רֶשַׁע
𐤓𐤔𐤏
reshaʻ
H7562 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Unjust, morally wrongful, or lawless behavior; the quality or state of acting contrary to what is considered just, upright, or in accordance with established norms of Israelite society or divine expectations. The term רֶשַׁע fundamentally denotes the condition, act, or system of wickedness—often in a specific social or legal context—rather than a generalized sense of evil. It can refer to a particular act of injustice, the persistent disposition or character of a person or group, or to systemic wrongdoing.
Semantic Range
wickedness, iniquity, injustice, wrongful act, evil behavior, lawlessness, morally corrupt practice, social or legal wrongdoing
Root / Etymology
From the root רשע, which fundamentally means 'to be wicked,' 'to act wickedly,' or 'to depart from what is right.' The noun רֶשַׁע is a nominal form, indicating the abstract or collective idea of wickedness or wrongdoing that arises from the verbal root's core concept of deviating from accepted norms of justice or morality.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, רֶשַׁע is used predominantly within wisdom, prophetic, and legal contexts to characterize actions, people, or entire systems that violate covenantal, ethical, or legal standards. It stands in contrast to צֶדֶק (ṣedeq, 'righteousness') and מִשְׁפָּט (mishpat, 'justice'). While terms such as חָטָא (ḥaṭā', 'to sin') often stress failure or error, רֶשַׁע highlights deliberate, flagrant wrongdoing—especially that which endangers or destroys social order. In prophetic and wisdom literature, רֶשַׁע frequently denotes the prevailing moral corruption of society, rather than just individual acts. Standard English translations (e.g., 'iniquity,' 'wickedness') often obscure these contextual nuances and the term's strong focus on legal and communal breakdown. There is a notable semantic divergence from related terms such as עָוֹן (avon, 'perversity' or 'guilt'), which carries a heavier emphasis on the burden or consequence, while רֶשַׁע centers on the active state or process of doing wrong.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from רָשַׁע; a wrong (especially moral); iniquity, wicked(-ness).
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
רשׁע (r-š-ʿ) — to be wicked, act unjustly, do wrong, depart from what is right
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H7563 | רָשָׁע | guilty wrongdoers |
Word Forms
10 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7562-07 |
רֶ֑שַׁע | resha | HNcmsa |
of wickedness | wickedness | 17 |
H7562-10 |
רִשְׁע֖/וֹ | risheo | HNcmsc/Sp3ms |
his wickedness | his wrongdoing | 2 |
H7562-03 |
הָ/רֶ֗שַׁע | haresha | HTd/Ncmsa |
of the wicked | the injustice | 2 |
H7562-06 |
מֵֽ/רִשְׁע֔/וֹ | merisheo | HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms |
from his wickedness | from his injustice | 2 |
H7562-01 |
בְּ/רֶ֗שַׁע | beresha | HR/Ncmsa |
by wickedness | in unjust-wrongdoing | 2 |
H7562-02 |
הָ/רָֽשַׁע | harasha | HTd/Ncmsa |
the guilty man | 1 | |
H7562-05 |
מֵ/רֶ֗שַׁע | meresha | HR/Ncmsa |
from wickedness | from unjustness | 1 |
H7562-08 |
רִשְׁעֶ֑/ךָ | risheekha | HNcmsc/Sp2ms |
your wickedness | your injustice | 1 |
H7562-09 |
רִשְׁעֵ֖/נוּ | risheenu | HNcmsc/Sp1cp |
our wickedness | our wrongful-doing | 1 |
H7562-04 |
כְּ/רִשְׁע֖/וֹ | kerisheo | HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms |
according-to-his-wickedness | his wrongdoing | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
30 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7562-10 |
Deuteronomy 9:27 | רִשְׁע֖/וֹ | risheo | HNcmsc/Sp3ms |
his wickedness | his wrongdoing |
H7562-07 |
1 Samuel 24:14 | רֶ֑שַׁע | resha | HNcmsa |
wickedness | wickedness |
H7562-07 |
Isaiah 58:4 | רֶ֑שַׁע | resha | HNcmsa |
of wickedness | wickedness |
H7562-07 |
Isaiah 58:6 | רֶ֔שַׁע | resha | HNcmsa |
of wickedness | wickedness |
H7562-09 |
Jeremiah 14:20 | רִשְׁעֵ֖/נוּ | risheenu | HNcmsc/Sp1cp |
our wickedness | our wrongful-doing |
H7562-06 |
Ezekiel 3:19 | מֵֽ/רִשְׁע֔/וֹ | merisheo | HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms |
from his wickedness | from his injustice |
H7562-07 |
Ezekiel 7:11 | רֶ֑שַׁע | resha | HNcmsa |
of wickedness | wickedness |
H7562-04 |
Ezekiel 31:11 | כְּ/רִשְׁע֖/וֹ | kerisheo | HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms |
according-to-his-wickedness | his wrongdoing |
H7562-06 |
Ezekiel 33:12 | מֵֽ/רִשְׁע֑/וֹ | merisheo | HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms |
from his wickedness | from his injustice |
H7562-07 |
Hosea 10:13 | רֶ֛שַׁע | resha | HNcmsa |
wickedness | wickedness |