Lexical Summary
yashar: Straight, right, upright, righteous
Original Word:יָשָׁר
Part of Speech:Adjective
Transliteration:yashar
Pronunciation:yah-SHAR
Phonetic Spelling:(yaw-shawr')
KJV: convenient, equity, Jasher, just, meet(-est), + pleased well right(-eous), straight, (most) upright(-ly, -ness)
NASB:upright, right, what is right, what was right, straight, Jashar, what
Word Origin:[fromH3474 (יָשַׁר - right)]
1. straight
{literally or figuratively}
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
convenient, equity, just, well-pleased, righteous, straight, most uprightly,
Fromyashar; straight (literally or figuratively) -- convenient, equity, Jasher, just, meet(-est), + pleased well right(-eous), straight, (most) upright(-ly, -ness).
see HEBREWyashar
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom
yasharDefinitionstraight, right
NASB Translationconscientious* (1), fittest (1), Jashar (2), just (1), proposal of peace (1), right (35), safe (1), straight (5), upright (51), Upright One (1), uprightly (1), uprightness (1), what (2), what is right (7), what was right (6), which was right (1), who are upright (1), who is upright (1).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
; —
1 Samuel 29:6 70t.; construct
Proverbs 29:27; feminine
Ezekiel 1:7 4t.; plural
Numbers 23:10 31t.; construct
Psalm 7:11 8t.; feminine
Ezekiel 1:23 (strike out Co); —
straight, level, of a wayIsaiah 26:7;Jeremiah 31:9;Psalm 107:7;Ezra 8:21; footEzekiel 1:7; wingsEzekiel 1:23 (? see above)
right, pleasing:
to God,that which is right, pleasing in the eyes of, agreeable to (either construct before , or with suffixes referring to him), especially in Deuteronomic writers,Exodus 15:26 (R),Deuteronomy 12:25;Deuteronomy 13:19;Deuteronomy 21:9;1 Kings 11:33,38;1 Kings 14:8;1 Kings 15:5,11;1 Kings 22:43 2Chron 20:32,2 Kings 10:30;2 Kings 12:3;2 Kings 14:3;2 Kings 15:3,34;2 Kings 16:2;2 Kings 18:3;2 Kings 22:3 2Chronicles 24:2; 25:2; 26:4; 27:2; 28:1; 29:2; 34:2;Jeremiah 34:15;Deuteronomy 6:18;Deuteronomy 12:28; 2Chron 14:1; 2Chronicles 31:20.
to man,Deuteronomy 12:8;Judges 17:6;Judges 21:25;2 Samuel 19:7;Jeremiah 40:5;Proverbs 12:15;Proverbs 21:2;Joshua 9:25 (D),Jeremiah 26:14;Jeremiah 40:4;Proverbs 14:12there is a way which is pleasing before a man =Proverbs 16:25.
straightforward, just upright:
of God,Deuteronomy 32:4 (song);Psalm 25:8;Psalm 92:16; his waysHosea 14:10; hisNehemiah 9:13;Psalm 119:137;Psalm 19:9;Psalm 33:4; the words of divine wisdomProverbs 8:9.
of man, God made himuprightEcclesiastes 7:29; butMicah 7:2an upright man among men there is none and yet Job isJob 1:1 (see Da),Job 1:8;Job 2:3, comparePsalm 37:37;Job 8:6; so earlier of David as an uprightman1 Samuel 29:6; of man's doings ""Proverbs 20:11, compareProverbs 21:8; of his way of life ""1 Samuel 12:23;Proverbs 29:27;Psalm 37:14; of his heart, mind, and will,upright of heart2Chronicles 29:34;Psalm 7:11;Psalm 11:2;Psalm 32:11;Psalm 36:11;Psalm 64:11;Psalm 94:15;Psalm 97:11;Psalm 125:4.
