מִשְׁפָּט422 H4941
Justice, judgment, ordinance; a judicial decision, legal case, prescribed regulation, or established custom
One of the Hebrew Bible's most theologically weighty nouns, mishpat spans the full arc of legal life — from the abstract ideal of justice that God embodies (Gen 18:25) to the concrete verdict a judge hands down, to the body of ordinances that structure Israel's covenant life. It can also describe everyday custom or manner, as when Joseph's cupbearer is restored 'according to the former manner' (Gen 40:13). The word's breadth reminds readers that in biblical thought, justice is never merely theoretical — it is always enacted, codified, and lived.
5. custom, manner, way — An established custom, habitual manner, or characteristic way of doing things. This semantic extension moves beyond the courtroom into everyday life. In Gen 40:13 Pharaoh's cupbearer is restored to serve 'according to the former custom,' and 1 Sam 2:13 describes the priestly custom at Shiloh. Arabic ada (custom) and Korean gwanrye (customary practice) confirm this non-juridical usage. 19×
AR["حُكمُهُ","حُكْمَ","قَضَاءَ","كَ-العادَةِ","كَ-الْ-عَادَةِ","كَ-عادَتِهِمْ","كَ-عَادَةِ","كَالعَادَاتِ","كَعَادَةِ","كَعَادَتِهِمُ","كَٱلْعَادَةِ","هَيْئَةُ","وَ-عَادَةُ","وَ-كَـ-أَحْكَامِهَا","وَكَأَحْكَامِهِمْ"]·ben["এবং-তাদের-নিয়মগুলি-অনুসারে","এবং-তাদের-বিচারের-মতো","এবং-রীতি","চেহারা","তাঁর-রীতি","তাদের-রীতি-অনুসারে","নিয়ম","নিয়ম-অনুসারে-(এই)","নিয়মের-মতো","বিধি","বিধি-অনুসারে","বিধি-অনুসারে-তাদের","রীতি","রীতি-অনুসারে"]·DE["Gericht-von","gemaess-zu-Gericht-von","gemaess-zu-custom-von","gemaess-zu-der-custom","gemaess-zu-der-judgments","gemaess-zu-der-manner","gemaess-zu-ihr-Gericht","gemaess-zu-ihr-custom","manner-von","nach-der-Weise","sein-custom","und-Recht","und-custom-von","und-gemaess-zu-ihr-judgments","war-der-manner-von"]·EN["according-to-custom-of","according-to-judgment-of","according-to-the-custom","according-to-the-judgments","according-to-the-manner","according-to-their-custom","according-to-their-judgment","and-according-to-their-judgments","and-custom-of","and-like-their-arrangements","his-custom","judgment-of","manner-of","was-the-manner-of"]·FR["et-custom-de","et-jugement","et-selon-à-leur-judgments","fut-le-manner-de","jugement-de","manner-de","selon-à-coutume-de","selon-à-jugement-de","selon-à-le-custom","selon-à-le-judgments","selon-à-le-manière","selon-à-le-manner","selon-à-leur-custom","selon-à-leur-jugement","son-custom"]·heb["ו-כ-משפטיהן","ו-כ-משפטם","ו-משפט","כ-ה-משפט","כ-משפט","כ-משפטים","כ-משפטם","מִשְׁפַּט","משפט","משפט-ו"]·HI["अनुसार-रीति-उन-की","उस्क-तरिक","और-उनकी-रीति-के-अनुसार","और-के-अनुसार-रीतियों-उनकी","और-रीति","कम्मिश्पात-के-अनुसार","के-अनुसार-रीति","के-अनुसार-रीति-उनकी","के-अनुसार-रीतियों","नियम","नियम-के-अनुसार","न्याय","रीति","रीति-के-अनुसार","रीति-से","रूप"]·ID["Dan-kebiasaan","dan-menurut-hukum-hukum-mereka","dan-seperti-tata-letak-mereka","hak","hukum","kebiasaannya","menurut-cara","menurut-hukum-hukum","menurut-hukum-mereka","menurut-kebiasaan","rupa","seperti-kebiasaan","seperti-kebiasaan-mereka","sesuai-dengan-hukum"]·IT["e-giudizio","e-secondo-a-loro-giudizi","e-usanza-di","era-il-maniera-di","giudizio-di","maniera-di","secondo-a-custom-di","secondo-a-giudizio-di","secondo-a-il-giudizi","secondo-a-il-manner","secondo-a-il-usanza","secondo-a-loro-giudizio","secondo-a-loro-usanza","suo-usanza"]·jav["Lan-tata-cara","adat-nipun","kados-tatanan","lan-kados-aturané","lan-miturut-tatacara","miturut-adat","miturut-caraning","miturut-tata","miturut-tatacara","tatacara","tatanan","warni"]·KO["같은-방식으로","관습대로","규례대로","그들의-관습대로","그리고-관례","그리고-법도들-그들의-따라","그리고-처럼-그것들의-규례들","그의법도였다","모양-이냐","법대로","법도","법도-그들의-따라","법도-따라","법도가","법도들-따라","법도를"]·PT["aparência-de","como-costume","conforme-costume-seu","conforme-juízo-de","conforme-juízo-deles","conforme-o-costume","conforme-os-juízos","costume-dele","direito-de","e-como-seus-regulamentos","e-conforme-juízo-deles","juízo-de","segundo-costume-de","¶ E-costume-de"]·RU["вид","закон","закону","и-как-устройства-их","и-обычай","и-по-законам-их","обычай-его","по-обычаю","по-обычаю-их","по-обычаям","по-порядку","право"]·ES["Y-la-costumbre-de","como-costumbre-de","como-las-costumbres","como-su-costumbre","conforme-a-la-manera","costumbre-de","derecho-de","era-el-aspecto-de","según-costumbre","según-la-costumbre","según-la-costumbre-de","según-su-costumbre","su-costumbre","y-como-sus-ordenanzas","y-conforme-a-sus-ordenanzas"]·SW["desturi","desturi-ya","desturi-yake","kama-desturi","kama-desturi-yao","kulingana-na","kulingana-na-desturi","kulingana-na-desturi-zao","kwa-utaratibu","na-desturi","na-desturi-zake","na-mpangilio-wake","sura-ya"]·TR["-usulüne-göre","Ve-hükmü","geleneğe-göre","gibi-âdeti","gorunusu","göre-hukumlara","göre-hukumlarına","göre-hukumuna","hukumunu","hükmü","hükmünü","hüküm-gibi","ve-düzenlerine-göre","ve-hukumlarına","yasası","âdeti","âdetlerine-göre"]·urd["اور-جیسے-اُن-کے-احکام","اور-دستور","اور-کے-مطابق-شریعت-اُن-کی","اپنے-دستور-کے-مطابق","حلیہ","دستور","دستور-کے-مطابق","شریعت","طریقہ-اُس-کا","طریقے-اِس","طریقے-کے-مطابق","قانون","کے-مطابق-شریعت","کے-مطابق-شریعت-اُن-کی"]
Gen 40:13, Josh 6:15, Judg 18:7, 1 Sam 2:13, 1 Sam 8:9, 1 Sam 8:11, 1 Sam 10:25, 1 Sam 27:11, 1 Kgs 18:28, 2 Kgs 1:7, 2 Kgs 11:14, 2 Kgs 17:26 (+7 more)
▼ 6 more senses below
Senses
1. justice, righteousness — The abstract moral quality of justice and righteous governance. Arabic adl and Swahili haki both capture this normative ideal. When Abraham asks 'Shall not the Judge of all the earth do justice?' (Gen 18:25), or when Solomon is praised for administering justice and righteousness (2 Sam 8:15), this sense is in view — justice as the governing principle behind all legitimate authority. 134×
