What does עָוָה (ʿiwwāh) mean in the Bible?
עָוָה (ʿiwwāh): Moral crookedness: physical bending metaphorically extends to ethical distortion and iniquity before God.
Hebrew · H5753
עָוָה
To crook , literally or figuratively
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עָוָה H5753
Pronunciation ʿiwwāh
What does עָוָה (ʿiwwāh) mean in the Bible?
עָוָה (ʿiwwāh): Moral crookedness: physical bending metaphorically extends to ethical distortion and iniquity before God.
Full entry for עָוָה (H5753) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H5753?
The BSB source-word alignment has 17 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include and done wrong (3), acted wickedly (1), and perverted (1), but a twisted (1), committing iniquity (1).
Where does עָוָה (ʿiwwāh) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at 1 Samuel 20:30. Its strongest book concentrations include 2 Samuel (3), Isaiah (2), Jeremiah (2), Psalms (2).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It and done wrong 3× 1 Kings 8:47, 2 Chronicles 6:37, Daniel 9:5
acted wickedly 1× 2 Samuel 24:17
and perverted 1× Job 33:27
but a twisted 1× Proverbs 12:8
committing iniquity 1× Jeremiah 9:5
crooked 1× Lamentations 3:9
has wronged 1× Esther 1:16
he does wrong 1× 2 Samuel 7:14
He will twist 1× Isaiah 24:1
I am bent 1× Psalms 38:6
I am bewildered 1× Isaiah 21:3
of a perverse 1× 1 Samuel 20:30
they have perverted 1× Jeremiah 3:21
we have done wrong 1× Psalms 106:6
wrongdoing 1× 2 Samuel 19:19
Show sample aligned rows
1 Samuel 20:30 נַעֲוַ֖ת to of a perverse Verb - Nifal - Participle - feminine singular construct 2 Samuel 7:14 בְּהַ֣עֲוֺת֔וֹ to he does wrong Preposition-b | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct | third person masculine singular 2 Samuel 19:19 הֶעֱוָ֣ה to wrongdoing Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular 2 Samuel 24:17 הֶעֱוֵ֔יתִי to acted wickedly Verb - Hifil - Perfect - first person common singular 1 Kings 8:47 וְהֶעֱוִ֖ינוּ to and done wrong Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - first person common plural 2 Chronicles 6:37 הֶעֱוִ֖ינוּ to and done wrong Verb - Hifil - Perfect - first person common plural Esther 1:16 עָוְתָ֖ה to has wronged Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular Job 33:27 הֶעֱוֵ֗יתִי to and perverted Verb - Hifil - Perfect - first person common singular Psalms 38:6 נַעֲוֵ֣יתִי to I am bent Verb - Nifal - Perfect - first person common singular Psalms 106:6 הֶעֱוִ֥ינוּ to we have done wrong Verb - Hifil - Perfect - first person common plural
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row 1 Samuel 20:30
Aligned rows 17
Books represented 12
1 Samuel 1 2 Samuel 3 1 Kings 1 2 Chronicles 1 Esther 1 Job 1 Psalms 2 Proverbs 1 Isaiah 2 Jeremiah 2 Lamentations 1 Daniel 1
Source forms
נַעֲוֵ֣יתִי 2x na·‘ă·wê·ṯî Psalms 38:6, Isaiah 21:3
בְּהַ֣עֲוֺת֔וֹ 1x bə·ha·‘ă·wō·ṯōw 2 Samuel 7:14
הֶעֱוָ֣ה 1x he·‘ĕ·wāh 2 Samuel 19:19
הַעֲוֵ֥ה 1x ha·‘ă·wêh Jeremiah 9:5
הֶעֱוּוּ֙ 1x he·‘ĕw·wū Jeremiah 3:21
הֶעֱוִ֖ינוּ 1x he·‘ĕ·wî·nū 2 Chronicles 6:37
הֶעֱוִ֥ינוּ 1x he·‘ĕ·wî·nū Psalms 106:6
הֶעֱוֵ֔יתִי 1x he·‘ĕ·wê·ṯî 2 Samuel 24:17
Parsing patterns
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - first person common plural 2x 2 Chronicles 6:37, Psalms 106:6
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - first person common singular 2x 2 Samuel 24:17, Job 33:27
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - first person common singular 2x Psalms 38:6, Isaiah 21:3
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - first person common plural 1x 1 Kings 8:47
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singular construct 1x Proverbs 12:8
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular 1x Isaiah 24:1
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common plural 1x Daniel 9:5
Preposition-b | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct | third person masculine singular 1x 2 Samuel 7:14
Evidence Summary
Revelation
Hebrew word. Moral crookedness: physical bending metaphorically extends to ethical distortion and iniquity before God.
Strong's H5753
Lexical occurrences 17 verses Word forms 4 forms 12 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link Isaiah 19:11-15 Source Gloss
to crook , literally or figuratively
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Moral crookedness: physical bending metaphorically extends to ethical distortion and iniquity before God.
to crook, literally or figuratively BDB: bend Usage: do amiss, bow down, make crooked, commit iniquity, pervert, (do) perverse(-ly), trouble, × turn, do wickedly, do wrong.
Grammatical Forms
How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups 4 Aligned forms 12
Hiphil causative active — the subject causes someone else to perform the action 7×
Perfect 2Chr 6:37 · Ps 106:6 · 2Sam 24:17 · Job 33:27 · 2Sam 19:20 · Jer 3:21 6×
Infinitive absolute Jer 9:4 1×
Niphal passive or reflexive — the subject receives or experiences the action 3×
Perfect Isa 21:3 · Ps 38:7 2×
Participle active 1Sam 20:30 1×
Qal basic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense 1×
Perfect Esth 1:16 1×
Piel intensive active — emphasizes thoroughness or repeated action 1×
Perfect Lam 3:9 1×
Selected Scripture Witness
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Old Testament Witnesses
Distortion or perversion leading to disorientation.
Showing 1 selected witness from 17 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
עָוָה is a primitive root - no further derivation.
Why This Word Matters
The word underscores deliberate judicial disruption of counsel. Isaiah 19:11-15
Canonical Themes
Revelation
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain