Lexical Summary
tsaddiq: Righteous, just
Original Word:צַדִיק
Part of Speech:Adjective
Transliteration:tsaddiyq
Pronunciation:tsad-deek'
Phonetic Spelling:(tsad-deek')
KJV: just, lawful, righteous (man)
NASB:righteous, righteous man, just, righteous ones, right, righteous men, Righteous One
Word Origin:[fromH6663 (צָּדַק - righteous)]
1. just
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
just, lawful, righteous man
Fromtsadaq; just -- just, lawful, righteous (man).
see HEBREWtsadaq
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom the same as
tsedeqDefinitionjust, righteous
NASB Translationblameless (1), innocent (1), just (5), man that the righteous (1), one in the right (1), right (2), righteous (164), righteous man (19), righteous men (2), Righteous One (2), righteous one (2), righteous ones (3), righteously (1), who are in the right (1).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
206 ; — absolute
Genesis 6:9+; plural
Exodus 23:8+, etc.; —
just, righteous, in government:
2 Samuel 23:3;Jeremiah 23:5;Zechariah 9:9 (""victorious).
,Ezekiel 23:45;Proverbs 29:2 (see Toy; Kau questions this meaning in all these).
,Deuteronomy 4:8.
Deuteronomy 32:4;Psalm 119:137;Psalm 129:4;Job 34:17, opposed to PharaohExodus 9:27 (J); in discriminationJeremiah 12:1;Zephaniah 3:5;Psalm 7:10;Psalm 7:12;Psalm 11:7; condemnation 2Chronicles 12:6;Daniel 9:14;Lamentations 1:18;Ezra 9:15;Nehemiah 9:33; redemptionIsaiah 45:21;Psalm 116:5; keeping promisesNehemiah 9:8; in all his waysPsalm 145:17.
just in one's cause,right:Exodus 23:7,8 (E)Deuteronomy 16:19;Deuteronomy 25:1;1 Kings 8:32 2Chronicles 6:23;Isaiah 5:23;Isaiah 29:21;Job 32:1;Job 36:7;Proverbs 17:15,26;Proverbs 18:5,17;Proverbs 24:24;Amos 2:6;Amos 5:12;Habakkuk 1:4,13; right in law, not under penalty2 Samuel 4:11;1 Kings 2:32; innocent of specific offence2 Kings 10:9; with compare1 Samuel 24:18.
just, righteous, in conduct and character:
Genesis 7:1;Genesis 18:23,24 (twice in verse);Genesis 18:25 (twice in verse);Genesis 18:26,28 (J)Genesis 20:4 (E),Habakkuk 2:4;Malachi 3:18.
Psalm 5:13;Psalm 7:10;Psalm 11:3;Psalm 11:5 21t. Psalms (+below),Proverbs 2:20;Proverbs 3:33;Proverbs 4:18;Proverbs 9:9 56t. Proverbs;Ecclesiastes 3:17 7t. Ecclesiastes;Isaiah 3:10;Isaiah 57:1 (twice in verse);Jeremiah 20:12;Lamentations 4:13;Ezekiel 3:20,21 (twice in verse) + 12 t. Ezekiel;Hosea 14:10; ""Genesis 6:9 (P)Job 12:4; ""Job 17:9;Job 22:19;Job 27:17;Psalm 94:21; ""Psalm 32:11;Psalm 64:11;Psalm 97:11.
, especially servant ofIsaiah 53:11, so his people, usually pluralIsaiah 60:21;Psalm 33:1 8t. Psalms (see also above);Psalm 118:15tents of the righteous;Psalm 125:3;Psalm 1:5;Psalm 1:6; singular collectivePsalm 34:20,22;Psalm 75:11;Isaiah 24:16;Isaiah 26:7 (twice in verse);Isaiah 26:2 ("" ).
right, correct,Isaiah 41:26 (compareIsaiah 43:9);lawfulIsaiah 49:24 EV; but read .
Topical Lexicon
Definition and Semantic Rangeצַדִיק (tsaddiq) designates a person or action aligned with the moral, judicial, and covenantal standards of the LORD. It speaks of right standing before God and right conduct toward people, joining inner integrity with outward justice.
Frequency and Distribution
Appearing about two hundred six times from Genesis to Malachi, the term clusters in Psalms (≈45), Proverbs (≈33), Job (≈25), and the Prophets (≈50), while narrative and legal texts provide foundational examples.
Early Canonical Foundations
•Genesis 6:9; 7:1 introduce Noah as “a righteous man, blameless among the men of his time,” highlighting divine preservation of the righteous.
• Abraham’s plea, “Will You indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked?” (Genesis 18:23), assumes God’s impartial justice.
• Sinai legislation enforces righteousness in courts (Exodus 23:7;Deuteronomy 25:1) and commerce (Leviticus 19:36).
•Deuteronomy 32:4 portrays the LORD Himself as “righteous and upright,” establishing the ultimate norm.
The Righteous Individual
Traits include faith (Habakkuk 2:4), integrity (Job 27:5-6), generosity (Psalm 112:9), truthful speech (Proverbs 10:11), and courage (Proverbs 28:1). Such persons are sustained and vindicated by God: “The LORD guards the path of the righteous” (Psalm 1:6).
Social and Judicial Righteousness
צַדִיק functions in legal contexts—judges must “acquit the righteous” (2 Samuel 15:4); bribery that condemns the righteous is condemned (Proverbs 17:15;Isaiah 5:23). Kings are to protect the oppressed (Jeremiah 22:3), demonstrating that righteousness is societal as well as personal.
Community and Remnant
A corporate sense emerges: “All your people will be righteous” (Isaiah 60:21). Ezekiel envisions a faithful remnant (Ezekiel 14:14; 18:5-9), andPsalm 118:15 hears “shouts of joy and salvation in the tents of the righteous.”
