Proverbs 15:9 — Word Study
WLCתּוֹעֲבַ֣ת יְ֭הוָה דֶּ֣רֶךְ רָשָׁ֑ע וּמְרַדֵּ֖ף צְדָקָ֣ה יֶאֱהָֽב׃
BSAThe LORDYᵉhôvâh [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] deteststôwʻêbah [abhors, considers an abomination] the wayderek [path, manner of life] of the wickedrâshâʻ [morally wrong, guilty of sin] but He lovesʼâhab▸ [has affection for, delights in] those who pursuerâdaph [chase after, follow] righteousnesstsᵉdâqâh [justice, virtue, morality]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| תּוֹעֲבַ֣ת | [is] [the] abomination of | Noun common, feminine singular construct |
| יְ֭הוָה | Yahweh | Noun proper |
| דֶּ֣רֶךְ | [the] way of | Noun common, both singular construct |
| רָשָׁ֑ע | a wicked [person] | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| וּמְרַדֵּ֖ף | and [one who] pursues | Conjunction, verb piel participle (active) masculine singular |
| צְדָקָ֣ה | righteousness | Noun common, feminine singular absolute |
| יֶאֱהָֽב׃ | he loves | Verb, Qal, imperfect third person masculine singular |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | The LORD detests the way of the wicked, but He loves those who pursue righteousness. |
| KJV | The way of the wicked is an abomination unto the LORD: but he loveth him that followeth after righteousness. |
| ASV | The way of the wicked is an abomination to Jehovah; But he loveth him that followeth after righteousness. |
| YLT | An abomination to Jehovah [is] the way of the wicked, And whoso is pursuing righteousness He loveth. |
| WEB | The way of the wicked is an abomination to Yahweh, but he loves him who follows after righteousness. |
| BBE | The way of the evil-doer is disgusting to the Lord, but he who goes after righteousness is dear to him. |
Where they part company is יֶאֱהָֽב — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence contrasts the two main ideas: the detestation of the wicked's way and the love for those pursuing righteousness.
5 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbאָהֵב
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Proverbs 15:9
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Contrast of Pathsgenerated
Proverbs 15:9 presents a clear dichotomy between the wicked and the righteous. The LORD detests the way of the wicked, illustrating His moral standards and expectations. In contrast, He loves those who pursue righteousness, indicating His favor toward those who seek to live justly. This theme resonates throughout the book of Proverbs, emphasizing the importance of choosing the right path in life, as seen in related verses like Proverbs 4:19 and Psalm 1:6.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Proverbs 4:19 | But the way of the wicked is like the darkest gloom; they do not know what makes them stumble. |
| 2 | Proverbs 21:4–8 | Haughty eyes and a proud heart— the guides of the wicked—are sin. |
| 3 | Psalm 1:6 | For the LORD guards the path of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish. |
| 4 | Psalm 146:8–9 | the LORD opens the eyes of the blind, the LORD lifts those who are weighed down, the LORD loves the righteous. |
| 5 | Matthew 7:13 | Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 13 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — תּוֹעֵבַה, to.'a.Vatgenerated
The Hebrew word תּוֹעֵבַה (to'evah) means 'abomination' and refers to something morally disgusting, such as idolatry or unethical behavior. It is a feminine singular noun that emphasizes the seriousness of the wickedness it describes.
This term is often used in contexts that denote both ritual and ethical violations, highlighting the LORD's strong disapproval of actions that go against His commands. The word's usage in this verse underscores the gravity of living a life contrary to God's will.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb is יֶאֱהָֽב, he loves, which governs the subject וּמְרַדֵּ֖ף, and [one who] pursues, and the object צְדָקָ֣ה, righteousness. The sentence structure contrasts the actions of the wicked with those of the righteous, highlighting the LORD's feelings toward each.
The way of the wicked is introduced with תּוֹעֲבַ֣ת, the abomination of, followed by the subject יְ֭הוָה, the LORD. This structure emphasizes the moral stance of the LORD on the actions of the wicked.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates תּוֹעֵבַה as βδέλυγμα (bdelygma), which also conveys a sense of disgust or revulsion. This choice reflects a consistent understanding of the moral implications of wickedness.
