צְדָקָה157 H6666
Righteousness, justice; right conduct before God and society; concrete righteous acts or deeds of vindication
One of the Hebrew Bible's towering moral concepts, tsedaqah denotes conformity to a standard of right — whether God's own character, the covenant relationship, or the demands of justice in society. When Abram believed God's promise, it was 'counted to him as tsedaqah' (Gen 15:6), establishing the word's theological weight for millennia. Kings are measured by whether they execute 'justice and tsedaqah' (2 Sam 8:15; Jer 22:3), and prophets thunder against those who turn it to wormwood (Amos 5:7; 6:12). In the plural, tsidqot shifts from abstract quality to concrete acts — the 'righteous deeds of the LORD' recounted at tribal gatherings (Judg 5:11; 1 Sam 12:7) or the 'filthy rags' of human efforts (Isa 64:6). Arabic birr and German Gerechtigkeit both capture the moral weight, though no single translation conveys the full range from legal verdict to covenant faithfulness.
1. righteousness, moral uprightness — The abstract moral quality of righteousness — conformity to God's standard of right, covenant faithfulness, and ethical uprightness — covering 145 of 159 occurrences. This encompasses both divine and human righteousness: God's saving righteousness (Ps 24:5; Isa 45:8; 46:13), the righteousness credited to Abram's faith (Gen 15:6), royal justice executed alongside mishpat (2 Sam 8:15; Isa 9:7), and personal moral conduct (Deut 6:25; Ezek 18:19-22). Arabic birr, Spanish justicia, and Korean uiro converge on this core ethical-relational meaning. The word functions as both a relational term (right standing before God) and a behavioral one (right action in society). 145×
AR["البِرَّ","البِرّ","الْبِرَّ","الْبِرِّ","بِرًّا","بِرٌّ","بِرٍّ","بِرّ","حَقٌّ"]·ben["অধিকার","ধার্মিকতা","ধার্মিকতাকে","ধার্মিকতাগুলিকে","ধার্মিকতার","ধার্মিকতার-কাজ"]·DE["Gerechtigkeit","als-Gerechtigkeit"]·EN["righteousness"]·FR["justice"]·heb["צדקה","צדקות"]·HI["अधिकार","धरमिक्त","धार्मिकता","धार्मिकता-के","धार्मिकता-को","धार्मिकता-से"]·ID["Kebenaran","kebenaran"]·IT["giustizia"]·jav["hak","kaadilan","kabeneran"]·KO["의-를","의-와","의-의","의로","의로운-일들-을","의로움-은","의로움-을","의로움-의","의로움-이","의로움이","의를","의와"]·PT["Justiça","a-justiça","justiça","justiças","retidão"]·RU["в-праведность","праведности","праведность","право"]·ES["Justicia","derecho","justicia","justicias","rectitud"]·SW["haki","uadilifu"]·TR["adaleti","doğruluk","doğrulukları","doğrulukta","doğruluğu","doğruluğun","hak"]·urd["حق","راستبازی","راستبازی کی","راستبازی-سے","راستبازی-کی"]
Gen 15:6, Gen 18:19, Deut 6:25, Deut 24:13, 2 Sam 8:15, 2 Sam 19:28, 1 Kgs 10:9, 1 Chr 18:14, 2 Chr 9:8, Job 37:23, Ps 11:7, Ps 24:5 (+38 more)
▼ 2 more senses below
Senses
2. righteous acts, deeds of righteousness — The plural form tsidqot designating concrete righteous acts, saving deeds, or acts of vindication — 13 occurrences where righteousness moves from quality to event. The 'righteous acts of the LORD' celebrated in Deborah's song (Judg 5:11) and Samuel's farewell address (1 Sam 12:7) recount specific historical interventions. Isaiah 64:6 inverts the pattern: even our tsidqot are like filthy garments. Korean uiroun haengwideul ('righteous acts') and Swahili matendo ya haki ('deeds of justice') consistently pluralize into concrete actions, confirming the shift from abstract quality to enumerable deeds. 13×
AR["(بِرُّهُ)","[بِرِّه]","أَبْرَارِنَا","بِرَّ","بِرَّاتِ","بِرَّاتِهِ","بِرَّنَا","بِرُّهُ","بِرِّكَ","بِرِّنَا","بِـ-الْبِرِّ","صِدْقَاتِ"]·ben["(তার-ধার্মিকতাগুলি)","[তার-ধার্মিকতা]","আমাদের-ধার্মিকতা","আমাদের-ধার্মিকতাগুলি","তার-ধার্মিকতা","তোমার-ধার্মিকতার","ধার্মিক-কাজগুলি","ধার্মিকতা","ধার্মিকতা-","ধার্মিকতায়"]·DE["-der-gerecht-acts-von","Gerechtigkeit","righteousnesses-von"]·EN["-the-righteous-acts-of","his-righteous-deeds","in-righteousness","our-righteousness","our-righteousnesses","righteousness-of","righteousness-of-him","righteousnesses-his","righteousnesses-of","your-righteousnesses