What does the Bible say about spying/eavesdropping?

Answer

When we spy or eavesdrop on someone, we are attempting to acquire information that is not willingly shared with us. There are various instances where eavesdropping or spying is considered unethical. However, in other situations, there might indeed be valid reasons to engage in such actions.

Spies are utilized by governments as part of their national security efforts. Without gathering intelligence through spying on enemy activities, a nation could jeopardize its freedom. In times of war, espionage and the collection of military information have played a pivotal role in achieving victory. For instance, God instructed Moses to dispatch spies to explore the land of Canaan to assess the challenges the Israelites would encounter in conquering it (Numbers 13:1-2). Subsequently, Joshua sent spies to Jericho before the decisive battle “And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to secretly spy, instructing them, ‘Go, view the land, especially Jericho.’ So they went and entered the house of a prostitute named Rahab, where they lodged.”, (Joshua 2:1). In Judges 7:9–15, God directed Gideon and his servant Purah to gather intelligence on the Midianites.

Eavesdropping, the act of secretly listening to a private conversation, constitutes a violation of privacy and often breaches trust. Nevertheless, eavesdropping can also serve a purpose. It may have been eavesdropping that prevented the assassination of Paul “When Paul’s nephew overheard their plot, he went into the barracks and told Paul.”, (Acts 23:16), and foiled the assassination attempt on King Xerxes (Esther 2:21-23). As a contemporary example, a mother concerned about her teenager’s well-being may pause outside her daughter’s bedroom door upon hearing her on the phone discussing words like drinking and partying.To catch her attention. Because she has her daughter’s best interest in mind, she may eavesdrop to understand how to protect her child. So spying and eavesdropping are not wrong in themselves. The sin lies in the purpose behind the action.

When we spy or eavesdrop due to selfish motives, we are crossing a line. Envy, jealousy, or a desire for revenge may wrongly motivate us to eavesdrop or spy on someone. If our intent is to use the information gained to give ourselves an unfair advantage or to harm someone else, then eavesdropping is wrong. It is dishonest and unloving (Romans 13:8;Luke 6:31). Christians are to be “blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation” «that ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; », (Philippians 2:15). Eavesdropping out of nosiness is being sneaky, which is dishonest «The integrity of the upright shall guide them: But the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them. », (Proverbs 11:3). If we hear something juicy, we often don’t want to keep it to ourselves, so eavesdropping becomes the first step to gossiping.

On those occasions when spying or eavesdropping is done with altruistic motives, then it is allowable. But any hint of selfishness, egoism, or voyeurism taints it with sin. If in doubt about the virtue of spying or eavesdropping in any given situation, we should always default to Jesus’ words in Luke 6:31: “Do to others as you would have them do to you.”