Lexical Summary aqash: To be perverse, to twist, to make crooked Original Word: עָקַשׁ Strong's Exhaustive Concordance make crooked, prove, that is perverse A primitive root; to knot or distort; figuratively, to pervert (act or declare perverse) -- make crooked, (prove, that is) perverse(-rt). NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. root Definition to twist NASB Translation crooked* (1), declare me guilty (1), made their crooked (1), perverts (1), twist (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [עָקַשׁ] verb twist (Late Hebrew id. (rare)); — Niph`al Participle construct דְּרָכַיִם Proverbs 28:18 one crooked in ways (< plural, compare Toy). Pi`el Perfect3plural עִקְּשׁז לָהֶם Isaiah 59:8 their paths they have twisted. Imperfect3masculine plural יְעַקֵּ֑שׁזּ Micah 3:9 all that is straight they make crooked; Participle מְעַקֵּשׁ דְּרָכָיו Proverbs 10:9 (compare Niph`al). Hiph`il Imperfect וַיּעְקְשֵׁנִי Job 9:20 (Ges§ 53n) he hath declared me crooked, devious (in life). Topical Lexicon Semantic Range and ImageryThe verb עָקַשׁ describes the twisting or bending of what ought to be straight. It evokes a road that no longer leads directly to its goal, a line that will not measure true, or a moral stance that warps justice. Scripture regularly sets this “crookedness” over against uprightness and integrity (yāshar, tāmîm), highlighting the ethical polarity between the two paths (Proverbs 10:9; Proverbs 28:18). Occurrences and Contextual Themes Job 9:20 Job laments that even his own speech could brand him “perverse,” underscoring the fallen human condition and the impossibility of self-justification before God’s holiness. Proverbs 10:9 “He who walks in integrity walks securely, but he who perverts his ways will be found out.”. Crooked conduct is ultimately exposed, while righteousness enjoys God-given security. Proverbs 28:18 “He who walks in integrity will be kept safe, but whoever is perverse in his ways will suddenly fall.”. The verb highlights a built-in moral retribution; the fall is not arbitrary but the natural end of twisted paths. Isaiah 59:8 “They have turned them into crooked roads; no one who walks in them will know peace.”. National injustice bends the public way, removing shalom from society. Micah 3:9 Leaders “pervert all equity,” warping legal processes and inviting covenant judgment. Contrast with Integrity and Straight Paths Throughout Wisdom literature the “straight” path is the way of covenant loyalty, bringing safety (Proverbs 3:5-6; 4:25-27). עָקַשׁ marks the deliberate abandonment of that route. The tension mirrors Deuteronomy’s two-way motif—blessing for obedience, curse for rebellion—anchoring personal ethics in the larger redemptive story. Theological and Ethical Implications 1. Divine Justice: Crooked ways are intolerable to the righteous Judge (Psalm 18:26). Exposure and downfall are sure, even if delayed. Historical Background Isaiah 59 and Micah 3 speak to eighth-century B.C. Judah, where bribery and partiality twisted justice. The prophets’ indictments reveal how institutional sin becomes entrenched, paving “crooked roads.” The ensuing Assyrian and Babylonian crises illustrate the covenant penalties for such perversity. Ministry Application • Preaching: Confront hidden “crooked ways” by bringing lives into the light of Scripture. Use Proverbs 10:9 to assure believers that integrity is both commanded and secure. Connections to the New Testament John the Baptist cites Isaiah 40:3-4—“make His paths straight”—announcing Messiah’s mission to rectify moral crookedness (Luke 3:5). Peter pleads, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation” (Acts 2:40), echoing עָקַשׁ. Believers “shine as lights… amid a crooked and perverse generation” (Philippians 2:15), embodying the straightness found in Christ, “the Way” (John 14:6). Prayers and Worship Pray Psalm 25:4-5, asking the Lord to “teach me Your paths.” Sing hymns that celebrate divine guidance, such as “Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah,” affirming that God alone can straighten life’s wilderness roads. Summary עָקַשׁ exposes the peril of moral distortion and the blessing of integrity. Whether in personal speech (Job), daily conduct (Proverbs), or national policy (Isaiah, Micah), the crooked way ends in ruin, while the straight way, grounded in covenant faithfulness, leads to peace and safety. Forms and Transliterations וְנֶעְקַ֥שׁ וַֽיַּעְקְשֵֽׁנִי׃ וּמְעַקֵּ֥שׁ ויעקשני׃ ומעקש ונעקש יְעַקֵּֽשׁוּ׃ יעקשו׃ עִקְּשׁ֣וּ עקשו ‘iq·qə·šū ‘iqqəšū ikkeShu ū·mə·‘aq·qêš ūmə‘aqqêš umeakKesh VaiyakeSheni veneKash way·ya‘·qə·šê·nî wayya‘qəšênî wə·ne‘·qaš wəne‘qaš yə‘aqqêšū yə·‘aq·qê·šū yeakKeshuLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Job 9:20 HEB: תָּֽם־ אָ֝֗נִי וַֽיַּעְקְשֵֽׁנִי׃ NAS: me; Though I am guiltless, He will declare me guilty. KJV: me: [if I say], I [am] perfect, it shall also prove me perverse. INT: I am guiltless I will declare Proverbs 10:9 Proverbs 28:18 Isaiah 59:8 Micah 3:9 5 Occurrences |
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