פָּשַׁע (pa.sah)
pa.sah
to transgress
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 32 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb pašāʿ describes a decisive break in relationship, carrying the core sense of rebelling or transgressing against established authority. Its root imagery suggests splitting or breaking away, much like snapping a bond or severing a connection. This is not merely an accidental slip but a deliberate act of defiance that ruptures the tie between the parties involved.
In Scripture, this word primarily depicts nations or individuals turning away from God’s covenant, as seen when Isaiah describes the people who have rebelled against the Lord (Isaiah 1:2). It also applies to political revolt, such as when kingdoms broke their allegiance to Judah (2 Kings 3:5). The related noun form, pešāʿ, is frequently used to label these acts as "transgressions," highlighting a conscious violation of divine law rather than simple human error.
A distinct nuance appears in the Niphal stem, where the verb describes brothers becoming estranged or quarreling with one another (Proverbs 18:19). Here, the idea of breaking extends to interpersonal harmony, showing that the rupture of trust can be as damaging between people as it is between humanity and God. Translators often render this term as "transgress" or "rebel," capturing the weight of a willful departure from right standing.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word pašāʿ describes a decisive break in relationship. It is not a minor slip or an accidental error, but a deliberate turning away from established authority. In Scripture, this term often depicts nations or individuals rebelling against God’s covenant, rupturing the bond that should connect them to Him. Isaiah uses it to describe children who have rebelled against their Father, highlighting the pain of such a separation.
Yet this word also carries the hope of restoration. When Solomon prayed in 1 Kings 8:50, he asked God to forgive His people for their pašāʿ, seeking compassion even when they had broken trust. The Bible does not hide the seriousness of rebellion, but it consistently points toward a God who offers forgiveness and reconciliation. This word reminds us that while our choices can sever relationships, God’s grace is greater than our failures.
Understanding pašāʿ helps us see the weight of our actions. It invites us to examine where we might be resisting God’s guidance or breaking trust with others. The path back is not through self-effort, but through acknowledging the breach and turning toward the One who restores. This awareness leads us to appreciate the depth of divine mercy available to all who seek it.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 32 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- it rebelled4×
- they have rebelled3×
- you have rebelled2×
- we have transgressed2×
- to/ transgress2×
- they transgressed2×
- and/ they have rebelled2×
- and/ it has rebelled2×
- you have transgressed1×
- who/ rebelled1×
- transgressors1×
- transgressed1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- פָּשַׁ֣ע3×
- פָּ֥שְׁעוּ3×
- תִּפְשַׁ֥ע2×
- וַ/יִּפְשְׁע֤וּ2×
- פוֹשְׁעִ֖ים1×
- פֹּשְׁעִ֛ים1×
- פֹּשְׁעִ֖ים1×
- פָּשֹׁ֤עַ1×
- פָּשָֽׁעוּ\׃1×
- פָּשָׁ֑עַתְּ1×
- פָּשַׁ֖עַתְּ1×
- פָּשְׁעוּ\־1×
Key Verses
-
Isaiah 1:2
Hear, heavens, and listen, earth; for Yahweh has spoken: “I have nourished and brought up children and they have rebelled against me.
This verse uses the word to depict a personal, familial rebellion where children reject their Father's care, emphasizing the relational rupture.
-
I Kings 8:50
and forgive your people who have sinned against you, and all their transgressions in which they have transgressed against you; and give them compassion before those who carried them captive, that they may have compassion on them
Solomon prays for forgiveness specifically for these acts of transgression, showing that even decisive breaks can be addressed through repentance and divine compassion.
-
Isaiah 53:12
Therefore I will give him a portion with the great. He will divide the plunder with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was counted with the transgressors; yet he bore the sins of many and made intercession for the transgressors.
Here the word describes those counted with the rebels, highlighting how the suffering servant identifies with the guilty to bear their sins.
-
Jeremiah 3:13
Only acknowledge your iniquity, that you have transgressed against Yahweh your God, and have scattered your ways to the strangers under every green tree, and you have not obeyed my voice,’” says Yahweh.
The prophet calls for acknowledgment of this specific type of iniquity as the necessary first step toward returning to God.