יָשָׁר adjective masculine singular absolute
0930.0 יָשַׁר (y¹shar) be level, straight, (up) right, just, lawful. (ASV, RSV, NEB similar except that they vary translations with "honest," "righteous.")
(930a) יָשָׁר (y¹sh¹r) (up-) right.
(930b) ישֶׁר (yœsher) uprightnew, straightness.
(930c) יְשָׁרָה (y®sh¹râ) uprightness.
(930d) יְשֻׁרוּן (y®sh¥rûn) upright, law keeping, Jeshurun.
(930e) מֵישָׁר (mêsh¹r) uprightness, straightness.
(930f) מִישׁוֹר (mîshôr) level place, uprightness.
The root y-sh-r is employed in at least three ways.
1. Literally. "To go straight or direct in the way" (1Sam 6:12), but more frequently in the intensive (Piel) "to make (a way) straight," i.e. direct and level and free from obstacles, as when preparing to receive a royal visitor. This is the work of God for man (Prov 3:6 KJV "direct"), but also of man for God (Isa 40:3). It is "to look straight ahead of you" (Prov 4:25), to do something evenly (1Kings 6:35, Kiv) as Solomon's overlaying the cherubs with gold or Hezekiah's designing the aqueduct bringing it straight (2Chr 32:30, KJV) to the west of Jerusalem.
2. Ethically. Uprightness as the manner of life is a characteristic of the blameless (Prov 11:5) and of the man of discernment (Psa 119:128, "I have lived uprightly"). Thus the fact that God has made man upright (Eccl 7:29) is probably to be interpreted as granting him the ability to recognize the divine law, rather than some inborn character as honest or straightforward (so NEB). It is said of the reckless that his soul is not upright within him (Hab 2:4) and this leads to pride and failure.
y¹sh¹r. Upright. The attributive adjective is used to emphasize an attribute of: a. God, describing his reign over his people (Deut 32:4), his ways (Hos 14:9), words (Psa 111:8), and judgments (Psa 119:137); b. especially qualified persons, as a parallel to the righteous (Psa 33:1) or the perfect (Job 1:1, 8). It is a quality of heart and mind (Psa 7:11; Psa 11:2; et al.) which enables the upright man to keep loyally to any legally binding agreement (2Kings 10:15). It is not always possible to be sure whether the "level" path (Jer 31:9) or "straight" foot is to be understood as an ethical appraisal of the way of life or literally. Certainly the nouns meaning "uprightness" are used of a moral quality of heart (yœsher, Deut 9:5; 1Kings 9:4), as often in Prov (Prov 2:13; Prov 4:11) which results in "right paths," i.e. right both morally and practically (Job 33:23). This was a characteristic of David's life (1Kings 3:6, y®sh¹râ, only here). It is used both of words spoken (Job 6:25) and written (Eccl 12:10).
3. As an idiomatic expression with "eyes." "To be right in the eyes (of a person)" is to have his approval by keeping his commands. It is used of God (Num 23:27; Jer 27:5) perhaps also under the figure of the Potter (Jer 18:4). When marriage was so considered by Samson (Jud 14:3, 7), Saul, and David (1Sam 18:26), it can be rendered "lawful" as in Ugaritic ( yšr ; Van Zijl, Alter Orient und Altes Testament 10:83). Similarly when a treaty (2Sam 17:4) or religious action (2Chr 30:4) was ratified by an assembly.
A fuller phrase "to do what is right (hayy¹sh¹r, the right) in the eyes of the Lord" is linked with obedience to his commands (Exo 15:26; Deut 6:17-18) and covenant (Deut 12:28; Deut 13:18). It is commonly used by the so-called Deuteronomist historian in his summary evaluation of the reigns of the kings of Israel and Judah. Thus David is said to have followed the Lord's commands (1Kings 15:5-7) and the laws of Moses (1Kings 14:8) as did Solomon when he followed his father's statutes, which were the same as those of the Lord (1Kings 3:3, 14). Asa (1Kings 15:11; 2Chr 14:1) and Josiah (2Kings 22:2) were similarly described as having done the right. So Jehoshaphat did the same as had Asa (2Chr 20:30), Azariah as did Amaziah (2Kings 15:3; cf. 2Chr 25:2) and Amaziah as did Joash (2Kings 14:3). Hezekiah did the right in that he kept the commandments which the Lord had commanded Moses (2Kings 18:6). Note that this phrase implies the existence and knowledge of the law of God, and that individual kings were thought to have kept it. This was shown by the king taking action (the so called reforms) to ensure that the people also kept the Law. Such action was marked by public decrees which might include remission of dues, deliverance from oppressive legislation (Josh 9:23ff,), and the observance of religious festivals (Passover). Even when a king was said to have done the right, any major omission in his endorsement of the whole law is carefully noted ("except in the case of ') Hezekiah's public act was initiated in the first full regnal year. It has been pointed out that there is a somewhat similar practice among Mesopotamian kings who effected the continuity of law and order by issuing m¢sharum, decrees (Wiseman, D. J., "The Laws of Hammurabi Again," JSS 7: 167-68). In this phrase the OT uses yshr with the force of lawkeeping, doing justice according to the law, which was the norm (as the Akkadian išartu is used of what is normal in writing).
