Properly, to spoil (literally, by breaking to pieces); figuratively, to make (or be ) good for nothing , i.e. bad (physically, socially or morally)
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H7489 describes doing harm, acting wickedly, bringing trouble, becoming worse, or being displeased in a distinct construction. 9, a wicked thought withholds help from a poor brother as the release year approaches.
Reader summary
Full entry for רָעַע (H7489) · Open the biblical lexicon
H7489 describes doing harm, acting wickedly, bringing trouble, becoming worse, or being displeased in a distinct construction. 9, a wicked thought withholds help from a poor brother as the release year approaches.
The BSB source-word alignment has 102 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include harm (6), . . . (5), of evildoers (5), of the wicked (3), and bring disaster (2).
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 19:7. Its strongest book concentrations include Psalms (16), Jeremiah (14), Isaiah (12), Genesis (9).
H7489 describes doing harm, acting wickedly, bringing trouble, becoming worse, or being displeased in a distinct construction. In Deut. 15. 9, a wicked thought withholds help from a poor brother as the release year approaches. In Jer. 4. 22, God's people are skilled at doing evil but do not know how to do good. In 1Chr. 21. 17, David confesses that he acted wickedly and asks that judgment not remain on the people he calls sheep.
H7489 opens teaching on harmful intent, practiced wrongdoing, economic neglect, leaders owning responsibility, and restraint from retaliation. It does not make every painful event a punishment, excuse abusive speech as displeasure, or permit leaders to shift consequences onto vulnerable people.
H7489 ranges across moral evil, interpersonal harm, destructive policy, disaster, displeasure, and physical breaking. Context distinguishes an evil deed from experienced trouble, emotional reaction, or an object's damage.
Be careful not to harbor this wicked thought in your heart: “The seventh year, the year of release, is near,” so that you look upon your poor brother begrudgingly and give him nothing. He will cry out to the Lord against you, and you will be guilty of sin.
A calculating heart can treat the approaching debt release as reason to deny a poor neighbor needed generosity.
“For My people are fools; they have not known Me. They are foolish children, without understanding. They are skilled in doing evil, but they know not how to do good.”
God's people are accused of practiced skill in doing evil while lacking knowledge of the good.
And David said to God, “Was it not I who gave the order to count the people? I am the one who has sinned and acted wickedly. But these sheep, what have they done? O Lord my God, please let Your hand fall upon me and my father’s house, but do not let this plague remain upon Your people.”
David identifies his own command and wicked action and pleads that the people not bear the continuing plague.
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders ItA compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
Hebrew word. To damage or spoil through breaking; harm escalates from physical destruction to moral/social corruption.
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.
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Showing 4 selected witnesses from 102 lexical occurrence verses.
רָעַע is a primitive root - no further derivation.
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
H7489 makes evil concrete in decisions that harm. Deuteronomy locates wickedness in a thought that calculates how law can excuse closedhandedness toward a poor neighbor. The outward refusal grows from an inward strategy. Jeremiah says people can become skilled at evil, suggesting that institutions and individuals may practice harmful methods until they feel normal and competent.
David's census crisis then offers a model of responsibility: he names his own command and asks that the people not remain under its consequences. His confession does not undo the deaths, but it refuses to call harmed people expendable. Faithful application examines incentives, interrupts practiced harm, supports those denied resources, and requires leaders to name their own decisions.
Because the word can also describe experienced calamity or displeasure, teachers should not treat every occurrence as personal moral guilt. God opposes evil and also hears lament from those who experience trouble.
Deut.15.9
H7489 is a Hebrew verb with a broad semantic range involving being bad, doing evil, causing harm, displeasing, worsening, or breaking. Subject, object, stem, and idiom are essential for deciding whether the use is moral, experiential, emotional, or physical.
The New Testament locates evil in both heart and action, commands believers not to repay evil for evil, and requires shepherds and leaders to protect rather than exploit the flock.