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עָוָה

𐤏𐤅𐤄

ʻâvâh

H5753 verb

SILEX Entry

Root עוה to bend, to be crooked, to twist, to pervert

Definition

To act crookedly or deal unjustly; to become bent, deviate from a standard of conduct or morality. The verb connotes the performance of wrongful or perverse acts, often in a legal, judicial, or ethical context, describing conduct violating expected or established norms. The semantic range moves from literal physical distortion (to make crooked, bend, pervert) to figurative distortion of moral/ethical standards (to commit injustice, do wrong, act perversely).

Semantic Range

to be or make crooked, to bend, to twist (physically); to pervert (morally or legally), to act perversely, to do wrong, to commit iniquity, to act unjustly, to distort justice or truth, to do wicked or corrupt actions

Root / Etymology

The verb derives from the root עוה, which conveys the sense of bending or being crooked. While the base meaning relates to literal physical distortion, its extended uses strongly gravitate towards ethical deviation—distortion of what is right or just. The verb forms (qal, hifil) can be both active ('to twist, pervert, cause to act perversely') and passive or stative ('to be bent, crooked').

Historical & Contextual Notes

עָוָה is used throughout the Hebrew Bible for describing behavior or circumstances marked by deviation from what is upright or just. In early texts it may refer literally to physical distortion (Isaiah 24:1), but overwhelmingly its use is metaphorical for perversion or twisting of morality, truth, or justice (Job 33:27; Psalms 106:6). Unlike חָטָא (H2398), 'to miss the mark, sin,' which focuses on falling short or making an error, עָוָה highlights an act that is actively perverse or corrupt—a conscious bending of what is right. Over time, עָוָה became closely associated with iniquity or gross injustice, particularly in legal and prophetic contexts, often paired with עָוֹן (H5771, 'iniquity'). Standard English translations variously render it 'do iniquity,' 'pervert,' or 'act wickedly,' but may obscure its core meaning of 'twisting' or 'crooking' what should be straight. In the exilic and post-exilic period, as in Ezra–Nehemiah, the term reflects a continued emphasis on persistent rebellion against divine instruction, sometimes becoming almost synonymous with collective guilt.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to crook, literally or figuratively; do amiss, bow down, make crooked, commit iniquity, pervert, (do) perverse(-ly), trouble, [idiom] turn, do wickedly, do wrong.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

עוה (ʿ-w-h) — to bend, to be crooked, to twist, to pervert

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4596 מְעִי ruin-heap of
H5757 עַוִּי and the Avvites
H5758 עִוְיָא and your perversions
H5771 עָוֺן distortion-guilt
H5773 עַוְעֶה moral distortions

Word Forms

14 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H5753-10 נַעֲוֵ֣יתִי naaveyti HVNp1cs I am bent over I have become crooked 2
H5753-06 הֶעֱוֵ֔יתִי heeveyti HVhp1cs have done wrong I have perverted 2
H5753-07 הֶעֱוִ֥ינוּ heevinu HVhp1cp we have committed iniquity we have perverted 2
H5753-08 עִוָּֽה ivah HVpp3ms he has made crooked he perverted her 1
H5753-11 וְ/עָוִ֖ינוּ veavinu HC/Vqp1cp and committed iniquity and we acted crookedly 1
H5753-09 נַעֲוַ֖ת naavat HVNrfsc perverse being crooked 1
H5753-04 הֶעֱוּוּ֙ heeuu HVhp3cp they have perverted they have twisted 1
H5753-14 וְ/נַעֲוֵה venaaveh HC/VNrmsc of a perverse crooked one 1
H5753-02 בְּ/הַ֣עֲוֺת֔/וֹ behaaoto HR/Vhc/Sp3ms he sins his perverting 1
H5753-05 הֶעֱוָ֣ה heevah HVhp3ms did perversely he made crooked 1

Occurrences in Scripture

17 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H5753-09 1 Samuel 20:30 נַעֲוַ֖ת naavat HVNrfsc perverse being crooked
H5753-02 2 Samuel 7:14 בְּ/הַ֣עֲוֺת֔/וֹ behaaoto HR/Vhc/Sp3ms he sins his perverting
H5753-05 2 Samuel 19:20 הֶעֱוָ֣ה heevah HVhp3ms did perversely he made crooked
H5753-06 2 Samuel 24:17 הֶעֱוֵ֔יתִי heeveyti HVhp1cs have done wrong I have perverted
H5753-12 1 Kings 8:47 וְ/הֶעֱוִ֖ינוּ veheevinu HC/Vhp1cp and have done perversely we have acted crookedly
H5753-10 Isaiah 21:3 נַעֲוֵ֣יתִי naaveyti HVNp1cs I was bowed down I have become crooked
H5753-13 Isaiah 24:1 וְ/עִוָּ֣ה veivah HC/Vpq3ms and distorts and Crooked-Place
H5753-04 Jeremiah 3:21 הֶעֱוּוּ֙ heeuu HVhp3cp they have perverted they have twisted
H5753-03 Jeremiah 9:4 הַעֲוֵ֥ה haaveh HVha doing-iniquity to make crooked
H5753-10 Psalms 38:7 נַעֲוֵ֣יתִי naaveyti HVNp1cs I am bent over I have become crooked
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