Lexical Summary aval: To act unjustly, to do wrong, to be unjust Original Word: עֲוַל Strong's Exhaustive Concordance deal unjustly, unrighteous A primitive root; to distort (morally) -- deal unjustly, unrighteous. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origindenominative verb from evel Definition to act wrongfully NASB Translation deals unjustly (1), wrongdoer (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs עָוַל verb denominative (Gerber31) act wrongfully; — Pi`el <Imperfect3masculine singular יְעַוֵּל Isaiah 26:10 (opposed to נְכֹחוֺת); Participle מְעַוֵּל Psalm 71:4 (+ חוֺמֵץ, "" רָשָׁע). Topical Lexicon Meaning and Conceptual Scope The term עֲוַל (Strong’s 5765) denotes moral distortion—wrongness that violates the standards of God’s covenant righteousness. It is not merely error but a willful, injurious injustice that harms others and assaults God’s order. While closely related to words for sin and iniquity, this noun stresses the social fallout of evil: oppression, cruelty, and the twisting of goodness for self-advantage. Occurrences in Scripture • Psalm 71:4 links עֲוַל with “the wicked” and the “ruthless,” portraying unjust people as aggressors from whom the psalmist seeks deliverance: “Deliver me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of the unjust and ruthless”. Literary and Contextual Observations 1. Poetic Parallelism: In both verses, עֲוַל stands in parallel with terms for wickedness, highlighting its function as a categorical descriptor of moral perversion. Theological Significance • Divine Justice Confronts Human Injustice: Both passages assume that God hears the cry of victims and will not tolerate systemic wrong. He is the ultimate Judge who “loves righteousness and justice” (Psalm 33:5). Historical Context Psalm 71 may arise from David’s later life or a post-exilic setting where the faithful remnant faced corrupt leadership. Isaiah 26 belongs to the “Isaiah Apocalypse” (chapters 24–27), likely addressing both eighth-century Judah and later audiences enduring foreign domination. In each setting, עֲוַל names the societal sins that precipitated judgment and exile. Prophetic and Poetic Implications The Psalmist models lament that is neither passive nor vindictive: the sufferer entrusts ultimate justice to God. Isaiah underscores prophetic realism; moral transformation is essential, for mere exposure to righteousness does not automatically reform the unjust heart. Together they present a holistic biblical ethic: personal piety must be coupled with public justice. Practical Application for Ministry 1. Intercession: Pray against systems and individuals that perpetrate injustice, following the psalmist’s confidence in God’s deliverance. Connection to New Testament Revelation Jesus embodies perfect righteousness, confronting injustice (Luke 4:18–19) and bearing its penalty on the cross (1 Peter 3:18). Believers, justified in Him, are to “hunger and thirst for righteousness” (Matthew 5:6) and pursue justice empowered by the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22–23). For Further Study Compare parallel Hebrew terms 5766 (עָוֶל) and 5767 (עָוֵל) to trace the full Old Testament portrayal of injustice. Examine how New Testament writers adopt the concept in Greek equivalents such as ἀδικία (adikía) to maintain the prophetic call for righteous living. Forms and Transliterations יְעַוֵּ֑ל יעול מְעַוֵּ֣ל מעול mə‘awwêl mə·‘aw·wêl meavVel yə‘awwêl yə·‘aw·wêl yeavVelLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Psalm 71:4 HEB: רָשָׁ֑ע מִכַּ֖ף מְעַוֵּ֣ל וְחוֹמֵץ׃ NAS: Out of the grasp of the wrongdoer and ruthless man, KJV: out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man. INT: of the wicked of the grasp of the wrongdoer and ruthless Isaiah 26:10 2 Occurrences |
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