חֵטְא
sin
‘sin’ is one of 3 main senses fuller range ↓
Full lexicon entry — Brown-Driver-Briggs (BDB)
From Brown-Driver-Briggs (BDB)
Where this word appears
See every Construct-state word in the Hebrew Bible →
Grammar key — what these labels mean
Part of speech
- Noun
- A naming word — a person, place, thing, or idea.
Noun type
- Common
- A common noun — a general class of person, place, or thing (“king,” “city,” “water”), not a specific name.
State
- Absolute
- The independent form of a noun, not bound to a following word.
- Construct
- A noun bound to a following noun in a possessive / “of” relationship (the construct chain).
Gender
- Masculine
- Grammatically masculine.
Number
- Singular
- One.
- Plural
- More than one (in Hebrew, generally three or more).
1 verse where H2399 appears in the Absolute state in the Book of Psalms. Filtered view — show all forms. Click any verse to open its interlinear word-by-word view. Verse text shown in the World English Bible for context — . Each verse’s Hebrew form is shown with its reference; the English is not keyword-highlighted, since the data carries no word-level English alignment. Use “Compare translations” on any verse to read it across multiple English versions. This concordance covers the Hebrew Bible; Septuagint (Greek Old Testament) occurrences are not indexed here.
Psalms
About this entry
At a glance — auto-summarized from this page’s data, not written by a person. Every figure links to its source below. This summary describes the numbers; it doesn’t interpret them.
“sin” is the headline sense of the Hebrew noun חטא (chêṭᵉʼ). Older and newer Bibles part ways — “sin” in the King James Version, “sins” (Berean Standard Bible) in modern versions. See the renderings breakdown. It turns up in 34 verses across 13 books, a moderately common footprint. Its earliest occurrence is Genesis 41:9. Its meaning spans more than one sense — see its full sense range. See the sense tree, 34-verse concordance, and the renderings breakdown below.
Gloss history
Strong's 1890 vs modern scholarship
About this word
Strong's H2399 catalogs a Hebrew word from the Hebrew Old Testament.
These counts are not copied from any lexicon or concordance. They are computed here, from the morphology-tagged Hebrew Old Testament. What Lemma adds →
- 34
- distinct verses
- The word appears in 34 distinct verses.
- 13 / 39
- OT books
- The word appears in 13 of 39 Old Testament books.
- #1,023
- by frequency
- Top 2500 most frequent Hebrew words (rank 1,023 of 8,640 Hebrew words by occurrence).
View all 34 occurrences in the concordance →
Most concentrated in
- Deuteronomy 8 verses 24%
- Leviticus 4 verses 12%
- Numbers 4 verses 12%
By section of the Old Testament
By traditional corpus
Conventional, traditional groupings — biblical authorship is debated, so this is a traditional corpus grouping, not an authorship claim. Each share is this word’s portion of its verses in that division of the Hebrew canon. Each figure is a share of the word’s 34 distinct verses.
- Torah (Pentateuch) 17 verses · 50%
- Prophets (Nevi'im) 9 verses · 26%
- Writings (Ketuvim) 8 verses · 24%
How translations render this word
Counts come from each version’s own published word-to-Strong’s tagging or interlinear alignment — an approximate guide to how each version renders this word, not a word-level alignment the data otherwise carries. Because each total is that version’s own tagged count, the per-version totals vary from one another and need not match the appearance or distinct-verse counts above. These counts may also differ from a printed concordance because Lemma counts each distinctly tagged rendering and does not collapse phrase taggings into a single head-word total. This is a fixed set of word-tagged versions (KJV, ASV, BSB, ULT) and does not change with the reading translation you choose elsewhere. Each version’s license is shown beside its name below (and on Sources).
- King James Version: Sin 10×, Own sin 4×, Sins 4×
- American Standard Version: Sin 8×, Own sin 4×, Sins 3×
- Berean Standard Bible: Sins 8×, Sin 5×, Guilt 4×
- unfoldingWord Literal Text: Sin 18×, Sins 6×, Sin of 2×
King James Version Public Domain
Renders H2399 across 33 tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus 15 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings.
American Standard Version Public Domain
Renders H2399 across 33 tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus 18 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings.
