Word study
Right
23 Hebrew and 11 Greek words behind this English word
The original-language words that the Berean Standard Bible translates with one of these: right, rights. English often uses one word where Hebrew or Greek has several, each with its own shade of meaning. Under each word are verses where it is translated this way; choose the word itself for its full study: every verse, how else it is translated, the forms it takes and what the dictionaries say.
At a glance
How often each original word is translated “right” or one of its forms.
Compare the Hebrew words side by side Compare the Greek words side by side
Hebrew and Aramaic words (Old Testament)
- יָמִין yâmînright handtranslated this way 119 times of its 132 uses · Strong’s H3225Noun · Translated: right hand 59, right 47, south 9, south side 4Full study and all 128 verses →
Genesis 13:9 Is not the whole land before you? Now separate yourself from me. If you go to the left, I will go to the right; if you go to the right, I will go to the left.”
Exodus 14:22 and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with walls of water on their right and on their left.
- יָשָׁר yâshârstraight, righttranslated this way 45 times of its 119 uses · Strong’s H3477Adjective · Translated: upright 54, right 41, seems right 4, Jashar 2Full study and all 119 verses →
Exodus 15:26 saying, “If you will listen carefully to the voice of the LORD your God, and do what is right in His eyes, and pay attention to His commands, and keep all His statutes, then I will not bring on you any of the diseases I inflicted on the Egyptians. For I am the LORD who heals you.”
Deuteronomy 6:18 Do what is right and good in the sight of the LORD, so that it may be well with you and that you may enter and possess the good land that the LORD your God swore to give your fathers,
- יְמָנִי yemânîright hand, righttranslated this way 22 times of its 30 uses · Strong’s H3233Adjective · Translated: right 22, south 8Full study and all 17 verses →
Exodus 29:20 Slaughter the ram, take some of its blood, and put it on the right earlobes of Aaron and his sons, on the thumbs of their right hands, and on the big toes of their right feet. Splatter the remaining blood on all sides of the altar.
Leviticus 8:23 Moses slaughtered the ram and took some of its blood and put it on Aaron’s right earlobe, on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot.
- צְדָקָה tsedâqâhrighteousnesstranslated this way 13 times of its 158 uses · Strong’s H6666Noun · Translated: righteousness 114, right 13, righteous acts 7, vindication 5Full study and all 150 verses →
Genesis 18:19 For I have chosen him, so that he will command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just, in order that the LORD may bring upon Abraham what He has promised.”
2 Samuel 19:28 For all the house of my grandfather deserves death from my lord the king, yet you have set your servant among those who eat at your table. What further right, then, do I have to keep appealing to the king?”
- מִשְׁפָּט mishpâṭjudgmenttranslated this way 9 times of its 406 uses · Strong’s H4941Noun · Translated: justice 111, ordinances 73, judgments 40, judgment 40Full study and all 394 verses →
Genesis 18:25 Far be it from You to do such a thing — to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Will not the Judge of all the earth do what is right?”
Deuteronomy 21:17 Instead, he must acknowledge the firstborn, the son of his unloved wife, by giving him a double portion of all that he has. For that son is the firstfruits of his father’s strength; the right of the firstborn belongs to him.
- שָׁלוֹם shâlômcompleteness, soundness, welfare, peacetranslated this way 9 times of its 223 uses · Strong’s H7965Noun · Translated: peace 135, safely 10, prosperity 8, well 5Full study and all 200 verses →
2 Samuel 18:29 The king asked, “Is the young man Absalom all right?” And Ahimaaz replied, “When Joab sent the king’s servant and your servant, I saw a great tumult, but I do not know what it was.”
2 Kings 4:23 “Why would you go to him today?” he replied. “It is not a New Moon or a Sabbath.” “Everything is all right,” she said.
- יָטַב yâṭabbe good, well, glad, pleasingtranslated this way 5 times of its 110 uses · Strong’s H3190Verb · Translated: good 14, well 8, pleased 8, go well 6Full study and all 106 verses →
Genesis 4:7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you refuse to do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires you, but you must master it.”
