H7853 H7853
To accuse, act as adversary; denominative from 'satan,' describing the role of legal or spiritual opposition.
A denominative verb from the noun 'satan' (adversary), meaning to act as an accuser or opponent. All six occurrences cluster in the Psalms and Zechariah, painting a courtroom-like scene of accusation. In Zechariah 3:1, the Satan stands at the right hand of Joshua the high priest 'to accuse him' — the infinitive construct captures the purposeful, adversarial stance. The Psalms use it of human enemies who repay good with accusation (Ps 109:4) and who function as hostile prosecutors (Ps 71:13; 109:20, 29). The consistent Spanish 'adversarios' and English 'accusers' confirm the legal-forensic register of this verb.
Senses
1. accuse, act as adversary — To act as an adversary, accuse, or oppose in a quasi-legal sense. Derived from the noun 'satan' (adversary/accuser), this verb carries forensic overtones of formal opposition. The Spanish 'adversarios' and French 'accuser' preserve the courtroom flavor. In Zechariah 3:1, the infinitive 'to accuse him' describes the Satan's prosecutorial role before the divine tribunal. The Psalms deploy it for human enemies who relentlessly oppose the righteous: they are 'my accusers' (Ps 71:13; 109:20, 29), and their hostility replaces the love the psalmist showed them (Ps 109:4; cf. Ps 38:20). 6×
AR["خُصومي", "لِيُقَاوِمَهُ", "مُخاصِمو-", "يُعادونَني"]·ben["আমার-বিরোধীদের", "আমার-বিরোধীরা", "তারা-আমাকে-বিরোধিতা-করে", "বিরোধিতা-করতে", "বিরোধিতা-করে-আমাকে", "যারা-বিরোধিতা-করে"]·DE["[לשטנו]", "accuse-mich", "der-accusers-von", "mein-accusers", "sie-accuse-mich"]·EN["accuse-me", "my-accusers", "the-accusers-of", "they-accuse-me", "to-accuse-him"]·FR["accuser"]·heb["ישטנו-אותי", "ישטנוני", "ל-שטון אותו", "שוטני", "שוטניי"]·HI["दोष-लगाने-के-लिए।", "मेरे-विरोधियों-का", "मेरे-विरोधी", "विरोध-करते-हैं-मेरा", "विरोधी", "शत्रुता-करते-हैं-मुझ-से"]·ID["lawan-lawan-ku", "mereka-memusuhi-ku", "untuk-menyerang-dia", "yang-menentang"]·IT["[לשטנו]", "accuso'"]·jav["mungsuh-mungsuh-kula", "nglawan-piyambakipun", "sami-mungsuh-kula", "sami-nglawan-kula", "tiyang-ingkang-nglawan"]·KO["나-를-대적하는-자들-의", "나-를-대적하는-자들-이", "대적하나이다-나-를", "대적하는-자들-이", "대적하도다-나-를", "대적하려고"]·PT["de-meus-acusadores", "me-acusam", "meus-acusadores", "os-adversários", "para-acusá-lo", "são-adversarios-meus"]·RU["нападают-на-меня", "обвинители-мои", "обвинителям-моим", "обвиняют-меня", "противиться-ему", "противники"]·ES["los-adversarios-de", "me-acusan", "me-son-adversarios", "mis-adversarios", "para-acusarle"]·SW["kumshitaki", "wananipinga", "wananishitaki", "wanaoninshitaki", "washtaki"]·TR["düşman-olurlar-bana", "hasimları-", "itham-etmek-için-onu", "suçlayıcılarım", "suçlayıcılarımın", "suçluyorlar-beni"]·urd["دشمنی-کرتے-ہیں-مجھ-سے", "دشمنی-کرتے-ہیں-میرے-ساتھ", "مخالف", "مخالفت-کرنے-کو", "میرے-مخالف", "میرے-مخالفوں-کا"]
Related Senses
H4941 1. justice, righteousness (134×)H4941 2. judgment, judicial decision (119×)H4941 3. ordinances, statutes (plural) (110×)H8199 1. to judge, adjudicate (98×)G2919 1. judge, pass judgment (76×)H8199 2. judge (person, office-holder) (61×)G2920 1. judgment / condemnation (48×)H7378 1. Qal: quarrel, contend, strive (42×)H4941 4. prescribed ordinance, regulation (34×)G1832 1. it is lawful, it is permitted (32×)G2917 1. judgment, condemnation (27×)G2919 2. be judged, stand trial (27×)H5360 1. vengeance, retribution (27×)H7378 2. Qal: plead, defend, litigate (22×)G2723 1. accuse, bring charges against (20×)G2923 1. judge (one who judges/decides) (19×)G2632 1. condemn, pass judgment against (18×)H1777 1. judge, adjudicate (18×)H1576 1. recompense, retribution (17×)H5359 1. vengeance, retribution (17×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† [שָׂטַן] vb.denom. (Gerber30) be or act as adversary;— Qal Impf. 3 mpl. sf. יִשְׂטְנוּנִי ψ 38:21; 109:4; Inf. cstr. sf. לְשִׂטְנוֹ Zc 3:1; Pt. pl. cstr. שֹטְנֵי ψ 71:13, sf. שֹטְנַי 109:20, שׂוֹטְנַי v 29.