AR["الحُكْمَ","العَدل","العَدلَ","العَدلِ","العَدْلَ","الـ-حُكْمَ","الْحُكْمَ","الْعَدْلِ","بِ-العَدْلِ","حُكْمًا","حُكْمٍ","عَدلاً","عَدْلًا","عَدْلٌ","قَضاءً"]·ben["ইদোমীয়রা","ন্যায়","ন্যায়বিচার","বিচার","বিচারের"]·DE["Gericht","Recht"]·EN["are-just","justice"]·FR["droit","jugement","justice"]·heb["מִשְׁפָּט","משפט"]·HI["न्यय","न्याय","न्याय-के","न्याय-को","न्याय-से"]·ID["adalah-keadilan","keadilan"]·IT["giudizio","giustizia","justice"]·jav["kaadilan","pangadilan"]·KO["공의","공의-를","공의-와","공의-의","공의-이다","공의가","공의를","공의와","재판을"]·PT["a-justiça","justiça","juízo","o-juízo"]·RU["правосудие","справедливости","справедливость","суд","суда","суда,","суда."]·ES["el-juicio,","juicio","justicia","justicia."]·SW["haki","hukumu","ni-ya-haki"]·TR["adalet","adaleti","adaletin","adaletten","yargılamayı","yargıyı"]·urd["انصاف","انصاف سے","انصاف-سے","انصاف-کو","انصاف-کی","عدالت"]
Gen 18:25, 1 Sam 8:3, 2 Sam 8:15, 1 Kgs 3:11, 1 Kgs 3:28, 1 Kgs 10:9, 1 Chr 18:14, 2 Chr 9:8, Job 8:3, Job 19:7, Job 32:9, Job 34:12 (+38 more)
2. judgment, judicial decision — A concrete act of judging or a judicial verdict, whether human or divine. The multilingual evidence splits between Arabic hukm/qada (judicial ruling) and Korean jaepan/simpan (trial/judgment). Exodus 28:15 names the high priest's breastpiece the 'breastpiece of judgment,' linking this sense to theophanic decision-making. The eschatological dimension — God's coming judgment — extends naturally from the forensic setting. 119×
AR["الحُكمُ","القَضاءِ","القَضَاءِ","الْحُكْمَ","الْقَضَاءُ","حُكماً","حُكْمًا","حُكْمٍ","قَضَاءٍ","هِيَ"]·ben["ন্যায়বিচারের","বিচার","বিচার।","বিচারে","বিচারের"]·DE["Gerechtigkeit","Gericht","Recht"]·EN["judgment","justice"]·FR["jugement","justice"]·heb["משפט"]·HI["न्याय","न्याय-का","न्याय-की","न्याय-से","न्यायके।","मिश्पात"]·ID["Keadilan","dalam-hukum","hukum","hukuman","keadilan","kebenaran","penghakiman"]·IT["giudizio","giustizia"]·jav["Kaadilan","kaadilan","pangadilan","pangadilan,"]·KO["공의-가","공의-를","공의-와","공의를","규례","법령","심판-을","심판을","심판의","심판이","심판이니","재판-의","재판을","재판의"]·PT["Juízo","julgamento","justiça","juízo","o-juízo"]·RU["правосудие","приговор","суд","суда","судом"]·ES["Juicio","el-juicio","juicio","juicio?"]·SW["cha-hukumu","hukumu"]·TR["Hükmü","adalet","hüküm","hükümü","hükümün","yargi","yargı","yargılamayı","yargının"]·urd["انصاف","انصاف-کی","عدالت","عدالت-سے","عدالت-کا","عدالت-کی","فیصلہ","فیصلے-کا"]
Exod 28:15, Exod 28:29, Exod 28:30, Num 27:11, Num 35:12, Num 35:29, Deut 1:17, Deut 16:19, Deut 17:8, Deut 17:9, Deut 17:11, Josh 20:6 (+38 more)