mîshôr. Level place, uprightness. meshar. Uprightness, straightness (in government, justice. mêsh¹rîm and mîshôr could well be translated "justly" (with justice) or "lawfully" (as in Ug `Anat 3.3) and describe the way judgment is given (Psa 58:1 [H 21; Psa 75:2 [H 3], RSV "With equity"). With the verb "to judge" it means "decide in favour" (KB). It is the way a people should be judged (Psa 67:4 [H 5]; KJV righteously; RSV with equity; NEB with justice). To do this is holding to the covenant (Mal 2:6). It is the Lord who declares "justice" (Isa 45:19) and this sense of the word persists (Dan 11:6, la±¦´ôt m¢sh¹rîm "to make an equitable arrangement"). Occasionally these nouns are clearly used in a legal context (Prov 2:9; cf. Psa 17:2). They are not really synonymous with righteousness (ƒedeq) although often used in parallel with it, with good (‰ôb) and with judgment (mishp¹‰). Cf. also Ugaritic ƒdq. In Akkadian documents "justice" also appears as a deity ( d+Mišarum ; Ugaritica 5: 220, line 166), namely the son of the sun-god Shamash, who was in Mesopotamia the primary god of justice.
y®shûrûn. Jeshurun. Jeshunin is a proper name used only of Israel, in four passages. The parallelism of Jacob and Israel with Jacob and Jeshurun (Deut 32:15; Isa 44:2, Jeshurun) makes it clear that the reference must be to Jacob under his name Israel (so Deut 33:5). The Lord is "God of Jeshurun" (Deut 33:26).
While it might designate Israel as an ideal, upright one (so Gr, Vulg rectissimus, dectus) it is more probable that the sense of law-keeping or upholding justice is appropriate here; they are a Rechtsfolk who possess the law. The old etymology as a diminutive of y¹shûr "good little people" cannot be supported since there is no evidence of such a diminutive formation in Hebrew; nor would the title be apposite. Personal names in - ûn do occur (possibly as hypocoristica) and the possibly contemporary name of Jesher, the son of Caleb (1Chr 2:18) the Ras Shamra name of Missara (Ugaritia 5, RS 17.325), and Ugaritic bn mšrm"son of uprightness" (UT 19: no. 1566) may be compared, even though they lack the termination.
The "book of Jashar" (Josh 10:13) is given as a source or record of Israel's defeat of the Amorites. It also recorded the defeat and death of Saul and Jonathan at the hands of the Philistines and David's lament for them (2Sam 1:18). It contained information which could be quoted or taught. While most scholars consider it a collection of ancient national poetry, it may well have been part of the pre-monarchy state records which would have included written agreements or other publicly issued statements similar to the mšrm decrees.
The noun mîshôr, derived from y¹sh¹r, means primarily "a level place," and is used for geographical descriptions as well as to connote "justice" discussed above in connection with mêsh¹rîm.
Thus it marks the "plain" in contrast to the hills (1Kings 20:23-25; it is so rendered by KJV, RSV, JB, NEB, or as opposed to the valleys (Isa 40:11). In Isa 42:16 it may be translated "level tracks" (JB) or "(straighten) twisted roads" (NEB). As used in David's prayers (Psa 26:12; Psa 27:11; Psa 143:10), the word could mean a level place or be figurative for a place of safety, comfort, and prosperity (BDB). It may denote justice or the blessing which follows from lawkeeping in view of the invocation of the Lord as judge (Psa 26:lf). In Jer 21:13, "the rock of the plain" seems to refer to a precise topographical location in Jerusalem (KB), perhaps the palace on Ophel (JB).
In a number of verses mîshôr marks a specific region of Jordan, north of the Amon River, which was captured by the Hebrews. It lay in the desert wilderness (Deut 4:43) where there was grazing (2Chr 26:10). Within the area were villages (Deut 3:10) as well as one of the cities of refuge (Josh 20:8).
Bibliography: Finkelstein, J. J., "Some new misharum material with its implications," in Studies in Honor of B. Landsberger, ed. Hans G. Guterbock and Thorkild Jacobsen, Chicago: University Press, 1965. Richardson, TWB, p. 273. THAT, I, pp. 790-93. D.J.W.
