Quick Definition
to justify
Strong's Definition
to be (causatively, make) right (in a moral or forensic sense)
Derivation: a primitive root;
KJV Usage: cleanse, clear self, (be, do) just(-ice, -ify, -ify self), (be turn to) righteous(-ness).
TWOT Reference: 1879
Outline of Biblical Usage
Septuagint (LXX) Greek Equivalents
This Hebrew word is translated by the following Greek words in the Septuagint:
STEPBible — Tyndale Abridged Hebrew Lexicon
צָדֵק (tsa.daq) — to justify. 1) to be just, be righteous 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to have a just cause, be in the right 1a2) to be justified 1a3) to be just (of God) 1a4) to be just, be righteous (in conduct and character) 1b) (Niphal) to be put or made right, be justified 1c) (Piel) justify, make to appear righteous, make someone righteous 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to do or bring justice (in administering law) 1d2) to declare righteous, justify 1d3) to justify, vindicate the cause of, save 1d4) to make righteous, turn to righteousness 1e) (Hithpael) to justify oneself
UBS Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew
verb · צַדִּיק · צֶדֶק · צְדָקָה · צָדֹוק · צִדְקִיָּה
Innocent | verb qal | ≈ זכה · טהר · תמם | ≠ חטא · רשׁע
to be righteous, to prove to be righteous, to be just, to be in the right, to be innocent = state or process by which humans and deities are found to conform to an accepted code of behavior
GEN 38:26 · JOB 4:17 · JOB 9:2 · JOB 9:15 · JOB 9:20 · JOB 10:15 · JOB 11:2 · JOB 13:18 · JOB 15:14 · JOB 22:3 · JOB 25:4 · JOB 33:12 · JOB 34:5 · JOB 35:7 · JOB 40:8 · PSA 51:6 · PSA 143:2 · ISA 43:9 · ISA 43:26 · ISA 45:25 · EZK 16:52
Innocent | verb pi, verb hit
to clear oneself, to justify oneself = action by which humans make an effort to ensure that they are found to conform to an accepted code of behavior
Innocent | verb pi, verb hif
to clear, to justify, to lead to righteousness = causative action by which humans make efforts to ensure that other humans are found to conform to an accepted code of behavior, either in an absolute sense or relative to someone else
Innocent | verb hif | ≠ רשׁע
to acquit, to declare innocent, to vindicate = causative action by which humans or deities declare (other) humans to conform to an accepted code of behavior
EXO 23:7 · EXO 23:7 · DEU 25:1 · 2SA 15:4 · 1KI 8:32 · 2CH 6:23 · JOB 27:5 · PSA 82:3 · PRO 17:15 · ISA 5:23 · ISA 50:8
Good | verb nif
to be restored = causative action by which humans do what is needed to ensure that an object is be restored to an original and rightful state
Right | verb qal | ≈ אֱמֶת · טָהֹור
to be right, to be just = state in which an event is found to conform to an accepted standard
1 EXO 23:7 MT HOTTP-A RSV NIV NJPS NRSV REB GNT CEV | NJB תצדק
UBS Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon
[צָדֵק, צָדֹק] vb. denom. be just, righteous Qal have a just cause, be in the right
be justified
be just
be just, righteous
Niph. the holy place shall be put right
Pi. justify
Hiph. do justice
declare righteous, justify
justify, vindicate the cause of, save
make righteous, turn to righteousness
Hithp. how shall we justify ourselves
base