3. ordinances, statutes (plural) — The plural form designating God's collected ordinances and covenant stipulations. Arabic ahkam and Korean beopdo-deul reflect this legislative plurality. Frequently paired with 'statutes' (huqqot) in Levitical and Deuteronomic literature (Lev 18:4; 26:46), these are the case-laws that flesh out Torah's principles into actionable communal norms binding Israel to her covenant Lord. 110×
AR["أَحْكامي","أَحْكَامِي","الأَحكامُ","الأَحكامِ","الْأَحْكَامَ","الْأَحْكَامِ","وَأَحْكَامَهُ"]·ben["আমার-নিয়মগুলি","আমার-ন্যায়","আমার-শাসন","এবং-তাঁর-বিধিসমূহ","বিচারগুলি","বিচারগুলো","বিধিগুলি","বিধিসমূহ","শাসনসমূহ-যে","সেই-বিচারগুলি","সেই-শাসন"]·DE["Rechte-von","der-Gerichte","in-Rechte-von","und-sein-Gerichte"]·EN["and-his-judgments","in-judgments-my","judgments-my","judgments-of-me","the-judgments"]·FR["dans-mes-jugements","et-son-jugements","le-jugements","les-jugements","mes-jugements"]·heb["ב-משפטי","ה-משפט","ה-משפטים","ו-משפטיו","משפטי"]·HI["-नियमों","अपने-नियमों","आज्ञाओं-मेरी","और-उसके-नियमों","नियम","नियमों","न्याय","न्यायों","में-मेरे-नियमों","मेरे-नियम","मेरे-नियमों"]·ID["dan-hukum-hukum-Nya","hukum-hukum","hukum-hukum-Ku","peraturan","peraturan-peraturan"]·IT["e-suo-giudizi","giudizi-di","il-giudizi","in-giudizi-di"]·jav["hukum-punika","kaadilan-Kula","lan-paukuman-paukuman-Nipun","pangadilan-pangadilan","paukuman-paukuman","pranatan","pranatan-pranatan","pranatan-pranatan,","prenatan-Kawula","wonten-ing-kaadilan-Kula"]·KO["그-규례들을","그-법도들을","그-법도들이니","그-법령들에-따라","그리고-그의-법도들과","나의-규례들을","나의-법도들을","내-법도들을"]·PT["as-ordenanças","e-seus-juízos","em-meus-juízos","juízos-meus","meus-juízos","os-julgamentos","os-juízos"]·RU["-законам","-законы","-суды","законам","законы","законы-Мои","заповеди-Мои","и-уставов-Его","которые","не","отвергли","соблюдайте","суды-Мои","уставов-моих","уставы-мои"]·ES["juicios-de-mí","los-juicios","mis-juicios","y-sus-juicios"]·SW["hukumu","hukumu-za","hukumu-zangu","na-hukumu-zake","sheria-zangu","zangu"]·TR["-yargıların","hükümler","hükümlere","hükümleri","hükümlerimi","korusunlar","ve-hükümlerine-göre","ve-yargılarını","yargıları","yasalarımı"]·urd["-احکام","احکام","احکام-میرے","احکام-میرے-کو","ان-قانونوں","اور-اس-کے-قوانین","فیصلوں","فیصلے","میرے-احکام","میرے-فیصلوں"]
4. prescribed ordinance, regulation — A single prescribed regulation or procedural rule governing ritual or civic life. Where sense 3 is collective, this is the individual ordinance — 'according to the ordinance' (Exod 21:9, 31). German Ordnung and Arabic farida both capture the prescriptive force. These rulings establish standard procedure for everything from sacrifice (Lev 5:10) to the tabernacle's construction pattern (Exod 26:30). 34×
