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מֵישָׁר

𐤌𐤉𐤔𐤓

mêyshâr

H4339 noun

SILEX Entry

Root ישר to be straight, to be level, to be right

Definition

Level ground, straightness, uprightness; in figurative usage, integrity, equity, fairness, or right conduct. מֵישָׁר denotes both physical evenness (as of terrain, a straight path) and, by extension, moral or ethical uprightness, rectitude, or fairness in human relationships and judgment. The term is often used poetically to express a quality of walking in righteousness, acting with honest intent, or circumstances characterized by harmony and fairness.

Semantic Range

level ground, straightness, uprightness, fairness, integrity, equity, rectitude, honest intent, harmonious relations, right conduct

Root / Etymology

From the root יָשַׁר (י-ש-ר), which broadly means 'to be straight' or 'to be right.' מֵישָׁר forms a noun that takes the concept of straightness or levelness and applies it concretely to terrain (level place) and abstractly to character and conduct (uprightness, equity). While the root emphasizes the physical or moral straightness, the noun extends especially to moral uprightness and harmonious relations.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, מֵישָׁר appears both literally and figuratively. In poetry (notably Psalms, Proverbs, Prophets), it regularly describes the path of the righteous, the quality of divine judgments, or attributes of those acting with fairness or honesty. The term is often contrasted with crooked ways (עָקַל, עָוֶל), reinforcing its sense of moral clarity. The noun occurs primarily in plural form but is typically understood with singular sense, emphasizing a collective attribute or characteristic. Later English versions tend to render it as 'uprightness,' 'equity,' or 'integrity,' but 'level ground' or 'straight path' better capture its core image. Its use evolved from concrete descriptions of landscape to abstract social and ethical applications, especially in exilic and post-exilic literature, where the metaphor of 'straightness' became central to discussions of communal and personal ethics. In rabbinic and later Hebrew, related forms retained similar senses of fairness and uprightness.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from יָשַׁר; evenness, i.e. (figuratively) prosperity or concord; also straightness, i.e. (figuratively) rectitude (only in plural with singular sense; often adverbially); agreement, aright, that are equal, equity, (things that are) right(-eously, things), sweetly, upright(-ly, -ness).

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

ישר (y-š-r) — to be straight, to be level, to be right

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H3474 יָשַׁר I will make straight
H3475 יֵשֶׁר Uprightness
H3476 יֹשֶׁר in his uprightness
H3477 יָשָׁר the upright one
H3480 יְשַׂרְאֵלָה God is Upright

Word Forms

4 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H4339-03 מֵֽישָׁרִ֑ים meysharim HNcmpa uprightly uprightnesses 11
H4339-01 בְּ/מֵישָׁרִֽים bemeysharim HR/Ncmpa in uprightness in uprightnesses 4
H4339-04 וּ/מֵישָׁרִֽים umeysharim HC/Ncmpa and equity uprightnesses 3
H4339-02 לְ/מֵישָׁרִ֑ים lemeysharim HR/Ncmpa to level places to uprightnesses 1

Occurrences in Scripture

19 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H4339-03 Isaiah 26:7 מֵֽישָׁרִ֑ים meysharim HNcmpa is level uprightnesses
H4339-03 Isaiah 33:15 מֵֽישָׁרִ֑ים meysharim HNcmpa uprightly uprightnesses
H4339-03 Isaiah 45:19 מֵישָׁרִֽים meysharim HNcmpa things right uprightnesses
H4339-01 Psalms 9:9 בְּ/מֵישָׁרִֽים bemeysharim HR/Ncmpa in uprightness in uprightnesses
H4339-03 Psalms 17:2 מֵישָׁרִֽים meysharim HNcmpa equity uprightnesses
H4339-03 Psalms 58:2 מֵישָׁרִ֥ים meysharim HNcmpa uprightly uprightnesses
H4339-03 Psalms 75:3 מֵישָׁרִ֥ים meysharim HNcmpa uprightly uprightnesses
H4339-01 Psalms 96:10 בְּ/מֵישָׁרִֽים bemeysharim HR/Ncmpa with equity in uprightnesses
H4339-01 Psalms 98:9 בְּ/מֵישָׁרִֽים bemeysharim HR/Ncmpa in uprightness in uprightnesses
H4339-03 Psalms 99:4 מֵישָׁרִ֑ים meysharim HNcmpa equities uprightnesses
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