אַכְזְרִיּוּת
𐤀𐤊𐤆𐤓𐤉𐤅𐤕
ʼakzᵉrîyûwth
H395 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Intense harshness or severity; the quality or state of being ruthless, pitiless, or cruel in action or character. The term underscores extreme lack of compassion, often in the treatment of others, especially in contexts of oppression, violence, or injustice. It denotes both the disposition (cruelty) and the manifestation (acts or practices) of cruelty.
Semantic Range
cruelty, ruthlessness, pitilessness, harshness, mercilessness, the quality of being cruel
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root אכזר (ʼ-ḵ-z-r), which means 'to be cruel, ruthless.' The suffix יּוּת (‑ût) forms an abstract noun, indicating the state or quality of being cruel. Thus, אַכְזְרִיּוּת means 'cruelty' or 'ruthlessness' as a trait or condition.
Historical & Contextual Notes
אַכְזְרִיּוּת occurs rarely in the Hebrew Bible, appearing primarily in late biblical and post-biblical texts. It represents a distinct term for 'cruelty,' separate from related words like חָמָס (ḥāmās, 'violence, wrong') or עָרִיץ (ʿārîṣ, 'oppressor, tyrant'), focusing specifically on the aspect of deliberate harshness and lack of mercy rather than generalized violence or oppression. The term is typically used to describe human behavior, especially in condemnatory or negative contexts, often associated with those who oppress the vulnerable. In the period after the exile, the concept of cruelty acquires greater moral framing, sometimes linked with themes of justice, compassion, and covenant responsibility. English translations often render the term as 'cruelty' or 'ruthlessness,' but these may not fully convey the emotional and moral intensity implicit in the Hebrew. Subsequent Jewish literature preserves the term, and it is standard in modern Hebrew for 'cruelty.'
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from אַכְזָרִי; fierceness; cruel.
Bantu Hebrew
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אכזר (ʾ-ḵ-z-r) — to be cruel, to act ruthlessly, to lack compassion
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H395-01 |
אַכְזְרִיּ֣וּת | akhezeriut | HNcfsc |
Wrath is cruel | cruelty of | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H395-01 |
Proverbs 27:4 | אַכְזְרִיּ֣וּת | akhezeriut | HNcfsc |
Wrath is cruel | cruelty of |