H6663 H6663
To be righteous or in the right; to declare righteous, justify, acquit, or vindicate; the central verb of biblical justice and righteousness.
Tsadaq is the verbal engine behind the entire biblical vocabulary of righteousness and justice. In its Qal stem, it describes the state of being in the right — Tamar is 'more righteous than' Judah (Gen 38:26), and Job agonizes over whether any mortal can 'be righteous before God' (Job 9:2). The Hifil and Piel stems shift to declaration: judges 'acquit' the righteous (Deut 25:1), and woe to those who 'declare the wicked righteous' for a bribe (Isa 5:23). Paul's entire argument in Romans and Galatians about justification by faith draws on the Septuagint's rendering of this word as dikaioo. The multilingual evidence is illuminating: Arabic yatazakkaa preserves reflexive purification, Korean 의롭다 captures the stative quality, while Spanish justificar and German rechtfertigen both follow the forensic-declarative path of the Hifil.
6. sense 6 — The Niphal passive at Daniel 8:14: 'the sanctuary shall be vindicated/restored to its rightful state.' This single occurrence uses the passive to describe the sanctuary being set right or cleansed after desecration. Spanish será justificado and the multilingual pattern of passive forms confirm a passive-vindication reading, though the exact nuance — cleansed, vindicated, or restored — has been debated since antiquity. The sense is corporate and cultic rather than individual and forensic. 1×
AR["وَ-يُبَرَّرُ"]·ben["এবং-পুনরুদ্ধার-হবে"]·DE["[ונצדק]"]·EN["and-shall-be-vindicated"]·FR["et-justifier"]·heb["ו-ניצדק"]·HI["और-शुद्ध-किया-जाएगा"]·ID["maka-disucikan"]·IT["[ונצדק]"]·jav["lan-dipun-sucèkaken"]·KO["그리고-회복될-것이다"]·PT["e-será-purificado"]·RU["и-будет-очищено"]·ES["y-será-justificado"]·SW["na-itakuwa-sawa"]·TR["ve-arınacak"]·urd["اور-پاک-کیا-جائے-گا"]
▼ 5 more senses below
Senses
1. be righteous, be in the right — The Qal stative sense: to be righteous, be in the right, have a just cause. This is the root meaning — a person's moral or legal standing as correct before God or human judgment. Tamar 'is more righteous than I' (Gen 38:26); 'how can a mortal be righteous before God?' (Job 4:17; 9:2). In Ezekiel 16:52 even Sodom is said to be 'more righteous' by comparison. Arabic sadaqa ('to speak truth, be sincere') preserves the root's connection to truthfulness and uprightness, while Korean 의롭다 and Hindi dharmii both select stative-quality adjectives rather than action verbs. 22×