Isaiah 1:17 Learn to do right; seek justice and correct the oppressor. Defend the fatherless and plead the case of the widow.”
- צֶדֶק tsedeqrightness, righteousnesstranslated this way 5 times of its 116 uses · Strong’s H6664Noun · Translated: righteousness 57, righteous 19, honest 6, justice 5Full study and all 111 verses →
Job 8:3 Does God pervert justice? Does the Almighty pervert what is right?
Psalm 119:121 I have done what is just and right; do not leave me to my oppressors.
- צָדַק tsâdaqbe just, righteoustranslated this way 5 times of its 41 uses · Strong’s H6663Verb · Translated: righteous 8, more righteous 3, justify 3, justifying 3Full study and all 40 verses →
Job 9:15 For even if I were right, I could not answer. I could only beg my Judge for mercy.
Psalm 51:4 Against You, You only, have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight, so that You may be proved right when You speak and blameless when You judge.
- מֵישָׁר mêshârevenness, uprightness, equitytranslated this way 5 times of its 18 uses · Strong’s H4339Noun · Translated: equity 6, right 5Full study and all 18 verses →
Psalm 17:2 May my vindication come from Your presence; may Your eyes see what is right.
Proverbs 8:6 Listen, for I speak of noble things, and the opening of my lips will reveal right.
- יָמַן yâmango to or choose the right, use the right handtranslated this way 4 times of its 4 uses · Strong’s H3231Verb · Translated: right 2, go to the right 1, using both the right 1Full study and all 4 verses →
Genesis 13:9 Is not the whole land before you? Now separate yourself from me. If you go to the left, I will go to the right; if you go to the right, I will go to the left.”
2 Samuel 14:19 So the king asked, “Is the hand of Joab behind all this?” The woman answered, “As surely as you live, my lord the king, no one can turn to the right or to the left from anything that my lord the king says. Yes, your servant Joab is the one who gave me orders; he told your maidservant exactly what to say.
- גְּאֻלָּה geullâhkin (?), redemptiontranslated this way 4 times of its 13 uses · Strong’s H1353Noun · Translated: redemption 6, right of redemption 2, redeemed 2, redeem his land 1Full study and all 12 verses →
Leviticus 25:29 If a man sells a house in a walled city, he retains his right of redemption until a full year after its sale; during that year it may be redeemed.
Ruth 4:6 The kinsman-redeemer replied, “I cannot redeem it myself, or I would jeopardize my own inheritance. Take my right of redemption, because I cannot redeem it.”
- כֵּן kênright, veritable, honesttranslated this way 4 times of its 461 uses · Strong’s H3651Adverb · Translated: Therefore 159, so 111, this 24, way 13Full study and all 451 verses →
2 Samuel 23:5 Is not my house right with God? For He has established with me an everlasting covenant, ordered and secured in every part. Will He not bring about my full salvation and my every desire?
2 Kings 7:9 Finally, they said to one another, “We are not doing what is right. Today is a day of good news. If we are silent and wait until morning light, our sin will overtake us. Now, therefore, let us go and tell the king’s household.”
- טוֹב ṭôbpleasant, agreeable, goodtranslated this way 3 times of its 538 uses · Strong’s H2896Adjective · Translated: good 249, better 72, prosperity 19, good things 12Full study and all 499 verses →
1 Samuel 29:6 So Achish summoned David and told him, “As surely as the LORD lives, you have been upright, and it seems right in my sight that you should march in and out with me in the army, because I have found no fault in you from the day you came to me until this day. But you are not good in the sight of the leaders.
- חָפֵץ châphêtsdelight intranslated this way 3 times of its 73 uses · Strong’s H2654Verb · Translated: delight 14, delighted 13, desire 8, pleases 5Full study and all 70 verses →
Song of Solomon 2:7 O daughters of Jerusalem, I adjure you by the gazelles and does of the field: Do not arouse or awaken love until the time is right.
Song of Solomon 3:5 O daughters of Jerusalem, I adjure you by the gazelles and does of the field: Do not arouse or awaken love until the time is right.
