Original Word: מִרְשַׁעַת
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: mirsha`ath
Pronunciation: meer-shah-ath
Phonetic Spelling: (meer-shah'-ath)
KJV: wicked woman
NASB: wicked
Word Origin: [from H7561 (רָשַׁע - condemn)]

1. a female wicked doer

wicked woman

From rasha'; a female wicked doer -- wicked woman.

see HEBREW rasha'

Word Origin
from the same as rasha
Definition
wickedness
NASB Translation
wicked (1).

מִרְשַׁ֫עַת noun feminine wickedness; — absolute ׳הַמּ2Chronicles 24:7 Athaliazh the (embodied) wickedness

רִשְׁעָתַיִם see ׳כּוּשַׁן ר

רשׁף (√ of following; Samaritan irritavit, incendit; Late Hebrew רֶשֶׁף flame, Ecclus 43:17c רשׁף lightining-flame (? si vera lectio); Jewish-Aramaic רִשְׁמֶּא flame; רשף as proper name, of divinity in Old Aramaic and Phoenician Lzb^{l54. 370} Pietschm^{Phön. 150 ff.} Emey^{ZMG xxxi (1877), 719} Nö^{ib. xlil (1888), 473} Spiegelb^{ZA xiii (1898), 121} Lzb^{ib. 328} WMM^{As.u. Eur.311 ff.} GACooke^{Inscr. 56 f.}).

Mirsha’at in the Canon

The term מִרְשַׁעַת (mirsha’at) appears a single time in Scripture, in 2 Chronicles 24:7. There it characterizes the looting and desecration of the temple under the influence of Athaliah’s sons: “For the sons of that wicked woman Athaliah had broken into the house of God and had used even the sacred things of the house of the LORD for the Baals” (Berean Standard Bible). In context, mirsha’at summarizes the moral perversity by which holy things were pillaged for idolatrous ends.

Historical Setting

The Chronicler recounts Judah’s spiritual decline following the reign of the godly King Jehoshaphat. Athaliah, daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, seized power after the death of her son Ahaziah (2 Chronicles 22:10). Her six-year tyranny introduced northern-style Baal worship into Jerusalem itself. By the time Joash was crowned and Jehoiada initiated reforms, the temple precincts were ravaged; its treasures had funded syncretistic cult centers (2 Kings 11:18). Mirsha’at thus encapsulates a dark episode when covenant identity was nearly extinguished.

Literary Function

Placed on the lips of the priests appealing for restoration funds (2 Chronicles 24:5–7), the word functions as a moral indictment. It contrasts sharply with the surrounding call to “repair the house of your God” (verse 5). Mirsha’at underscores that true reform requires not only structural renovation but also removal of entrenched evil.

Theological Themes

1. Profanation versus consecration: The term highlights the antithesis between what is dedicated to the LORD and what is misused for idols (cf. Leviticus 27:28; Ezekiel 22:26).
2. Covenant accountability: Even royal offspring are judged when they subvert worship (Deuteronomy 17:18–19).
3. Necessity of priestly leadership: Jehoiada’s zeal illustrates how spiritual leaders confront mirsha’at by teaching, organizing offerings, and reestablishing the Mosaic order (2 Chronicles 24:12–14).

Canonical Echoes

While mirsha’at itself is rare, its concept recurs:
• “Take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne will be established in righteousness” (Proverbs 25:5).
• Jesus’ cleansing of the temple (Matthew 21:12–13) mirrors Joash’s reforms, condemning commerce that had turned “My house” into a den of robbers.
• Paul exhorts believers, “Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from unrighteousness” (2 Timothy 2:19), sustaining the impulse to guard sacred space—now the gathered church (1 Corinthians 3:16-17).

Practical Ministry Implications

• Stewardship of worship resources: Just as Athaliah’s sons diverted temple articles, modern misallocation of congregational funds or talents for self-promotion constitutes a contemporary mirsha’at.
• Vigilance in leadership succession: The narrative warns of doctrinal erosion when ungodly heirs inherit authority unchecked.
• Corporate repentance and rebuilding: Successful reform under Joash combined confession, generous giving, skilled craftsmanship, and joyful worship—elements pertinent to revivals today.

Related Hebrew Emphases

Mirsha’at is thematically linked with רֶשַׁע (resha‘, wickedness) and עָוֺן (avon, iniquity), yet its lone occurrence gives it a vivid, story-bound resonance rather than abstract definition. The Chronicler’s choice intensifies the disgrace of defiling God’s dwelling.

Summary

Mirsha’at serves as a stark memorial to the corrupting power of idolatry and the urgent need for wholehearted, covenant-faithful reform. It reminds every generation that sacred things—whether buildings, resources, or the hearts of God’s people—must be protected from exploitation and restored for the exclusive glory of the LORD.

הַמִּרְשַׁ֔עַת המרשעת ham·mir·ša·‘aṯ hammirša‘aṯ hammirShaatInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts