H5557 H5557
Twist, pervert, overthrow (Piel); to distort justice, subvert moral order, or ruin the way of the wicked.
A Piel verb meaning to twist, pervert, or overturn, used in both legal and wisdom contexts. In the Torah, it describes how a bribe 'perverts' the words of the righteous (Exod 23:8; Deut 16:19), a principle so vital it is stated twice. In wisdom literature, it takes on a broader moral dimension: folly 'subverts' a person's way (Prov 19:3), wickedness 'overthrows' the sinner (Prov 13:6), and God Himself 'overturns' the plans of the treacherous (Prov 22:12). Job 12:19 extends it to the cosmic realm where God 'overthrows' even powerful leaders.
Senses
1. twist, pervert, overthrow (Piel) — To twist, pervert, or overturn in either a judicial or moral sense. The legal usage appears in Exod 23:8 and Deut 16:19 where a bribe 'perverts' (yesallef) the cause of the righteous -- the Spanish 'trastorna' and French 'perverts' both capture this distortion of justice. The wisdom usage in Proverbs broadens the scope: Prov 19:3 says a person's own folly 'subverts' his path; Prov 13:6 declares wickedness 'overthrows' the sinner; and Prov 22:12 affirms that the LORD 'subverts' the affairs of the treacherous. In Job 12:19 God leads priests away stripped and 'overthrows' the mighty, using the same verb for divine reversal of human power. 7×
AR["تُحَوِّلُ", "وَ-تُحَرِّفُ", "وَ-يُبْطِلُ", "يَقْلِبُ", "يُسْقِطُ", "يُطْرَحُ"]·ben["উলটায়", "উল্টিয়ে-দেয়", "এবং-উল্টিয়ে-দেন", "এবং-বিকৃত-করে", "তিনি-উলটে-দেন", "বিকৃত-করে"]·DE["[ויסלף]", "[יסלף]", "[מסלף]", "[תסלף]", "und-perverts"]·EN["and-perverts", "but-he-overthrows", "he-overthrows", "overthrows", "overturns", "perverts"]·FR["et-perverts", "et-renverser", "renverser"]·heb["ו-יסלף", "יסלף", "מסלף", "תסלף"]·HI["उलटनेवाला", "उलटा-देता-है", "उलटाती-है", "और-बिगाड़ता-है", "और-बिगाड़ती", "टेढ़ी-करती-है", "परंतु-पलटती-हैं"]·ID["Ia-menjatuhkan", "dan-Ia-menumbangkan", "dan-membelokkan", "dan-memutarbalikkan", "membelokkan", "menghancurkan", "menumbangkan"]·IT["e-ma-egli-overthrows", "e-perverts", "he-overthrows", "overthrows", "overturns", "perverts"]·jav["lan-muter-balik", "nanging-njungkiraken", "ngwangsulaken", "njungkelaken", "njungkiraken", "nyimpang", "sarta-nyimpangaken"]·KO["그러나-뒤집으시느니라-그-가", "그리고-뒤틀리게-한다", "그리고-왜곡하느니라", "넘어뜨리느니라-그-가", "뒤집는다", "뒤집으신다", "비뚤는니라"]·PT["e-perverte", "e-transtorna", "o-que-subverte", "perverte", "subverte"]·RU["а-низвергает", "и-извращает", "искривляет", "низвергает"]·ES["arruina", "derriba.", "pero-él-trastorna", "pervierte", "tuerce", "y-pervierte"]·SW["anawaangusha", "huangusha", "lakini-hupindua", "na-inapotosha", "na-kupotosha", "unampindua", "unapotosha"]·TR["bozar", "deviren", "devirir", "devirır", "fakat-altüst-eder", "ve-çarpıtır"]·urd["الٹ-دیتی-ہے", "الٹا-دیتا-ہے", "اور-اُلٹ-دیتا-ہے", "اور-بگاڑ-دیتی-ہے", "اور-بگاڑتی-ہے", "ٹیڑھی-کرتی-ہے", "گرانے-والا"]
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)G0575 1. from (649×)G1223 1. through, by means of (582×)H3541 1. thus, so, in this manner (569×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† [סָלַף] vb. twist, pervert, overturn (𝔗 סְלַף twist (rare); Arabic سَلَفَ is pass, pass away, come to naught Lane 1407 f.);— Pi. Impf. 3 ms. יְסַלֵּף Jb 12:19 + 2 times, וַיְסַלֵּף Pr 22:12; 3 fs. תְּסַלֵּף Pr 13:6; 19:3; Pt. מְסַלֵּף Pr 21:12;— 1. pervert, Ex 23:8 (E) a bribe perverteth the case (cause, דִּבְרֵי) of righteous, = Dt 16:19. 2. subvert, turn upside down, ruin (only WisdLt): c.…