מִשְׁפָּט
Properly, a verdict (favorable or unfavorable) pronounced judicially, especially a sentence or formal decree (human or (participant's) divine law , individual or collective), including the act, the place, the suit, the crime, and the penalty; abstractly, justice , including a participant's right or privilege (statutory or customary), or even a style
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What does מִשְׁפָּט (mišpāṭ) mean in the Bible?
מִשְׁפָּט (mišpāṭ) is a Hebrew word meaning "properly, a verdict (favorable or unfavorable) pronounced judicially, especially a sentence or formal decree (human or (participant's) divine law , individual or collective), including the act, the place, the suit, the crime, and the penalty; abstractly, justice , including a participant's right or privilege (statutory or customary), or even a style". Leaders were expected to embody mishpat; their failure represents direct covenant violation. This term runs through the canonical themes of Covenant, Holiness, Justice.
Full entry for מִשְׁפָּט (H4941) · Browse the biblical lexicon
Meaning
Judicial decision encompassing verdict, law, and justice; God's decisive rulings establish cosmic and moral order.
properly, a verdict (favorable or unfavorable) pronounced judicially, especially a sentence or formal decree (human or (participant's) divine law, individual or collective), including the act, the place, the suit, the crime, and the penalty; abstractly, justice, including a participant's right or privilege (statutory or customary), or even a style BDB: judgment Usage: adversary, ceremony, charge, × crime, custom, desert, determination, discretion, disposing, due, fashion, form, to be judged, judgment, just(-ice, -ly), (manner of) law(-ful), manner, measure, (due) order, ordinance, right, sentence, usest, × worthy, wrong.
Why This Word Matters
Leaders were expected to embody mishpat; their failure represents direct covenant violation. Hosea 12:1-6
Its distortion by leaders represents direct violation of covenant standards. Isaiah 1:10-20
It defines social righteousness as a core expectation of covenant obedience. Isaiah 10:1-4
By commanding Judah to seek mishpāṭ, God shows that authentic repentance will reshape how His people treat others, especially those who can easily be neglected or exploited. Isaiah 16:1-5
The corruption of mishpāṭ reveals systemic covenant violation. Isaiah 28:1-6
Justice defines the nature of the promised Davidic reign. Isaiah 28:14-22
God empowers righteous governance among His faithful. Isaiah 30:18-26
God measures human claims against His righteous standard. Isaiah 32:1-8
Divine mercy operates within righteous justice.
Marks the governing principle of righteous leadership.
Defines the mission of the Servant toward the nations.
Justice is the fruit God desired; its absence signals deep covenant violation.
Perverting mishpāṭ reveals direct opposition to God’s righteous character.
The Lord is exalted through justice, demonstrating that His holiness governs history.
Concrete expression of covenant obedience.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Biblical Occurrences
Each occurrence shows the passage reference, the original language term as it appears in that context, its transliteration, and the contextual sense.
Old Testament Witnesses
Showing 8 of 424 occurrences in the biblical text.
Appears In
Compound and idiomatic lexemes in which this word is a constituent. Follow a link to study the phrase and its other participating words.