רְמִיָּה
remissness, treachery
Definition
The Hebrew noun רְמִיָּה (rᵉmîyâh) primarily denotes a state of slackness, deceit, or treachery. It describes both moral failure in relationships—such as deceitful speech (Psalm 120:2-3) or treachery against God (Psalm 78:57)—and practical negligence, like being slack or remiss in one's duties (Proverbs 12:27). In some contexts, it carries the sense of being idle or slothful, as in Ezekiel 18:8, where it contrasts with righteous conduct. The word encompasses a range of negative behaviors from internal apathy to active betrayal.
Biblical Usage
This word appears 15 times in the Old Testament, predominantly in the poetic and wisdom books (Psalms, Proverbs, Job) and in Ezekiel. It is used to describe deceitful tongues (Psalm 120:2-3), treachery against God's covenant (Psalm 78:57), and the character of the wicked (Psalm 101:7). In Job, it contrasts with integrity (Job 27:4). The usage often highlights a breach of trust, whether in human relationships or in one's faithfulness to God.
Etymology
Derived from the root רָמָה (rāmâ, H7411), meaning 'to deceive, throw, or shoot.' The noun form רְמִיָּה conveys the resulting state or quality—deceitfulness, slackness, or treachery. Cognates in other Semitic languages support senses of throwing or casting, which metaphorically extended to 'casting off' duty or 'throwing' someone with deceit.
Semantic Range
This word is theologically significant as it addresses human sinfulness in terms of unfaithfulness and moral failure. It contrasts sharply with God's attributes of truth and faithfulness, underscoring the breach in covenant relationship (Psalm 78:57). Understanding רְמִיָּה enriches reading by highlighting how slackness or deceit is not merely a social fault but a spiritual offense against God, relevant to doctrines of sin, repentance (Psalm 32:2), and the call to integrity in Proverbs and the Psalms.
In ancient Israelite culture, faithfulness and reliability in speech and action were paramount for maintaining social and covenant bonds. רְמִיָּה would have been understood as a serious character flaw that undermined community trust and divine relationship, more severe than mere laziness—implying active betrayal or negligent unfaithfulness.
שֶׁקֶר (sheqer, H8267) — focuses on falsehood or lying as concrete untruth. כָּזָב (kāzāv, H3577) — denotes a lie or deception, often in prophetic contexts. מִרְמָה (mirmâ, H4820) — means deceit or treachery, closely overlapping but sometimes with more cunning connotation.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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