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צַדִּיק

𐤑𐤃𐤉𐤒

tsaddîyq

H6662 adjective

SILEX Entry

Definition

A person who behaves in accordance with moral, ethical, or legal norms—upright, just, or righteous. Most often describes an individual whose actions are in harmony with established codes (social, cultic, or legal), but can also refer to one acquitted in a judicial context. In poetic and wisdom literature, it denotes those who seek or embody ideal moral conduct, often contrasted with the wicked (רָשָׁע).

Semantic Range

one who is just, righteous person, morally upright individual, one acquitted in court, one whose actions comply with legal or covenantal norms, ethically blameless, judge or authority acting in fairness

Root / Etymology

Root: צדק. The verb צָדַק (tsādaq) means 'to be just, to be righteous, to be in the right.' The adjective צַדִּיק (tsaddîyq) derives as an active or attributive form, signifying 'one who is right/just' or 'justified.' The noun form refers to a person characterized by meeting the criteria established by covenant law, societal norms, or divine judgment.

Historical & Contextual Notes

Throughout the Hebrew Bible, צַדִּיק is a key term for describing individuals or groups whose behavior aligns with ethical or legal standards. In earlier legal and narrative contexts (e.g., Deuteronomy, Samuel-Kings), it may apply to one acquitted in court or vindicated by God. In Psalms, Proverbs, and prophetic writings, the term becomes a broader ethical designation, often forming a binary with רָשָׁע ('wicked'), present in wisdom and didactic contexts. Differences from related terms: while ישר (yāshār, 'upright') emphasizes straightness or integrity, צַדִּיק focuses on justice, especially in legal or relational matters. The standard translation as 'righteous' can sometimes obscure the social and judicial nuances of the word. The later equation of צַדִּיק with the English 'saint' or 'Jew' (in some translations) is anachronistic and not present in early biblical usage. During post-exilic and later periods, the term was given greater theological significance in Second Temple literature and rabbinic usage, but in biblical texts, its meaning centers on ethical and judicial rightness within the Israelite social and legal order.

Translation Consistency

primary "righteous" 50 occurrences

'Righteous' is by far the standard and most frequent English rendering (195 of 206 occurrences) and best captures the semantic range—moral/upright behavior, covenantal goodness, and the ethical/judicial sense of being declared right. It is natural English and preserves the theological and moral contrast with the wicked while covering the occasional use meaning ‘just’ or ‘acquitted.’

✓ All renderings match approved senses

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from צָדַק; just; just, lawful, righteous (man).

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

צדק (Yahweh Tsidqenu) — to be just, to be righteous, to act rightly

Root צדק to be just, to be righteous, to be right
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H3072 יְהֹוָה צִדְקֵנוּ
H3087 יְהוֹצָדָק and Yahweh-has-made-righteous
H3136 יוֹצָדָק Yah Is Righteous
H6659 צָדוֹק to Righteous-one
H6663 צָדַק I will declare right

Word Forms

10 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H6662-07 צַדִּ֔יק tsadiq HAamsa righteous righteous man righteous man 110
H6662-08 צַדִּקִ֨ים tsadiqim HAampa of the righteous righteous ones righteous ones 50
H6662-04 לַ/צַּדִּ֤יק latsadiq HRd/Aamsa to-the-righteous to the righteous one to the righteous one 15
H6662-09 וְ/צַדִּיק֙ vetsadiq HC/Aamsa and righteous and a just man and a righteous man 10
H6662-01 הַ/צַּדִּ֔יק hatsadiq HTd/Aamsa the righteous the just one the righteous one 8
H6662-02 הַ/צַּדִּיקִ֑ים hatsadiqim HTd/Aampa the righteous the righteous ones the righteous ones 6
H6662-10 וְ/צַדִּקִים֙ vetsadiqim HC/Aampa but-the-righteous and righteous ones and righteous ones 4
H6662-03 כַ/צַּדִּ֖יק khatsadiq HRd/Aamsa like the righteous a just one like the righteous 1
H6662-05 לְ֝/צַדִּ֗יק letsadiq HR/Aamsa a righteous man to a righteous man to a righteous man 1
H6662-06 מִ/צַּדִּ֗יק mitsadiq HR/Aamsa from the righteous from a righteous man from the righteous 1

