פֶּשַׁע
a revolt (national, moral or religious)
Definition
פֶּשַׁע (peshaʻ) fundamentally means a willful, rebellious act against authority, especially against God's covenant and law. It describes a deliberate breaking of relationship, often translated as 'transgression' or 'rebellion.' In a national sense, it refers to Israel's political revolt against a king (e.g., 1 Kings 12:19). In a moral and religious sense, it is a conscious, high-handed sin against God, as seen in the confession of Israel's iniquity in Isaiah 59:12-13. The word is central in texts about atonement, where it is something that must be borne away, such as by the scapegoat in Leviticus 16:21 or by the suffering servant in Isaiah 53:5, 8.
Biblical Usage
פֶּשַׁע is used 90 times, primarily in poetic and prophetic books (e.g., Psalms, Isaiah, Ezekiel) and in legal contexts (e.g., Exodus, Leviticus). It often appears in lists of sins alongside words for 'iniquity' (עָוֺן, H5771) and 'sin' (חַטָּאת, H2403), highlighting its specific nuance of willful rebellion (Exodus 34:7; Psalm 32:1-2). It describes both individual acts of defiance (Genesis 50:17) and the collective, covenantal rebellion of the nation (Isaiah 1:2; Hosea 8:1). Its usage in sacrificial contexts (Leviticus 16:16, 21) underscores its seriousness as an offense requiring atonement.
Etymology
Derived from the root פָּשַׁע (pāshaʻ, H6586), meaning 'to rebel, transgress, revolt.' The noun פֶּשַׁע carries the core idea of a breach of trust or covenant, a stepping across a boundary in defiance. Cognates in other Semitic languages, like Akkadian (pašāḫu), also convey the sense of rebellion or trespass, confirming this as a fundamental concept of deliberate wrongdoing against established authority.
Semantic Range
פֶּשַׁע is a theologically weighty term for sin, emphasizing its nature as a willful, personal rebellion against God's rightful rule. It is not merely a mistake or shortcoming but a conscious breach of covenant relationship. This understanding deepens the gravity of passages about God's forgiveness (Psalm 32:1; Isaiah 43:25) and the necessity of atonement, ultimately fulfilled in Christ who 'was pierced for our transgressions' (Isaiah 53:5). Grasping this Hebrew concept clarifies why sin is so serious and the magnitude of God's grace in covering it.
In the ancient Near Eastern context, פֶּשַׁע would be understood through the lens of covenant relationships—between a king and vassal or a suzerain and subject. Rebellion against a covenant lord was the ultimate political and relational crime, often punishable by death. When applied to Israel's relationship with Yahweh, it frames sin not just as a moral failure but as high treason against the Divine King, a rupture of the sacred bond that defined their national identity.
חַטָּאת (chaṭṭāʼth, H2403) — a general term for 'sin,' often meaning 'missing the mark' or an offense. עָוֺן (ʻāvôn, H5771) — 'iniquity,' implying guilt, perversity, or the crooked consequences of sin. פָּשַׁע is more specific, denoting the willful, rebellious act itself.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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