Berean Standard Bible Public Domain
Renders H2399 across 33 tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus 9 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings.
unfoldingWord Literal Text CC BY-SA 4.0
Renders H2399 across 34 tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus 8 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings.
Senses in the full BDB
What do BDB’s symbols mean?
BDB uses these scholarly abbreviations:
| Symbol | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 𝔊 | the Septuagint (the ancient Greek translation, LXX) |
| 𝔙 | the Vulgate (the Latin translation) |
| 𝔖 | the Syriac version (the Peshitta) |
| 𝔗 | the Targum (the Aramaic translation) |
| ψ | the Psalms |
| √ | root (the underlying root or stem) |
| ‖ | parallel passage (a synonymous or contrasted parallel) |
| † | the dagger: every passage where the word occurs is cited |
The 5 senses and sub-senses the full Brown-Driver-Briggs lexicon distinguishes for this word, in lexicon order (not ranked by frequency), with BDB’s own verbatim wording and sub-sense lettering. Shown in Hebrew script with BDB’s own scholarly abbreviations. The condensed entry is in the Lexicon Entry tab. See also the Forms in the corpus table below.
- 1. sin:
- a. against man Gn 41:9 (E) Ec 10:4. e.g. Genesis 41:9
- b. elsewhere ag. God, abs. Is 31:7 Ho 12:9; ח׳ חָטָא La 1:8 cf. Dt 19:15 2 K 10:29; ח׳ משׁפט מות sin worthy of death Dt 21:22 = ח׳ מות 22:26; with בְּ, because of, Dn 9:16; God is entreated: hide thy face from my sins ψ 51:11; and it is said in faith, thou wilt cast behind thy back all my sins Is 38:17. e.g. Isaiah 31:7
- 2. guilt of sin: היה חטא ב sin (the guilt of sin) come on one Dt 15:9; 23:22, 23; 24:15; בחטאו מת in his sin (guilt) die Nu 27:3 (P); אישׁ בחטאו each for his own sin Dt 24:16 + 2 K 14:16 + 2 Ch 25:4; בחטא יחמתני אמי ψ 51:7 in sin (condition of sin and guilt) my mother conceived me; אם חטאיכם כשׁנים Is 1:18 though your sins be like scarlet(in guilt); לא כחטאינו עשׂה לנו ψ 103:10 not according to our sins (their guilt) hath he done to us. e.g. Deuteronomy 15:9
- 3. punishment for sin: נשׂא ח׳ bear sin (its punishment) Lv 20:20; 24:15 (H), Nu 9:13; 18:22 (P); with עַל, bear sin because of Lv 19:17; 22:9 (H) Nu 18:32 (P); bear sins of idols (in worshipping idols) Ez 23:49; the ideal servant of Yahweh bore the sins of many Is 53:12; without נשׂא, only La 3:39 גבר על חטאו (wherefore doth) a man (complain) for the punishment of his sin? e.g. Leviticus 20:20
Senses from the full Brown-Driver-Briggs lexicon (Brown, Driver, Briggs; Oxford 1906 — public domain), digitized via Sefaria, supplemented by the OpenScriptures HebrewLexicon (CC BY 4.0). Full attribution on Sources.
Word origin
n.m. Dt 15:9 sin (on format. v. LagBN 142)—ח׳ Lv 19:17 + 15 times; sf. חֶטְאוֹ Lv 24:15 + 5 times, חֲטָאָו֯ La 3:39, חֶטְאָם Lv 20:20; pl. חֲטָאִים Ec 10:4; cstr. חֲטָאֵי 2 K 10:29 Ez 23:49; sf. חֲטָאַי Gn 41:9, חֲטָאָ֑י Is 38:17 ψ 51:11, חֲטָאֵינוּ Dn 9:16 ψ 103:10, חֲטָאֵיכֶם Is 1:18;—
— Brown-Driver-Briggs (Oxford 1906, public domain), digitized via Sefaria, supplemented by the OpenScriptures HebrewLexicon (CC BY 4.0). See Sources.
Derived from חטא (châṭâʼ) (H2398) — to sin.
