Lexical Summary
rasha: To be wicked, to act wickedly, to condemn
Original Word:רָשַׁע
Part of Speech:Verb
Transliteration:rasha`
Pronunciation:rah-SHAH
Phonetic Spelling:(raw-shah')
KJV: condemn, make trouble, vex, be (commit, deal, depart, do) wicked(-ly, -ness)
NASB:condemn, acted wickedly, act wickedly, condemns, wicked, condemned, been wicked
Word Origin:[a primitive root]
1. to be wrong
2. (causatively) to do or declare wrong
3. (by implication) to disturb, violate
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
condemn, make trouble, vex, be commit, deal, depart, do wickedly,
A primitive root; to be (causatively, do or declare) wrong; by implication, to disturb, violate -- condemn, make trouble, vex, be (commit, deal, depart, do) wicked(-ly, -ness).
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origindenominative verb from
reshaDefinitionto be wicked, act wickedly
NASB Translationact wickedly (3), acted wickedly (6), been wicked (1), behaved wickedly (1), condemn (10), condemned (2), condemning (1), condemns (3), do wickedly (1), guilty (1), inflicted punishment (1), wicked (3), wickedly departed (1).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
[] ; —
Perfect1singular2 Samuel 22:22 +,1 Kings 8:47 +;Imperfect2masculine singularEcclesiastes 7:17; 1singularJob 9:29;Job 10:7; —
be wicked, act wickedly,1 Kings 8:47 2Chronicles 6:37;Daniel 9:15;Ecclesiastes 7:17; +2 Samuel 22:22 (in departing)from my God =Psalm 18:22.
be guilty,Job 9:29;Job 10:7,15.
Perfect3masculine singular 2Chronicles 20:35; 3 masculine pluralDeuteronomy 25:1;Daniel 12:10; 1pluralDaniel 9:5, etc.:Imperfect3masculine singularProverbs 12:2 +;Job 34:29; 3masculine pluralExodus 22:8, etc.;Infinitive construct1 Kings 8:32; 2Chronicles 22:3;Perfect Pt 2 Chronicles 17:15; plural constructDaniel 11:32; —
condemn as guilty, in civil relations, with accusativeExodus 22:8 (E)Deuteronomy 25:1;Psalm 94:21;Job 34:17;Proverbs 17:15.
condemn as guilty, in ethical and religious relations, with accusative1 Kings 8:32;Job 9:20;Job 10:2;Job 15:6;Job 32:3;Job 40:8;Psalm 37:33;Proverbs 12:2;Isaiah 50:9;Isaiah 54:17, absoluteJob 34:29.
act wickedly (late), in ethics and religion:Job 34:12 (denied of ),Nehemiah 9:33;Daniel 12:10; 2Chronicles 22:3; ""Psalm 106:6;Daniel 9:5; 2Chronicles 20:35;Daniel 11:32; —1 Samuel 14:47 read Capp We Dr Bu HPS.
Topical Lexicon
OverviewThe verb רָשַׁע occurs about thirty-five times in the Old Testament. It represents wilful departure from covenant loyalty and, in its causative stem, the act of declaring someone guilty. Scripture regularly places the verb in deliberate contrast with “justify / declare righteous” (צָדַק), thereby sharpening the biblical antithesis between righteousness and wickedness.
Legal and Forensic Usage
1.Deuteronomy 25:1 presents the most succinct legal pairing: “the judges shall justify the righteous and condemn the wicked.” Here רָשַׁע describes a court’s formal verdict.
2. Solomon invokes the same principle in the dedication prayer: “Judge Your servants, condemning the wicked by bringing his way on his own head and justifying the righteous” (1 Kings 8:32).
3. A later generation repeats the petition almost verbatim (2 Chronicles 6:23), showing that the verb remained standard judicial vocabulary throughout Israel’s monarchy.
4.Proverbs 17:15 turns the principle into an ethical maxim: “He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous are both detestable to the LORD.” The text implies that misapplication of רָשַׁע perverts justice and invites divine wrath—an enduring lesson for every society that names the name of God.
Individual Moral Conduct
The Qal stem describes a person’s own plunge into evil. Pharaoh confesses, “I and my people are in the wrong” (Exodus 9:27); Moses confronts his fellow Hebrew, “Why do you strike your companion?” (Exodus 2:13). Job wrestles with the possibility that God has counted him wicked (Job 9:20; 10:15; 15:6; 32:3). In each passage רָשַׁע emphasises purposeful rebellion, not accidental failure.
Corporate Apostasy
Prophets use the verb to address national guilt. Ezekiel warns, “When the righteous turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, he will die for it” (Ezekiel 18:26; 33:12). The shift from obedience to רָשַׁע is decisive and deadly. The same chapter promises life to the wicked who repents (33:19), showing that judgment is never God’s final word when genuine repentance occurs.
