כִּפֶּר (ki.pher)
ki.pher
to atone; to cover
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 80 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb kippēr carries a dual sense of covering and making atonement, appearing eighty times in the Old Testament with a heavy concentration in Leviticus, Numbers, and Exodus. Its basic meaning is to cover over something, whether that be coating a boat with pitch as Noah did or shielding a person from the consequences of sin through ritual action. This physical image underpins its theological weight: atonement is not merely an abstract idea but a concrete act that addresses a specific breach.
In its most common form, the Piel stem, kippēr describes the process of making reconciliation between God and His people. It involves pacifying divine anger or purging impurity so that relationship can be restored. The sources highlight that this covering is often achieved through legal rites involving blood or offerings, effectively removing the stain of iniquity. For instance, the ritual for the Day of Atonement relies on this verb to describe how the high priest makes atonement for the sanctuary and the community.
A notable distinction lies in its application to both objects and persons. While it can mean to cover a physical surface, such as pitch on an ark, it frequently refers to covering sin itself or the sinner. This duality shows that the ancient Israelites viewed sin as a tangible defilement that required a literal covering to neutralize its effect. Translators often render this as "make atonement," though the root imagery remains one of protective covering rather than just legal pardon.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word kippēr carries a dual meaning that bridges the physical and the spiritual. On one level, it describes covering a surface, like sealing Noah’s ark with pitch to keep out the floodwaters. This concrete image helps us understand how ancient Israelites viewed sin not just as a mistake, but as something tangible that needed to be covered or shielded from view.
In its deeper theological sense, this covering becomes an act of atonement. Through specific rituals involving blood and offerings, the people sought to restore their relationship with God. The high priest would perform these rites on the Day of Atonement, effectively removing the stain of iniquity so that communion could be restored. It was a protective measure, ensuring that divine anger did not consume the community.
For your faith today, this word reminds us that reconciliation is both serious and accessible. God provides a way to cover our breaches, whether through the historical sacrifices of Israel or the ultimate sacrifice of Christ. You do not need to carry the weight of sin alone; there is a provided covering that allows you to stand clean before Him.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 80 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- and/ he will make atonement28×
- to/ make atonement21×
- he will make atonement6×
- it will be atoned for4×
- and/ make atonement2×
- and/ he will make atonement for2×
- and/ he made atonement2×
- you will make atonement1×
- you atone1×
- will I make amends1×
- when/ making atonement/ you1×
- to cover/ it1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- וְ/כִפֶּ֥ר10×
- לְ/כַפֵּ֥ר8×
- לְ/כַפֵּ֖ר8×
- וְ/כִפֶּ֨ר6×
- וְ/כִפֶּ֣ר6×
- לְ/כַפֵּ֣ר4×
- יְכַפֵּ֥ר4×
- וְ/כִפֶּר֩3×
- תְּכַפֵּר֙2×
- יְכֻפַּ֣ר2×
- יְכַפֶּר\־2×
- יְכַפֵּֽר\׃2×
Key Verses
-
Exodus 30:10
Aaron shall make atonement on its horns once in the year; with the blood of the sin offering of atonement once in the year he shall make atonement for it throughout your generations. It is most holy to Yahweh.”
This verse establishes the annual ritual where Aaron makes atonement on the horns of the altar, highlighting the permanent and holy nature of this covering for the entire community.
-
Leviticus 4:20
He shall do this with the bull; as he did with the bull of the sin offering, so he shall do with this; and the priest shall make atonement for them, and they shall be forgiven.
Here the priest makes atonement for the people’s sin, resulting directly in their forgiveness, showing the effective power of the ritual to restore status.
-
Genesis 6:14
Make a ship of gopher wood. You shall make rooms in the ship, and shall seal it inside and outside with pitch.
This usage shows the literal root meaning of covering with pitch, providing the physical foundation for the later spiritual metaphor of protection from judgment.
-
Leviticus 5:13
The priest shall make atonement for him concerning his sin that he has sinned in any of these things, and he will be forgiven; and the rest shall be the priest’s, as the meal offering.’”
The text explicitly links the priest's act of atonement to the result that the sinner is forgiven, emphasizing the transactional nature of restoration in the Law.