Jastrow Dictionary
A second Hebrew/Aramaic lexicon for comparison, covering Aramaic and post-biblical (Talmudic, Targumic, Midrashic) usage that the biblical-Hebrew BDB does not. Matched by lemma rather than by Strong’s number, so a lemma may carry more than one Jastrow headword (shown separately below), and the entries cover usage well beyond the Bible.
חָטָא
- , v. חטי
חֵטְא
- preced.) failure, sin. Ber. 4ᵃ שמא יגרום הח׳ perhaps sin is the cause (preventing the fulfillment of divine promise). Ib. אלא שגרם הח׳ but for sin that prevented it. Sabb. 119ᵇ, v. הֶבֶל; a. fr.—יְרֵא ח׳, יִרְאַת ח׳, v. יָרֵא a. יִרְאָה.—In Talm. Y. also חֵט. Y. Sabb. I, 3ᶜ top; a. fr.—Pl. חֲטָאִים. Ber. 10ᵃ (ref. to חַטָּאִים, Ps. CIV, 35) מי כתיב חוֹטְאִים ח׳ כתיב does the text read ḥot’im (sinners), it may be read ḥătaim (sins). Ib. כיון דְיִתַּמּוּ ח׳ וכ׳ when sins shall cease, the wicked shall be no more. Yoma IV, 2; a. fr. e.g. Psalms 104:35
חֵטא
- ch., v. חֶטְאָה
חִטָּא I
- (חטט), line drawn with a stylus.—Pl. חִטֵּי. Keth. 69ᵃ top ביני ח׳ between the lines, v. תְּלֵי.
חִטָּא II
- , wheat, v. חִיטָּא.
חַטָּא
- , v. next w.
חטי
- [to stroll idly, saunter (v. Fl. to Levy Targ. Dict. I, 4242),] to live in luxury, to be like a nobleman, to be well-dressed, clean &c. (cmp. פנק, פרנק).
- to make look well, polish, dress, cleanse, prepare. Ḥull. 27ᵃ (play on וש̇ח̇ט̇, Lev. I, 5) ממקום שש̇ח̇ חַטֵֹּהוּ from the place where the animal bends (its head, the front of the neck), cleanse it (let its blood run out). Ib. ממאי דהאי חטהו לישנא דדכויי הוא how can you prove that this ḥattehu has the meaning of cleansing?—Ib. ממקום שס̇ח̇ ח̇ט̇הו from where it utters sound, cleanse it. [Cant. R. to VII, 2, v. infra.] e.g. Leviticus 1:5
- 1. to enjoy, to be gratified. Cant. R. to VII, 2 [read:] כל חִיטּוּיִין … שישראל מִתְחַטִּין וכ׳ all luxuries and enjoyments which Israel indulge in and enjoy. Men. 66ᵇ (play on נ̇ת̇ע̇ל̇ס̇ה̇, Prov. VII, 18) נ̇שא ונת̇ן ונע̇לה ונ̇שמח ונִתְחַטֵּא באהבים let us have a conversation, then let us go up and rejoice and delight ourselves with dalliances; Sifra Vayikra, N’dabah, ch. XIV, Par. 13. Men. l. c. (play on נ̇ע̇ל̇ס̇ה̇ Job XXXIX, 13) נ̇וש̇א עול̇ה ונתח̇טא; Sifra l. c. נושא ועולה ומִתְחַטֵּא he (the bird) raises (his wings) and rises and enjoys himself (differ. interpret. in Rashi). e.g. Proverbs 7:18
- 2. to show one’s self a nobleman, to be generous, proud. Cant. R. to VII, 7 שהיה מתחטא על וכ׳ he was generous towards &c. (ref. to Gen. XIV, 23, Dan. V, 17). e.g. Genesis 14:23
- 3. to be imperious, to lord it, to ask petulantly. Taan. III, 8 אתה מתח׳ לפני thou comest petulantly before the Lord כבן שהוא מתח׳ על וכ׳ like a son that lords it over his father &c. Cant. R. to V, 6 (explain. חמק, ib.) נתח׳ וכ׳ he became petulant, he got angry with me.
חֲטִי
- ; part. חַטְיָא used to comfort, tender, delicate. Targ. Y. Gen. XXXIII, 13 טליא חַטְיָין (h. text רכים).