Theological Emphasis
1. God’s holiness demands that wickedness be named and judged. Rָשַׁע therefore underscores divine justice.
2. The verb’s consistent opposition to צָדַק reveals that there is no moral middle ground before God; every person is either justified or condemned.
3. The sacrificial system, the Day of Atonement, and ultimately the cross of Jesus Christ answer the dilemma raised by רָשַׁע: How may the guilty be made righteous without God denying His own character (cf.Romans 3:26)?
Pastoral and Homiletical Insights
• Expose Sin Clearly—Old Testament writers never soften רָשַׁע. Faithful ministry follows their example, naming sin so that grace may abound.
• Guard Judicial Integrity—Deuteronomy 25:1 andProverbs 17:15 apply to elders, pastors, and civil magistrates. Partiality in verdicts still desecrates God’s name.
• Proclaim the Hope of Repentance—Ezekiel links repentance with life. The same gospel promise governs evangelism and church discipline today.
• Cultivate Humility—Job’s agonising reflections remind believers that only divine verdicts matter. Human self-justification collapses under God’s scrutiny; Christ alone is our righteousness.
Eschatological Perspective
Isaiah envisions a coming King who will “with righteousness judge the poor, and decide with fairness for the afflicted of the earth” (Isaiah 11:4). While Isaiah uses a different verb, the vision answers every misuse of רָשַׁע. Final judgment will reverse every wrongful condemnation and vindicate all who are in Christ.
Summary
רָשַׁע is more than a word for generic evil; it is the biblical verb for determined rebellion and formal condemnation. It confronts every reader with God’s unwavering justice and simultaneously drives the humble to seek the righteousness provided in the promised Messiah.
Forms and Transliterations
אֶרְשָׁ֑ע ארשע הִרְשִׁ֥יעַ הִרְשָֽׁעְנוּ׃ הִרְשַׁ֣עְנוּ הרשיע הרשענו הרשענו׃ וְהִרְשִׁ֖יעוּ וְהִרְשִׁ֣יעוּ וְרָשָֽׁעְנוּ׃ וַ֝יַּרְשִׁ֗יעוּ וּמַרְשִׁ֣יעַ וּמַרְשִׁיעֵ֣י והרשיעו וירשיעו ומרשיע ומרשיעי ורשענו׃ יַ֝רְשִׁיעֶ֗נּוּ יַרְשִֽׁיעֲךָ֣ יַרְשִֽׁיעַ׃ יַרְשִֽׁיעוּ׃ יַרְשִׁ֑יעַ יַרְשִׁ֗עַ יַרְשִׁיעֵ֑נִי יַרְשִׁיעֻן֙ ירשיע ירשיע׃ ירשיעו׃ ירשיעך ירשיען ירשיענו ירשיעני ירשע לְהַרְשִֽׁיעַ׃ לְהַרְשִׁ֣יעַ להרשיע להרשיע׃ מֵרְשָׁעִ֖ים מרשעים רָ֝שַׁ֗עְתִּי רָשַׁ֖עְתִּי רָשַׁ֡עְתִּי רָשָֽׁעְנוּ׃ רשענו׃ רשעתי תִּרְשַׁ֥ע תַּ֝רְשִׁיעֵ֗נִי תַּרְשִֽׁיעַ׃ תַּרְשִׁ֑יעִי תַּרְשִׁיעֵ֑נִי תרשיע׃ תרשיעי תרשיעני תרשע ’er·šā‘ ’eršā‘ erSha hir·ša‘·nū hir·šā·‘ə·nū hir·šî·a‘ hiršā‘ənū hirša‘nū hirShaenu hirShanu hirShia hiršîa‘ lə·har·šî·a‘ leharShia ləharšîa‘ mê·rə·šā·‘îm mêrəšā‘îm mereshaIm rā·ša‘·tî rā·šā·‘ə·nū rāšā‘ənū rāša‘tî raShaenu raShati tar·šî·‘ê·nî tar·šî·‘î tar·šî·a‘ tarShia tarshiEni tarShii taršî‘ênî taršî‘î taršîa‘ tir·ša‘ tirša‘ tirSha ū·mar·šî·‘ê ū·mar·šî·a‘ umarShia umarshiEi ūmaršî‘ê ūmaršîa‘ vaiyarShiu vehirShiu veraShaenu way·yar·šî·‘ū wayyaršî‘ū wə·hir·šî·‘ū wə·rā·šā·‘ə·nū wəhiršî‘ū wərāšā‘ənū yar·šî·‘ă·ḵā yar·šî·‘ê·nî yar·šî·‘en·nū yar·šî·‘ū yar·šî·‘un yar·ši·a‘ yar·šî·a‘ yarShia yarshiaCha yarshiEni yarshiEnnu yarShiu yarshiUn yaršî‘ăḵā yaršî‘ênî yaršî‘ennū yaršî‘ū yaršî‘un yaršia‘ yaršîa‘
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