Occurrences in Scripture

206 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H6662-07 Genesis 6:9 צַדִּ֛יק tsadiq HAamsa righteous righteous man righteous man
H6662-07 Genesis 7:1 צַדִּ֥יק tsadiq HAamsa righteous righteous man righteous
H6662-07 Genesis 18:23 צַדִּ֖יק tsadiq HAamsa the righteous righteous man righteous man
H6662-08 Genesis 18:24 צַדִּיקִ֖ם tsadiqim HAampa righteous righteous ones righteous ones
H6662-02 Genesis 18:24 הַ/צַּדִּיקִ֖ם hatsadiqim HTd/Aampa the righteous the righteous ones the righteous ones
H6662-07 Genesis 18:25 צַדִּיק֙ tsadiq HAamsa righteous righteous man righteous
H6662-03 Genesis 18:25 כַ/צַּדִּ֖יק khatsadiq HRd/Aamsa like the righteous a just one like the righteous
H6662-08 Genesis 18:26 צַדִּיקִ֖ם tsadiqim HAampa righteous righteous ones righteous ones
H6662-02 Genesis 18:28 הַ/צַּדִּיקִם֙ hatsadiqim HTd/Aampa the righteous the righteous ones the righteous ones
H6662-07 Genesis 20:4 צַדִּ֖יק tsadiq HAamsa righteous righteous man righteous man
H6662-01 Exodus 9:27 הַ/צַּדִּ֔יק hatsadiq HTd/Aamsa is the righteous one the just one the righteous one
H6662-09 Exodus 23:7 וְ/צַדִּיק֙ vetsadiq HC/Aamsa and righteous and a just man and the righteous
H6662-08 Exodus 23:8 צַדִּיקִֽים tsadiqim HAampa the-righteous righteous ones righteous ones
H6662-08 Deuteronomy 4:8 צַדִּיקִ֑ם tsadiqim HAampa righteous righteous ones righteous ones
H6662-08 Deuteronomy 16:19 צַדִּיקִֽם tsadiqim HAampa the righteous righteous ones righteous ones
H6662-01 Deuteronomy 25:1 הַ/צַּדִּ֔יק hatsadiq HTd/Aamsa the righteous the just one the righteous one
H6662-07 Deuteronomy 32:4 צַדִּ֥יק tsadiq HAamsa righteous righteous man righteous man
H6662-07 1 Samuel 24:18 צַדִּ֥יק tsadiq HAamsa righteous righteous man righteous man
H6662-07 2 Samuel 4:11 צַדִּ֛יק tsadiq HAamsa righteous righteous man righteous man
H6662-07 2 Samuel 23:3 צַדִּ֕יק tsadiq HAamsa righteous righteous man righteous man
H6662-08 1 Kings 2:32 צַדִּקִ֨ים tsadiqim HAampa righteous righteous ones righteous ones
H6662-07 1 Kings 8:32 צַדִּ֔יק tsadiq HAamsa righteous righteous man righteous man
H6662-08 2 Kings 10:9 צַדִּקִ֖ים tsadiqim HAampa righteous righteous ones righteous ones
H6662-07 Isaiah 3:10 צַדִּ֖יק tsadiq HAamsa to the righteous righteous man righteous man
H6662-08 Isaiah 5:23 צַדִּיקִ֖ים tsadiqim HAampa of the righteous righteous ones righteous ones
H6662-04 Isaiah 24:16 לַ/צַּדִּ֔יק latsadiq HRd/Aamsa to-the-righteous to the righteous one to the righteous one
H6662-07 Isaiah 26:2 צַדִּ֖יק tsadiq HAamsa righteous righteous man righteous man
H6662-04 Isaiah 26:7 לַ/צַּדִּ֖יק latsadiq HRd/Aamsa of the righteous to the righteous one to the righteous one
H6662-07 Isaiah 26:7 צַדִּ֖יק tsadiq HAamsa of the righteous righteous man righteous man
H6662-07 Isaiah 29:21 צַדִּֽיק tsadiq HAamsa the righteous righteous man righteous man
H6662-07 Isaiah 41:26 צַדִּ֑יק tsadiq HAamsa righteous righteous man righteous
H6662-07 Isaiah 45:21 צַדִּ֣יק tsadiq HAamsa righteous righteous man righteous man
H6662-07 Isaiah 49:24 צַדִּ֖יק tsadiq HAamsa righteous righteous man righteous man
H6662-07 Isaiah 53:11 צַדִּ֛יק tsadiq HAamsa righteous one righteous man righteous man
H6662-01 Isaiah 57:1 הַ/צַּדִּ֣יק hatsadiq HTd/Aamsa the righteous the just one the righteous one
H6662-01 Isaiah 57:1 הַ/צַּדִּֽיק hatsadiq-2 HTd/Aamsa the righteous the just one the righteous one
H6662-08 Isaiah 60:21 צַדִּיקִ֔ים tsadiqim HAampa righteous righteous ones righteous ones
H6662-07 Jeremiah 12:1 צַדִּ֤יק tsadiq HAamsa Righteous righteous man righteous man
H6662-07 Jeremiah 20:12 צַדִּ֔יק tsadiq HAamsa the righteous righteous man righteous man
H6662-07 Jeremiah 23:5 צַדִּ֑יק tsadiq HAamsa righteous righteous man righteous man
H6662-07 Ezekiel 3:20 צַדִּ֤יק tsadiq HAamsa righteous-man righteous man righteous man
H6662-07 Ezekiel 3:21 צַדִּ֗יק tsadiq HAamsa the righteous righteous man righteous man
H6662-07 Ezekiel 3:21 צַדִּ֖יק tsadiq-2 HAamsa the righteous righteous man righteous man
H6662-07 Ezekiel 13:22 צַדִּיק֙ tsadiq HAamsa of the righteous righteous man righteous man
H6662-07 Ezekiel 18:5 צַדִּ֑יק tsadiq HAamsa righteous righteous man righteous man
H6662-07 Ezekiel 18:9 צַדִּ֥יק tsadiq HAamsa righteous righteous man righteous man
H6662-01 Ezekiel 18:20 הַ/צַּדִּיק֙ hatsadiq HTd/Aamsa of the righteous the just one the righteous one
H6662-07 Ezekiel 18:24 צַדִּ֤יק tsadiq HAamsa righteous righteous man righteous man
H6662-07 Ezekiel 18:26 צַדִּ֧יק tsadiq HAamsa righteous man righteous man righteous man
H6662-07 Ezekiel 21:8 צַדִּ֥יק tsadiq HAamsa righteous righteous man righteous man
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