What does רָשַׁע (rāšaʿ) mean in the Bible?
רָשַׁע (rāšaʿ): Moral culpability through active wrongdoing; wickedness violates covenant order and disturbs communal peace.
Hebrew · H7561
רָשַׁע
To be (causatively, do or declare ) wrong ; by implication, to disturb , violate
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רָשַׁעH7561
Pronunciationrāšaʿ
What does רָשַׁע (rāšaʿ) mean in the Bible?
רָשַׁע (rāšaʿ): Moral culpability through active wrongdoing; wickedness violates covenant order and disturbs communal peace.
Full entry for רָשַׁע (H7561) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H7561?
The BSB source-word alignment has 34 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include we have acted wickedly (4), wickedly departed (2), [and] acted wickedly (1), act wickedly (1), already found guilty (1).
Where does רָשַׁע (rāšaʿ) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Exodus 22:9. Its strongest book concentrations include Job (11), Daniel (4), Psalms (4), 2 Chronicles (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 Itwe have acted wickedly4×1 Kings 8:47, 2 Chronicles 6:37, Daniel 9:5, Daniel 9:15
wickedly departed2×2 Samuel 22:22, Psalms 18:21
[and] acted wickedly1×Psalms 106:6
act wickedly1×Job 34:12
already found guilty1×Job 9:29
and condemn1×Psalms 94:21
and condemning1×Proverbs 17:15
and yet had condemned1×Job 32:3
and you will refute1×Isaiah 54:17
but [the LORD] condemns1×Proverbs 12:2
can condemn Him1×Job 34:29
condemn me1×Job 10:2
condemned1×Deuteronomy 25:1
condemning1×1 Kings 8:32
condemns you1×Job 15:6
find guilty1×Exodus 22:9
guilty1×Job 10:7
have acted wickedly1×Nehemiah 9:33
he routed them1×1 Samuel 14:47
I am guilty1×Job 10:15
in wickedness1×2 Chronicles 22:3
let them be condemned1×Psalms 37:33
those who violate1×Daniel 11:32
to condemn Me1×Isaiah 50:9
wicked1×Ecclesiastes 7:17
wickedly1×2 Chronicles 20:35
will continue to act wickedly1×Daniel 12:10
Will you condemn1×Job 34:17
would condemn me1×Job 9:20
Would you condemn Me1×Job 40:8
Show sample aligned rows
Exodus 22:9יַרְשִׁיעֻן֙tofind guiltyVerb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine plural | Paragogic nunDeuteronomy 25:1וְהִרְשִׁ֖יעוּtocondemnedConjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural1 Samuel 14:47יַרְשִֽׁיעַ׃tohe routed themVerb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular2 Samuel 22:22רָשַׁ֖עְתִּיtowickedly departedVerb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular1 Kings 8:32לְהַרְשִׁ֣יעַtocondemningPreposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct1 Kings 8:47רָשָֽׁעְנוּ׃towe have acted wickedlyVerb - Qal - Perfect - first person common plural2 Chronicles 6:37וְרָשָֽׁעְנוּ׃towe have acted wickedlyConjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common plural2 Chronicles 20:35הִרְשִׁ֥יעַtowickedlyVerb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular2 Chronicles 22:3לְהַרְשִֽׁיעַ׃toin wickednessPreposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive constructNehemiah 9:33הִרְשָֽׁעְנוּ׃tohave acted wickedlyVerb - Hifil - Perfect - first person common plural
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowExodus 22:9
Aligned rows34
Books represented13
Exodus1Deuteronomy11 Samuel12 Samuel11 Kings22 Chronicles3Nehemiah1Job11Psalms4Proverbs2Ecclesiastes1Isaiah2Daniel4
Source forms
אֶרְשָׁ֑ע2x’er·šā‘Job 9:29, Job 10:7
הִרְשָֽׁעְנוּ׃2xhir·šā·‘ə·nūNehemiah 9:33, Psalms 106:6
יַרְשִֽׁיעַ׃2xyar·šî·a‘1 Samuel 14:47, Proverbs 12:2
יַרְשִׁיעֵ֑נִי2xyar·šî·‘ê·nîJob 9:20, Isaiah 50:9
רָשָֽׁעְנוּ׃2xrā·šā·‘ə·nū1 Kings 8:47, Daniel 9:15
הִרְשִׁ֥יעַ1xhir·šî·a‘2 Chronicles 20:35
וְהִרְשִׁ֖יעוּ1xwə·hir·šî·‘ūDeuteronomy 25:1
וְהִרְשִׁ֣יעוּ1xwə·hir·šî·‘ūDaniel 12:10
Parsing patterns
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular4x1 Samuel 14:47, Job 34:12, Job 34:29, Proverbs 12:2
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - first person common plural3xNehemiah 9:33, Psalms 106:6, Daniel 9:5
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular3x2 Samuel 22:22, Job 10:15, Psalms 18:21
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural2xDeuteronomy 25:1, Daniel 12:10
Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct2x1 Kings 8:32, 2 Chronicles 22:3
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine singular | first person common singular2xJob 10:2, Job 40:8
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | first person common singular2xJob 9:20, Isaiah 50:9
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular2xJob 9:29, Job 10:7
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Moral culpability through active wrongdoing; wickedness violates covenant order and disturbs communal peace.
Strong'sH7561
Lexical occurrences36 versesWord forms2 forms19 referencesVerse guides0 guides
Study linkProverbs 12:2Source Gloss
to be (causatively, do or declare ) wrong ; by implication, to disturb , violate
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Moral culpability through active wrongdoing; wickedness violates covenant order and disturbs communal peace.
to be (causatively, do or declare) wrong; by implication, to disturb, violate BDB: be wicked Usage: condemn, make trouble, vex, be (commit, deal, depart, do) wicked(-ly, -ness).
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 groups2Aligned forms19
Hiphilcausative active — the subject causes someone else to perform the action11×
Imperfect1Sam 14:47 · Job 34:12 · Job 34:29 · Prov 12:2 · Isa 54:17 · Job 34:17 · Ps 94:217×
PerfectDan 9:5 · Neh 9:33 · Ps 106:6 · 2Chr 20:354×
Qalbasic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense8×
Perfect2Sam 22:22 · Job 10:15 · Ps 18:22 · 1Kgs 8:47 · Dan 9:155×
ImperfectJob 9:29 · Job 10:72×
JussiveEccl 7:171×
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
a person who practices wickedness is condemned by the Lord
declaring or pronouncing judgment against the righteous and guilty alike
Showing 2 selected witnesses from 36 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
רָשַׁע is a primitive root - no further derivation.
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.