, (1) with reference to things,the right I have pervertedJob 33:27;Micah 3:9pervert the right (literallytwist that which isstraight);speaketh right thingsProverbs 16:13, compare2 Kings 10:15. (2) more commonly of men, in singularMicah 2:7;Micah 7:4;2 Kings 10:3;Proverbs 21:29;Job 23:7; collective,Psalm 11:7; also inbook of the uprightJoshua 10:13;2 Samuel 1:18 (compare1 Kings 8:53 ; DrIntr. 182), a collection of ancient national poetry; in pluralthe upright, of pious IsraelNumbers 23:10 (song E); elsewhere of the upright among the people of God as distinguished from the wicked, in Wisdom Literature.Job 4:7;Job 17:8;Proverbs 2:7,21;Proverbs 3:32;Proverbs 11:3,6,11;Proverbs 12:6;Proverbs 14:9,11;Proverbs 15:8,19;Proverbs 16:17;Proverbs 21:18;Proverbs 28:10;Proverbs 29:10, in latePsalm 33:1;Psalm 49:15;Psalm 107:42;Psalm 111:1;Psalm 112:2;Psalm 112:4;Psalm 140:14 andDaniel 11:17.
abstract,uprightness,Psalm 111:8 (Thes), but read rather with Hi Ri Bae, after Jerome.
Topical Lexicon
Concept and Scopeיָשָׁר (yashar) portrays that which is straight, level, or upright, and by extension what is morally right and pleasing before God. Across roughly one-hundred-twenty Old Testament occurrences the term speaks to physical alignment, ethical integrity, social justice, and divine character.
Divine Uprightness as the Absolute Standard
Deuteronomy 32:4 declares, “He is the Rock, His work is perfect; all His ways are justice. A God of faithfulness without injustice, righteous and upright is He”. The Lord’s own nature supplies the fixed reference point that defines everything else called yashar. In worship Israel repeatedly acknowledges this: “The LORD is upright; He is my Rock, and in Him there is no unrighteousness” (Psalm 92:15).
The Call to Do What Is Right in the LORD’s Eyes
Moses charges the nation: “Do what is right and good in the sight of the LORD” (Deuteronomy 6:18). The same emphasis recurs inDeuteronomy 12:25-28; 13:18; 21:9;1 Kings 14:8. Obedience to revealed law is identified as yashar, binding the community to God’s covenant standards.
National Decline Illustrated in the Era of the Judges
Judges summarizes moral chaos with the refrain, “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 17:6; 21:25). The word shifts from God-defined uprightness to human self-reference, exposing the deadly consequences of relativism and paving the way for Israel’s demand for a king.
Portraits of Personal Integrity
1. Job: “This man was blameless and upright” (Job 1:1). His life exemplifies uncompromising allegiance to God amid suffering (Job 1:8; 2:3; 4:7).
2. David: The divine evaluation of his reign highlights that he “followed Me with all his heart, doing only what was right in My sight” (1 Kings 14:8).
3. Samuel: He pledges, “I will teach you the good and right way” (1 Samuel 12:23), linking upright instruction with intercessory leadership.
Wisdom Literature and the Path of the Upright
Proverbs builds a theology of two divergent ways. “The integrity of the upright guides them” (Proverbs 11:3). “The highway of the upright avoids evil” (Proverbs 16:17). Wisdom issues in straight paths (Proverbs 3:5-6), shielding the learner from the crooked (Proverbs 2:13-15).
Psalms: Worship in the Company of the Upright
Joy and praise characterize the upright community:
• “Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise Him” (Psalm 33:1).
• “Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you righteous; shout for joy, all you upright in heart!” (Psalm 32:11).
Instruction and celebration merge, for “The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart” (Psalm 19:8).
Prophetic Usage: A Plumb Line for Justice
Prophets expose societal sin by contrasting it with yashar. Isaiah denounces those “who turn aside the just” (Isaiah 29:21) while proclaiming the future reign when “the upright will dwell in Your presence” (Psalm 140:13, anticipating eschatological restoration).Micah 3:9 censures leaders “who despise justice and distort all that is right.”
Corporate Ethics and Social Order
Yashar extends to fair business weights (Proverbs 11:1) and judgments in the gate (Amos 5:15, using a synonymous term). The community that embraces uprightness enjoys stability: “The house of the righteous stands firm” (Proverbs 12:7).
Contrast with the Crooked and Perverse
Deuteronomy 32:5 laments a “perverse and crooked generation,” setting crookedness (עקש akesh) against yashar.Proverbs 2:21-22 concludes that the upright inherit the land, whereas the wicked are cut off, underscoring covenant blessings and curses.
Eschatological and Messianic Hints
Although other Hebrew words describe the Messiah’s righteousness, yashar themes undergird eschatological hope.Psalm 45:6-7 joins a straight scepter with everlasting rule. Isaiah foresees a highway of holiness made straight (Isaiah 40:3-4), a picture later applied to the coming of John the Baptist and ultimately to Christ.
