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חַטָּאָה

𐤇𐤈𐤀𐤄

chaṭṭâʼâh

H2403 noun

SILEX Entry

Root חטא to miss the mark, to sin, to err

Definition

A failure to meet a standard, wrongdoing, or offense, most commonly referring to a transgression against divine instruction (an act of 'missing the mark'). In biblical usage, חַטָּאָה encompasses the concept of 'sin' both as a concrete act and as a state/condition and can also refer to ritual acts associated with dealing with those offenses—particularly the 'sin offering' prescribed in priestly texts. The word is thus used both for the moral/ethical failure itself and for the ritual procedure to address it.

Semantic Range

sin as moral or ritual offense, condition of sinfulness, habitual wrongdoing, specific act of transgression, sin offering, ritual for expiation or purification, penalty or outcome of sin

Root / Etymology

Root: חָטָא (ḥṭʼ), meaning 'to miss (a goal or mark), sin, err.' The noun form חַטָּאָה is derived from this root and signifies both the state/act of wrongdoing and the ceremonial responses to that state.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the earliest Israelite traditions, חַטָּאָה denotes an act that falls short of expected norms, whether social or covenantal. In narrative and legal texts, it often refers to specific violations of divine instruction. In priestly (especially Leviticus, Numbers) contexts, its meaning expands to include the rituals and sacrifices prescribed for atoning or purifying such acts—the 'sin offering.' English translations often render the word as 'sin' or 'sin offering,' but this can obscure the double sense of both offense and ritual response. In some contexts (notably in Leviticus), חַטָּאָה refers technically to a specific type of sacrificial offering; in others, it focuses on the ethical or communal consequence of the act. Greek translation in the Septuagint often uses ἁμαρτία (hamartia, 'sin'), which later influenced English translations. Occasionally, usage in the post-exilic period (e.g., Ezra-Nehemiah) retains the dual sense, but the term's ritual meaning diminishes after the loss of the temple. Not to be confused with related terms such as עָוֹן ('iniquity,' H5771) or פֶּשַׁע ('transgression, rebellion,' H6588), which each carry distinct nuances of moral or legal failure.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or חַטָּאת; from חָטָא; an offence (sometimes habitual sinfulness), and its penalty, occasion, sacrifice, or expiation; also (concretely) an offender; punishment (of sin), purifying(-fication for sin), sin(-ner, offering).

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

חטא (ḥ-ṭ-ʾ) — to miss the mark, to sin, to err

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H2398 חָטָא I will purge her of offense
H2399 חֵטְא in his transgression
H2400 חַטָּא offenders
H2401 חֲטָאָה a guilt-incurring misdeed
H2402 חַטָּאָה for wrongdoing

Word Forms

68 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H2403-10 חַטָּ֣את chatat HNcfsa sin offering sin-offense 52
H2403-37 לְ/חַטָּֽאת lechatat HR/Ncfsa for a sin offering for sin 44
H2403-33 הַֽ/חַטָּ֖את hachatat HTd/Ncfsa of the sin offering the missing-of-the-mark 36
H2403-16 חַטָּאת/וֹ֩ chatato HNcfsc/Sp3ms his sin his sin 17
H2403-26 חַטֹּ֤אות chatovt HNcfpc sins missings of the mark 12
H2403-15 חַטָּאתִ֔/י chatati HNcfsc/Sp1cs my sin I have missed the mark 10
H2403-56 וְ/חַ֨טָּאתָ֔/ם vechatatam HC/Ncfsc/Sp3mp and their sin and their sin 7
H2403-42 מֵ/חַטָּאת֖/וֹ mechatato HR/Ncfsc/Sp3ms concerning his sin from his sin 6
H2403-18 חַטֹּאתָ֑/ם chatotam HNcfpc/Sp3mp their sins their wrongdoings 6
H2403-11 חַטָּאתָ֑/ם chatatam HNcfsc/Sp3mp their sin their wrongdoing 6

Occurrences in Scripture

299 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H2403-10 Genesis 4:7 חַטָּ֣את chatat HNcfsa sin sin-offense
H2403-56 Genesis 18:20 וְ/חַ֨טָּאתָ֔/ם vechatatam HC/Ncfsc/Sp3mp and their sin and their sin
H2403-15 Genesis 31:36 חַטָּאתִ֔/י chatati HNcfsc/Sp1cs is my sin I have missed the mark
H2403-56 Genesis 50:17 וְ/חַטָּאתָ/ם֙ vechatatam HC/Ncfsc/Sp3mp and their sin and their sin
H2403-15 Exodus 10:17 חַטָּאתִ/י֙ chatati HNcfsc/Sp1cs my sin I have missed the mark
H2403-10 Exodus 29:14 חַטָּ֖את chatat HNcfsa sin offering sin-offense
H2403-10 Exodus 29:36 חַטָּ֜את chatat HNcfsa sin-offering sin-offense
H2403-10 Exodus 30:10 חַטַּ֣את chatat HNcfsc sin offering sin-offense
H2403-13 Exodus 32:30 חַטַּאתְ/כֶֽם chatatekhem HNcfsc/Sp2mp your sin your offense
H2403-11 Exodus 32:32 חַטָּאתָ֑/ם chatatam HNcfsc/Sp3mp their sin their wrongdoing
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