חָטָא
châṭâʼ · khaw-taw'
properly, to miss; hence (figuratively and generally) to sin; by inference, to forfeit, lack, expiate, repent, (causatively) lead astray, condemn
Lexicon
Derivation: a primitive root;
properly, to miss; hence (figuratively and generally) to sin; by inference, to forfeit, lack, expiate, repent, (causatively) lead astray, condemn
- properly, to miss
- hence, (figuratively and generally) to sin
- by inference, to forfeit, lack, expiate, repent, (causatively) lead astray, condemn
Definition from Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890). Wording is Strong's own, including his etymological notes, which are not separate meanings.
KJV renderings: bear the blame, cleanse, commit (sin), by fault, harm he hath done, loss, miss, (make) offend(-er), offer for sin, purge, purify (self), make reconciliation, (cause, make) sin(-ful, -ness), trespass.
Letters
- חHet8
Picture: courtyard wall or enclosure
- Concrete
- wall · fence · tent wall
- Extended
- to separate · protection · the inside vs. the outside · private
- טTet9
Picture: a basket, or something coiled
- Concrete
- basket · coil · snake · container
- Extended
- to surround · to contain · to store · to twist
- אAlef1
Picture: ox head
- Concrete
- ox · bull · cattle
- Extended
- strength · leader · first · the one in front
Possible cultural reading (auto-composed)
to separate and protect › to surround and contain › strength, the leader
To separate and protect that works to surround and contain of strength, the leader.
Interpretive, not lexical. The dictionary sense of חָטָא above is the attested meaning; this pictographic reading is a tradition about how the sign-shapes may have been heard. Both can be held at once, they are answering different questions.
Usage
238 occurrences · 238 OT · 0 NT · 157 distinct forms
KJV renderings of this word, by how often each one is used.
- to sin25 · 20%
- sin17 · 14%
- we have sinned11 · 9%
- i have sinned11 · 9%
- which he hath sinned5 · 4%
- have sinned5 · 4%
- and sin5 · 4%
- because they have sinned5 · 4%
- hath sinned4 · 3%
- sinneth4 · 3%
- for we have sinned3 · 2%
- that he hath sinned3 · 2%
- that sinneth3 · 2%
- because we have sinned3 · 2%
- he sinned2 · 2%
- sinned2 · 2%
- which he sinned2 · 2%
- if they sin2 · 2%
- that he sinneth2 · 2%
- he shall purify2 · 2%
- which he hath done2 · 2%
- whereby they have sinned2 · 2%
- that he hath committed2 · 2%
- unto us? and what have i offended1 · 1%
- thee from sinning1 · 1%
Where it is used, by book.
Inflected forms found in the text.
Counts are computed from the tagged Hebrew and Greek text aligned to the King James Version, not from an estimate.