Resonance in the New Testament
Greek terms such as ἰθύς (ithys, straight) and δίκαιος (dikaios, righteous) echo yashar. John the Baptist prepares “the way of the Lord, make His paths straight” (Matthew 3:3). Believers are called “children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverted generation” (Philippians 2:15), sustaining the Old Testament contrast.
Ministry Implications
1. Preaching: Upholding Scripture as the plumb line of what is right guards against the relativism exposed in Judges.
2. Discipleship: Spiritual formation aims at hearts that delight in what God calls upright (Psalm 119:128).
3. Leadership: Elders and deacons must model yashar character, being “above reproach” (1 Timothy 3:2).
4. Social witness: Advocacy for the oppressed and honest commerce manifest the upright path in the public square.
Summary
יָשָׁר gathers the ideas of straightness, integrity, and conformity to God’s own nature. Whether describing the Lord, His statutes, individual saints, or national life, it establishes an unchanging moral axis. The biblical narrative unfolds blessing where uprightness prevails and judgment where it is abandoned, directing every generation to “Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness” (Psalm 37:3).
Forms and Transliterations
הַיְשָׁרָ֖ה הַיָּשָֽׁר׃ הַיָּשָׁ֑ר הַיָּשָׁ֔ר הַיָּשָׁ֖ר הַיָּשָׁ֗ר הַיָּשָׁ֛ר הַיָּשָׁ֜ר הַיָּשָׁ֤ר הַיָּשָׁ֥ר הַיָּשָׁ֧ר הַיָּשָׁר֙ הישר הישר׃ הישרה וְ֝יָשָׁ֗ר וְ֝לִֽישָׁרִ֗ים וְהַיְשָׁרָֽה׃ וְהַיָּשָׁ֔ר וְהַיָּשָׁ֤ר וְהַיָּשָׁר֙ וְיָשָֽׁר׃ וְיָשָׁ֖ר וְיָשָׁ֗ר וְיָשָׁ֛ר וְיָשָׁ֥ר וְכַיָּשָׁ֖ר וְכַיָּשָׁ֧ר וִֽ֝ישָׁרִ֗ים וִישָׁרִ֥ים וּֽלְיִשְׁרֵי־ והישר והישרה׃ וישר וישר׃ וישרים וכישר ולישרי־ ולישרים יְ֝שָׁרִ֗ים יְ֭שָׁרִים יְשַׁר־ יְשָׁר֔וֹת יְשָׁרִ֔ים יְשָׁרִ֞ים יְשָׁרִ֣ים יְשָׁרִ֥ים יְשָׁרִ֨ים ׀ יְשָׁרִים֙ יְשָׁרָ֑ה יְשָׁרָ֔ה יִישַׁר֙ יִשְׁרֵ֣י יִשְׁרֵי־ יָ֝שָׁ֗ר יָ֭שָׁר יָשָׁ֑ר יָשָׁ֔ר יָשָׁ֕ר יָשָׁ֖ר יָשָׁ֗ר יָשָׁ֣ר יָשָׁ֥ר יישר ישר ישר־ ישרה ישרות ישרי ישרי־ ישרים לְיִשְׁרֵי־ לַ֝יְשָׁרִ֗ים לַ֭יְשָׁרִים לַיְשָׁרִ֑ים לישרי־ לישרים haiyaShar hay·šā·rāh hay·yā·šār hayšārāh hayshaRah hayyāšār lay·šā·rîm layšārîm layshaRim lə·yiš·rê- leyishrei ləyišrê- ū·lə·yiš·rê- uleyishrei ūləyišrê- vechaiyaShar vehaiyaShar vehayshaRah velishaRim veyaShar vishaRim wə·hay·šā·rāh wə·hay·yā·šār wə·ḵay·yā·šār wə·lî·šā·rîm wə·yā·šār wəhayšārāh wəhayyāšār wəḵayyāšār wəlîšārîm wəyāšār wî·šā·rîm wîšārîm yā·šār yāšār yaShar Yashor yə·šā·rāh yə·šā·rîm yə·šā·rō·wṯ yə·šar- yəšar- yəšārāh yəšārîm yəšārōwṯ yeshar yeshaRah yeshaRim yeshaRot yî·šar yiš·rê yiš·rê- yîšar yiShar yishRei yišrê yišrê-
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