Meaning
Oppression is the unjust or cruel treatment of a person or group through excessive force, hardship, control, or abuse of power.
Biblical Usage
In Scripture, oppression describes unjust treatment in which people are subjected to hardship, exploitation, violence, or abuse of authority.
Scripture repeatedly condemns oppression of the poor, the needy, servants, strangers, widows, and other vulnerable people. Oppression also appears in the history of Israel when foreign powers subjected the people to domination and hardship.
Key References
- Exodus 3:9
- Deuteronomy 24:14-15
- Judges 2:18
- 1 Samuel 12:3-4
- Job 35:9-10
- Psalm 12:5
- Psalm 72:4
- Psalm 119:134
- Ecclesiastes 4:1
- Isaiah 10:1-2
- Jeremiah 22:3
- Ezekiel 22:7
Related Terms
- Oppressor
- Affliction
- Bondage
- Captivity
- Injustice
- Poverty
- Judgment
- Justice
- Deliverance