WG: Strife (Hebrew Legal Contention)
Overview
The Hebrew legal-contention concept involves a cluster of words covering the dispute brought, the judgment rendered, the act of judging, and the advocate who takes up the case. These words frequently co-occur in legal proceedings passages (Deu 17:8, 25:1), the prophetic covenant-lawsuit genre (Hos 4:1, Mic 6:2), and psalmic pleas for vindication (Psa 43:1, 119:154).
Word Group Members
| Strong's |
Word |
Transliteration |
POS |
Occurrences |
Role in Concept |
Library Entry |
| H7379 |
רִיב |
riyb |
masc. noun |
59 |
The dispute/case brought |
H7379-riyb.md |
| H7378 |
רִיב |
riyb |
verb |
59 |
The action (to contend, plead) |
H7378 |
| H4941 |
מִשְׁפָּט |
mishpat |
masc. noun |
406 |
The verdict/ruling |
H4941-mishpat.md |
| H8199 |
שָׁפַט |
shaphat |
verb |
182 |
The act of judging |
H8199-shaphat.md |
| H1779 |
דִּין |
diyn |
masc. noun |
17 |
The formal judgment/case |
H1777-diyn.md |
| H4066 |
מָדוֹן |
madown |
masc. noun |
11 |
Habitual contention/quarrel |
TODO(need H4066 study) |
| H1350 |
גָּאַל |
gaal |
verb |
84 |
The redeemer/advocate |
TODO(need H1350 study) |
Relationships
Shared Root
- riyb (H7379 noun + H7378 verb) — same root ר-י-ב, covering both the dispute and the act of contending
- mishpat (H4941) + shaphat (H8199) — root שׁ-פ-ט, covering verdict and judging
- diyn (H1779) — root ד-י-ן, an independent legal term
Co-occurrence (appear in same verses)
| Word A |
Word B |
Shared Verses |
Typical Context |
| riyb (noun) H7379 |
riyb (verb) H7378 |
12 |
Cognate accusative: "plead my cause" |
| riyb (noun) H7379 |
mishpat H4941 |
10 |
Legal proceedings: "controversy... judgment" |
| riyb (noun) H7379 |
shaphat H8199 |
9 |
"Judge between" parties in a dispute |
| mishpat H4941 |
shaphat H8199 |
22 |
Root pair: "judge... judgment" |
| mishpat H4941 |
diyn H1779 |
6 |
"Judgment... cause" in court settings |
| riyb (noun) H7379 |
gaal H1350 |
4 |
Advocacy: "redeemer... plead their cause" |
| riyb (noun) H7379 |
madown H4066 |
4 |
Wisdom pairing: types of strife |
LXX Overlaps
| Hebrew Words |
Shared Greek Target |
Notes |
| riyb H7379 + mishpat H4941 + diyn H1779 + shaphat H8199 |
κρίσις G2920 |
LXX collapses all four into krisis — dispute, verdict, judgment, and judging |
| riyb H7379 + shaphat H8199 + riyb H7378 |
κρίνω G2919 |
Verbal equivalent absorbs both judging and contending |
| riyb H7379 |
δίκη G1349 |
Justice/right — unique to riyb among this group |
Roles in the Concept
- Dispute: riyb noun (H7379) — the legal case or contention brought before a tribunal
- Contend: riyb verb (H7378) — the act of presenting and pressing the case
- Verdict: mishpat (H4941) — the ruling or judgment pronounced
- Judge: shaphat (H8199) — the act of adjudicating between parties
- Formal case: diyn (H1779) — the judgment as a formal legal matter
- Quarrel: madown (H4066) — habitual contentiousness (Proverbs-concentrated)
- Advocate: gaal (H1350) — the kinsman-redeemer who takes up the cause of the vulnerable
Key Passages Where Multiple Group Words Appear Together
- Deu 17:8 — [H7379 + H4941 + H1779] "If there arise a matter too hard for thee in judgment, between blood and blood, between plea and plea"
- Deu 25:1 — [H7379 + H4941 + H8199] "If there be a controversy between men, and they come unto judgment, that the judges may judge them"
- 1Sa 24:15 — [H7379 + H7378 + H8199] "The LORD therefore be judge, and judge between me and thee, and see, and plead my cause"
- Psa 43:1 — [H7379 + H7378 + H8199] "Judge me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation"
- Psa 119:154 — [H7379 + H7378 + H1350] "Plead my cause, and deliver me"
- Jer 50:34 — [H7379 + H7378 + H1350] "Their Redeemer is strong; the LORD of hosts is his name: he shall throughly plead their cause"
- Mic 7:9 — [H7379 + H7378 + H4941] "I will bear the indignation of the LORD... until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me"
- Eze 44:24 — [H7379 + H4941 + H8199] "in controversy they shall stand in judgment; and they shall judge it according to my judgments"
- Isa 1:17 — [H7378 + H4941 + H8199] "seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow"
Generated from: gather_word_group_data.py, search_strongs.py
Last updated: 2026-05-11