- אַחַר acharbehindtranslated this way 2 times of its 556 uses · Strong’s H310Preposition · Translated: after 123, behind 56, and after 22, after that 19Full study and all 533 verses →
Genesis 32:20 You are also to say, ‘Look, your servant Jacob is right behind us.’” For he thought, “I will appease Esau with the gift that is going before me. After that I can face him, and perhaps he will accept me.”
- כּוּן kûnbe firmtranslated this way 2 times of its 213 uses · Strong’s H3559Verb · Translated: established 43, prepared 23, prepare 16, establish 15Full study and all 204 verses →
Exodus 8:26 But Moses replied, “It would not be right to do that, because the sacrifices we offer to the LORD our God would be detestable to the Egyptians. If we offer sacrifices that are detestable before the Egyptians, will they not stone us?
Psalm 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
- עַתָּה attâhnowtranslated this way 2 times of its 428 uses · Strong’s H6258Adverb · Translated: now 178, therefore 47, and now 41, but now 31Full study and all 402 verses →
Numbers 22:29 Balaam answered the donkey, “You have made a fool of me! If I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now!”
1 Samuel 2:16 And if any man said to him, “The fat must be burned first; then you may take whatever you want,” the servant would reply, “No, you must give it to me right now. If you refuse, I will take it by force!”
- הֵנָּה hênnâhhithertranslated this way 2 times of its 38 uses · Strong’s H2008Adverb · Translated: here 21, since 2, there 2, right 2Full study and all 34 verses →
2 Kings 2:8 And Elijah took his cloak, rolled it up, and struck the waters, which parted to the right and to the left, so that the two of them crossed over on dry ground.
2 Kings 2:14 Then he took the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him and struck the waters. “Where now is the LORD, the God of Elijah?” he asked. And when he had struck the waters, they parted to the right and to the left, and Elisha crossed over.
- יֹשֶׁר yôsherstraightness, uprightnesstranslated this way 2 times of its 14 uses · Strong’s H3476Noun · Translated: uprightness 4, upright 3, right 2, straight 2Full study and all 14 verses →
Job 33:23 Yet if there is a messenger on his side, one mediator in a thousand, to tell a man what is right for him,
Proverbs 11:24 One gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds what is right, only to become poor.
- מָה mâhwhat? how? aughttranslated this way 2 times of its 708 uses · Strong’s H4100Interrogative · Translated: what 313, why 183, how 80, many 5Full study and all 618 verses →
- צַדִּיק tsaddîqjust, righteoustranslated this way 2 times of its 205 uses · Strong’s H6662Adjective · Translated: righteous 162, righteous man 23, innocent 7, more righteous 3Full study and all 197 verses →
Proverbs 18:17 The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.
Isaiah 41:26 Who has declared this from the beginning, so that we may know, and from times past, so that we may say: ‘He was right’? No one announced it, no one foretold it, no one heard your words.
- עֵת êthtimetranslated this way 2 times of its 270 uses · Strong’s H6256Noun · Translated: time 182, times 22, season 10, when 6Full study and all 237 verses →
Ecclesiastes 8:5 Whoever keeps his command will come to no harm, and a wise heart knows the right time and procedure.
Ecclesiastes 8:6 For there is a right time and procedure to every purpose, though a man’s misery weighs heavily upon him.
Greek words (New Testament)
- δεξιός dexióson the right hand, right hand, righttranslated this way 54 times of its 54 uses · Strong’s G1188Adjective · Translated: right hand 32, right 20, right side 2Full study and all 54 verses →
Matthew 5:29 If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.
Mark 10:37 They answered, “Grant that one of us may sit at Your right hand and the other at Your left in Your glory.”
- ἐξουσία exousíapower, authority, weighttranslated this way 10 times of its 100 uses · Strong’s G1849Noun · Translated: authority 65, power 10, right 9, authorities 7Full study and all 92 verses →
John 1:12 But to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God —
Romans 9:21 Does not the potter have the right to make from the same lump of clay one vessel for special occasions and another for common use?
- δίκαιος díkaiosjust, righteous, impartialtranslated this way 9 times of its 79 uses · Strong’s G1342Adjective · Translated: righteous 55, right 9, just 6, of 2Full study and all 74 verses →
Matthew 20:4 ‘You also go into my vineyard,’ he said, ‘and I will pay you whatever is right.’
