H3401 H3401
adversary, opponent in dispute; one who contends against you
A noun derived from the verb ריב (to contend, dispute, conduct a lawsuit), denoting one's adversary or opponent in conflict. The three occurrences span diverse contexts: Psalm 35:1 calls on Yahweh to 'contend with my adversaries' (parallel to 'fight those who fight me'); Isaiah 49:25 promises Zion that God will fight 'your adversary'; and Jeremiah 18:19 asks God to pay attention to 'my adversaries' (though the Septuagint reads differently). The term carries forensic overtones—these are not just enemies but opponents in a dispute, those who contend against you legally or verbally, making God's intervention a matter of justice, not mere power.
Senses
1. sense 1 — One's opponents or adversaries in conflict, particularly those who bring accusations or disputes. The legal nuance (from ריב, to bring a lawsuit) means these are adversaries who challenge your case or rights, not merely military enemies. The psalmist and prophets appeal to God as the ultimate judge to take up their case against these contenders. The textual variants in Jeremiah suggest some scribal uncertainty about the precise reading, but the forensic context remains clear. 3×
AR["مُخاصِميَّ", "مُخَاصِمِيكِ", "مُخَاصِمِيَّ"]·ben["-তোমার-প্রতিদ্বন্দ্বীর", "আমার-বিবাদকারীদের", "আমার-বিবাদকারীদের।"]·DE["[יריבי]", "[יריבך]", "mein-Widersacher"]·EN["adversaries-my", "my-adversaries", "your-adversary"]·FR["[יריבי]", "[יריבך]", "combattre"]·heb["יריבי", "יריבי-י", "יריבך"]·HI["झगड़नेवाले-मेरे", "तेरे-झगड़ने-वालों-से", "विवादियों-मेरे-की"]·ID["lawan-lawan-ku", "yang-berbantah-denganmu"]·IT["[יריבי]", "[יריבך]", "contese"]·jav["ingkang-nglawan-kula", "ingkang-padu-kaliyan-kawula.", "ingkang-padu-kaliyan-panjenengan"]·KO["나의-대적들의", "너와-다투는-자와", "다투는-자들-과"]·PT["meus-contendores.", "os-que-contendem-comigo", "quem-contende-contigo"]·RU["противников-моих", "спорящими-с-тобой", "тяжущимися-со-мной"]·ES["contendientes-míos", "el-que-contiende-contigo", "mis-contendores"]·SW["wanaonishindana-nami", "wanaoshindana-nami", "wanaoshindana-nawe"]·TR["dava-edenlerle-bana", "hasımlarımın", "kavga-edenle-senin"]·urd["تیرے-جھگڑنے-والے-سے", "جھگڑا-کرنے-والوں-میرے", "میرے-جھگڑنے-والوں"]
Related Senses
H4421 1. war, battle, armed conflict (319×)H0341 1. enemy, adversary, foe (284×)H3898a 1. Nifal: to fight, wage war (167×)H2026 1. kill, slay (active) (146×)H2451 1. wisdom, discernment (146×)H5483b 1. horse (the animal) (138×)H0006 1. to perish, be destroyed (105×)H7843 1. Hifil: destroy, annihilate (83×)H2491a 1. slain, fatally pierced (74×)H6862c 1. adversary, enemy, foe (69×)H8045 1. destroy, exterminate (69×)G0615 1. kill, put to death (60×)H6571b 1. horseman, cavalryman (52×)H8077a 1. desolation, waste (abstract state) (52×)G4678 1. of wisdom (51×)G4717 1. crucify, fasten to a cross (46×)H2763a 1. utterly destroy (Hifil active) (44×)G0622 1. perish, be destroyed (intransitive) (41×)H0006 2. to destroy, annihilate (Piel) (38×)H8074 1. be desolate, lie waste (36×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† I. [יָרִיב] n. [m.] opponent, adversary (Ges§85 d);—sf. (of Zion), יְרִיבֵךְ Is 49:25 (𝔊 רִיבֵךְ, so Du); cf. pl. sf. יְרִיבַ֑י ψ 35:1 (‖ לֹחֲמָ֑י); of personal opponent, יְרִיבָ֑י Je 18:19 (𝔊 רִיבִי, so Gie).