Mishpat is the Hebrew word for judgment — both the act of judging rightly and the resulting decision or ordinance. It appears over 400 times in the Old Testament. God is the supreme shophet (judge), and mishpat is the outworking of His character in legal and moral standards. The biblical pairing of mishpat and tzedakah ("justice and righteousness") is one of the most common phrases in the prophets — they are the twin pillars of God's throne (Psalm 89:14). Mishpat is not mere punishment but the restoration of right order. When Micah asks "what does the LORD require of you?" the answer is to do mishpat, love chesed, and walk humbly with God (Micah 6:8).
Micah 6:8 — "He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justly (mishpat), to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?"
Amos 5:24 — "But let justice (mishpat) run down like water, and righteousness like a mighty stream."
Psalm 89:14 — "Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; mercy and truth go before Your face."
Isaiah 42:1 — "He will bring forth justice (mishpat) to the Gentiles."
Modern "justice" is often defined by equal outcomes or therapeutic grievance, not by God's fixed standard.
The modern concept of justice has drifted from God's mishpat. It now commonly means (1) equal outcomes enforced by the state, or (2) restitution for perceived historical grievances, or (3) affirmation of feelings as fact. Biblical mishpat is neither: it is the restoration of right order according to God's unchanging standard. It cares for the widow and orphan precisely because they cannot defend themselves — not because outcomes must be equalized. It punishes the guilty and vindicates the righteous, regardless of their social standing. The prophets denounced both the oppression of the poor and the framing of the rich. Mishpat is impartial because God is impartial.
H4941 — מִשְׁפָּט (mishpat) — judgment, justice, ordinance
H4941 — מִשְׁפָּט (mishpat) — judgment, justice, ordinance
H8199 — שָׁפַט (shaphat) — to judge, govern (verbal root)
G2920 — κρίσις (krisis) — judgment, decision (NT equivalent)