מִשְׁפָּט
mish.pat
justice: judgement
Lexicon Entry
Lexicon data from STEPBible TIPNR, Tyndale House, Cambridge. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
What Original Readers Understood
Explored# Mishpat: Justice and Judgment in Hebrew Scripture The Hebrew word *mishpat* (H4941) appears 216 times throughout the Bible, making it a central concept in biblical thought. Its dual definition—"justice" and "judgment"—reflects a single underlying meaning: the process and outcome of determining what is right and proper. Rather than representing two separate ideas, these definitions describe complementary aspects of the same function: the act of making judgments that establish justice. The frequency of *mishpat*'s occurrence across biblical texts underscores its significance as a foundational value in Hebrew religious and social life. Its prominence suggests that concepts of fairness, proper judgment, and righteous determination were consistently important themes for biblical writers and communities. The word's dual definition indicates that in Hebrew thought, justice was not an abstract ideal but a concrete practice—the rendering of verdicts and decisions that reflected what was considered right and equitable.
Source data & methodology
Occurrences in Scripture
216 total occurrences across the text — showing 50
I will not any more remove the foot of Israel from off the land which I have appointed for your fathers, if only they will observe to do all that I have commanded them, even all the law, the statutes, and the ordinances given by Moses.”
2 Chronicles 35:13They roasted the Passover with fire according to the ordinance. They boiled the holy offerings in pots, in cauldrons, and in pans, and carried them quickly to all the children of the people.
Ezra 3:4They kept the feast of booths, as it is written, and offered the daily burnt offerings by number, according to the ordinance, as the duty of every day required;
Ezra 7:10For Ezra had set his heart to seek Yahweh’s law, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel.
Nehemiah 1:7We have dealt very corruptly against you, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the ordinances, which you commanded your servant Moses.
Nehemiah 8:18Also day by day, from the first day to the last day, he read in the book of the law of God. They kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, according to the ordinance.
Nehemiah 9:13“You also came down on Mount Sinai, and spoke with them from heaven, and gave them right ordinances and true laws, good statutes and commandments,
Nehemiah 9:29and testified against them, that you might bring them again to your law. Yet they were arrogant, and didn’t listen to your commandments, but sinned against your ordinances (which if a man does, he shall live in them), turned their backs, stiffened their neck, and would not hear.
Nehemiah 10:29joined with their brothers, their nobles, and entered into a curse, and into an oath, to walk in God’s law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of Yahweh our Lord, and his ordinances and his statutes;
Job 9:32For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, that we should come together in judgment.
Job 13:18See now, I have set my cause in order. I know that I am righteous.
Job 14:3Do you open your eyes on such a one, and bring me into judgment with you?
Job 22:4Is it for your piety that he reproves you, that he enters with you into judgment?
Job 34:23For he doesn’t need to consider a man further, that he should go before God in judgment.
Job 40:8Will you even annul my judgment? Will you condemn me, that you may be justified?
Psalms 1:5Therefore the wicked shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
Psalms 7:6Arise, Yahweh, in your anger. Lift up yourself against the rage of my adversaries. Awake for me. You have commanded judgment.
Psalms 9:16Yahweh has made himself known. He has executed judgment. The wicked is snared by the work of his own hands.
Psalms 10:5His ways are prosperous at all times. He is arrogant, and your laws are far from his sight. As for all his adversaries, he sneers at them.
Psalms 17:2Let my sentence come out of your presence. Let your eyes look on equity.
Psalms 18:22For all his ordinances were before me. I didn’t put away his statutes from me.
Psalms 19:9The fear of Yahweh is clean, enduring forever. Yahweh’s ordinances are true, and righteous altogether.
Psalms 35:23Wake up! Rise up to defend me, my God! My Lord, contend for me!
Psalms 36:6Your righteousness is like the mountains of God. Your judgments are like a great deep. Yahweh, you preserve man and animal.
Psalms 48:11Let Mount Zion be glad! Let the daughters of Judah rejoice because of your judgments.
Psalms 119:84How many are the days of your servant? When will you execute judgment on those who persecute me?
Psalms 76:9when God arose to judgment, to save all the afflicted ones of the earth.
Psalms 81:4For it is a statute for Israel, an ordinance of the God of Jacob.
Psalms 89:30If his children forsake my law, and don’t walk in my ordinances;
Psalms 97:8Zion heard and was glad. The daughters of Judah rejoiced because of your judgments, Yahweh.
Psalms 105:5Remember his marvelous works that he has done: his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth,
Psalms 105:7He is Yahweh, our God. His judgments are in all the earth.
Psalms 119:7I will give thanks to you with uprightness of heart, when I learn your righteous judgments.
Psalms 119:13With my lips, I have declared all the ordinances of your mouth.
Psalms 119:20My soul is consumed with longing for your ordinances at all times.
Psalms 119:30I have chosen the way of truth. I have set your ordinances before me.
Psalms 119:39Take away my disgrace that I dread, for your ordinances are good.
Psalms 119:43Don’t snatch the word of truth out of my mouth, for I put my hope in your ordinances.
Psalms 119:52I remember your ordinances of old, Yahweh, and have comforted myself.
Psalms 119:62At midnight I will rise to give thanks to you, because of your righteous ordinances.
Psalms 119:75Yahweh, I know that your judgments are righteous, that in faithfulness you have afflicted me.
Psalms 119:102I have not turned away from your ordinances, for you have taught me.
Psalms 119:106I have sworn, and have confirmed it, that I will obey your righteous ordinances.
Psalms 119:108Accept, I beg you, the willing offerings of my mouth. Yahweh, teach me your ordinances.
Psalms 119:120My flesh trembles for fear of you. I am afraid of your judgments.
Psalms 119:137You are righteous, Yahweh. Your judgments are upright.
Psalms 119:156Great are your tender mercies, Yahweh. Revive me according to your ordinances.
Psalms 119:160All of your words are truth. Every one of your righteous ordinances endures forever.
Psalms 119:164Seven times a day, I praise you, because of your righteous ordinances.
Psalms 119:175Let my soul live, that I may praise you. Let your ordinances help me.