Wisdom Literature Portraits
Proverbs contrasts righteousness with wickedness, promising life, stability, and honor (10:27; 12:3; 14:32). Job explores the riddle of righteous suffering, while Psalms celebrate divine favor: “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him from them all” (Psalm 34:19).
Prophetic Anticipation and Messianic Fulfillment
•Habakkuk 2:4—“the righteous will live by his faith.”
•Jeremiah 23:5-6—“a righteous Branch… The LORD Our Righteousness.”
•Zechariah 9:9—Messiah rides into Zion “righteous and victorious.”
•Isaiah 53:11—“My righteous Servant will justify many.”
These texts converge in the New Testament identification of Jesus Christ as “the Holy and Righteous One” (Acts 3:14).
Eschatological Horizon
Daniel 12:3 promises that “those who lead many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever.”Malachi 3:18 foresees final distinction between righteous and wicked, andPsalm 37 paints the ultimate inheritance of the righteous.
Contrast with the Wicked
Tsaddiq is regularly set over against רָשָׁע (rasha). “The reward of the righteous is life, the wages of the wicked are punishment” (Proverbs 10:16). The polarity clarifies moral choices and their destinies.
Legal and Cultic Contexts
Worship demands righteousness: “Offer sacrifices of righteousness and trust in the LORD” (Psalm 4:5). Prophets denounce ritual without righteousness (Isaiah 1:21-23;Amos 5:21-24), proving that true piety integrates ethics and devotion.
Ethical and Social Dimensions
Righteousness touches economics (honest scales,Proverbs 16:11), compassion (concern for the poor,Proverbs 29:7), speech (detesting lies,Proverbs 13:5), and governance (“A throne is established through righteousness,”Proverbs 16:12).
Practical Ministry Implications
• Gospel:Habakkuk 2:4 undergirds justification by faith.
• Discipleship: Proverbs furnishes material for forming righteous character.
• Social witness: Prophetic calls to defend the innocent guide public engagement.
• Pastoral care: Job and Psalms comfort suffering saints with promised vindication.
• Mission: “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise” (Proverbs 11:30).
צַדִיק thus functions as a covenantal badge marking those conformed to God’s character and anticipating full vindication in the reigning, returning Righteous King.
Forms and Transliterations
הַֽצַּדִּ֫יקִ֥ים הַצַּדִּ֔יק הַצַּדִּ֗יק הַצַּדִּ֣יק הַצַּדִּֽיק׃ הַצַּדִּיק֙ הַצַּדִּיקִ֑ים הַצַּדִּיקִ֖ם הַצַּדִּיקִ֧ים הַצַּדִּיקִ֨ים הַצַּדִּיקִם֙ הצדיק הצדיק׃ הצדיקים הצדיקם וְ֝צַדִּ֗יק וְ֝צַדִּיקִ֗ים וְֽצַדִּיקִ֗ים וְצַדִּ֑יק וְצַדִּ֖יק וְצַדִּ֗יק וְצַדִּ֣יק וְצַדִּ֥יק וְצַדִּֽיק׃ וְצַדִּיק֙ וְצַדִּקִים֙ וצדיק וצדיק׃ וצדיקים וצדקים כַצַּדִּ֖יק כצדיק לְ֝צַדִּ֗יק לַ֝צַּדִּ֗יק לַ֭צַּדִּיק לַצַּדִּ֑יק לַצַּדִּ֔יק לַצַּדִּ֖יק לַצַּדִּ֣יק לַצַּדִּ֤יק לַצַּדִּֽיק׃ לַצַּדִּיק֙ לצדיק לצדיק׃ מִצַּדִּ֗יק מצדיק צַ֝דִּ֗יק צַ֝דִּיקִ֗ים צַ֫דִּ֥יק צַ֭דִּיק צַ֭דִּיקִים צַדִּ֑יק צַדִּ֔יק צַדִּ֕יק צַדִּ֖יק צַדִּ֗יק צַדִּ֛יק צַדִּ֞יק צַדִּ֣יק צַדִּ֤יק צַדִּ֥יק צַדִּ֥יק ׀ צַדִּ֧יק צַדִּ֨יק ׀ צַדִּ֪יק צַדִּֽיק׃ צַדִּיק֙ צַדִּיקִ֑ים צַדִּיקִ֑ם צַדִּיקִ֔ים צַדִּיקִ֖ים צַדִּיקִ֖ם צַדִּיקִ֗ים צַדִּיקִ֗ם צַדִּיקִ֣ים צַדִּיקִ֥ים צַדִּיקִֽים׃ צַדִּיקִֽם׃ צַדִּקִ֖ים צַדִּקִ֨ים צדיק צדיק׃ צדיקים צדיקים׃ צדיקם צדיקם׃ צדקים chatztzadDik haṣ·ṣad·dî·qim haṣ·ṣad·dî·qîm haṣ·ṣad·dîq haṣṣaddîq haṣṣaddîqim haṣṣaddîqîm hatztzadDik hatztzaddiKim ḵaṣ·ṣad·dîq ḵaṣṣaddîq laṣ·ṣad·dîq laṣṣaddîq latztzadDik lə·ṣad·dîq ləṣaddîq letzadDik miṣ·ṣad·dîq miṣṣaddîq mitztzadDik ṣad·di·qîm ṣad·dî·qim ṣad·dî·qîm ṣad·dîq ṣaddîq ṣaddiqîm ṣaddîqim ṣaddîqîm tzadDik tzaddiKim vetzadDik vetzaddiKim wə·ṣad·di·qîm wə·ṣad·dî·qîm wə·ṣad·dîq wəṣaddîq wəṣaddiqîm wəṣaddîqîm
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