Basic HTML Version
prefers the word “honesty” in the text itself. The
NEB
reads “fair offer” instead. Finally,
the
NIV
has: “And my honesty [
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] will testify for me in the future, whenever you
check on the wages you have paid me.” On the other hand “righteousness” as an abstract
or as the legal status of a relationship is also present in the Old Testament. The
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is Gen. 15:6: “… And he [the Lord] counted it to him [Abraham] for
righteousness.”
Regrettably, in a discussion of the dynamic versus the static sense of the word, one or
the other wins out, though both elements are present. The books of Psalms and of the
prophets particularly use the sense of “righteousness” as a state; cf. “Hearken to me, ye
that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the Lord: look unto the rock whence ye are
hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged” (Isa. 51:1); and “My righteousness
is near; my salvation is gone forth, and mine arms shall judge the people; the isles shall
wait upon me, and on mine arm shall they trust” (Isa. 51:5). The
NEB
exhibits this tension
between dynamic and static in the translation of
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“My victory [instead of
righteousness] is near, my deliverance has gone forth and my arm shall rule the nations;
for me coasts and islands shall wait and they shall look to me for protection” (Isa. 51:5).
Thus, in the discussion of the two nouns below the meanings lie between the dynamic
and the static.
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and
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are legal terms signifying justice in conformity with the legal
corpus (the Law; Deut. 16:20), the judicial process (Jer. 22:3), the justice of the king as
judge (1 Kings 10:9; Ps. 119:121; Prov. 8:15), and also the source of justice, God
Himself: “Judge me, O Lord my God, according to thy righteousness; and let them not
rejoice over me.… And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all
the day long” (Ps. 35:24, 28).
The word “righteousness” also embodies all that God expects of His people. The
verbs associated with “righteousness” indicate the practicality of this concept. One
judges, deals, sacrifices, and speaks righteously; and one learns, teaches, and pursues
after righteousness. Based upon a special relationship with God, the Old Testament saint
asked God to deal righteously with him: “Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy
righteousness unto the king’s son” (Ps. 72:1).
The Septuagint gives the following translations:
(“those who are upright, just,
righteous, conforming to God’s laws”);
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(“righteousness; uprightness”); and
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(“land deed; alms; charitable giving”). The
KJV
gives the senses
“righteousness; justice.”
C. Adjective.
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(
(
, 6662), “righteous; just.” This adjectival form occurs 206 times in
biblical Hebrew. In Old Aramaic the adjective signifies “loyalty” of a king or high priest
to his personal god, often represented by a gift to the god. Similarly in Phoenician, the
noun and adjective apply to the loyal relationship of the king before the gods. The word
is used of God in Exod. 9:27: “I have sinned this time: the Lord is righteous, and I and
my people are wicked.”
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is used of a nation in Gen. 20:4: “… And he said, Lord,
wilt thou slay also a righteous nation?”