AR["أَتَبَرَّرُ","تَبَرَّرتَ","تَبَرَّرتُ","تَبَرَّرْتُ","تَتَبَرَّرَ","تَتَبَرَّرَ؟","تَتَبَرَّرْنَ","عَدِيلَةٌ","وَإِنْ-تَبَرَّرْتُ","يَتَبَرَّرَ","يَتَبَرَّرُ","يَتَبَرَّرُونَ"]·ben["আমি-ধার্মিক","এবং-আমি-ধার্মিক-হই","তুমি-ধার্মিক-হও","ধার্মিক","ধার্মিক-গণিত-হবে","ধার্মিক-হও","ধার্মিক-হও-তুমি","ধার্মিক-হতে-পারে","ধার্মিক-হবে","ধার্মিক-হবে-তারা","নির্দোষ-হব"]·DE["[אצדק]","[וצדקתי]","[יצדק]","[יצדקו]","[צדקת]","[צדקתי]","[תצדק]","[תצדקנה]","du-sind-justified","ist-gerecht","sie-sind-gerecht"]·EN["I-am-righteous","You-are-justified","am-righteous","and-I-am-righteous","be-justified","be-righteous","can-be-righteous","is-righteous","they-are-righteous","will-be-justified","you-are-right","you-are-righteous","you-may-be-justified","you-may-be-righteous"]·FR["et-justifier","justifier"]·heb["אצדק","ו-צדקתי","ייצדק","יצדק","יצדקו","צדקו","צדקת","צדקתי","תצדק","תצדקנה"]·HI["और-मैं-धर्मी-होता","तू-धर्मी-ठहरे","तू-धर्मी-हो","धर्मी-ठहरूँगा","धर्मी-ठहरे","धर्मी-ठहरें","धर्मी-ठहरेंगे","धर्मी-ठहरेगा","धर्मी-हूँ-मैं","धर्मी-है-तू","धर्मी-होगा","धार्मिक-हैं","मैं-धर्मी-होता"]·ID["Aku benar","adil","akan-dibenarkan","aku-benar","benar","dan-benar","dibenarkan","engkau benar","engkau menjadi benar","engkau-benar","engkau-dibenarkan","ia-benar","mereka-lebih-benar"]·IT["[תצדקנה]","e-giustificare","essere-giusto","fu-giusto","giustificare"]·jav["Kula-leres","Panjenengan-leres?","adil","badhé-kaanggep-leres","dados-leres","dados-mursid","kawula-badhé-dipun-leresaken","kawula-leres","kula","lan-kawula-leres","leres","panjenengan-kaanggep-leres","panjenengan-leres","piyambakipun-dados-leres"]·KO["그들이-의롭게-되리라","그리고-내가-의로웠어도","내가-의로웠어도","내가-의롭다","네가-의로웠다면","네가-의롭다","네가-의롭다고","의로우리라","의로운-자-가-되겠느냐","의로운가","의롭게-되면","의롭겠느냐","의롭다-하라-너자신을","의롭다-하며","의롭도다","의롭지","주-께서-의로우시다-하리니"]·PT["Estou-justo","e-fui-justo","estás-certo","fosses-justo","fui-justo","me-justificar","se-justificará","seja-justo","sejas-justificado","sejas-justificado?","sejas-justo","sejas-justo?","serei-justificado","será-justificado","será-justo","será-mais-justo","serão-justificados","são-justos","são-mais-justas"]·RU["будет-прав","будешь-прав","был-прав-Ты","и-праведен-я","оправдается","оправдался-ты","оправдан-буду","оправдаться","оправдаюсь-я","оправдаются","прав","прав-ты","прав-я","праведен-ты","праведны","праведны-они"]·ES["Y-si-soy-justo,","eres-justo","fuera-justo,","me-justifico,","se-justificará","sea-justo","seas-justificado","seas-justo","seas-justo?","será-justificado?","será-justo","serán-justificados","seré-justificado","son-justos","son-más-justas","soy-justo","tienes-razón"]·SW["atahibitiwa-haki","atakuwa-mwadilifu","atakuwa-mwenye-haki","awe-mwenye-haki","na-nimekuwa-mwenye-haki","niko-mwenye-haki","nina-haki","nitakuwa-mwenye-haki","ujihesabie-haki","una-haki","uthibitike-haki","uwe-haki","uwe-mwadilifu","wanaonekana-wenye-haki","watahesabiwa-haki","za-haki"]·TR["doğru-olabilir","doğru-oldular","doğru-oldun","doğru-olsam","doğru-olur","doğru-olursun","doğrulanır","doğrulanırım","doğrulur","hakli-cikacak","hakli-cikasin","haklı-çıkasın","haklı-çıkmanın","haklısın","haklıyım","hem","ve-doğru-davrandım"]·urd["اور-راستباز-ہوں","برحق-ہیں","تو راستباز ہے","تو-راست-ٹھہرے","تو-راستباز-ہو","تُو راستباز ہو","تُو-راستباز-ٹھہرے","راستباز ہو","راستباز-ٹھہروں-گا","راستباز-ٹھہریں-گے","راستباز-ٹھہرے","راستباز-ٹھہرے-گا","راستباز-ہو","راستباز-ہوگا","راستباز-ہوں","میں راستباز ہوں","وہ-راستباز-ہوں-گی"]
2. declare righteous, acquit (Hifil) — The Hifil declarative-forensic sense: to declare righteous, justify, acquit, or vindicate in a legal proceeding. This is the courtroom sense — a judge pronouncing the verdict 'righteous.' Exodus 23:7 warns against acquitting the guilty; Deuteronomy 25:1 prescribes that judges 'shall justify the righteous and condemn the wicked.' Solomon prays that God will 'justify the righteous' at the temple (1 Kgs 8:32). Spanish justificar, French justifier, and German rechtfertigen all follow this forensic-declarative framework, reflecting the enormous influence this sense had on Western legal and theological vocabulary. 11×
AR["أَنْصِفُوا","أُبَرِّئُ","أُبَرِّرَ","المُبَرِّئِينَ","فَأُنصِفُهُ","مُبَرِّرٌ","مُبَرِّرِي","وَ-لِ-تُبَرِّئَ","وَ-لِـ-تُبَرِّرَ","وَيُبَرِّئُونَ","يُبَرِّرُ"]·ben["-আমার-ধার্মিক-গণনাকারী","-ধার্মিক-করে","আমি-ধার্মিক-গণ্য-করি","আর-ধার্মিক-বলতে","এবং-নির্দোষ-করে","এবং-ন্যায়-করতাম-তাকে","এবং-ন্যায্য-ঘোষণা-করতে","ধার্মিক-করব","ধার্মিক-করবেন","ন্যায়-দাও","যে-ধার্মিক-ঘোষণা-করে"]·DE["[אצדיק]","[ולהצדיק]","[יצדיק]","[מצדיקי]","ich-wird-justify","und-ich-wuerde-tue-ihn-Recht","und-sie-declare-gerecht","und-zu-justify","vindicate","von-Gerechter"]·EN["I-declare-righteous","I-will-justify","and-I-would-do-him-justice","and-they-declare-righteous","and-to-justify","is-the-One-who-justifies-me","justifying","those-justifying","vindicate","will-justify"]·FR["Je---justify","[ולהצדיק]","et-ils-declare-juste","et-je-ferait-fais-lui-droit","et-à-justify","justifier","le-justifier"]·heb["אצדיק","הצדיקו","ו-הצדיקו","ו-הצדקתי-ו","ו-ל-הצדיק","יצדיק","מצדיק","מצדיקי"]·HI["और-धर्मी-ठहराएंगे","और-धर्मी-ठहराने","और-निर्दोष-ठहराने-को","और-मैं-न्याय-करता-उसे","धर्मी-ठहराएगा","धर्मी-ठहराओ","धर्मी-ठहराने-वाला-मेरा","धर्मी-ठहराने-वाले","धर्मी-ठहरानेवाला","निर्दोष-ठहराउंगा","मैं-धर्मी-ठहराऊँ"]·ID["Aku membenarkan","Membenarkan","Yang-membenarkan","akan-membenarkan","aku-membenarkan","benarkan","dan-aku-akan-membenarkan","dan-membenarkan","dan-untuk-membenarkan","yang-membenarkan-Aku"]·IT["[ולהצדיק]","e-a-justify","e-essi-declare-giusto","e-io-vorrebbe-fa-lui-giustizia","essere-giusto","fu-giusto","giustificare","io-will-justify"]·jav["Ingkang-mbeneraken-Ingsun","Ingkang-mbéner-aken","Kawula-badhé-mbeneraken","badhé-mbeneraken","benerana","lan-kanggé-mbeneraken","lan-kula-mbeneraken-piyambakipun","lan-mbeneraken","mbeneraken","tiyang-kang-mbeneraken"]·KO["그리고-그들이-의롭다-하고","그리고-의롭게-하려고-","그리고-의롭다-하시되","그리고-정의를-행하리라","나를-의롭게-하시는-자가","내가-의롭다하다","의롭게-하는-자들이여","의롭게-하라","의롭게-하리라","의롭다-하는-자와"]·PT["O-que-justifica","e-faria-justiça-a-ele","e-justificarão","e-para-justificar","fazei-justiça","justificadores-do","justificarei","justificará","o-que-me-justifica","vos-justificar!"]