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Deuteronomy 23:22 — Word Study

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WLCוְכִ֥י תֶחְדַּ֖ל לִנְדֹּ֑ר לֹֽא־ יִהְיֶ֥ה בְךָ֖ חֵֽטְא׃

BSABut ifkîy from making a vownâdar [a promise to God, a sacred pledge] you will notlôʼ behâyâh guilty of sinchêṭᵉʼ [accountable, responsible, missing the mark, rebellion against God]

Word
Listen & take awayDeuteronomy 23
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 22 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration (Chet') — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Deuteronomy 23:22quick helps
In a sentenceIf you do not make a vow, you are not guilty of sin.
Who is speakingMoses, instructing the Israelites.
Where we areIn a section of laws regarding vows and oaths.
The hard wordחֵֽטְא
Take awayRefraining from a vow means no guilt of sin.
3 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectלְ verbנֶדֶר The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.

Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.

Deep Study — Deuteronomy 23:22

Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.

Context — Laws Concerning Vowsgenerated

21If you make a vow to the LORD your God, do not be slow to keep it, because He will surely require it of you, and you will be guilty of sin.
22But if you refrain from making a vow, you will not be guilty of sin.
23Be careful to follow through on what comes from your lips, because you have freely vowed to the LORD your God with your own mouth.
24When you enter your neighbor’s vineyard, you may eat your fill of grapes, but you must not put any in your basket.

Deuteronomy 23:22 addresses the importance of vows made to God. It emphasizes that if one chooses not to make a vow, they are not held accountable for sin. This instruction reflects the seriousness of making promises to God and the responsibility that comes with them, as seen in the surrounding verses that discuss the consequences of failing to fulfill vows.


Cross References


The Key Word חֵֽטְא, Chet'generated

The noun חֵֽטְא (chet) refers to sin, which encompasses both the act of sinning and the associated guilt. It is derived from a root meaning 'to miss' or 'to err,' indicating a failure to meet a standard or expectation.

In this verse, it conveys that by not making a vow, one avoids the guilt that comes from failing to fulfill a promise to God. The context shows that sin is directly linked to the commitments one makes, highlighting the importance of intention and action in one's relationship with God.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb תֶחְדַּ֖ל (tech.Dal), meaning 'you will refrain,' governs the sentence, with the rest of the clauses providing conditions and consequences. The structure emphasizes the conditional nature of the statement: if you refrain from making a vow, then you will not be guilty.

The sentence includes a negation לֹֽא־ (lo'-), which directly modifies the verb יִהְיֶ֥ה (yih.Yeh), indicating that the absence of a vow leads to the absence of guilt.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates חֵֽטְא as ἁμαρτία (hamartia), which also means sin. This choice reflects a consistent understanding of the concept of sin across both Hebrew and Greek texts.

The Greek word for refraining, εὔχῃ (euchē), suggests a focus on the act of making a vow, indicating that the Greek translators recognized the significance of the vow in relation to sin.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Deuteronomy 23:22 teaches that if you do not make a vow to God, you are not guilty of sin. This verse emphasizes the importance of vows and the responsibility that comes with them. It reminds us that choosing not to vow means avoiding the guilt that comes from failing to fulfill a promise.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean to refrain from making a vow?

To refrain from making a vow means to choose not to commit to a promise made to God, thereby avoiding any associated guilt.

Why is it important to fulfill vows?

Fulfilling vows is important because it reflects one's integrity and commitment to God, as failing to do so can lead to guilt and consequences.

Can sin occur without making a vow?

Yes, sin can occur in many forms, but this verse specifically addresses the guilt associated with failing to fulfill a vow made to God.

How does this verse relate to other laws in Deuteronomy?

This verse relates to other laws in Deuteronomy by emphasizing the seriousness of commitments and the expectation of accountability in one's relationship with God.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What commitments have I made to God, and how can I ensure I fulfill them?
  2. How can I practice integrity in my promises to others?
  3. What does this verse teach me about the nature of sin and responsibility?
  4. In what ways can I be mindful of my words and promises in my daily life?

