וָזָר (va.zar)
va.zar
guilty
H:N-M / H:AQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M / H:A
Word Overview
The Hebrew adjective vāzar describes a person who is legally or morally guilty, carrying the heavy burden of criminal liability. In the biblical text, it moves beyond simple error to denote a state of culpability that demands justice. It characterizes someone whose actions have crossed a boundary, leaving them accountable for the consequences.
This term appears only once in the Hebrew Bible, in Proverbs 21:8. There, it contrasts the "guilty" person with the "upright." The verse suggests that while the upright may navigate life with clarity and integrity, the vāzar is trapped by their own criminality. The word emphasizes the weight of guilt rather than just the act itself.
Translators typically render vāzar as "guilty" or "criminal," capturing the serious legal tone of the original. It serves as a stark reminder in wisdom literature that moral failure has tangible, binding consequences. The word stands as a concise label for the state of being answerable for one’s deeds.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word vāzar describes a state of being legally or morally accountable for one’s actions. It moves beyond simple mistake to denote a heavy burden of culpability that demands justice. In Proverbs 21:8, it contrasts the devious path of the guilty with the upright conduct of the innocent.
This term reminds us that moral failure has tangible consequences. The guilty person is trapped by their own actions, while the upright navigate life with clarity. It serves as a stark warning that integrity matters deeply in how we live our daily lives.
May you find peace in walking an upright path, knowing that honesty brings freedom from the weight of hidden guilt. Trust in God’s guidance to keep your way clear and just.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- guilty1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- וָזָ֑ר1×
Key Verses
-
Proverbs 21:8
The way of the guilty is devious, but the conduct of the innocent is upright.
This verse uses vāzar to contrast the devious path of the guilty with the upright conduct of the innocent, highlighting the moral weight of accountability.