B-Hebrew: The Biblical Hebrew Forum

If you look at this dictionary link for רעה,
https://biblehub.com/hebrew/7463a.htm
there is a word that means "wickedness", but there are no actual quotes with the word. Did this word exist as "wickedness"?

I found the word meaning evil as a noun in Genesis 19:19, 44:4, and 26:29, but I don't know why it is listed in that dictionary as a different noun.

According to the link you posted, it gives the translation of NASB.
So they translate the word רעה as wickedness 39 times.
I checked just two cases for example
Judges 20:3
Judges 9:56&57
Genesis 6:5

Kenneth Greifer wrote: ↑Wed Aug 04, 2021 7:41 am Did this word exist as "wickedness"?

Do you mean to ask if רעה meant "wickedness" at any point in the Bible? It is obvious that a Hebrew word 2,700 years ago did not exist as an English word. I'm not sure how you're approaching this. As David said, the word רעה is translated 39 times in the New American Standard Bible (NASB) by the English word "wickedness." I don't know what the difference is between "evil" and "wickedness" in English. Do you have them as different concepts in your thinking?

So, if one translation uses "evil" and another "wickedness," wouldn't that be up to the taste of the translator?

David and Jason,

The reason I asked the question was that the word was listed in the Hebrew dictionary on Biblehub in a strange place. I found it listed under Strong's number 7463, but there were no quotes listed under that number. I also found the word later listed under number 7451 with many quotes using that word. I was confused about why they did that.
When I asked if it was used as "wickedness", I meant that I could not find the word 7451 where it is translated as evil or bad. I don't know why I wrote "wickedness." I was in a hurry, I guess, and I just wrote that word.

Jason Hare wrote: ↑Wed Aug 04, 2021 3:16 pm

Kenneth Greifer wrote: ↑Wed Aug 04, 2021 7:41 am Did this word exist as "wickedness"?

So, if one translation uses "evil" and another "wickedness," wouldn't that be up to the taste of the translator?

Jason, there is a very subtle difference difference almost imperceptible. They can be interchangeabe yes. But here are some subtle differences:

1 Evil is more of an abstract reality where as wickedness would necessarily involve some action or actions by human activity.
2.Evil carries with it a sense of total darkness in absolute, no room for turning away or saying sorry, wickedness can be un-done so to speak if the perpetrator so wishes.
3. Evil lays the emphasis on the spiritual realm with human activity included whereas wickedness would would feel the emphasis on the human activity but still not exclude the spiritual realm.
4. Evil is more of a state and wickedness is the result of being evil.

I know it seems like I am nit-picking, but I am trying to convey a multitude of feelings that's all. At the end of the day both words to a foreigner would still convey the same un-adulterated meaning.

Chris watts

You might find the difference between Hosea 10 : 13 and 10 : 15 interesting? or not. just thought I would throw it in.

חֲרַשְׁתֶּם־רֶ֛שַׁע עַוְלָ֥תָה קְצַרְתֶּ֖ם אֲכַלְתֶּ֣ם פְּרִי־כָ֑חַשׁ כִּֽי־בָטַ֥חְתָּ בְדַרְכְּךָ֖ בְּרֹ֥ב גִּבּוֹרֶֽיךָ

כָּ֗כָה עָשָׂ֤ה לָכֶם֙ בֵּֽית־אֵ֔ל מִפְּנֵ֖י רָעַ֣ת רָֽעַתְכֶ֑ם בַּשַּׁ֕חַר נִדְמֹ֥ה נִדְמָ֖ה מֶ֥לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל

chris watts

Kenneth Greifer wrote: ↑Wed Aug 04, 2021 7:41 am If you look at this dictionary link for רעה,
https://biblehub.com/hebrew/7463a.htm
there is a word that means "wickedness", but there are no actual quotes with the word. Did this word exist as "wickedness"?

There is a word “‎רשע to be guilty from doing unjust actions ⇒ to be wicked”

As for רעה, it has the basic meaning of “displeasing”, the opposite of טוב pleasing. However, it is often used in the context of what is displeasing to God, and what is displeasing to God is injustice, fraud, and other actions that can be called evil. As such it can be recognized as a synonym for “evil”. However, that which can cause displeasure can be punishment from God, and punishment from God, though displeasurable, is good, not evil.

Karl W. Randolph.

Edit:

I was also confused with the numbers
I now see that there is the same number with "a".
I will write it again in another post.

David,

I didn't even think to look up Strong's numbers! I see "Strong XXXX" and I just ignore it. Didn't think that the mistake would be related to which number was being consulted.

Next time, I guess I'll try to locate those numbers. I don't even know how to search with the numbers, so it'll be a learning experience.