פָּשַׂע
𐤐𐤔𐤏
pâsaʻ
H6585 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To transgress, rebel, or break away (from authority, covenant, or agreement); to act in a manner that intentionally violates a relationship, especially between a vassal and suzerain or between an individual and communal authority. Semantically, covers acts of insurrection, revolt, or active defiance.
Semantic Range
to rebel (against a ruler or authority), to transgress (covenant or law), to commit an act of rebellion, to break away or revolt, to violate a treaty or relationship, to actively oppose established order
Root / Etymology
Root פשע. The root meaning is generally 'to break away, rebel, transgress.' The pictorial sense may originally relate to breaking out or stepping out of line, but the attested forms in Biblical Hebrew consistently reflect the sense of rebellion or violation of a relationship or agreement.
Historical & Contextual Notes
פָּשַׂע appears primarily in contexts of political revolt (e.g., a city or king rebelling against an overlord) and in theological contexts describing the covenantal rebellion of Israelites against YHWH. The verb does not refer to minor infractions but to willful defiance or breaking of an established order. Historically, its use is found in both the pre-exilic and post-exilic periods, often contrasted with sin or iniquity (חטא, עון). Later Jewish interpretive tradition expands its sense to general transgression. English translations that render it merely as 'sin' may miss the nuance of rebellious intent. The root is distinct from terms like חטא (to miss the mark, sin unintentionally) and עון (to act crookedly), emphasizing conscious breach of allegiance or authority. In some passages, it is juxtaposed with other terms to emphasize different qualities of wrongdoing.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to stride (from spreading the legs), i.e. rush upon; go.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
פשע (p-š-ʿ) — to rebel, to transgress, to break away from authority
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H6586 | פָּשַׁע | we have rebelled |
| H6587 | פֶּשַׂע | as rebellion |
| H6588 | פֶּשַׁע | in rebellion |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6585-01 |
אֶפְשְׂעָ֥ה | efeseah | HVqh1cs |
I-will-trample | let me rebel | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6585-01 |
Isaiah 27:4 | אֶפְשְׂעָ֥ה | efeseah | HVqh1cs |
I-will-trample | let me rebel |