מֵרַע
𐤌𐤓𐤏
mêraʻ
H4827 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Moral corruption or acts characterized by intentional harm, injury, or wrongdoing; wickedness in behavior or conduct. The term refers predominantly to ethical or moral evil in the form of malicious intent or action, distinct from wider notions of 'evil' or adversity.
Semantic Range
wickedness, moral corruption, wrongdoing, mischief, intentional harm, evil deed, malice
Root / Etymology
The noun מֵרַע derives from the root רָעַע (r-'-ʿ), which means 'to be bad, evil, or harmful.' While the root generally encompasses a range of negative traits or actions, the form מֵרַע represents a specialized nominal abstraction, indicating the state or quality of (active) wickedness, or a harmful deed. The prefixed mem (מ) typically forms nouns of result or abstraction in Hebrew.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In biblical usage, מֵרַע is rare and generally denotes intentional acts of wickedness or mischief, rather than mere misfortune or generalized evil (cf. רָע, which has a broader semantic range, including both ethical evil and calamity). It appears primarily in poetic or wisdom literature and is associated especially with human intent to harm or corrupt. Later translations sometimes render מֵרַע with terms like 'mischief' or 'wickedness,' but modern usage—especially in ethical or philosophical discussions—clarifies that it designates deliberate acts rather than passive suffering. The term does not refer to ethnic identity or to specific religious groups. In post-biblical Hebrew, similar forms signify deliberate harmfulness rather than abstract or impersonal evil.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from רָעַע; used as (abstract) noun, wickedness; do mischief.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
רָעַע (r-ʿ-ʿ) — to be bad, to be evil, to act wickedly, to do harm
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H7455 | רֹעַ | badness of |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4827-01 |
לְ/מֵרָ֔ע | lemera | HR/Ncmsa |
to do evil | for wickedness | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4827-01 |
Daniel 11:27 | לְ/מֵרָ֔ע | lemera | HR/Ncmsa |
to do evil | for wickedness |