ירמיהו, פרק ט׳, פסוק ז׳

The destructive power of the spoken word reaches its peak when used as a weapon disguised as friendship. Unlike a direct physical attack, gossip and slander can strike and destroy from a great distance, much like an arrow shot from a bow [מצודת דוד].

The human tongue acts as a deadly instrument, functioning as an active murderer that ruins lives through malicious talk [רד״ק]. The primary approach among commentators views this tongue as a drawn arrow, pulled back tightly on the bowstring and ready to fire [רש״י, מצודת ציון, רד״ק, מלבי״ם]. Others describe it as a highly sharpened, polished weapon designed specifically for slaughter [רש״י, רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Some suggest that this lethal force works in multiple directions, destroying both the targeted victim and the person speaking the slander [מנחת שי].

For those consumed by this behavior, deception becomes a daily routine. Their everyday conversations are built entirely on lies and fraud [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. This constant dishonesty eventually takes on a life of its own, turning deceit into an independent force that speaks from within the person. Because lying has become so deeply rooted as second nature, the speaker actually loses control over their own words. The deception acts as a bow that launches the tongue like an arrow; once in motion, it can no longer be stopped [מלבי״ם].

The sharpest contrast lies in the outward behavior of the speaker. On the surface, a person talks to their friend with warmth and peace. Yet, deep inside, they are secretly laying an ambush, plotting to bring their friend down [רש״י, מצודת דוד, מצודת ציון, רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. This ambush is not merely a dark thought hidden in the mind. The trap is woven directly into the conversation itself, where comforting words of peace serve as the actual camouflage for a devastating trap [מלבי״ם].