Wickedness

See SIN.

Rasha (רשׁע) is the word most generally rendered wicked [The word wicked is supposed by some etymologists to be connected with quick, and to mean lively; if this be its true significance, it answers admirably to Rasha. See Dean Hoare’s work on English Roots.] in the A. V. It is supposed originally to refer to the activity, the tossing, and the confusion in which the wicked live, and the perpetual agitation which they cause to others. Thus Isaiah says (Isa 57:20-21) ’The wicked are like the troubled sea when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt; there is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.’ Job also (Job 3:17) looks forward to the grave as the place ’where the wicked cease from troubling, and the weary are at rest.’ in the Book of Job the wicked are represented as triumphing for a time, but as finally put out into darkness; in the Psalms they are represented as busily occupied in disturbing the peace of others, and as trying to destroy them. They are frequently contrasted with the righteous; and their ways are fully described in Ezekiel, chaps.18. and 33. If Kennicott’s view of Isa 53:9 could be substantiated, we should read of the Messiah, ’he made his grave with the rich, but with the wicked was his death;’ and the use of the word to mark the robbers or disturbers of the public peace would have been very appropriate.

Rasha is usually rendered ἀσεβής, ungodly, in the LXX, but ἄνομος and ἁμαρτωλός are found in several passages.

The verb in its Hiphil or causative form is generally taken as signifying to condemn, literally ’to make wicked,’ and hence ’to deal wit has wicked.’ It is found in all but four passages where the word ’condemn’ occurs in the A. V.

How The Land Becomes Full Of Wickedness

Lev_19:29.

Little With Right Being Better Than Much With Wickedness

Psa_37:16; Psa_84:10.

Nobody Being Established By Wickedness

Pro_12:3.

The LORD Hating Wickedness

Psa_11:5.

The Plowing Of The Wicked

Pro_21:4.

The Reward For Wickedness

Deu_28:20; 1Sa_12:24-25; 2Ki_21:6; 2Ki_21:10-16; 2Ch_33:6; Pro_21:12; Isa_47:10-11; Jer_3:1-3; Hos_10:13-15; Mic_6:9-16.

The Time When The Wicked Rise

Pro_28:12; Pro_28:28.

The Wicked

Exo_23:7; 1Sa_2:8-9; Job_4:8; Job_8:20-22; Job_15:20-35; Job_18:5-21; Job_20:1-19; Job_21:7-30; Job_24:13-21; Job_36:5-6; Psa_7:11; Psa_9:16-17; Psa_10:2-4; Psa_11:2; Psa_11:5-6; Psa_28:3-5; Psa_31:17; Psa_32:10; Psa_34:21; Psa_37:9-10; Psa_37:16-17; Psa_37:20-21; Psa_37:28; Psa_37:38; Psa_50:16-21; Psa_52:1-7; Psa_58:3-5; Psa_75:7-10; Psa_94:3-7; Psa_104:35; Psa_112:6-10; Psa_119:113-119; Psa_119:155; Psa_125:3; Psa_139:19-20; Psa_145:20; Psa_146:9; Psa_147:6; Pro_2:21-22; Pro_3:33; Pro_4:19; Pro_5:21-23; Pro_10:3; Pro_10:6-7; Pro_10:11; Pro_10:16; Pro_10:20; Pro_10:24-25; Pro_10:27-28; Pro_10:30; Pro_10:32; Pro_11:5; Pro_11:7-8; Pro_11:10-11; Pro_11:18; Pro_11:21; Pro_11:23; Pro_11:31; Pro_12:2; Pro_12:5-7; Pro_12:10; Pro_12:12-13; Pro_12:21; Pro_12:26; Pro_13:5; Pro_13:9; Pro_13:17; Pro_13:25; Pro_14:11; Pro_14:17-19; Pro_14:32; Pro_15:6-9; Pro_15:26; Pro_15:28-29; Pro_16:4; Pro_17:4; Pro_17:23; Pro_18:3; Pro_19:28; Pro_21:7; Pro_21:10; Pro_21:12; Pro_21:18; Pro_21:29; Pro_24:16; Pro_24:20; Pro_28:1; Pro_28:12; Pro_28:28; Pro_29:2; Pro_29:7; Pro_29:16; Pro_29:27; Ecc_3:17; Isa_3:11; Isa_13:9-11; Isa_48:22; Isa_57:20-21; Jer_5:26-29; Jer_23:19; Jer_30:23; Dan_12:10; Mic_6:10-12; Nah_1:3; Nah_1:14-15; Mal_4:1.

Treasures Of Wickedness

Psa_37:16; Pro_10:2; Mic_6:10-12.

What Is Wicked

Lev_18:17; Lev_20:14; Lev_20:17; Jer_17:9-10.

What Lies In Wickedness

1Jn_5:19.

What Wickedness Cannot Do

Ecc_8:8.

What Wickedness Does

Job_35:8; Pro_13:6; Isa_9:18; Jer_2:19.

wik´ed-nes:

1. In the Old Testament:

The state of being wicked; a mental disregard for justice, righteousness, truth, honor, virtue; evil in thought and life; depravity; sinfulness; criminality. See SIN. Many words are rendered “wickedness.” There are many synonyms for wickedness in English and also in the Hebrew. Pride and vanity lead to it: “All the proud, and all that work wickedness (רשעה, rish‛āh) shall be stubble” (Mal 4:1). Akin to this is the word עון, ‛āwen, “iniquity,” “vanity”: “She eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness” (Pro 30:20). Then we have the word הוּה, hawwāh, meaning “mischief,” “calamity,” coming from inward intent upon evil: “Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength, but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness” (Psa 52:7); זמּה, zimmāh, “wickedness” in thought, carnality or lust harbored: “And if a man take a wife and her mother, it is wickedness” (Lev 20:14); עולה, ‛awlāh, “perverseness,” “Neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as at the first” (2Sa 7:10). The word for evil (רע, ra‛) is many times employed to represent wickedness: “Remember all their wickedness” (Hos 7:2). Wickedness like all forms and thoughts of wrong, kept warm in mind, seems to be a thing of growth; it begins with a thought, then a deed, then a character, and finally a destiny. Even in this life men increase in wickedness till they have lost all desire for that which is good in the sight of God and good men; the men in the vision of Isaiah seem to be in a condition beyond which the human heart cannot go: “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness” (Isa 5:20). Shades of thought are added by such words as רע, rō^a‛, “evil,” “badness”: “Give them according to their work, and according to the wickedness of their doings” (Psa 28:4). And רשׁע, resha‛ or רשׁעה, rish‛āh, also gives the common thought of wrong, wickedness. The prophets were strong in denunciations of all iniquity, perverseness, and in announcing the curse of God which would certainly follow.

2. In the New Testament:

Wickedness, malignity, evil in thought and purpose is presented by the word πονηρία, ponērı́a: “But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why make ye trial of me, ye hypocrites?” (Mat 22:18). Jesus points out the origin of all wrong: “For from within, out of the heart of men, evil thoughts proceed ... wickednesses, deceit, lasciviousness ... all these evil things proceed from within, and defile the man” (Mar 7:21-23). See Imitation of Christ, xiii, 5.