Word Study for H819 (אַשְׁמָה)

ʼashmâh /ash-maw'/ Ask about this word

Meaningguiltiness, a fault, the presentation of asin-offering

KJV usageoffend, sin, (cause of) trespass(-ing, offering).

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of ʼashmâh — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word ʼashmâh, represented by H819, signifies guiltiness, a fault, or an act of trespassing. It appears 19 times across 17 unique verses in the Bible. The term encompasses not only the state of being guilty but also the cause of the trespass and the trespass offering required for it.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In Scripture, H819 is often used to describe a state of corporate or national guilt. In the book of Ezra, the term repeatedly appears to describe Israel's collective wrongdoing, with their trespass having "grown up unto the heavens" Ezra 9:6. This guilt is presented as a long-standing issue, existing since "the days of our fathers" Ezra 9:7. The word also identifies a specific action that leads to guilt, as when Joab warns King David not to become a "cause of trespass to Israel" 1 Chronicles 21:3. Furthermore, ʼashmâh is directly linked to the sacrificial system, where priests make atonement for trespassing Leviticus 6:7 and the guilty offer a ram "for their trespass" Ezra 10:19.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the concept of guilt and sin:

H2398 châṭâʼ (to sin): This primitive root means to miss a mark or to sin. It is used alongside ʼashmâh to describe a priest who may "sin according to the sin of the people" Leviticus 4:3.
H2403 chaṭṭâʼâh (an offence, sin, sin offering): This noun, derived from the verb to sin, refers to an offense or the offering made for it. It is used in parallel with ʼashmâh to describe the great and accumulating nature of Israel's transgressions 2 Chronicles 28:13.
H5771 ʻâvôn (iniquity, sin): This term for moral evil or perversity often appears with ʼashmâh to describe the depth of wrongdoing, as seen when Ezra confesses both Israel's "great trespass" and their deserving punishment for their iniquities Ezra 9:13.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H819 is significant, highlighting key principles of sin and its resolution.

The Accumulation of Guilt: ʼashmâh illustrates that guilt is not merely a series of isolated acts but can compound over time and generations. This is seen in Ezra's confession of a "great trespass" continuing from the time of their ancestors Ezra 9:7 and in the description of King Amon, who "trespassed more and more" 2 Chronicles 33:23.
The Necessity of Atonement: The use of ʼashmâh in the context of Levitical law underscores that guilt before God requires a prescribed remedy. An offering must be brought for the trespass to secure forgiveness (Leviticus 6:7, Ezra 10:19).
The Consequences of Trespass: Unresolved guilt brings divine consequences. For this trespass, wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem 2 Chronicles 24:18, and the people were delivered to the sword and captivity Ezra 9:7. Those who swore by the "sin of Samaria" were destined to fall and never rise again Amos 8:14.

Summary

In summary, H819 is a critical term that defines the state of guiltiness resulting from sin. It moves beyond a simple mistake to describe a condition, both individual and corporate, that carries severe consequences and necessitates a formal act of atonement. The word connects the wrongful act to the resulting state of guilt and the divine provision for its resolution, making it a cornerstone for understanding sin, justice, and redemption in the Old Testament.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a noun and a verb across 19 occurrences, inflected in 5 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

אַשְׁמַת
אַשְׁמָה
אַשְׁמַת
אֲשָׁמוֹת
אַשְׁמוֹתַ

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 17 verses across 6 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Ezra (6 verses); never once in the other 33.

Leviticus

1 Chronicles

2 Chronicles

Ezra

Psalms

Amos

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.