The term יֶאֱהָֽב is rendered as ἀγαπᾷ (agapā), indicating a deep love or affection, which aligns with the Hebrew meaning and emphasizes the LORD's positive regard for those who pursue righteousness.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Proverbs 15:9 shows a clear contrast between the LORD's feelings towards the wicked and the righteous. He detests the way of the wicked, indicating His strong disapproval of their actions. In contrast, He loves those who actively pursue righteousness, highlighting the value He places on living a just and moral life.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It means that the actions and lifestyle of the wicked are morally repugnant to God, reflecting His standards of righteousness.
The LORD shows love by favoring and blessing those who actively seek to live according to His moral standards.
Wickedness can include actions such as idolatry, dishonesty, and injustice, all of which are condemned throughout Scripture.
Pursuing righteousness is important because it aligns one's life with God's will and leads to His blessings and favor.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways can I identify and avoid the path of the wicked in my life?
- How can I actively pursue righteousness in my daily actions and decisions?
- What are some practical steps I can take to align my life more closely with God's standards?
- How does understanding the LORD's feelings toward wickedness influence my choices?
Commentators on this verse — 5 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Proverbs 15:9 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThe way of the wicked [is] an abomination unto the Lord,.... The way his heart devises, which he chooses and delights in, in which he walks; nor will he leave it, nor can he be diverted from it, but by the powerful grace of God.
Read John Gill on Proverbs 15 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThe way of the wicked is an abomination unto the LORD: but he loveth him that followeth after righteousness.
Read Robert Jamieson on Proverbs 15 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleThe way; the conversation or course of life. This verse seems to contain a reason of the foregoing. God hates wicked men’ s religious performances, because they are accompanied with ungodly lives, and they pull down with one hand what they build up with another. That followeth after righteousness; that earnestly desires, and constantly and diligently endeavours, to be holy and righteous in the course of his life, although he doth not attain to that perfect righteousness which he thirsts after.
Read Matthew Poole on Proverbs 15 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsProverbs 15:9 The way of the wicked [is] an abomination unto the LORD: but he loveth him that followeth after righteousness.Ver. 9. The way of the wicked is abomination.] Not his sacrifices only, but his civilities; all his actions - natural, moral, recreative, religious - are offensive to all God’ s senses, as the word signifies. The very "ploughing of the wicked is sin": all they do is defiled, yea, their "very consciences." Their hearts, like some filthy bog or fen, or like the lake of Sodom, send up continual poisonous vapours unto God: and he, not able to abide them, sends down eftsoons a counterpoison of plagues and punishments. But he loveth him that followeth after righteousness.]…
Read John Trapp on Proverbs 15 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible9. Way of the wicked… abomination — This proverb is kindred to the preceding, but not the same; expressed in different words.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Proverbs 15 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
The LORD detests the way of the wicked, but He loves those who pursue righteousness.
The way of the wicked is an abomination to Yahweh, but he loves him who follows after righteousness.
The LORD detests the way of the wicked, but He loves those who pursue righteousness.
The Lord abhors the way of the wicked, but he loves those who pursue righteousness.
Tyndale line
The way of the wicked is an abomination unto the LORD: but he loveth him that followeth after righteousness.
The way of the wicked is an abomination to Jehovah; But he loveth him that followeth after righteousness.
The way of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD: but he loveth him that followeth after righteousness.
The way of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD; but he loveth him that followeth after righteousness.
The way of the wicked is an abomination vnto the Lord: but he loueth him that followeth righteousnes.
Strictly literal
The way of a wicked [man] is an abomination to Jehovah; but him that pursueth righteousness he loveth.
An abomination to Jehovah [is] the way of the wicked, And whoso is pursuing righteousness He loveth.
The way of the wicked [is] an abomination to YHWH, || And He loves whoever is pursuing righteousness.
An abomination of the Lord is the way of the wicked; but him that pursueth righteousness will he love.
Yahweh hates the way of wicked people, but he loves the one who pursues what is right.
From the Latin
The way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord: he that followeth justice is beloved by him.
Simplified
The Lord hates the ways of the wicked, but he loves those who do what is right.
The way of the evil-doer is disgusting to the Lord, but he who goes after righteousness is dear to him.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text states, 'תּוֹעֲבַ֣ת יְ֭הוָה דֶּ֣רֶךְ רָשָׁ֑ע וּמְרַדֵּ֖ף צְדָקָ֣ה יֶאֱהָֽב׃', which translates to 'The LORD detests the way of the wicked, but He loves those who pursue righteousness.' The Septuagint agrees with the Masoretic Text in meaning and content, as all seven words match in their word-by-word correspondence, although the order and articles may differ. There are no significant differences in the core message of this verse among the witnesses, indicating a strong consistency in the text across these ancient sources.
תּוֹעֲבַ֣ת יְ֭הוָה דֶּ֣רֶךְ רָשָׁ֑ע וּמְרַדֵּ֖ף צְדָקָ֣ה יֶאֱהָֽב׃
7 of the 7 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Proverbs 15:9
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
תּוֹעֵבַה (tow`ebah) means 'abomination' and refers to something morally disgusting. It can denote idolatry, unclean food, or ethical wickedness. The word is built from a feminine active participle of another root, and its usage encompasses both ritual and ethical contexts.
תּוֹעֵבַה 117 n.f. abomination
base
H8441 תּוֹעֵבַה abomination
8441 tow`ebah to-ay-baw'
or tonebah {to-ay-baw'}; feminine active participle of 8581;
properly, something disgusting (morally), i.e. (as noun) an
abhorrence; especially idolatry or (concretely) an idol:--
abominable (custom, thing), abomination.
see HEBREW for 08581
תּוֹעֵבַה (to.e.vah) — abomination.
1) a disgusting thing, abomination, abominable
1a) in ritual sense (of unclean food, idols, mixed marriages)
1b) in ethical sense (of wickedness etc)
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular constructHNcfsc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) is the proper name of the God of Israel, often rendered as Jehovah or the Lord. It signifies the self-existent or eternal nature of God. The name is closely associated with the revelation to Moses in Exodus 3:12-15 and is used in conjunction with other terms to denote sacred places. Some scholars suggest it derives from a root meaning 'to bring into being.'
יהוה c. 6823 i.e. יַהְוֶה n.pr.dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel—(1. MT יְהֹוָה 6518 (Qr אֲדֹנָי), or יֱהֹוִה 305 (Qr אֱלֹהִים) 2. Many recent scholars explain יַהְוֶה as Hiph. of הוה (= היה) the one bringing into being, life-giver)
יהוה is not used by E in Gn, but is given Ex 3:12-15 as the name of the God who revealed Himself to Moses at Horeb
יהוה is used with אלהים and suffixes, especially in D
the phrase † אֲנִי יהוה is noteworthy
יהוה is also used with several predicates, to form sacred names of holy places of Yahweh
base
H3068 יהוה i.e. יַהְוֶה n. pr. dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel
3068 Yhovah yeh-ho-vaw'
from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish
national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord. Compare 3050, 3069.
see HEBREW for 01961
see HEBREW for 03050
see HEBREW for 03069
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — LORD.
Jehovah = "the existing One"
1) the proper name of the one true God
1a) unpronounced except with the vowel pointings of a.do.na (אֲדֹנָי "Lord" H0136)
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — The Lord.
Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — (Jerusalem of) the Lord.
Combined with ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
N-proper — Noun properHNpt
דֶּ֫רֶךְ (derek) means way, road, or journey, and can refer to both literal paths and figurative courses of life or actions. It encompasses various aspects such as direction, manner, and moral character, often highlighting the nature of one's conduct. The term is used in both positive and negative contexts, reflecting the moral implications of one's path.
דֶּ֫רֶךְ 715 n.m. way, road, distance, journey, manner
way, road, path
journey
of direction, almost or quite = toward
way, manner
fig. of course of life, or action, undertakings
of moral action and character
of duty
specif.: in good sense
oftener in bad sense
way of י׳
base
H1870 דֶּ֫רֶךְ way, road, distance, journey, manner . way, road, path
. journey
. of direction, almost or quite = toward
. way, manner
. fig. of course of life, or action, undertakings
. . of moral action and character
. of duty
. specif.: in good sense
. oftener in bad sense
. way of י׳
1870 derek deh'-rek
from 1869; a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of
life or mode of action, often adverb:--along, away, because
of, + by, conversation, custom, (east-)ward, journey, manner,
passenger, through, toward, (high-) (path-)way(-side),
whither(-soever).
see HEBREW for 01869
דֶּ֫רֶךְ (de.rekh) — way: conduct.
: conduct/lifestyle
1) way, road, distance, journey, manner
1a) road, way, path
1b) journey
1c) direction
1d) manner, habit, way
1e) of course of life (fig.)
1f) of moral character (fig.)
דֶּ֫רֶךְ (de.rekh) — Way.
This name means way, road
דֶּ֫רֶךְ (de.rekh) — (King's) Highway.
This name means way, road
Combined with me.lekh (מֶ֫לֶךְ "King's" H4428I)
דֶּ֫רֶךְ (de.rekh) — way: direction.
: direction
1) way, road, distance, journey, manner
1a) road, way, path
1b) journey
1c) direction
1d) manner, habit, way
1e) of course of life (fig.)
1f) of moral character (fig.)
דֶּ֫רֶךְ (de.rekh) — way: road.
: road/route
1) way, road, distance, journey, manner
1a) road, way, path
1b) journey
1c) direction
1d) manner, habit, way
1e) of course of life (fig.)
1f) of moral character (fig.)
דֶּ֫רֶךְ (de.rekh) — way: journey.
: journey
N-cs — Noun common · both singular constructHNcbsc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
רָשָׁע (rasha`) refers to someone who is wicked or criminal, encompassing meanings such as guilty and ungodly. It is derived from a root that implies moral wrongdoing. The term is used to describe individuals who are hostile to God or guilty of sin against others.
רָשָׁע 263 adj. wicked, criminal
base
H7563 רָשָׁע wicked, criminal
7563 rasha` raw-shaw'
from 7561; morally wrong; concretely, an (actively) bad
person:--+ condemned, guilty, ungodly, wicked (man), that did
wrong.
see HEBREW for 07561
רָשָׁע (ra.sah) — wicked.
1) wicked, criminal
1a) guilty one, one guilty of crime (subst)
1b) wicked (hostile to God)
1c) wicked, guilty of sin (against God or man)
Adj — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
רָדַף (radaph) is a Hebrew verb meaning to pursue, chase, or persecute. It conveys the idea of running after something, often with hostile intent, and can also figuratively refer to following time or securing something. The word has various forms, including Qal, Niphal, Piel, Pual, and Hiphil, each indicating different nuances of pursuit or being pursued.
רָדַף 141 vb. pursue, chase, persecute
Qal 128
pursue
lit. put to flight, chase
lit., the pursuers
chase, hunt
pursue
fig. persecute, harass
pursue, dog
fig. follow after, aim to secure
Niph. upon the neck (i.e. closely) we are pursued
Pi. pursue ardently
Pu. it shall be chased away like chaff of the mountains
Hiph. usu. they chased him
base
H7291 רָדַף pursue, chase, persecute
7291 radaph raw-daf'
a primitive root; to run after (usually with hostile intent;
figuratively (of time) gone by):--chase, put to flight,
follow (after, on), hunt, (be under) persecute(-ion, -or),
pursue(-r).
רָדַף (ra.daph) — to pursue.
1) to be behind, follow after, pursue, persecute, run after
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to pursue, put to flight, chase, dog, attend closely upon
1a2) to persecute, harass (fig)
1a3) to follow after, aim to secure (fig)
1a4) to run after (a bribe) (fig)
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be pursued
1b2) one pursued (participle)
1c) (Piel) to pursue ardently, aim eagerly to secure, pursue
1d) (Pual) to be pursued, be chased away
1e) (Hiphil) to pursue, chase
Conj | V-Piel — Conjunction · verb piel participle (active) masculine singularHC/Vprmsa
צְדָקָה (tsdaqah) means 'righteousness' and encompasses various aspects such as justice, truthfulness, and ethical rightness. It can refer to God's attribute of sovereignty, righteousness in governance, and even justification or salvation. The term also implies righteous acts and has an Aramaic equivalent, צִדְקָה (tsid.qah).
צְדָקָה 157 n.f. righteousness
righteousness, in government
God's attribute as sovereign
righteousness, in a case or cause
righteousness = truthfulness
righteousness, as ethically right
righteousness as vindicated, justification, salvation, etc.
pl. righteous acts
base
H6666 צְדָקָה righteousness . righteousness, in government
. God's attribute as sovereign
. righteousness, in a case or cause
. righteousness = truthfulness
. righteousness, as ethically right
. righteousness as vindicated, justification, salvation, etc.
