Word Study for H5765 (עֲוַל) | Strong's Concordance

ʻăval /aw-val'/ Ask about this word

Roota primitive root

Meaningto distort (morally)

KJV usagedeal unjustly, unrighteous.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of ʻăval — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word ʻăval, represented by H5765, is a primitive root used to describe moral distortion. It appears 2 times across 2 unique verses in the Bible. The term's core meaning is to deal unjustly or to be unrighteous, signifying a deliberate perversion of what is morally right.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its biblical usage, H5765 describes an active and willful form of injustice. In Isaiah, it portrays the wicked person who, even when shown favor, refuses to learn righteousness and continues to deal unjustly in a land of uprightness Isaiah 26:10. The psalmist uses the term in a plea for rescue, asking God for deliverance from the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man Psalms 71:4. In both instances, the word characterizes a person who actively works against moral and divine standards.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help frame the concept of injustice by providing contrast and context:

H7563 râshâʻ (wicked): Defined as a morally wrong or actively bad person, this term identifies the agent who commits injustice. Both occurrences of H5765 are directly linked to the wicked (Isaiah 26:10, Psalms 71:4).
H6664 tsedeq (righteousness): As a direct antonym, this word means the right, equity, or justice. The one who deals unjustly H5765 is specifically described as someone who will not learn righteousness Isaiah 26:10.
H6403 pâlaṭ (deliver): Meaning to escape or cause to be delivered, this word represents the divine response to injustice. The psalmist cries out to God to deliver him from the unrighteous H5765 man Psalms 71:4.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H5765 is significant despite its rare usage. It highlights several key principles:

Willful Rejection of Goodness: The act of dealing unjustly is portrayed not as a mistake, but as a conscious choice made even when grace is present. The wicked person deals unjustly in the "land of uprightness" and refuses to "behold the majesty of the LORD" Isaiah 26:10.
Injustice as an Attribute: The word is used to describe the character of a person, specifically the "wicked" H7563. It is not just an action but part of a nature that is morally distorted and cruel Psalms 71:4.
The Catalyst for Divine Intervention: The presence of the "unrighteous" H5765 prompts a cry to God H430 for deliverance. This establishes a biblical pattern where human injustice becomes the basis for seeking and expecting divine rescue.

Summary

In summary, H5765 defines a profound moral distortion. Though appearing only twice, it powerfully illustrates the nature of one who is actively and willfully unrighteous. It stands in stark contrast to righteousness H6664, is a defining characteristic of the wicked H7563, and serves as the reason for the righteous to cry out to God for deliverance H6403. The word encapsulates a deliberate turning away from moral and divine order.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a verb across 2 occurrences, inflected in 2 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

יְעַוֵּל
מְעַוֵּל

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 2 verses across 2 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Psalms and Isaiah (1 verse each); never once in the other 37.

Psalms

Isaiah

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.