Lexical Summary ashath: To be smooth, to shine, to be sleek Original Word: עָשַׁת Strong's Exhaustive Concordance shine, think A primitive root; probably to be sleek, i.e. Glossy; hence (through the idea of polishing) to excogitate (as if forming in the mind) -- shine, think. Brown-Driver-Briggs I. [עָשַׁת] verb smooth or shiny (?), si vera lectio (compare עֶשֶׁת); — only Qal Perfect3plural שָֽׁמְנוּ עָֽשְׁתוּ Jeremiah 5:28 (figurative) they have grown fat, they are smooth (or shine, from fat); doubtful word, Thes conjecture עָֽשְׁרוּ have grown rich (compare ᵐ5 ᵑ6 ᵑ7), so Gie (but וַיַּעֲשִׁירוּ precedes, Jeremiah 5:27). II. [עָשַׁת] verb Hithpa`el think (Aramaism: Biblical Aramaic Participleעֲשִׁית, ᵑ7 אִתְעַשַּׁת); — Hithpa`el Imperfect3masculine singular לָנוּ ׳יִתְעַשֵּׁת א Jonah 1:6 perhaps God will give a thought to us (compare חשׁב Psalm 40:18). Topical Lexicon Occurrences and Context Jeremiah 5:28 – “They have grown fat and sleek; more than that, they exceed in wicked deeds. They do not plead the cause of the fatherless to win it, and they deny justice to the needy.” Jonah 1:6 – “The captain approached him and said, ‘How can you sleep? Get up! Call on your God! Maybe this God will consider us, so that we will not perish.’” (Berean Standard Bible) Semantic Range Though its precise etymology is debated, עָשַׁת conveys two complementary ideas: (1) outward sleekness or polish, suggesting prosperity and self-satisfaction (Jeremiah), and (2) inward attentiveness or active concern (Jonah). In both contexts the word touches on perception—either being perceived as flourishing or choosing to perceive the plight of others. Historical Background Jeremiah delivered his oracle in the final decades before the Babylonian exile. Judah’s elite displayed conspicuous affluence and ignored covenantal obligations toward the vulnerable. Jonah’s setting is a storm in the Mediterranean. A Gentile captain pleads for Jonah’s God to “consider” the imperiled crew—an unexpected reversal in which a pagan seeks divine attention while a prophet sleeps. Theological Significance 1. Moral Contrast: Judah’s leaders are “sleek” yet blind to justice, while a Gentile captain longs for divine mindfulness. The two uses of עָשַׁת expose complacency in God’s people and openness among outsiders. Ministry Application • Self-Examination: Leaders and congregations must ask whether outward success has dulled sensitivity to the poor and oppressed. Connections to the New Testament Luke 1:48 – “He has looked with favor on the humble state of His servant.” God’s saving work begins with His gracious “notice” of the lowly. Luke 6:24-25 – Jesus warns those who are “rich” and “well fed,” paralleling Jeremiah’s critique of the sleek. John 10:14 – The Good Shepherd “knows” His sheep, embodying the divine attentiveness the sailors sought. Christological Reflection Christ confronts the “sleek” hypocrisy of religious elites (Matthew 23) and embodies God’s regard for the distressed. At the cross He bears judgment deserved by complacent sinners and opens the way for mercy toward all who cry out, Jew and Gentile alike. Practical Implications • Cultivate Awareness: Regularly seek the Spirit’s searchlight to expose self-indulgence. Summary עָשַׁת surfaces only twice, yet its twin themes—self-satisfied blindness versus earnest appeal for divine attention—frame a timeless challenge. Scripture commends not the sleek prosperity of Jeremiah 5 but the humble urgency of Jonah 1. God’s people are summoned to reject complacency, embrace compassionate vigilance, and trust the LORD who faithfully “takes notice” of all who turn to Him. Forms and Transliterations יִתְעַשֵּׁ֧ת יתעשת עָשְׁת֗וּ עשתו ‘ā·šə·ṯū ‘āšəṯū asheTu yiṯ‘aššêṯ yiṯ·‘aš·šêṯ yitashShetLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Jeremiah 5:28 HEB: שָׁמְנ֣וּ עָשְׁת֗וּ גַּ֚ם עָֽבְר֣וּ NAS: They are fat, they are sleek, They also KJV: They are waxen fat, they shine: yea, they overpass INT: are fat are sleek also excel Jonah 1:6 2 Occurrences |
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