bowels: Heb. within him”

“Let the proud be ashamed; for they dealt perversely with me without a cause: but I will meditate in thy precepts.”