What does עָשַׁק (ʿāšaq) mean in the Bible?
עָשַׁק (ʿāšaq): To oppress through forceful pressure—combining physical coercion with economic fraud; marks injustice in covenant society.
Hebrew · H6231
עָשַׁק
To press upon , i.e. oppress , defraud , violate , overflow
Reading a lexicon entry
What this page is: Each lexicon entry shows the original Hebrew or Greek word behind the English translation: its meaning, its range of use, and where it appears in Scripture.
Strong's number: The Strong's code (H- or G-) is the standard reference number for this word. It connects this entry to chapter and passage language tabs.
Where it appears: The witness passages show where this word is used in context. Click any to open the study page for that passage.
This lexicon entry is part of our ongoing editorial review. If you notice missing content, unclear wording, or a possible correction, please send us a note through the Connect page. Screenshots are helpful.
עָשַׁק H6231
Pronunciation ʿāšaq
What does עָשַׁק (ʿāšaq) mean in the Bible?
עָשַׁק (ʿāšaq): To oppress through forceful pressure—combining physical coercion with economic fraud; marks injustice in covenant society.
Full entry for עָשַׁק (H6231) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H6231?
The BSB source-word alignment has 36 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include oppress (2), oppress them (2), oppressed (2), against oppressors (1), and have exploited (1).
Where does עָשַׁק (ʿāšaq) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Leviticus 6:2. Its strongest book concentrations include Psalms (6), Proverbs (4), Deuteronomy (3), Ezekiel (3).
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 oppress 2× Deuteronomy 24:14, Zechariah 7:10
oppress them 2× 1 Chronicles 16:21, Psalms 105:14
oppressed 2× Deuteronomy 28:29, Deuteronomy 28:33
against oppressors 1× Malachi 3:5
and have exploited 1× Ezekiel 22:29
are oppressed 1× Jeremiah 50:33
burdened 1× Proverbs 28:17
cheated us 1× 1 Samuel 12:4
defraud 1× Leviticus 19:13
for the oppressed 1× Psalms 146:7
have I cheated 1× 1 Samuel 12:3
have practiced 1× Ezekiel 22:29
he practiced 1× Ezekiel 18:18
if he extorts 1× Leviticus 6:2
is oppressed 1× Hosea 5:11
longer oppress 1× Jeremiah 7:6
O oppressed 1× Isaiah 23:12
of his oppressor 1× Jeremiah 21:12
of their oppressors 1× Ecclesiastes 4:1
oppress me 1× Psalms 119:122
oppressed them 1× Isaiah 52:4
Oppressing 1× Proverbs 22:16
rages 1× Job 40:23
taken by extortion 1× Leviticus 6:4
the oppressed 1× Psalms 103:6
the oppressor 1× Psalms 72:4
They deprive 1× Micah 2:2
to defraud 1× Hosea 12:7
to my oppressors 1× Psalms 119:121
to oppress me 1× Job 10:3
who oppresses 1× Proverbs 28:3
Whoever oppresses 1× Proverbs 14:31
you women who oppress 1× Amos 4:1
Show sample aligned rows
Leviticus 6:2 עָשַׁ֥ק to if he extorts Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular Leviticus 6:4 עָשָׁ֔ק to taken by extortion Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular Leviticus 19:13 תַעֲשֹׁ֥ק to defraud Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular Deuteronomy 24:14 תַעֲשֹׁ֥ק to oppress Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular Deuteronomy 28:29 עָשׁ֧וּק to oppressed Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular Deuteronomy 28:33 עָשׁ֥וּק to oppressed Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular 1 Samuel 12:3 עָשַׁ֙קְתִּי֙ to have I cheated Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular 1 Samuel 12:4 עֲשַׁקְתָּ֖נוּ to cheated us Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular | first person common plural 1 Chronicles 16:21 לְעָשְׁקָ֔ם to oppress them Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person masculine plural Job 10:3 תַעֲשֹׁ֗ק to to oppress me Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Leviticus 6:2
Aligned rows 36
Books represented 16
Leviticus 3 Deuteronomy 3 1 Samuel 2 1 Chronicles 1 Job 2 Psalms 6 Proverbs 4 Ecclesiastes 1 Isaiah 2 Jeremiah 3 Ezekiel 3 Hosea 2 Amos 1 Micah 1 Zechariah 1 Malachi 1
Source forms
עָשׁ֥וּק 2x ‘ā·šūq Deuteronomy 28:33, Hosea 5:11
תַעֲשֹׁ֥ק 2x ṯa·‘ă·šōq Leviticus 19:13, Deuteronomy 24:14
הַֽמְעֻשָּׁקָ֞ה 1x ham·‘uš·šā·qāh Isaiah 23:12
הָעֹשְׁק֣וֹת 1x hā·‘ō·šə·qō·wṯ Amos 4:1
וּבְעֹשְׁקֵ֣י 1x ū·ḇə·‘ō·šə·qê Malachi 3:5
וְעֹשֵׁ֣ק 1x wə·‘ō·šêq Proverbs 28:3
וְעָֽשְׁקוּ֙ 1x wə·‘ā·šə·qū Micah 2:2
יַעֲשֹׁ֣ק 1x ya·‘ă·šōq Job 40:23
Parsing patterns
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular 4x Psalms 72:4, Proverbs 14:31, Proverbs 22:16, Jeremiah 21:12
Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular 4x Deuteronomy 28:29, Deuteronomy 28:33, Proverbs 28:17, Hosea 5:11
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular 3x Leviticus 19:13, Deuteronomy 24:14, Job 10:3
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular 3x Leviticus 6:2, Leviticus 6:4, Ezekiel 18:18
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person masculine plural 2x 1 Chronicles 16:21, Psalms 105:14
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural 2x Jeremiah 7:6, Zechariah 7:10
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural 2x Ezekiel 22:29
Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine plural 2x Psalms 103:6, Jeremiah 50:33
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. To oppress through forceful pressure—combining physical coercion with economic fraud; marks injustice in covenant society.
Strong's H6231
Lexical occurrences 36 verses Word forms 1 form 22 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link Leviticus 19:13-14 Source Gloss
to press upon , i.e. oppress , defraud , violate , overflow
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
To oppress through forceful pressure—combining physical coercion with economic fraud; marks injustice in covenant society.
to press upon, i.e. oppress, defraud, violate, overflow BDB: oppress Usage: get deceitfully, deceive, defraud, drink up, (use) oppress(-ion), -or), do violence (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 1 Aligned forms 22
Qal basic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense 22×
Participle passive Deut 28:29 · Deut 28:33 · Hos 5:11 · Jer 50:33 · Prov 28:17 · Ps 103:6 6×
Perfect Ezek 18:18 · Lev 5:21 · Lev 5:23 · Ezek 22:29 · 1Sam 12:3 6×
Imperfect Deut 24:14 · Job 10:3 · Lev 19:13 · Jer 7:6 · Job 40:23 5×
Participle active Jer 21:12 · Prov 14:31 · Prov 22:16 · Ps 72:4 4×
Jussive Zech 7:10 1×
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
Legal prohibition against defrauding or withholding wages from hired workers
Prophetic indictment of societal injustice and exploitation of the vulnerable and poor
Royal duty to execute justice and cease oppressing the vulnerable, with threat of judgment
Wisdom teaching that oppressing the poor is sinful and contemptuous toward the Creator
Wisdom saying contrasting enrichment through exploitation with eventual impoverishment
Showing 5 selected witnesses from 36 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
עָשַׁק is built from this root:
עָשַׂק H6229
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