AR["كَ-ال-عادَةِ","كَ-الحُكمِ","كَ-الحُكْمِ","كَ-الْ-حُكْمِ","كَ-الْحُكْمِ","كَ-رَسْمِهِ","كَالْحُكْمِ","كَالْعَادَةِ","كَحُكْمٍ","كَـ-الْـ-قَضَاءِ","كَـ-قَضَائِهَا","كَـ-قَضَائِهِمْ","وَ-لِ-شَريعَةٍ","وَ-مِشْفَاطَ"]·ben["-নিয়ম-অনুসারে","-বিধি-অনুসারে","এবং-ন্যায়বিচার","এবং-বিচারের-জন্য","কা-মিশপাত","কা-মিশপাতাম","কে-মিশপাতাম","খুঁজেছিলাম-তাঁকে","নিয়ম-অনুযায়ী","নিয়ম-অনুসারে","প্রত্যেকজন","বিচারের-মতো","বিধি-অনুসারে"]·DE["gemaess-zu-der-Gericht","gemaess-zu-der-Ordnung","gemaess-zu-ihr-Ordnung","gemaess-zu-sein-duty","und-Gericht","und-fuer-ordinance","wie-Recht"]·EN["according-to-his-duty","according-to-ordinance","according-to-the-judgment","according-to-the-ordinance","according-to-their-ordinance","and-for-ordinance","and-judgment"]·FR["et-jugement","et-pour-ordinance","jugement","selon-l'ordonnance","selon-le-jugement","selon-le-ordonnance","selon-leur-ordonnance","selon-à-le-ordonnance","selon-à-son-duty"]·heb["ו-ל-משפט","ו-משפט","כ-ה-משפט","כ-משפט","כ-משפט-ו"]·HI["अनुसार-न्याय-के","अपनी-विधि-के-अनुसार","और-नियम","और-विधि","नियम-अनुसार","नियम-के-अनुसार","विधि-के-अनुसार"]·ID["dan-hukum","dan-peraturan","menurut-aturan","menurut-hukum","menurut-ketetapan","menurut-ketetapan-mereka","menurut-peraturan","sesuai-aturan","sesuai-tugasnya"]·IT["e-giudizio","e-per-ordinanza","giudizio","secondo-a-il-giudizio","secondo-a-il-ordinanza","secondo-a-loro-ordinanza","secondo-a-suo-duty","secondo-il-giudizio","secondo-il-ordinanza"]·jav["lan-pranata","lan-ukum","miturut-angger-angger","miturut-kuwajiban","miturut-pranatan","miturut-pranatanipun","miturut-pranatonipun","miturut-ukuran"]·KO["같이-그-규례","같이-그-법도","규례대로니라","그-규례-대로","그-규례대로","그것들의-규례대로","그것들의-규례대로니라","그리고-규례를","그리고-에게-규례","그의-규례대로","법도-에-따라","법령-에-따라","에-규례-의","에-그-법대로"]·PT["como-a-ordenança","conforme-a-ordenança","conforme-o-costume","conforme-o-juízo","conforme-o-regulamento","conforme-ordenança-deles","conforme-sua-obrigação","e-juizo","e-por-ordenança"]·RU["и-в-закон","и-закон","как-положено","по-закону","по-повинности-своей","по-предписанию","по-уставу","по-уставу-их","по-установлению"]·ES["conforme-a-la-ordenanza","conforme-a-su-ordenanza","conforme-al-juicio","según-el-juicio","según-juicio-de-ellos","según-la-ordenanza","y-ordenanza","y-por-ordenanza"]·SW["kama-hukumu","kama-ilivyoamuliwa","kama-ilivyopangwa","kama-sheria","kaּmiּshpaּt","kulingana-na-sheria","kwa-hukumu","kwa-taratibu","kwa-utaratibu","kwa-utaratibu-wake","kwa-utaratibu-wao","na-amri","na-desturi"]·TR["-e-göre-yasaya","-hüküme-göre","-hükümlerine-göre-onların","görevine-göre","hükme-göre","kurala-göre","kuralına-göre-","ve-hüküm","ve-hüküm-olarak","yönteme-göre"]·urd["اور-حکم","اپنے-حصّے-کے-مطابق","حکم-کے-مطابق","دستور-کے-مطابق","ضابطے-اُن-کے-مطابق","ضابطے-کے-مطابق","قاعدے-کے-مطابق","قانون-کے-مطابق","کے-مطابق-طریقہ"]
Exod 15:25, Exod 21:9, Exod 21:31, Exod 26:30, Lev 5:10, Lev 9:16, Num 9:14, Num 15:24, Num 29:6, Num 29:18, Num 29:21, Num 29:24 (+22 more)
6. sense 6 — A rightful due, entitlement, or legal claim owed to a person by custom or law. In Deut 18:3 this is the priest's rightful portion from sacrifices; in Deut 21:17 it is the firstborn's double-share inheritance right. Jer 32:7–8 uses it of Jeremiah's redemption right to a family field. The multilingual glosses — English 'right/due,' Spanish 'derecho,' German 'Recht' — consistently point to a sense of legitimate entitlement rather than judicial process. 4×
AR["حَقَّ","حَقُّ","حُكْمُ"]·ben["অধিকার","বিচার"]·DE["Recht","due-von","rechts-von"]·EN["due-of","right-of"]·FR["droit-de","due-de","jugement"]·heb["משפט"]·HI["अधिकार","न्याय"]·ID["hak"]·IT["destra-di","due-di","giudizio"]·jav["hak"]·KO["권리","규례가","규례이다"]·PT["direito-de","pertence-direito-de"]·RU["право"]·ES["derecho-de","es-el-derecho-de"]·SW["haki","haki-ya"]·TR["hakkı"]·urd["حق"]
7. legal case, lawsuit — A specific legal dispute, cause, or lawsuit brought before a judge for adjudication. Arabic da'wa/qadiyya and Korean sageon/songsa isolate this forensic-procedural sense. Numbers 27:5 records the daughters of Zelophehad bringing their 'case' before Moses, while Ps 35:23 and Isa 50:8 invoke God as the one who will champion the psalmist's or servant's legal cause. 4×
AR["حُكْمِي","دَعْوَاهُنَّ","دَعْوَايَ","لِ-دَعْوايَ"]·ben["-আমার-বিচারের","আমার-বিচার","আমার-বিচারের-জন্য","তাদের-মামলা"]·DE["Rechte-von","ihr-case","zu-mein-Gericht"]·EN["my-case","their-case","to-my-justice"]·FR["jugements-de","leur-case","à-mes-jugements"]·heb["ל-משפט-י","משפט","משפטי"]·HI["मुकदमा-उनका","मेरा-मुकदमा","मेरे-मुकद्दमे-का","लिए-न्याय-मेरे"]·ID["perkara-Ku","perkara-mereka","perkaraku"]·IT["a-giudizi-di","giudizi-di","loro-case"]·jav["kanggé-ngadili-kula","prakara-kaliyan-Ingsun","prakaranipun","prakawis-kawula"]·KO["그들의-사건-을","나-의-송사-를-위하여","나의-재판의","내-재판-을"]·PT["julgamento-delas","meu-juízo","para-meu-julgamento"]·RU["дело-их","для-суда-моего","суд-мой","тяжбы-Моей"]·ES["causa-de-ellas","mi-causa","mi-juicio?","para-mi-juicio"]·SW["haki-yangu","kwa-haki-yangu","shauri-lao","wa-daawa-yangu"]·TR["davamı","davanin","davasını-onların","yargım-için"]·urd["مقدمہ-اُن-کا","میرا-مقدمہ","میرے-انصاف-کے-لئے","میرے-مقدمے-کا"]
BDB / Lexicon Reference
מִשְׁפָּט422 n.m. Gn 40:13 judgment;—abs. מִשְׁפָּט Ex 21:31 + 203 times, + לְ ִ֯שְׁפָּט Ez 44:24 (but read Kt לִשְׁפֹּט with 𝔊 𝔗 𝔖 Co al.); cstr. מִשְׁפַּט Ex 23:6 + 50 times; sf. מִשְׁפָּטִ�� Is 40:27 +; מִשְׁפָּטָם Je 49:12 +; מִשְׁפָּטָן Nu 27:5; pl. מִשְׁפָּטִים Je 4:12 + 34 times; sf. מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ Dt 33:10 +, etc.;— 1. judgment: a. act of deciding a case: מ׳ belongeth to God Dt 1:17, is…