H6233 H6233
Oppression or extortion; the unjust exploitation of others, especially the vulnerable, for gain.
The noun ʿōsheq captures the full spectrum of social injustice from systemic exploitation to individual extortion. Jeremiah indicts Jerusalem because 'oppression and violence' are heard within her walls (Jer 6:6), and Ezekiel repeatedly charges Israel's leaders with ʿōsheq against the alien, orphan, and widow (Ezek 22:7, 12, 29). The psalmist prays for deliverance 'from human oppression' (Ps 119:134) and warns against trusting in extortion's profit (Ps 62:10). Ecclesiastes observes that oppression can make a wise person mad (Eccl 7:7) and notes the tears of the oppressed who have no comforter (Eccl 5:8). Isaiah promises the restored city will know ʿōsheq no more (Isa 54:14). The concrete sense of ill-gotten gain appears in Leviticus 6:4, where the defrauder must restore what was taken by ʿōsheq.
Senses
1. oppression, extortion — The act, condition, or proceeds of oppression and extortion—unjust exploitation of others through abuse of power. The word functions both abstractly (the state of being oppressed, Isa 54:14; Ps 119:134) and concretely (the gain obtained by extortion, Lev 6:4; Ps 62:10). Prophets deploy it as a covenant-violation charge against Israel's leaders (Jer 6:6; 22:17; Ezek 22:7, 29), while wisdom literature reflects on its corrosive social effects (Eccl 5:8; 7:7). Spanish 'opresión' and English 'oppression' consistently capture both dimensions. 15×
AR["-المَظْلُومَ", "الأَرْضِ", "الظُلْمَ", "الظُّلْمَ", "الظُّلْمِ", "بِالظُّلْمِ", "بِـ-الظُّلْمِ", "ظُلْمًا", "ظُلْمٌ", "ظُلْمٍ", "على-الظُّلمِ", "عَنِ-الظُّلْمِ", "مِنْ-ظُلْمِ"]·ben["-আমাকে-থেকে-অত্যাচার", "-শোষণের", "জুলুম", "জুলুম-থেকে", "জুলুমে", "জুলুমে-", "নিপীড়ন", "শোষণ"]·DE["[בעשק]", "[העשק]", "[מעשק]", "[עשק]", "der-oppression", "in-oppression", "oppression", "von-oppression-von"]·EN["by-oppression", "from-oppression", "from-oppression-of", "in-oppression", "oppression", "oppression-of", "the-oppression", "with-oppression"]·FR["[בעשק]", "[העשק]", "[מעשק]", "[עשק]", "dans-oppression", "de-oppression", "le-oppression", "oppression"]·heb["ב-עושק", "ה-עושק", "מ-עושק", "עושק"]·HI["अत्याचार", "अत्याचार-पर", "अत्याचार-से", "पर-अत्याचार", "में-अत्याचार", "शोषण"]·ID["dari-penindasan", "dengan-pemerasan", "dengan-penindasan", "pada-penindasan", "pemerasan", "penindasan"]·IT["[בעשק]", "[עשק]", "il-il-oppression", "il-oppression", "oppression-of", "oppressione"]·jav["dhateng-panindhas", "ing-panyiksa", "ing-tindhes", "panggawé-sawiyah", "panindas", "panindhas", "panindhesan", "panyiksa", "penindasan", "penipuan", "saking-panindhesané", "saking-penekanan", "tindasan"]·KO["-압제로", "그-압제에", "그-억압한-것을", "압제", "압제-그", "압제-를", "압제-에", "압제-에서", "압제를", "압제에서-", "압제와", "압제이다", "에-압제와"]·PT["a-extorsão", "a-opressão", "com-opressão", "da-opressão", "de-opressão", "em-opressão", "opressão", "opressão-de"]·RU["на-насилие", "на-притеснение", "от-угнетения", "притеснение", "притеснением", "с-притеснением", "твоих", "угнетение"]·ES["con-opresión", "de-opresión", "de-opresión-de", "en-opresión", "la-opresión", "lo-defraudado", "opresión", "opresión-de"]·SW["dhuluma", "dhuluma-ya", "katika-udhulumu", "kutokana-na-udhalimu", "kwa-udhalimu", "udhalimu", "udhulumu", "ukandamizaji"]·TR["-soymayı", "ezilmesini", "zorbalık", "zorbalıkla", "zulme", "zulme-", "zulmünden", "zulum", "zulumden", "zulüm", "zulümde"]·urd["بَ-ظُلم", "ظلم", "ظلم-سے", "ظلم-پر"]
Related Senses
H7965 1. peace, absence of conflict (198×)H3467 1. save, deliver, rescue (Hifil active) (156×)H5127 1. flee, run away (Qal) (144×)G1515 1. peace, well-being, harmony (93×)H8002 1. peace offering(s) (87×)G4982 1. save spiritually, grant salvation (79×)H3444 1. salvation, deliverance (67×)H4422 1. Nifal: escape, flee (63×)H1272 1. flee, run away (Qal) (58×)H6869b 1. distress, trouble (57×)G4991 1. of salvation (46×)G2347 1. tribulation, affliction, distress (45×)H0983 1. security, safety, confidence (42×)H6031b 1. Piel: afflict, oppress (42×)H6040 1. affliction, misery, suffering (36×)H3468 1. salvation, deliverance (33×)G5343 1. flee, run away (28×)H3467 2. savior, deliverer (Hifil participle substantive) (28×)H8668 1. salvation, deliverance (27×)H8252 1. be quiet, be at rest (26×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† עֹ֫שֶׁק n.m. Ec 7:7 oppression, extortion;—ע׳ abs. Je 6:6 +, cstr. ψ 119:134 Ec 5:7;— 1. Je 6:6; 22:17; Ez 22:7, 12 ψ 73:8; c. genit. subj. 119:134, obj. Ec 5:7; as acc. cogn. c. עָשַׁק (q.v.) Ez 18:18; 22:29. 2. national oppression, Is 54:14. 3. concr., gain of extortion ψ 62:11, so perhaps Ec 7:7; as acc. cogn. Lv 5:23 (‖ גָּזֵל).—Is 30:12; 59:13 read עִקֵּשׁ Lag Gr al.