וָזָר
crime
Definition
The Hebrew noun וָזָר (vâzâr) denotes a 'crime' or 'guilty act,' specifically referring to a deed that is crooked, perverse, or morally twisted. Its sole biblical occurrence in Proverbs 21:8 describes the path of a guilty person as 'crooked and strange,' directly linking the word to the concept of deviant, culpable behavior. While often glossed simply as 'crime,' the context emphasizes the inherent distortion and alienation from right conduct that such an act represents.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only once in the entire Old Testament, in Proverbs 21:8. It appears in a wisdom context contrasting the paths of the guilty and the pure. The verse states: 'The way of a guilty man is crooked and strange (וָזָר), but as for the pure, his work is right.' Its usage is thus confined to poetic, proverbial literature, specifically to illustrate the twisted nature of a life lived in guilt.
Etymology
The etymology of וָזָר is uncertain. Lexicons suggest it is derived from an unused Hebrew root meaning 'to bear guilt' or 'to be crooked.' This proposed root connection aligns perfectly with its attested meaning of 'crime' or a guilty, perverse act. The word appears to be a rare, possibly archaic term preserved in the wisdom tradition.
Semantic Range
Though used only once, וָזָר contributes to the biblical theme of the 'two ways'—the path of righteousness versus the path of wickedness. It concretely defines the guilty life not just as wrong, but as fundamentally 'crooked and strange' (Proverbs 21:8), alienated from God's straight and pure order. Understanding this Hebrew term enriches the reading of Proverbs by highlighting how sin is portrayed as a distortion of one's very path in life.
In the context of ancient Israelite wisdom literature, actions were often described in terms of paths or ways. A 'crooked' path was a powerful metaphor for social and moral disorder, contrary to the 'straight' path of covenant faithfulness and wisdom. Calling a deed וָזָר ('strange' or 'crooked') framed it as deviant from the community's understood norms of justice and upright behavior.
פֶּשַׁע (peshaʿ, H6588) — transgression, rebellion; a willful breach of trust. עָוֹן (ʿavon, H5771) — iniquity, guilt; often implying perversity or crookedness. חַטָּאת (chattaʾth, H2403) — sin, missing the mark; a general term for wrongdoing.
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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