- to cause to be generous, to persuade to leniency. Koh. R. to IX, 18 אנא אזלא ומְחַטָּא ליה I will go to appeal to his generosity (Midr. Sam. ch. XXXII ומפייסה).
- to be raised in luxury. Part. pass. מִחְטֵי, fem. מֶחְטָיָא, מֶחְטַיְיתָא delicate. Targ. Y. I Deut. XXVIII, 54, Targ. Y. II, Deut. XXVIII, 54; 56.
חטי ²
- (b. h.) [to miss,] to fail, err, sin. Yoma IV, 2, sq. Ber. 17ᵃ; a. fr. R. Hash. 26ᵃ חוֹטֵא בל יקריב he that sinned (with gold by making the golden calf) shall not bring nigh (the gold, enter with gold garments); ח׳ בל יתגאה he that sinned (with gold) shall not parade himself (with it).—Keth. 11ᵃ שלא יהא חוטא נשכר that the sinner may not profit by his sin; Yeb. 92ᵇ; a. e.
- to expiate (cleanse from sin, v. חָטָא I). Yoma V, 5 (58ᵇ) מְחַטֵּא ויורד he expiates (sprinkles) and goes down (sprinkling downward; Rashi: moves his arm downward). Ib. במקומו היה עומד ומח׳ he remained in his place and sprinkled. Zeb. 53ᵃ
- to cause to sin. Midr. Till. to Ps. IV, 5; Pesik. Shubah, p. 158ᵃ. Ab. V, 18; a. fr.
חֲטִי ²
- Targ. Y. Gen. XLIX, 3. Targ. Josh. VII, 11; a. fr.—Sabb. 56ᵃ מֶהְטָא נמי לא חטאו but at all events they did not sin; ib. 56ᵇ ומיחטא וכ׳.—Pes. 113ᵇ; Macc. 11ᵃ, v. זִיגּוֹד; a. fr.
- to cause to sin. Targ. Y. Num. XXVII, 3; a. e.
- same. Targ. Y. II, Num. XXIV, 14 חַטֵּי יתהון (ed. Ven. חָטֵי) seduce them (to immorality).
- to be tempted. Y. Taan. I, 64ᵇ bot. תִיחְטְיִי that thou be not tempted to sin (through thy husband’s absence).
A Dictionary of the Targumim, the Talmud Babli and Yerushalmi, and the Midrashic Literature (Marcus Jastrow; London, Luzac, 1903) — Public Domain. Digitized via Sefaria. Digitized via Sefaria. Full attribution on Sources.
Forms in the corpus
The 25 distinct written forms H2399 takes in the Hebrew Bible, most frequent first — each parse links to that state’s occurrences in the concordance. Hebrew forms include their vowel points and cantillation, so a single lemma takes many written forms.
Same root — word family
Other BDB entries built from the same root as H2399, grouped by Strong’s listed origin. These share a root / origin per the lexicon — not necessarily a shared meaning. Each links to that word’s own entry.
Derives from
Shares the same root
Derived from this word
Compare all same-root words → Showing 4 of 6 — not the complete family. They share a root, not necessarily a meaning.
Septuagint verse parallels
This word appears in 34 verses that also exist in the Greek Old Testament (Septuagint), out of the 34 Hebrew verses it occurs in. You can read those verses in Greek by switching the Old Testament edition to the Septuagint.
Read these verses in the Septuagint
- Genesis 41:9
- Leviticus 19:17
- Numbers 9:13
- Deuteronomy 15:9
- 2 Kings 10:29
- 2 Chronicles 25:4
- Psalms 51:5
- Ecclesiastes 10:4
- Isaiah 1:18
- Lamentations 1:8
- Ezekiel 23:49
- Daniel 9:16
This is a verse-level parallel only — the same verses exist in both the Hebrew and Greek Old Testaments. No word-level Hebrew↔Greek correspondence is claimed: the data carries no such alignment, so no Greek word is shown as this Hebrew word’s translation. Coverage is not total — the Septuagint omits the deuterocanon and renumbers the Psalms, so some Hebrew verses have no direct Greek parallel.
