Original Word: עִקֵּשׁ
Part of Speech: Adjective
Transliteration: `iqqesh
Pronunciation: ik-KAYSH
Phonetic Spelling: (ik-kashe')
KJV: crooked, froward, perverse
NASB: perverse, crooked, perverted, who has, who has a crooked, who is perverse
Word Origin: [from H6140 (עָקַשׁ - declare me guilty)]

1. distorted
2. (hence) false

crooked, froward, perverse

From aqash; distorted; hence, false -- crooked, froward, perverse.

see HEBREW aqash

Word Origin
from aqash
Definition
twisted, perverted
NASB Translation
crooked (2), crooked* (1), perverse (4), perverted (2), who is perverse (1), who has (1), who has a crooked (1).

I. עִקֵּשׁ adjective twisted, perverted; — absolute וּפְתַלְתֹּל ׳דּוֺר ע Deuteronomy 32:5 a Generation twisted and crooked, ׳לֵבָב ע Psalm 101:4; as masculine noun (of one devious in life) the perverted 2 Samuel 22:27 = Psalm 18:27; Proverbs 22:5, of things Proverbs 8:8; construct דְּרָכַיִם ׳ע Proverbs 28:6, שְׂפָתָיו ׳ע Proverbs 19:1, עִקֶּשׁלֵֿב Proverbs 17:20; plural אָרְחֹתֵיהֶם עִקְּשִׁים Proverbs 2:15 whose ways are twisted; construct עִקְּשֵׁילֵֿב Proverbs 11:20.

Scriptural Distribution

עִקֵּשׁ appears eleven times, spanning the Law (Deuteronomy 32:5), the Historical Books (2 Samuel 22:27), the Psalms (Psalm 18:26; Psalm 101:4), and Wisdom Literature (seven occurrences in Proverbs). The term consistently denotes moral crookedness, perversity, or distortion of the straight path established by God.

Covenant Infidelity and National Warning

Deuteronomy 32:5 introduces the word during Moses’ song of witness against Israel: “They are not His children, because of their blemish— a perverse and crooked generation”. Here the term brands covenant disloyalty as a twisting of God’s righteous ways. It functions as a theological barometer: when Israel departs from orthodoxy, she becomes “perverse,” forfeiting covenant privileges.

Divine Reciprocity

In 2 Samuel 22:27 (paralleled in Psalm 18:26) David sings, “To the pure You show Yourself pure, but to the crooked You show Yourself shrewd”. God responds equivalently to human character; perversity begets divine resistance. The word therefore underscores a principle of moral reciprocity: those who twist God’s ways experience God’s ways as perplexing and severe.

Personal Integrity in the Psalms

Psalm 101:4 places עִקֵּשׁ on David’s domestic agenda: “A perverse heart shall depart from me; I will know nothing of evil”. Royal leadership demands intolerance of moral distortion. The term sets a standard for governance—both public and private—that refuses partnership with bent motives.

Wisdom Literature: Straight vs. Crooked

Proverbs employs the word seven times, framing a persistent antithesis:

• Pathology of sin: “whose paths are crooked and whose ways are devious” (Proverbs 2:15).
• Purity of speech: “All the words of my mouth are righteous; none are crooked or perverse” (Proverbs 8:8).
• Divine delight: “Those with perverse hearts are detestable to the Lord, but the blameless in their ways are His delight” (Proverbs 11:20).
• Social integrity: “Better a poor man who walks in integrity than a rich man whose ways are perverse” (Proverbs 28:6).

In each text, עִקֵּשׁ magnifies the wisdom motif of straightness versus crookedness. The righteous align with God’s moral geometry; the perverse bend it to self-service, inviting ruin (Proverbs 22:5).

Historical Context

Ancient Near Eastern cultures prized straightness as a metaphor for justice and right order. Israel’s literature harnesses that imagery to portray obedience to Torah. When prophets, kings, or sages label conduct עִקֵּשׁ, they invoke a publicly recognized indictment of social and religious disorder.

Ministry Significance

1. Diagnostics: The word equips pastors to identify spiritual deviations masked by cultural acceptance.
2. Preaching: It sharpens calls to repentance by exposing sin not merely as failure but as willful distortion of God’s design.
3. Counseling: Proverbs 11:20 provides assurance that God “delights” in the blameless even when cultural pressures favor crooked shortcuts.
4. Leadership: Psalm 101:4 offers a template for church governance that expels perverse influence and cultivates transparent integrity.

New Testament Echoes

Though the Hebrew term does not appear in Greek, its concept surfaces in Philippians 2:15 where believers are urged to shine as lights “in the midst of a crooked and perverted generation.” The continuity underscores Scripture’s unified moral vision: God’s people are called to straight paths that reflect His unchanging righteousness.

Summary

עִקֵּשׁ exposes any deviation—personal or corporate—from the rectitude God commands. Whether confronting covenant apostasy, shaping royal policy, or instructing disciples in wisdom, the term stands as a timeless warning against twisting the truth and a summons to walk in unwavering integrity before the Lord.

וְעִקֵּֽשׁ׃ ועקש׃ מֵעִקֵּ֥שׁ מעקש עִ֝קֵּ֗שׁ עִ֭קֵּשׁ עִקְּשִׁ֑ים עִקְּשֵׁי־ עִקֵּ֑שׁ עִקֵּ֖שׁ עִקֶּשׁ־ עקש עקש־ עקשי־ עקשים ‘iq·qə·šê- ‘iq·qə·šîm ‘iq·qêš ‘iq·qeš- ‘iqqêš ‘iqqeš- ‘iqqəšê- ‘iqqəšîm ikKesh ikkeshei ikkeShim mê‘iqqêš mê·‘iq·qêš meikKesh veikKesh wə‘iqqêš wə·‘iq·qêšInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts