Original Word: עַוָּל
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: `avval
Pronunciation: ahv-VAHL
Phonetic Spelling: (av-vawl')
KJV: unjust, unrighteous, wicked
Word Origin: [intensive from H5765 (עָוַל - deals unjustly)]

1. evil (morally)

unjust, unrighteous, wicked

Intensive from aval; evil (morally) -- unjust, unrighteous, wicked.

see HEBREW aval

עַוָּל noun masculine unjust, unrighteous one; — especially of oppressive ruler Zephaniah 3:5; Job 18:18; Job 27:7 ("" רָשָׁע), Job 29:17; Job 31:3 ("" מֹּעֲלֵי אָ֑וֶן); probably also Job 16:11 (for ᵑ0 עֲוִיל, so Di; "" רְשָׁעִים).

I. [עוֺלָה] see II. עול. II. עוֺלָה see עלה. עוֺלֵל, עוֺלָל see II. עלל. עוֺלָם see עלם.

Range of Meaning and Nuances

עַוָּל designates a person who acts unjustly in deliberate opposition to righteousness. It is not merely a mistaken transgression but a settled character of moral perversity, typically translated “unjust,” “wrongdoer,” or “wicked.” The term stresses ethical distortion—someone who twists what is right for personal gain, standing in contrast to the righteous (צַדִּיק).

Occurrences and Narrative Contexts

• Job 18:21 sketches the bleak future of the wicked, ending Bildad’s speech with a warning that “this is the place of one who does not know God,” underscoring that the unjust man is alienated from covenant relationship.
• Job 27:7 records Job’s petition: “May my enemy be like the wicked and my adversary like the unjust,” reflecting the confidence that, despite his suffering, God will ultimately vindicate righteousness and expose the unjust.
• Job 29:17 highlights Job’s past vigor for justice: “I shattered the fangs of the unjust and snatched the prey from his teeth.” Here עַוָּל depicts societal oppressors whose victims needed an advocate.
• Job 31:3 forms part of Job’s oath of innocence: “Does not disaster come to the unjust and calamity to the workers of iniquity?” Divine retribution is assumed; the universe is morally ordered.
• Zephaniah 3:5 contrasts the character of God with Jerusalem’s corrupt leaders: “The LORD within her is righteous; He does no wrong… yet the unjust knows no shame.” Persistence in wrongdoing even under daily revelation of God’s justice shows hardened rebellion.

Theological Insights

1. Moral Antithesis: In every passage, עַוָּל stands over against the righteous God, reinforcing the absolute ethical divide in Scripture (Psalm 92:15; Habakkuk 1:13).
2. Divine Retribution: The just God visits disaster on the unjust (Job 31:3), a principle echoed in both Testaments (Romans 2:5–6).
3. Social Justice: Job 29:17 demonstrates the covenant expectation that the strong defend the weak, foreshadowing prophetic denunciations of oppression (Isaiah 1:17).
4. Hardened Conscience: Zephaniah 3:5 reveals that ongoing exposure to truth can heighten guilt when repentance is resisted—“the unjust knows no shame.”

Historical and Cultural Backdrop

In patriarchal and monarchic settings, legal justice occurred at city gates and within clan structures. The “unjust” person manipulated these venues, exploiting economic or political power. Israel’s law code (e.g., Exodus 23:1–9) positioned judges and elders to curb such abuse, but prophetic literature testifies that injustice flourished whenever covenant loyalty waned.

Ministry and Practical Application

• Preaching: Expose sin with clarity, naming injustice as God does, while also calling to repentance (Acts 3:19).
• Pastoral Care: Encourage the afflicted that God remains “righteous… He does no wrong” (Zephaniah 3:5), assuring ultimate vindication.
• Discipleship: Form consciences to hate oppression and practice sacrificial advocacy, following Job’s example of “shattering the fangs” of the unjust through righteous action.
• Community Ethics: Church discipline should address persistent injustice within the body, reflecting God’s own intolerance of unrepentant wrongdoers (1 Corinthians 5:11–13).

Christological and Eschatological Connections

Jesus Christ, the perfectly righteous One, was condemned by unjust men (Acts 3:14). At the cross He bore judgment deserved by the unjust (1 Peter 3:18), offering reconciliation. Final eschatological hope includes the exclusion of “the unjust” from the New Jerusalem (Revelation 22:15), fulfilling Job’s conviction that disaster comes upon them, while the righteous inherit life.

Summary

עַוָּל portrays the entrenched wrongdoer in Scripture, serving as a constant foil to God’s holiness and to the righteous. Its five appearances amplify themes of divine justice, societal responsibility, and the ultimate triumph of God’s righteousness—a sobering warning and an encouraging assurance to every generation.

כְעַוָּֽל׃ כעול׃ לְעַוָּ֑ל לעול עַוָּ֑ל עַוָּ֖ל עול ‘aw·wāl ‘awwāl avVal cheavVal ḵə‘awwāl ḵə·‘aw·wāl lə‘awwāl lə·‘aw·wāl leavValInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts