Original Word: רָשְׁע
Part of Speech: Adjective
Transliteration: rasha`
Pronunciation: rah-SHAH
Phonetic Spelling: (raw-shaw')
KJV: + condemned, guilty, ungodly, wicked (man), that did wrong
NASB: wicked, wicked man, guilty, wicked ones, wicked men, evil, evil man
Word Origin: [from H7561 (רָשַׁע - condemn)]

1. morally wrong
2. (concretely) an (actively) bad person

condemned, guilty, ungodly, wicked man, that did wrong

From rasha'; morally wrong; concretely, an (actively) bad person -- + condemned, guilty, ungodly, wicked (man), that did wrong.

see HEBREW rasha'

Word Origin
from an unused word
Definition
wicked, criminal
NASB Translation
evil (1), evil man (1), evil men (1), guilty (3), man (1), offender (1), ungodly (1), wicked (228), wicked man (21), wicked men (2), wicked one (1), wicked ones (3).

רָשָׁע₂₆₃ adjective wicked, criminal; — absolute ׳ר Genesis 18:23 +; plural רְשָׁעִים Isaiah 13:11 +; construct רִשְׁעֵי Psalm 75:9 3t. feminine singular רְשָׁעָה Ezekiel 3:18 (strike out Co), Ezekiel 3:19 (רָשָׁע Co); —

1 usually as substantive, one guilty of crime, deserving punishment; sometimes also wicked; opposed to צַדִּיע; רָשָׁע Exodus 2:13; Exodus 23:1 (E), Deuteronomy 25:2; Proverbs 17:23; Proverbs 18:5; Proverbs 25:5; Job 9:22,24; collective Genesis 18:23,25 (twice in verse) (J) Micah 6:10; Proverbs 3:33; Proverbs 28:4, רשׁעים 1 Samuel 24:14; Jeremiah 5:26; Proverbs 19:28; Proverbs 20:26; Proverbs 29:12, אנשׁים רשׁעים 2 Samuel 4:11 (murderers), רָשָׁע לָמוּת Numbers 35:31 (P) guilty of death, ׳מוֺשֵׁל ר Proverbs 28:15, compare Proverbs 29:2, ׳הִצְדִּיק ר Exodus 23:7 (E) Isaiah 5:23; Proverbs 17:15; ׳הִרְשִׁיעַ ר Deuteronomy 25:1; 1 Kings 8:32 = השׁיב לְרָשָׁע2Chronicles 6:23; צַדִּיק ׳אמר לר Proverbs 24:24.

2 guilty of hostility to God or his people, wicked enemies: רשׁע singular Psalm 17:13 6t. Psalms; Isaiah 26:10; collective Psalm 9:6; Psalm 9:17; Psalm 10:2 6t. Psalms; Isaiah 11:4; Habakkuk 3:13; רשׁעים Psalm 3:8; Psalm 7:10; Psalm 9:18 5t. Psalms; Isaiah 48:22; Isaiah 57:20,21; Jeremiah 25:31; Ezekiel 21:34; Malachi 3:21 ( + (possibly) other cases; often hard to decide); specifically of Pharaoh Exodus 9:27 (J), Babylon Isaiah 13:11; Isaiah 14:5, Chaldeans Habakkuk 1:4,13; "" שׂנְאֵי יהוה2Chronicles 19:2.

3 guilty of sin, against either God or man, wicked: האנשׁים הרשׁעים Numbers 16:26 (J, rebellious Korahites), Malachi 3:18 (not serving ׳י), opposed to צַדִּיק; singular individual Ezekiel 3:18 (twice in verse); Ezekiel 21:30; Ezekiel 33:8 (twice in verse); Psalm 11:5; Psalm 32:10; Proverbs 9:7 +; collective Isaiah 3:11; Job 34:18; Job 36:6,17; plural רשׁעים Isaiah 53:9; Jeremiah 23:19 = Jeremiah 30:23, Zephaniah 1:3; Psalm 26:5; Proverbs 10:3; Ecclesiastes 8:10 +; "" חסֹידים 1 Samuel 2:9 (Poem), Psalm 12:9; Psalm 50:16; Psalm 97:10; Psalm 145:20; "" עֹזְבֵי תוֺדָתֶ֑ךָ Psalm 119:53; compare V:61, +; ׳אדם ר Proverbs 11:7; Job 20:29; Job 27:13; ׳אִישׁ ר Proverbs 21:29; ׳מלאך ר Proverbs 13:17; זֶרַע רשׁעים Psalm 37:28; עֲצַת רשׁעים Psalm 1:1; Job 10:3; Job 21:16; Job 22:18; דֶּרֶךְ רשׁעים Jeremiah 12:1; Psalm 1:6; Psalm 146:9; Proverbs 4:19; Proverbs 12:26; דֶּרֶךְ רשׁע Proverbs 15:9; מִדַּדְכּוֺ הָֽרְשָׁעה Ezekiel 3:18,19 (but see, Co, above); רִשְׁעֵי (ה)ארץ Psalm 75:9; Psalm 101:8; Psalm 119:119; Ezekiel 7:21 (ᵐ5 Co עריצי). — is rare before exile; chiefly Ezekiel Psalms Wisdom Literature.

Overview

The Hebrew noun רָשָׁע (Strong’s 7563) designates a person who is morally wrong, hostile to God’s standards, and liable to divine judgment. Across Scripture it describes both individual offenders and collective societal evil. The word spans legal, relational, and theological dimensions, portraying the “wicked” as those who violate covenant obligations and spurn the fear of the LORD.

Frequency and Distribution

Approximately 262 occurrences appear in twenty-three Old Testament books. The term is concentrated in:
• Psalms (≈86)
• Proverbs (≈67)
• Job (≈34)
• Isaiah (≈25)

Significant clusters also occur in Exodus, Deuteronomy, 1 Kings, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and minor prophets, revealing its relevance from Israel’s earliest legislation through exilic prophecy and post-exilic wisdom.

Moral and Theological Portrait

1. Alienation from God – “The face of the LORD is against evildoers” (Psalm 34:16).
2. Active opposition – “The wicked plots against the righteous” (Psalm 37:12).
3. Self-reliance and pride – “In his pride the wicked does not seek Him; in all his schemes there is no God” (Psalm 10:4).
4. Unjust gain – “The house of the wicked will be destroyed” (Proverbs 14:11).
5. Deceitful speech – “The mouth of the wicked conceals violence” (Proverbs 10:6).
6. Neglect of the needy – “The wicked man wrings a city dry” (Proverbs 11:10).

Contrast with the Righteous (צַדִּיק)

Biblical writers regularly pair רָשָׁע with צַדִּיק to sharpen ethical instruction (Proverbs 29:2; Ecclesiastes 3:17). The righteous trust, obey, and flourish; the wicked rebel, oppress, and perish. The juxtaposition underscores covenant blessings and curses (Deuteronomy 28) and establishes a moral antithesis foundational for gospel proclamation (Romans 3:10 draws on Psalm 14:3).

Usage in the Torah and Historical Books

• Legal Context – Judges must “acquit the innocent and condemn the guilty” (Deuteronomy 25:1).
• Narrative Illustration – Ahab epitomizes רָשָׁע when he enables Jezebel’s murder of Naboth (1 Kings 21). The prophetic rebuke highlights divine jealousy for justice.
• Covenant Enforcement – Israel becomes “wicked like all the nations” (2 Kings 17:11-18), triggering exile.

Usage in Wisdom Literature

Psalms: Prayer language alternates between lament (“Rescue me from wicked men,” Psalm 140:1) and confidence (“But the way of the wicked will perish,” Psalm 1:6).

Proverbs: Sapiential sayings expose the inevitable downfall of the wicked (Proverbs 24:19-20).

Job: Dialogues wrestle with apparent prosperity of the wicked (Job 21:7), yet affirm ultimate retribution (Job 27:13).

Usage in the Prophets

• Isaiah condemns religious hypocrisy: “The wicked are like the tossing sea” (Isaiah 57:20).
• Jeremiah laments national corruption: “Among My people are wicked men” (Jeremiah 5:26).
• Ezekiel reveals individual accountability: “If a wicked man turns from all his sins… he will surely live” (Ezekiel 18:21), highlighting divine mercy available through repentance.

Eschatological Perspective

Final judgment themes intensify: “Behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace, when all the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble” (Malachi 4:1). The New Testament echoes this certainty (2 Peter 3:7), rooting Christian hope in God’s ultimate vindication.

Key Passages

Psalm 1; Psalm 37; Proverbs 10:24-32; Isaiah 3:10-11; Ezekiel 3:18-19; Habakkuk 1:4; Malachi 4:1.

Redemptive and Christological Connections

Jesus Christ, the perfectly righteous One, “was delivered over to death for our trespasses” (Romans 4:25), bearing the penalty due the wicked (Isaiah 53:9 aligns Him with “the wicked” in burial). Through His substitutionary atonement, the unrighteous receive the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21), fulfilling the Old Testament’s yearning for deliverance from wickedness both within and without.

Practical Ministry Implications

• Preaching: Expose sin candidly while offering the hope of repentance exemplified in Ezekiel 18.
• Discipleship: Form believers to resist patterns described in Proverbs, cultivating righteousness through Spirit-enabled obedience (Galatians 5:16-25).
• Social Ethics: Advocate for justice by opposing structures that victimize the vulnerable, following prophetic precedent.
• Prayer and Worship: Employ imprecatory and penitential psalms to articulate lament over present evil and trust in God’s righteous judgment.

Summary

רָשָׁע presents a comprehensive biblical picture of human rebellion and its consequences, underscoring God’s holiness, the certainty of judgment, and the necessity of redemption. Its distribution across genres reinforces the unified testimony of Scripture: the LORD opposes the wicked but offers salvation to all who repent and believe.

בָּרְשָׁעִֽים׃ ברשעים׃ הֲלָרָשָׁ֣ע הָ֣רָשָׁ֔ע הָֽרְשָׁעִים֙ הָֽרָשָׁע֙ הָרְשָׁעִ֑ים הָרְשָׁעִ֔ים הָרְשָׁעִ֛ים הָרְשָׁעִ֡ים הָרְשָׁעִ֣ים הָרְשָׁעִֽים׃ הָרְשָׁעָ֑ה הָרְשָׁעָ֖ה הָרָ֖ע הָרָשָֽׁע׃ הָרָשָׁ֑ע הָרָשָׁ֔ע הָרָשָׁ֛ע הָרָשָׁ֖ע הלרשע הרע הרשע הרשע׃ הרשעה הרשעים הרשעים׃ וְ֝לָרְשָׁעִ֗ים וְ֝רָשָׁ֗ע וְ֭רָשָׁע וְהָרְשָׁעִ֖ים וְהָרָשָׁ֗ע וְלָ֤רָשָׁ֨ע ׀ וְלָרָשָׁע֙ וְרָשָֽׁע׃ וְרָשָׁ֑ע וּ֝רְשָׁעִ֗ים וּ֭רְשָׁעִים וּלְרִשְׁעֵ֥י וּרְשָׁעִ֖ים וּרְשָׁעִ֤ים ׀ והרשע והרשעים ולרשע ולרשעי ולרשעים ורשע ורשע׃ ורשעים כְ֭רָשָׁע כָּרָשָׁ֑ע כרשע לְרָשָׁ֑ע לְרָשָׁ֔ע לְרָשָׁ֣ע לְרָשָׁע֮ לָ֭רָשָׁע לָֽרָשָׁ֔ע לָֽרָשָׁ֖ע לָֽרָשָׁע֙ לָרְשָׁעִֽים׃ לָרָ֫שָׁ֥ע לָרָשָׁ֗ע לָרָשָׁ֣ע לרשע לרשעים׃ מֵ֭רְשָׁעִים מֵרְשָׁ עִ֣ seg>ים מֵרְשָׁעִ֑ים מֵרְשָׁעִ֣ים מֵרָשָׁ֥ע מרשע מרשעים רְ֝שָׁעִ֗ים רְ֭שָׁעִים רְשָׁ֘עִ֤ים רְשָׁ֫עִ֥ים רְשָׁ עִ֣ seg>ים רְשָׁעִ֑ים רְשָׁעִ֔ים רְשָׁעִ֖ים רְשָׁעִ֗ים רְשָׁעִ֣ים רְשָׁעִ֥ים רְשָׁעִ֥ים ׀ רְשָׁעִ֨ים רְשָׁעִ֨ים ׀ רְשָׁעִֽים׃ רְשָׁעִים֙ רְשָׁעִים֮ רִשְׁעֵי־ רָ֘שָׁ֤ע רָ֝שָׁ֗ע רָ֭שָׁע רָשָֽׁע׃ רָשָׁ֑ע רָשָׁ֔ע רָשָׁ֖ע רָשָׁ֗ע רָשָׁ֛ע רָשָׁ֡ע רָשָׁ֣ע רָשָׁ֤ע רָשָׁ֥ע רָשָׁ֥ע ׀ רָשָׁע֙ רשע רשע׃ רשעי־ רשעים רשעים׃ bā·rə·šā·‘îm bārəšā‘îm bareshaIm Cherasho hă·lā·rā·šā‘ hā·rā‘ hā·rā·šā‘ hā·rə·šā·‘āh hā·rə·šā·‘îm hălārāšā‘ halaraSha haRa hārā‘ hārāšā‘ haraSha hārəšā‘āh hārəšā‘îm hareshaAh hareshaIm kā·rā·šā‘ kārāšā‘ karaSha ḵə·rā·šā‘ ḵərāšā‘ lā·rā·šā‘ lā·rə·šā·‘îm lārāšā‘ laraSha Larasho lārəšā‘îm lareshaIm lə·rā·šā‘ lərāšā‘ leraSha mê·rā·šā‘ mê·rə·šā·‘îm mêrāšā‘ meraSha mêrəšā‘îm mereshaIm rā·šā‘ rāšā‘ raSha Rasho rə·šā·‘îm rəšā‘îm reshaIm riš‘ê- riš·‘ê- rishei ū·lə·riš·‘ê ū·rə·šā·‘îm ūləriš‘ê ulerishEi ūrəšā‘îm ureshaIm veharaSha vehareshaIm veLaraSha velareshaIm veraSha Verasho wə·hā·rā·šā‘ wə·hā·rə·šā·‘îm wə·lā·rā·šā‘ wə·lā·rə·šā·‘îm wə·rā·šā‘ wəhārāšā‘ wəhārəšā‘îm wəlārāšā‘ wəlārəšā‘îm wərāšā‘Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts