English · KJV
H6217

עָשׁוּק

ʻâshûwq /aw-shook'/ Ask about this word
Rootor עָשֻׁק · passive participle of עָשַׁק
Meaningused in plural masculine as abstractly, tyranny
KJV usageoppressed(-ion). (Doubtful.)

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of ʻâshûwq — 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 ʻâshûwq, represented by H6217, refers to tyranny or the state of being oppressed. It is derived from the passive participle of עָשַׁק. It appears 3 times across 3 unique verses, where it describes the condition of those suffering under injustice and the abstract concept of oppression itself.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its biblical usage, H6217 consistently highlights the suffering and powerlessness of victims. In Ecclesiastes 4:1, the author considers all the oppressions happening under the sun, pointing to the tears of the oppressed who have no one to comfort them. Amos 3:9 identifies the oppressed as being in the midst of the "great tumults" in Samaria, linking social chaos directly to injustice. Similarly, Job 35:9 explains that it is because of the "multitude of oppressions" that people are made to cry out for help against the power of the mighty.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words clarify the cause and effect of the condition described by H6217:

  • H6231 ʻâshaq (to press upon, i.e. oppress, defraud, violate, overflow): This is the active verb describing the act of oppression that results in the state of H6217. The Bible repeatedly commands against this action, such as in the warning to not oppress the widow, the fatherless, or the stranger Zechariah 7:10. The Lord executes judgment for all who are oppressed Psalms 103:6.
  • H2199 zâʻaq (to shriek (from anguish or danger); by analogy, (as a herald) to announce or convene publicly): This word describes the cry that oppression provokes. Job 35:9 states that the multitude of oppressions makes the oppressed cry out. This is the same type of cry the children of Israel made from their bondage in Egypt Exodus 2:23.
  • H7768 shâvaʻ (to halloo (for help, i.e. freedom from some trouble); cry (aloud, out), shout): Also used in Job 35:9, this word signifies a desperate shout for help. It is often a cry directed to God in times of distress, with the expectation of being heard, as when the psalmist declares that God will deliver the needy when he crieth Psalms 72:12.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H6217 is centered on God's response to injustice.

  • The Cry of the Afflicted: Oppression is never silent; it elicits a cry for help. The use of H6217 in Job 35:9 explicitly connects the state of being oppressed to the resulting cries for deliverance, a theme echoed in Israel's cry from bondage Exodus 2:23.
  • A Sign of Social Corruption: The presence of the "oppressed" H6217 is treated as a key indicator of a society in decay. The call in Amos 3:9 to witness the oppressed in Samaria is presented alongside the "great tumults" there, demonstrating that injustice is a source of civic breakdown.
  • The Foundation for Divine Judgment: God stands as the defender of those described by H6217. The Bible forbids the action of oppressing H6231 the vulnerable Jeremiah 7:6 and promises that the Lord will act as a "swift witness" against oppressors Malachi 3:5 while executing judgment for the oppressed Psalms 103:6.

Summary

In summary, H6217 is a potent term that defines not only the act of oppression but the profound human suffering and societal turmoil that result from it. While used sparingly, its context reveals a core biblical principle: the state of being oppressed provokes a cry that God hears and responds to with justice. It serves as a powerful reminder of God's alignment with the powerless and his judgment against those who wield power unjustly.

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 noun and a verb across 5 occurrences, inflected in 3 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.

  • עֲשׁוּקִים
  • עֲשֻׁקִים
  • עָשׁוּק

Related Words

Related

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

H6231 עָשַׁק a primitive root (compare עָשַׂק); to press upon, i.e. oppress, defraud, violate, overflow; get deceitfully, deceive, de H2199 זָעַק a primitive root; to shriek (from anguish or danger); by analogy, (as a herald) to announce or convene publicly; assembl H7768 שָׁוַע a primitive root; properly, to be free; but used only causatively and reflexively, to halloo (for help, i.e. freedom fro

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 3 verses across 3 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Job, Ecclesiastes, and Amos (1 verse each); never once in the other 36.

1
Job
1
Ecclesiastes
1
Amos

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.