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מַעֲשַׁקָּה

𐤌𐤏𐤔𐤒𐤄

maʻăshaqqâh

H4642 noun

SILEX Entry

Root עשק to oppress, extort, exploit, defraud

Definition

A deed or act of exploitation, specifically the practice of unjust oppression—namely, the extortion or denial of others' rights and property, especially through coercion or force. In context, expresses institutional or personal behavior characterized by exploiting others’ vulnerability or depriving them of justice or due share. Frequently describes social or economic abuses rather than mere generic violence, aimed at systemic or repeated denial of justice.

Semantic Range

oppression, act of exploitation, injustice imposed by authority or power, institutionalized abuse, social or economic extortion, act or state of being oppressed

Root / Etymology

From the root עָשַׁק (ʿ-š-q), meaning to oppress, extort, or exploit. The form מַעֲשַׁקָּה is a feminine noun derived by nominal pattern, functioning to denote the abstract or collective nature of the act of oppression or exploitation. The root conveys actions of dispossessing or wrongfully depriving another of goods or rights.

Historical & Contextual Notes

The noun מַעֲשַׁקָּה appears rarely (e.g., Ezekiel 18:18) and typically refers to social abuses such as economic exploitation, predatory behavior, or the systematic denial of legal justice. In prophetic and legal contexts, it is contrasted with righteousness (צְדָקָה), indicating a broader socio-ethical dimension. Other terms with related meanings include עָשֶׁק (ʿāšeq, 'oppression') and עָשָׁק (ʿāšāq, 'one who oppresses'). English translations often use 'oppression,' but the term can refer more specifically to institutional acts or patterns of exploitation—not merely personal wrongdoing but established, persistent wrongs in society. Later translation traditions (including the KJV) sometimes render it as 'oppression' or 'oppressor,' but these do not always capture the collective or systemic sense. The word is situated within biblical legal and prophetic language addressing ethical conduct within Israelite society, especially highlighting injustice against the poor, widow, or stranger.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from עָשַׁק; oppression; oppression, [idiom] oppressor.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

עשק (ʿ-š-q) — oppress, extort, exploit, defraud

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H6216 עָשׁוֹק oppressor
H6217 עָשׁוּק oppressed ones
H6229 עָשַׂק they oppressed one another
H6230 עֵשֶׂק Contention
H6231 עָשַׁק he oppressed

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H4642-01 מַעֲשַׁקּ֗וֹת maashaqot HNcfpa oppressions acts of exploitation 2

Occurrences in Scripture

2 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H4642-01 Isaiah 33:15 מַעֲשַׁקּ֗וֹת maashaqot HNcfpa oppressions acts of exploitation
H4642-01 Proverbs 28:16 מַעֲשַׁקּ֑וֹת maashaqot HNcfpa oppressions acts of exploitation
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