### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **chêṭᵉʼ**, represented by `{{H2399}}`, is a term for **sin** and its consequences. Derived from the root `{{H2398}}`, its base definition includes a crime, its penalty, fault, or offence. It appears 33 times in 33 unique verses, indicating its specific and significant usage. The word encompasses both the act of sinning and the punishment that results from it.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In biblical law and narrative, `{{H2399}}` is used to define both transgression and its consequences. It establishes the principle of individual accountability, with the law stating that "every man shall be put to death for his own **sin**" ([[Deuteronomy 24:16]]; [[2 Chronicles 25:4]]). The term can refer to a specific failure, such as not paying a vow to the Lord [[Deuteronomy 23:21]] or a chief butler remembering his **faults** [[Genesis 41:9]]. It is also used to describe an inherent state, as when the psalmist declares, "in **sin** did my mother conceive me" [[Psalms 51:5]]. In a significant prophetic passage, a servant of the Lord is described as one who would "bare the **sin** of many" [[Isaiah 53:12]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words help to clarify the concept of sin:
* `{{H2398}}` **châṭâʼ** (to sin): This is the primitive root from which **chêṭᵉʼ** is derived. It signifies the action of sinning or missing the mark. In [[Lamentations 1:8]], Jerusalem is said to have "grievously **sinned**," using both the verb `{{H2398}}` and the noun `{{H2399}}` to emphasize the transgression.
* `{{H2403}}` **chaṭṭâʼâh** (an offence): This closely related noun also describes an offence or sin. In some legal contexts, the terms are used together to provide comprehensive scope, as in the law concerning witnesses for "any **sin** `{{H2403}}`, in any **sin** `{{H2399}}` that he sinneth `{{H2398}}`" [[Deuteronomy 19:15]].
* `{{H5771}}` **ʻâvôn** (perversity, iniquity): This word for moral evil is frequently paired with **chêṭᵉʼ** to describe the depth of wrongdoing. The Psalms speak of God not dealing with his people according to their **sins** `{{H2399}}` or their **iniquities** `{{H5771}}` [[Psalms 103:10]], and Daniel prays for mercy for Jerusalem due to "our **sins** `{{H2399}}`, and for the **iniquities** `{{H5771}}` of our fathers" [[Daniel 9:16]].
* `{{H2308}}` **châdal** (cease, forbear): This verb is linked to **chêṭᵉʼ** in the context of avoidance. To forbear from making a vow means "it shall be no **sin** `{{H2399}}` in thee" [[Deuteronomy 23:22]], while to forbear from a required observance results in bearing one's **sin** `{{H2399}}` [[Numbers 9:13]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H2399}}` is profound, establishing key doctrines of sin and justice.
* **Personal Responsibility:** The law repeatedly emphasizes that individuals are held accountable for their own transgressions. The principle that "every man shall die for his own **sin**" [[Deuteronomy 24:16]] forms a cornerstone of biblical justice, rejecting the idea of inherited guilt for another's actions [[2 Kings 14:6]].
* **The Penalty of Sin:** The phrase "they shall bear their **sin**" appears multiple times, directly linking a transgression to its penalty ([[Leviticus 20:20]], [[Leviticus 24:15]]). This penalty could be death [[Numbers 18:22]], being cut off from the people [[Numbers 9:13]], or a specific judgment from God. [[Lamentations 3:39]] explicitly refers to the "punishment of his **sins**".
* **Atonement and Forgiveness:** Despite sin's severe consequences, the concept of forgiveness is present. God offers to make sins that are "as scarlet" become "as white as snow" [[Isaiah 1:18]]. This theme culminates in the prophecy that an appointed servant would bear the **sin** of many and make intercession for transgressors [[Isaiah 53:12]], pointing toward a substitutionary resolution for sin.
### Summary
In summary, `{{H2399}}` **chêṭᵉʼ** is a critical term that defines not just a wrongful act but also its inherent fault and resulting penalty. It is used to establish legal principles of individual responsibility [[Deuteronomy 24:16]], describe a state of human fallenness [[Psalms 51:5]], and outline the grave consequences of disobedience. Ultimately, the gravity conveyed by **chêṭᵉʼ** sets the stage for the biblical message of forgiveness and atonement, where God himself provides a way to cast away **sins** [[Isaiah 38:17]] and have them borne by another [[Isaiah 53:12]].
TRV