### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Aramaic word **biʼûwsh**, represented by `{{H873}}`, means **wicked** or **bad**. It is a rare term, appearing only **1 time** in **1 unique verse** in the Bible. Its sole function is to serve as a potent adjective, describing a city in a highly negative manner.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The only biblical appearance of `{{H873}}` is in a letter of accusation sent to a king concerning the rebuilding of Jerusalem. The adversaries of the Jews describe the city as "the rebellious and the **bad** city" [[Ezra 4:12]]. By pairing it with the term for "rebellious" `{{H4779}}`, the word is used to frame the reconstruction as a dangerous and wicked undertaking, intended to provoke a royal decree to stop the work.
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words from its immediate context clarify its meaning and purpose:
* `{{H4779}}` **mârâd** (rebellious): This word is used directly alongside **biʼûwsh** to specify the nature of the "badness" as political defiance, labeling Jerusalem as a **rebellious** city [[Ezra 4:12]].
* `{{H1124}}` **bᵉnâʼ** (to build): This verb identifies the action that prompts the accusation. The Jews are **building** the city, and this act is what is labeled as bad [[Ezra 4:12]].
* `{{H7149}}` **qiryâʼ** (city): This is the noun that `{{H873}}` modifies. The focus of the letter is to characterize the entire **city** of Jerusalem as inherently wicked and a threat [[Ezra 4:12]].
* `{{H787}}` **ʼôsh** (a foundation): The work being condemned included joining the **foundations**, indicating the foundational nature of the alleged wickedness [[Ezra 4:12]].
### Theological Significance
The narrative weight of `{{H873}}` is found in its specific, pointed usage:
* **Tool of Accusation:** The word is not presented as an objective fact but as part of an accusation by adversaries. It serves to label the efforts of the Jews as wicked in order to halt their progress [[Ezra 4:12]].
* **Political Characterization:** By describing Jerusalem as a **bad** city, the authors of the letter attempt to create a political narrative of threat and insubordination to the king.
* **Negative Framing:** The term is used in conjunction with the act of **building** `{{H1124}}` the walls `{{H7792}}`, casting the entire restoration project as a fundamentally negative enterprise [[Ezra 4:12]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{H873}}` is a highly specific Aramaic term for **bad** or **wicked**. Its singular appearance in scripture is not a general moral descriptor but a targeted accusation within a political conflict. It powerfully illustrates how language can be used to frame a righteous act, like the rebuilding of Jerusalem, as something malicious and dangerous to those in authority.
TRV