"]·FR["-le-juste-acts-de","justice","righteousnesses-de"]·heb["[צדקותיו]","צדקות","צדקותיו","צדקותיך","צדקותינו"]·HI["उसकी-धार्मिकता","तेरी-धार्मिकता","धार्मिक-कार्यों","धार्मिकता-में","धार्मिकता-हमारी","धार्मिकताएँ","धार्मिकताएँ-उसकी","में-उसके-लिए","हमारी-धार्मिकता"]·ID["dalam-kebenaran","keadilan","kebenaran-Mu","kebenaran-kami","kebenaran-kebenaran-nya","kebenaran-kebenarannya","kebenaran-kita","perbuatan-perbuatan-benar-kami","perbuatan-perbuatan-kebenaran"]·IT["-il-giusto-acts-di","giustizia","righteousnesses-di"]·jav["(kamursidan-kamursidanipun)","[kamursidanipun]","kaadilan","kabecikan-ipun","kabeneran","kabeneran-Paduka","kabeneran-ipun","kabeneran-kawula","kabeneran-kita","kaleresan","kaleresan-kula-sedaya"]·KO["[의로움이]","그-의로움들이","그의-의들이","그의-의로움들이","당신-의-의-들-을","우리-의-의들-을","우리의-의가","의로운-행동들","의로운-행동들-을","의로운-행위들-을","의로운-행위들을","의로움들로","의를-우리의"]·PT["(justiças-dele)","justiças","justiças-de","justiças-dele","justiças-nossas","nossas-justiças","suas-justiças","tuas-justiças"]·RU["(праведные-дела-его)","[ктив]","в-праведности","о-праведных-делах","правду","праведности-Твоей","праведность-его","праведность-наша","праведность-нашу","праведные-дела","праведные-дела-его"]·ES["(sus-justicias)","en-justicias","justicias-de","justicias-de-nosotros","justicias-de-ti","justicias-de-él","nuestra-justicia","nuestras-justicias","sus-justicias"]·SW["haki-yake","haki-yako","haki-yetu","haki-zetu","kwa-haki","matendo-ya-haki","matendo-ya-haki-ya","matendo-yake-ya-haki","yake-yote","zetu-zote"]·TR["(doğrulukları)","aşağı","dogrrulukla","dogurulcukalrimiz","doğru-işlerini","doğrulukları","doğruluklarımızın","doğruluklarına","doğruluklarını","doğruluğumuzu"]·urd["(اُس-کی-راستبازیاں)","(راستبازیاں-اُس-کی)","[راستبازی]","تیری-راستبازی","راستبازی-میں","راستبازیاں","راستبازیاں-اُس-کی","راستبازیوں","صداقتیں","ہماری-راستبازیوں"]
Judg 5:11, Judg 5:11, 1 Sam 12:7, Isa 33:15, Isa 64:6, Jer 51:10, Ezek 3:20, Ezek 18:24, Ezek 18:24, Ezek 33:13, Dan 9:16, Dan 9:18 (+1 more)
3. sense 3 — A single occurrence in Nehemiah 2:20 where tsedaqah appears in a declaration of legitimate right or rightful claim — Nehemiah asserts that certain opponents have 'no portion, nor right (tsedaqah), nor memorial in Jerusalem.' Here the word functions closer to 'legal right' or 'legitimate stake' rather than moral uprightness per se. Spanish derecho and German Gerechtigkeit hover between 'right' and 'righteousness,' capturing the ambiguity of a term that bridges moral and legal standing. 1×
AR["وَ-لا-حَقٌّ"]·ben["এবং-অধিকার"]·DE["und-Gerechtigkeit"]·EN["and-right"]·FR["et-justice"]·heb["ו-צדקה"]·HI["या-अधिकार"]·ID["dan-hak"]·IT["e-giustizia"]·jav["lan-hak"]·KO["그리고-권리가"]·PT["e-direito"]·RU["и-права"]·ES["y-derecho"]·SW["wala-haki"]·TR["ve-hak"]·urd["اور-حق"]
Related Senses
H2896a 1. good (quality or moral) (305×)H7563 1. wicked person (259×)H7451c 1. moral evil or wickedness (234×)H5771 1. iniquity, sin, wrongdoing (222×)H6662 1. righteous person (substantive) (195×)G0266 1. sin, failure, transgression (173×)H2403b 1. sin, transgression (170×)H2617a 1. Covenant faithfulness, steadfast love (167×)H2398 1. Qal: to sin, commit sin (165×)G5485 1. grace, divine favor (141×)H7451a 1. morally evil, wicked (129×)H2403b 2. sin-offering, sacrifice for sin (120×)H6664 1. righteousness, justice (116×)G2570 1. good, right, excellent (98×)G1343 1. (92×)H6588 1. transgression, offense against God (88×)G0018 1. good (moral quality) (85×)H2896b 1. good, what is good (85×)H7451b 1. evil, wickedness (moral) (83×)H7451a 2. evil, harm, calamity (80×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
צְדָקָה157 n.f. righteousness;—abs. צ׳ Gn 15:6 + 81 times; cstr. צִדְקַת Dt 33:21 + 5 times; sf. צִדְקָתִי Gn 30:33 +, etc.; pl. צְדָקוֹת Is 33:15 + 3 times; cstr. צִדְקוֹת Ju 5:11 +; sf. צִדְקֹתֶיךָ Dn 9:16, etc.;— 1. righteousness, in government: a. of judge, ruler, king: ‖ משׁפט Is 5:7; 9:6; Am 5:7; 6:12; משׁפט וצ׳ 2 S 8:15, עשׂה D. executed justice and righteousness = 1 Ch 18:14, cf. 1 K 10:9…