A BAD REPORT, whispering, defamation — not neutral news but the word for a campaign of talk. Joseph brings his father 'their bad report' (37:2), and the text pointedly declines to say whether it was true. The word's two other famous appearances are both fatal: the ten spies bring back 'an evil report of the land' that costs a generation the promise (Numbers 13:32), and Jeremiah hears 'the whispering of many' from the men circling to kill him (Jeremiah 20:10). KJV 'evil report'; NWT 'bad report about them.' → first discussed at Gen 37:2