Lexical Summary avvathah: Perversion, Injustice Original Word: עַוָּתָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance wrong From avath; oppression -- wrong. see HEBREW avath NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom avath Definition subversion NASB Translation oppression (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [עַוָּתָה] noun feminine subversion, i.e. deprivation of justice; — suffix עַוָּתָתִי Lamentations 3:59 (opposed to מִשְׁמָּטִי). Topical Lexicon Definition and Scope The noun denotes a moral wrong or injustice perpetrated against someone. It appears only once in Scripture and describes the crooked actions suffered by the speaker. The word signals personal injury that violates God’s standard of righteousness and calls for divine redress. Biblical Setting in Lamentations Lamentations 3 records the heartfelt prayer of one who has endured both God-ordained discipline and human cruelty after Jerusalem’s fall. In verse 59 the lamenter cries, “You have seen, O LORD, the wrong done to me; uphold my cause” (Lamentations 3:59). The petition rests on two convictions: the LORD sees every injustice, and He alone has authority to advocate for the afflicted remnant. Although Judah’s exile fulfilled covenant warnings, the oppressors’ excesses were real, and the prophet entrusts their reckoning to God. Theological Themes • Divine Omniscience: Nothing escapes the LORD’s gaze (Proverbs 15:3). Canonical Harmony Other passages echo the same cry for vindication: Psalm 43:1 – “Vindicate me, O God… rescue me from deceitful and wicked men.” Isaiah 50:8 – “He who vindicates Me is near.” Micah 7:9 – “He will bring me out to the light; I will see His righteousness.” Luke 18:7-8 – The parable of the persistent widow assures that God “will avenge His elect speedily.” Revelation 6:10 – Martyrs plead, “How long… until You judge and avenge our blood?” Together these texts affirm a consistent biblical portrait: God hears, sees, and will act in perfect timing to rectify every wrong. Applications for Worship and Ministry Pastoral Care: Victims of oppression find language for prayer that neither denies pain nor doubts God. Preaching: The verse models Christ-centered lament, directing hearers to the cross where ultimate injustice met ultimate justice (Acts 2:23-24). Intercession: Congregations can pray for persecuted believers worldwide, confident that the LORD “upholds the cause of the oppressed” (Psalm 146:7). Ethics: The passage urges God’s people to mirror His concern for righteousness by standing against societal injustices while trusting His final judgment. Further Study Recommendations • Explore the broader theology of lament in Psalms 42-43, 74, 79, 88, and 137. Forms and Transliterations עַוָּ֣תָתִ֔י עותתי ‘aw·wā·ṯā·ṯî ‘awwāṯāṯî avVataTiLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Lamentations 3:59 HEB: רָאִ֤יתָה יְהוָה֙ עַוָּ֣תָתִ֔י שָׁפְטָ֖ה מִשְׁפָּטִֽי׃ NAS: You have seen my oppression; Judge KJV: thou hast seen my wrong: judge INT: have seen LORD my oppression Judge my case 1 Occurrence |
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