Mischief mis'-chif: The word, in the sense of "hurt" or "evil" befalling, plotted against, or done to, anyone, represents a variety of Hebrew terms (e.g. 'acon, the King James Version Genesis 42:4, Genesis 44:29, Exodus 21:22; ra`, 1 Samuel 23:9, 2 Samuel 16:8, 1 Kings 11:25, etc.; `amal, Psalms 7:14, Psalms 7:16, Psalms 10:7, Psalms 10:14, Proverbs 24:2, etc.). Sometimes the Revised Version (British and American) changes the word, as to "evil" (Exodus 32:12, Exodus 32:22); in Acts 13:10, to "villany" (rhadiourgia).
In the Revised Version (British and American) Apocrypha the word is used for kaka, "evils," Additions to Esther 13:5 (compare Wisdom of Sirach 19:28); kakia, "evil," Macc 7:23; and Latin malum, "evil," Esdras 15:56. "Mischievous" is used, Additions to Esther 14:19, for ponereuomai, "to be evil." The use in the King James Version Apocrypha is considerably more extended (Wisdom of Sirach 11:33, 19:27, 27:27, etc.).
James Orr