Luke 12:57 And why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right?
- καλός kalósbeautiful, good, worthytranslated this way 6 times of its 99 uses · Strong’s G2570Adjective · Translated: good 64, better 9, right 5, noble 4Full study and all 89 verses →
Matthew 15:26 But Jesus replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”
Mark 7:27 “First let the children have their fill,” He said. “For it is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”
- καλῶς kalōswell, nobly, rightlytranslated this way 3 times of its 34 uses · Strong’s G2573Adverb · Translated: well 14, good 4, correctly 3, right 3Full study and all 34 verses →
Mark 12:32 “Right, Teacher,” the scribe replied. “You have stated correctly that God is One and there is no other but Him,
John 8:48 The Jews answered Him, “Are we not right to say that You are a Samaritan and You have a demon?”
- εὐθέως euthéōsimmediately, soontranslated this way 2 times of its 73 uses · Strong’s G2112Adverb · Translated: immediately 27, once 21, soon 9, quickly 4Full study and all 72 verses →
Matthew 21:3 If anyone questions you, tell him that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.”
Mark 1:21 Then Jesus and His companions went to Capernaum, and right away Jesus entered the synagogue on the Sabbath and began to teach.
- ἐπί epíon, to, against, on the basis of, attranslated this way 2 times of its 784 uses · Strong’s G1909Preposition · Translated: on 288, to 87, in 83, at 48Full study and all 696 verses →
Matthew 24:33 So also, when you see all these things, you will know that He is near, right at the door.
Mark 13:29 So also, when you see these things happening, know that He is near, right at the door.
- ἕως héōsuntil, as far astranslated this way 2 times of its 133 uses · Strong’s G2193Preposition · Translated: until 65, to 31, while 7, long 6Full study and all 126 verses →
- σωφρονέω sōphronéōI am sober-minded, exercise self-controltranslated this way 2 times of its 6 uses · Strong’s G4993Verb · Translated: right mind 2, sober judgment 1, sound mind 1, self-controlled 1Full study and all 6 verses →
- δικαιοσύνη dikaiosýnējustice, justness, righteousnesstranslated this way 2 times of its 90 uses · Strong’s G1343Noun · Translated: righteousness 83, right 2, justice 2, righteous acts 1Full study and all 86 verses →
- καιρός kairósfitting season, opportunity, timetranslated this way 2 times of its 82 uses · Strong’s G2540Noun · Translated: time 44, times 9, appointed time 4, harvest time 4Full study and all 77 verses →
How to study a word well
- Start from the verse, not the dictionary. Find which Hebrew or Greek word stands in the verse you are studying. One English word often translates several different original words.
- Read every place the word is used. A word means what its writers used it to mean. The list of verses and the count by book show its range, and who uses it most.
- Look at how it is translated. A word rendered five different ways has a wider meaning than any one English word can carry.
- Notice the form. A command is not a statement, and a passive verb is something done to the subject. The form in your verse is part of the meaning.
- See what it keeps company with. The words that appear beside it again and again show how the Bible itself connects ideas.
- Then read the dictionaries. They give the considered view of scholars, with their evidence.
- Come back to the verse. Context decides. A word does not carry every one of its meanings into every verse, and where a word came from does not settle what it means in a sentence written centuries later.
Scripture text and translation counts: Berean Standard Bible. Full entry: Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906, public domain), in the digital edition Brown-Driver-Briggs Enhanced by unfoldingWord (Joel Ruark, J. de Joode), based on data by Eliran Wong and Stephen Ku; its additions are used under CC BY 4.0. Strong’s Hebrew Dictionary: Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible Project, CC BY 4.0. Hebrew-to-English verse numbering: original work of the Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible available at https://github.com/openscriptures/morphhb, CC BY 4.0. We reformatted the data, linked the references to this site’s Bible text and left out words in other scripts that the source holds only as images. These are historical reference works; an entry gives its authors’ view, and a word’s meaning in any verse depends on how it is used there.