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The word may also refer to something of poor or inferior quality, such as “bad” land
(Num. 13:19), “naughty” figs (Jer. 24:2), “illfavored” cattle (Gen. 41:3, 19), or a “bad”
sacrificial animal (Lev. 27:10, 12, 14).
In Isa. 45:7 Yahweh describes His actions by saying, “… I make peace, and create
evil [ ] …”; moral “evil” is not intended in this context, but rather the antithesis of
(“peace; welfare; well-being”). The whole verse affirms that as absolute
Sovereign, the Lord creates a universe governed by a moral order. Calamity and
misfortune will surely ensue from the wickedness of ungodly men.
C. Verbs.
(
, 5674), “to transgress, cross over, pass over.” This word occurs as a verb
only when it refers to sin.
*
often carries the sense of “transgressing” a covenant or
commandment—i.e., the offender “passes beyond” the limits set by God’s law and falls
into transgression and guilt. This meaning appears in Num. 14:41: “And Moses said,
wherefore now do ye transgress the commandment of the Lord? but it shall not prosper.”
Another example is in Judg. 2:20: “And the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel; and
he said, Because that this people hath transgressed my covenant which I commanded
their fathers, and have not hearkened unto my voice” (cf. 1 Sam. 15:24; Hos. 8:1).
Most frequently,
illustrates the motion of “crossing over” or “passing over.”
(The Latin
, from which we get our English word
, has the similar
meaning of “go beyond” or “cross over.”) This word refers to crossing a stream or
boundage (“pass through,” Num. 21:22), invading a country (“passed over,” Judg. 11:32),
crossing a boundary against a hostile army (“go over,” 1 Sam. 14:4), marching over (“go
over,” Isa. 51:23), overflowing the banks of a river or other natural barriers (“pass
through,” Isa. 23:10), passing a razor over one’s head (“come upon,” Num. 6:5), and the
passing of time (“went over,” 1 Chron. 29:30).
(
+
, 2398), “to miss, sin, be guilty, forfeit, purify.” This verb occurs 238
times and in all parts of the Old Testament. It is found also in Assyrian, Aramaic,
Ethiopic, Sabean, and Arabic.
The basic meaning of this verb is illustrated in Judg. 20:16: There were 700 left-
handed Benjamite soldiers who “could sling stones at a hair breadth, and not
.” The
meaning is extended in Prov. 19:2: “He who makes haste with his feet
the way”
(
RSV
,
NIV
,
KJV NASB
, “sinneth”). The intensive form is used in Gen. 31:39: “That which
was torn of beasts I brought not unto thee; I bare the
of it.…”
From this basic meaning comes the word’s chief usage to indicate moral failure
toward both God and men, and certain results of such wrongs. The first occurrence of the
verb is in Gen. 20:6, God’s word to Abimelech after he had taken Sarah: “Yes, I know
that in the integrity of your heart you have done this, and also I have kept you from
sinning against Me” (
NASB
; cf. Gen. 39:9).
Sin against God is defined in Josh. 7:11: “Israel hath sinned, and they have also
transgressed my covenant which I commanded them.…” Also note Lev. 4:27: “And if
any one of the common people sin through ignorance, while he doeth somewhat against
any of the commandments of the Lord concerning things which ought not to be done, and