פֶּ֫שַׁע (pe.sah)
pe.sah
transgression
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 69 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun peshaʿ denotes a deliberate act of rebellion or transgression, carrying the sense of breaking a covenant or relationship. It appears frequently in the prophetic literature and wisdom books to describe offenses against God, though it can also refer to wrongs committed between individuals. The word implies a conscious turning away from established authority or moral law, making it more active than a simple mistake.
Lexical sources highlight that peshaʿ is often stronger than the general term for sin (chattaʾth), emphasizing the rebellious nature of the act. This distinction is visible in Job 34:37, where the text contrasts the two concepts to show that rebellion involves adding "transgressions" to "sins." The term covers a wide range of violations, from national defection to personal guilt, and even extends metonymically to the penalty or sacrifice required for such acts.
Its theological weight lies in its relational impact. When used in contexts like Isaiah or Proverbs, it underscores the breach of trust between God and His people. Translators typically render it as "transgression," "rebellion," or "trespass" depending on whether the focus is on the act itself, the attitude behind it, or the resulting liability. The word captures the gravity of choosing to violate a known standard.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word peshaʿ describes a deliberate turning away from God, an act of rebellion that breaks the bond of trust between Creator and creation. It is more than a simple mistake; it is a conscious choice to violate a known standard or covenant. When we read this term in Scripture, we see the seriousness with which God views broken relationships, whether they involve national defection or personal guilt.
Yet the biblical narrative does not leave us in despair over these breaches. The same God who identifies our transgressions also offers forgiveness and atonement. In Psalm 103, we find the comforting promise that He removes our rebellions from us as far as the east is from the west. This word reminds us that while our choices have weight, God’s mercy is greater than our failures.
Understanding peshaʿ helps us approach God with honesty about our actions and hope in His grace. It invites us to acknowledge where we have turned away, not to hide behind excuses, but to receive the restoration He freely offers through Christ.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 69 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- transgression11×
- <the> transgressions of8×
- transgressions/ your4×
- transgressions/ my4×
- transgression/ my4×
- transgressions/ their3×
- transgressions/ our3×
- transgression/ their3×
- transgression/ its2×
- to/ transgression/ your2×
- to/ [the] transgression of2×
- and/ transgression2×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- פִּשְׁעֵ֣י7×
- פָּ֑שַׁע3×
- פָּֽשַׁע\׃2×
- פֶּ֭שַׁע2×
- פִּשְׁעֵי/הֶ֖ם2×
- פְּשָׁעָ֑/י2×
- פֶ֖שַׁע2×
- פֶּ֣שַׁע1×
- פֶּ֗שַׁע1×
- פֶּ֔שַׁע1×
- פִּשְׁעָֽ/ם\׃1×
- פִּשְׁעָ֔/ם1×
Key Verses
-
Psalms 103:12
As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
This verse captures the ultimate hope for peshaʿ by describing God’s complete removal of transgressions from those who trust in Him.
-
Job 34:37
For he adds rebellion to his sin. He claps his hands among us, and multiplies his words against God.”
Here the word highlights the gravity of rebellion, showing how adding transgression to sin multiplies one's guilt before God.
-
Leviticus 16:21
Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions, even all their sins; and he shall put them on the head of the goat, and shall send him away into the wilderness by the hand of a man who is ready.
This ritual act demonstrates how the community’s rebellions were symbolically transferred and removed through the scapegoat, pointing to the need for atonement.
-
Psalms 32:5
I acknowledged my sin to you. I didn’t hide my iniquity. I said, I will confess my transgressions to Yahweh, and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah.
David confesses that acknowledging his transgression leads directly to God’s forgiveness, illustrating the path from rebellion to restoration.