רָשָׁע (ra.sah)
ra.sah
wicked
H:NQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 206 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N
Word Overview
The Hebrew word rasha means a person who is morally wrong or guilty of a crime. It describes someone actively hostile to God, not merely someone who makes a mistake. In the Old Testament, it appears over two hundred times, most frequently in Psalms and Proverbs, where it stands as the direct opposite of the righteous person.
This term carries a strong forensic weight, often referring to someone liable for punishment rather than just feeling bad about their actions. For example, Genesis 18:25 asks whether the Judge of all the earth will not do justice when dealing with the wicked, while Psalm 1:1 contrasts those who walk in counsel with the wicked who stand in judgment.
Translators usually render rasha as "wicked," though this English word can sometimes sound too broad. The Hebrew term points to a specific character trait defined by rebellion against divine law and harm to others, creating a clear divide between those who follow God's way and those who oppose it.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word rasha describes a person whose life is defined by active rebellion against God and harm to others. It is not merely someone who makes a mistake or feels regret, but one who stands in direct opposition to divine justice. In the Old Testament, this term carries a forensic weight, often referring to someone liable for punishment because they have violated the moral order established by the Creator.
Understanding this word helps clarify the biblical contrast between the righteous and the wicked. It reminds us that God is just and will not treat the guilty as if they were innocent. This distinction offers comfort, knowing that injustice does not go unnoticed and that the Judge of all the earth acts with perfect fairness. We can trust that God’s character remains steadfast even when human systems fail.
For your faith, this word highlights the importance of integrity. It invites you to examine your own heart and seek alignment with God’s ways rather than opposing them. By recognizing the seriousness of wickedness, we are drawn closer to the righteousness that God provides, finding peace in His just rule over all the earth.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 206 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- wicked [people]88×
- a wicked [person]30×
- [the] wicked26×
- wicked7×
- and/ wicked [people]7×
- from/ wicked [people]5×
- the/ wicked [people]4×
- the/ wicked2×
- the/ guilty [one]2×
- and/ to the/ wicked2×
- and/ a wicked [person]2×
- and/ [the] wicked2×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- רְשָׁעִ֣ים36×
- רָ֭שָׁע16×
- רָשָׁ֑ע15×
- רְ֝שָׁעִ֗ים14×
- רְ֭שָׁעִים13×
- רָשָׁ֣ע9×
- רָשָׁ֔ע6×
- רָשָֽׁע\׃5×
- רָ֝שָׁ֗ע5×
- רְשָׁעִ֑ים5×
- רְשָׁעִֽים\׃4×
- רְשָׁעִ֥ים4×
Key Verses
-
Genesis 18:25
May it be far from you to do things like that, to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be like the wicked. May that be far from you. Shouldn’t the Judge of all the earth do right?”
Abraham appeals to God’s character here, asserting that the Judge of all the earth must distinguish between the righteous and the wicked to act justly.
-
Exodus 23:7
“Keep far from a false charge, and don’t kill the innocent and righteous; for I will not justify the wicked.
This verse commands judges to protect the innocent because God Himself will never justify or acquit a guilty person.
-
Deuteronomy 25:1
If there is a controversy between men, and they come to judgment and the judges judge them, then they shall justify the righteous and condemn the wicked.
The legal instruction requires judges to actively separate the righteous from the wicked by justifying one and condemning the other based on evidence.
-
Job 9:24
The earth is given into the hand of the wicked. He covers the faces of its judges. If not he, then who is it?
Job laments that the earth is currently under the control of the wicked, who obscure justice and pervert the role of judges.