. pl. righteous acts
6666 tsdaqah tsed-aw-kaw'
from 6663; rightness (abstractly), subjectively (rectitude),
objectively (justice), morally (virtue) or figuratively
(prosperity):--justice, moderately, right(-eous)
(act, -ly, -ness).
see HEBREW for 06663
צְדָקָה (tse.da.qah) — righteousness.
1) justice, righteousness
1a) righteousness (in government)
1a1) of judge, ruler, king
1a2) of law
1a3) of Davidic king Messiah
1b) righteousness (of God's attribute)
1c) righteousness (in a case or cause)
1d) righteousness, truthfulness
1e) righteousness (as ethically right)
1f) righteousness (as vindicated), justification, salvation
1f1) of God
1f2) prosperity (of people)
1g) righteous acts
Aramaic equivalent: tsid.qah (צִדְקָה "righteousness" H6665)
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular absoluteHNcfsa
ri'-chus-nes (tsaddiq, adjective, "righteous," or occasionally "just" tsedheq, noun, occasionally = "riahteousness," occasionally = "justice"; dikaios, adjective, dikaiosune, noun, from dike, whose first meaning seems to have been "custom"; the general use suggested conformity to a standard: righteousness, "the state of him who is such as he ought to be" (Thayer)):
1. Double Aspect of Righteousness: Changing and Permanent
2. Social Customs and Righteousness
3. Changing Conception of Character of God: Obligations of Power
4. Righteousness as Inner
5. Righteousness as Social
6. Righteousness as Expanding in Content with Growth in Ideals of Human Worth
LITERATURE
1. Double Aspect of Righteousness: Changing and Permanent:
In Christian thought the idea of righteousness contains both a permanent and a changing element. The fixed element is the will to do right; the changing factor is the conception of…
Righteousness
See JUSTIFICATION.
Rectitude, justice, holiness; an essential perfection of God’s character, Job 36:3; Isa 51:5-8; Joh 17:25; and of his administration, Ge 18:25; Ro 3:21,22; 10:3. It is the wonder of grace that as the righteous guardian of the law, he can acquit the unrighteous. "The righteousness of Christ" includes his spotless holiness, his perfect obedience the law demands; and "the righteousness of faith" is that imputed to the sinner who believes in Christ. With reference to personal character, righteousness is used both for uprightness between man and man, and for true religion,
The Hebrew word אָהֵב (*'ahab*) means 'to love' and encompasses various forms of affection, including human love for others, love for God, and even appetites for things like food and wisdom. It can also refer to friendship and divine love towards humanity, particularly Israel. The entries indicate that it can function in different grammatical forms, such as participles for 'lovely' or 'loveable'.
אָהֵב 216 vb. love
Qal
human love to human object
less oft. of appetite
love to God
esp. Pt.
of divine love
Niph. Pt. pl. lovely, loveable
Pi.
friends
lovers
base
H157 אָהֵב love
157 'ahab aw-hab'
or raheb {aw-habe'}; a primitive root; to have affection for
(sexually or otherwise):--(be-)love(-d, -ly, -r), like,
friend.
אָהֵב (a.hav) — to love: lover.
: lover
1) to love
1a) (Qal)
1a1) human love for another, includes family, and sexual
1a2) human appetite for objects such as food, drink, sleep, wisdom
1a3) human love for or to God
1a4) act of being a friend
1a4a) lover (participle)
1a4b) friend (participle)
1a5) God's love toward man
1a5a) to individual men
1a5b) to people Israel
1a5c) to righteousness
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) lovely (participle)
1b2) loveable (participle)
1c) (Piel)
1c1) friends
1c2) lovers (fig. of adulterers)
2) to like
Also means: a.hav (אָהֵב ": friend" H0157H)
אָהֵב (a.hav) — to love: friend.
: friend
1) to love
1a) (Qal)
1a1) human love for another, includes family, and sexual
1a2) human appetite for objects such as food, drink, sleep, wisdom
1a3) human love for or to God
1a4) act of being a friend
1a4a) lover (participle)
1a4b) friend (participle)
1a5) God's love toward man
1a5a) to individual men
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singularHVqi3ms
luvz (Ps 45:1, title).
See PSALMS.