Lexical Summary bish: Bad, evil, wicked Original Word: בִּאוּשׁ Strong's Exhaustive Concordance bad (Aramaic) from b'esh; wicked -- bad. see HEBREW b'esh NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origin(Aramaic) from beesh Definition bad NASB Translation evil (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [בִּאישׁ K§ 11, 8b)] adjective bad (so Egyptian Aramaic Cooke75. 2; ᵑ7 בִּישׁ, Syriac  ); — feminine singular emphatic וּבִאישְׁתָּא Ezra 4:12 rebellious and bad city (not בִּאוּשְׁתָָּא, see Baern.). בָּאתַר, בָּתַר see אֲתַר. Topical Lexicon Biblical Occurrence The single appearance of בִּאוּשׁ is in Ezra 4:12, within the Aramaic letter sent to King Artaxerxes by the adversaries of Judah: “Let it be known to the king that the Jews who came up from you to us have gone to Jerusalem and are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city; they are restoring the walls and repairing the foundations” (Ezra 4:12). The word labels Jerusalem as “wicked,” conveying the charge that the city is morally corrupt and politically dangerous. Historical Setting Ezra chapters 4–6 record fierce opposition to the post-exilic community’s rebuilding efforts. Samaritans and other local officials feared the resurgence of a strong, independent Judah. Their letter, written in Imperial Aramaic, strategically paints Jerusalem as a historic center of revolt (compare Ezra 4:15, 19). By branding the city “rebellious and wicked,” the authors appeal to Artaxerxes’ interest in maintaining stability across the empire. They recall earlier insurrections under kings such as Jehoiakim and Zedekiah (2 Kings 24–25; Jeremiah 52), implying that renewed fortifications would again embolden rebellion. Moral and Theological Overtones Though spoken by opponents, the term unintentionally echoes prophetic critiques of Jerusalem’s past. Prophets like Isaiah and Jeremiah had called the city a place of injustice and uncleanness (Isaiah 1:21; Jeremiah 6:6–8). God’s judgment had come through exile, yet He also promised restoration (Isaiah 40:1–2; Jeremiah 31:38–40). Thus the adversaries’ slur stands in tension with divine purposes: what they call “wicked,” God is in the process of sanctifying. The episode highlights how human accusations cannot thwart covenant faithfulness (Nehemiah 2:20). Contrast with God’s Verdict Scripture frequently juxtaposes human assessment with God’s assessment. Later, Nehemiah affirms: “The God of heaven is the One who will grant us success” (Nehemiah 2:20). The rebuilt Jerusalem—though maligned—becomes the locale for renewed worship, the reading of the Law (Nehemiah 8), and eventually the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ (Matthew 21:10–13). God overrules the label of בִּאוּשׁ by reestablishing Jerusalem as the place where His name dwells (Ezra 6:12). Prophetic Trajectory Zechariah envisions Jerusalem as “a city without walls for the multitude of people and animals within it” and as a place where the LORD Himself will be “a wall of fire around it” (Zechariah 2:4–5). Revelation culminates with the New Jerusalem, holy and glorious (Revelation 21:2–3). The single derogatory use of בִּאוּשׁ therefore serves as a foil, highlighting the transformation from perceived corruption to ultimate holiness. Ministry Applications • Opposition may mischaracterize God’s work, yet faith perseveres in the promise of His sovereign plan (Philippians 1:6). Forms and Transliterations וּבִֽאישְׁתָּא֙ ובאישתא ū·ḇi·yō·šə·tā ūḇiyōšətā uviyosheTaLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Ezra 4:12 HEB: קִרְיְתָ֨א מָֽרָדְתָּ֤א וּבִֽאישְׁתָּא֙ בָּנַ֔יִן [וְשׁוּרַיָּ NAS: the rebellious and evil city KJV: the rebellious and the bad city, INT: city the rebellious and evil are rebuilding wall 1 Occurrence |
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