·RU["и-оправдать","и-оправдаю-его","и-оправдают","и-оправдывая","оправдает","оправдаю","оправдывайте","оправдывающие","оправдывающий","оправдывающий-Меня"]·ES["El-que-justifica","Los-que-justifican","declararé-justos","el-que-me-justifica","haced-justicia","justificará","justificaré","y-justificaren","y-le-haría-justicia","y-para-declarar-justo","y-para-justificar"]·SW["anayemhesabia-haki","atahesabiwa-haki","na-kumhesabia-haki","na-kumhesabu-haki","na-ningemhesabia-haki","na-watamhalalisha","nitamhesabia-haki","nitawahesabia-haki","wanaomhesabia-haki","wapeni-haki","yeye-anayenihesabia-haki"]·TR["Aklayanlara","aklayacak","aklayan","aklayan-beni","doğrularım","haklı-çıkarın","temize-çıkaracağım","ve-aklamak-için","ve-haklı-çıkarırdım-onu","ve-haklı-çıkarırlarsa"]·urd["انصاف-دو","اور-انصاف-دیتا-اُسے","اور-حق-پر-ٹھہرائیں","اور-راستباز-ٹھہرانے-کو","اور-راستباز-ٹھہرانے-کے-لیے","راست-ٹھہراؤں-گا","راست-ٹھہرانے-والے","راستباز ٹھہراؤں","راستباز-ٹھہرائے-گا","راستباز-ٹھہرانے-والا","میرا-راستباز-ٹھہرانے-والا"]
3. justify, declare righteous (Piel) — The Piel intensive-declarative sense: to justify, vindicate, or pronounce righteous with emphatic or iterative force. Job 32:2 criticizes Job for 'justifying himself' rather than God; Jeremiah 3:11 declares that faithless Israel has 'justified herself' more than treacherous Judah; Ezekiel 16:51-52 accuses Jerusalem of making her sisters 'appear righteous' by comparison. The Piel intensifies the declaration — it is not merely a verdict but an emphatic vindication or self-justification. German sich rechtfertigen and Spanish justificarse both capture this reflexive-intensive dimension. 5×
AR["بَرَّرَتْ","تَبريرَكَ","تَبريرِهِ","فِي-تَبْرِيرِكِ","وَبَرَّرْتِ"]·ben["আর-ধার্মিক-করলে","তার-ধার্মিকতা-প্রমাণ","তোমার-ধার্মিকতা","ধার্মিক-করায়-তুমি","ধার্মিক-করেছে"]·DE["Gerechtigkeit","[בצדקתך]","[ותצדקי]","[צדקו]","[צדקך]"]·EN["and-you-justified","has-justified","he-justified","in-justifying-you","to-justify-you"]·FR["et-justifier","justice","justifier","justifier-lui"]·heb["ב-צדקתך","ו-תצדיקי","צדקו","צדקך","צידקה"]·HI["और-धर्मी-ठहराया-तूने","धर्मी-ठहराना-तुझे","धर्मी-ठहराने","धर्मी-ठहरी","में-धर्मी-ठहराने-तेरे"]·ID["Membenarkan","dan-engkau-membenarkan","karena-engkau-membenarkan","kebenaranmu","membenarkan"]·IT["[בצדקתך]","[ותצדקי]","giustificare","giustificare-suo","giustizia"]·jav["kabeneran-panjenengan","kanthi-ndadosaken-bener-panjenengan","lan-panjenengan-ndadosaken-bener","mbeneraken","mbeneraken-ipun"]·KO["그리고-너는-의롭게-하였다","너의-의로움을","네가-의롭게-함에-","의롭게-했다","의롭다-함이"]·PT["Justificou-se","ao-justificares","e-justificaste","justificar","justificar-te"]·RU["Оправдала","и-оправдала","когда-оправдываешь","оправдание-им","оправдания-твоего"]·ES["Se-ha-justificado","al-justificar-tú","justificarse","justificarte","y-justificaste"]·SW["amejihesabia-haki","kujihesabia-haki","kukuhesabia-haki","kwa-kuwafanya-waonekane-wenye-haki","na-ukawafanya-waonekane-wenye-haki"]·TR["akladı","aklamasi-yüzünden","haklı-çıkmamı-senin","ve-akladın"]·urd["اور-تُو-نے-راستباز-ٹھہرایا","اپنے-راستباز-ٹھہرانے-سے","تیری راستبازی","راستباز ٹھہرانے","راستباز-ٹھہری"]
4. sense 4 — The Hifil participial sense at Daniel 12:3: 'those who turn many to righteousness' — using the causative stem to mean leading or guiding others into a state of righteousness. This goes beyond forensic declaration into active moral transformation of others. Spanish los que hacen justos ('those who make righteous') and English 'those turning to righteousness' both capture this causative-educational nuance. A distinctive eschatological use linking wisdom teachers with the shining of stars. 1×
AR["وَ-مُبَرِّرُو"]·ben["ও-যারা-ধার্মিক-করেছে"]·DE["[ומצדיקי]"]·EN["and-those-turning-to-righteousness"]·FR["et-justifier"]·heb["ו-מצדיקי"]·HI["और-धर्मी-ठहरानेवाले"]·ID["dan-yang-membenarkan"]·IT["[ומצדיקי]"]·jav["lan-tiyang-ingkang-ndadosaken-bener"]·KO["그리고-의롭게-하는-자들이"]·PT["e-os-que-justificam"]·RU["и-оправдывающие"]·ES["y-los-que-hacen-justos"]·SW["na-wanaowageuza"]·TR["ve-aklayan-edenler"]·urd["اور-راستباز-بنانے-والے"]
5. sense 5 — The Hitpael reflexive at Genesis 44:16: 'how shall we justify ourselves?' — Judah's anguished rhetorical question before Joseph when the cup is found in Benjamin's sack. The reflexive stem means to clear oneself, to mount a self-defense. Spanish justificarnos and German uns rechtfertigen both mark the reflexive, while the context makes clear this is not claiming innocence but despairing of any possible self-exoneration. 1×
AR["نَتَبَرَّأُ"]·ben["নির্দোষ-প্রমাণ-করব"]·DE["uns-rechtfertigen"]·EN["shall-we-justify-ourselves"]·FR["--nous-justify-nous-mêmes"]·heb["נצטדק"]·HI["निर्दोष-ठहरें-हम"]·ID["kami-akan-membenarkan-diri"]·IT["shall-noi-justify-noi-stessi"]·jav["kita-saged-mbeneraken-badhan"]·KO["의로움을-밝히리오"]·PT["justificar-nos-emos"]·RU["оправдаемся"]·ES["nos-justificaremos?"]·SW["kumwasilianisha"]·TR["aklanalım"]·urd["ثابت-کریں-بے-گناہی-ہم"]
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† [צָדֵק, צָדֹק] vb. denom. be just, righteous;— Qal Pf. 3 fs. צָֽדְקָה Gn 38:26; 2 ms. צָדַקְתָּ Jb 33:12; 35:7, etc.; Impf. 3 ms. יִצְדַּק Jb 9:2 +; יִצְדָּ֑ק Jb 4:17; 11:2; 3 fpl. תִּצְדַּקְנָה Ez 16:52 (𝔊 Co תְּצַדְּקִין, not Berthol Toy Krae), etc.;— 1. have a just cause, be in the right, Jb 9:15, 20; 13:18; 34:5; in complaint Jb 33:12; c. מִן pers. Gn 38:26 (J; of Tamar). 2. be justified,…