Commentators on this verse — 3 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Deuteronomy 23:22 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

But if thou shalt forbear to vow,.... That a man might do, though there was ability; it was expected indeed that men should vow and bring freewill offerings in proportion to their ability; whether

Read John Gill on Deuteronomy 23 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

When thou shalt vow a vow unto the LORD thy God, thou shalt not slack to pay it: for the LORD thy God When thou shalt vow a vow unto the LORD thy God, thou shalt not slack to pay it: for the LORD thy

Read Robert Jamieson on Deuteronomy 23 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Deuteronomy 23:22 But if thou shalt forbear to vow, it shall be no sin in thee.Ver. 22. It shall be no sin in thee,] i.e., No such great sin; as John 9:41, so John 15:22; John 15:24 James 4:17. See Ecclesiastes 5:5. Vovere nusquam est praeceptum, saith Bellarmine: We are nowhere in Scripture commanded to vow. And Fateor quod Deus non praecipit, sed tantum consulit nobis ut aliquid illi voveamus, saith another Popish writer. I confess God nowhere commandeth, but only counselleth us to make vows. But what will they say to Psalms 76:11; - "Vow and perform to the Lord your God, bring presents" &c.? And are not the nine lepers condemned by Christ for their negligence and unthankfulness? Alphons.…

Read John Trapp on Deuteronomy 23 →

The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company

Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.

Modern formal

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

But if you refrain from making a vow, you will not be guilty of sin.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

But if you refrain from making a vow, it shall be no sin in you.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

But if you refrain from making a vow, you will not be guilty of sin.

NETBNew English Translation2006

If you refrain from making a vow, it will not be sinful.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

But if thou shalt forbear to vow, it shall be no sin in thee.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

But if thou shalt forbear to vow, it shall be no sin in thee.

RVARevised Version, American1894

But if thou shalt forbear to vow, it shall be no sin in thee.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

But if thou shalt forbear to vow, it shall be no sin in thee.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

But when thou absteinest from vowing, it shalbe no sinne vnto thee.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

But if thou forbear to vow, it shall be no sin in thee.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

'And when thou forbearest to vow, it is not in thee a sin.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And when you refrain to vow, it is not sin in you.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

(23:23) But if thou forbear to vow, it shall be no sin in thee.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

But if you will refrain from making a vow, it will be no sin for you.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

If thou wilt not promise, thou shalt be without sin.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

If you don't make such promises then you won't be guilty of sin.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

But if you take no oath, there will be no sin.

Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.


The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank

This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.

וְandכִ֥י(dm)clauseverbתֶחְדַּ֖לyou.will.refrainprepositional phrase · prepositionalלִtoclauseverbנְדֹּ֑רmake.a.vowclauseadverbialלֹֽאnotverbיִהְיֶ֥הit.will.beprepositional phrase · prepositionalבְonךָ֖yousubjectחֵֽטְאsin

Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.


The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran

The Masoretic Text states, "וְכִ֥י תֶחְדַּ֖ל לִנְדֹּ֑ר לֹֽא־ יִהְיֶ֥ה בְךָ֖ חֵֽטְא׃" which translates to, "But if you refrain from making a vow, you will not be guilty of sin." The Samaritan Pentateuch agrees with the Masoretic Text word for word. The Septuagint matches six of the seven words but presents them in a different order and structure, indicating a slight variation in translation. The Dead Sea Scrolls, specifically 4Q33, contain three words from the verse, with one word partially restored and others supplied by an editor, while 4Q38a includes six words of the verse, with five supplied entirely by an editor. Overall, the Samaritan Pentateuch aligns with the Masoretic Text, while the Septuagint and Dead Sea Scrolls show variations in wording and completeness.

Masoretic TextLeningrad Codex, c. AD 1008 — the text this page is built on

וְכִ֥י תֶחְדַּ֖ל לִנְדֹּ֑ר לֹֽא־ יִהְיֶ֥ה בְךָ֖ חֵֽטְא׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וְכִ֥יεὔχῃתֶחְדַּ֖לεὐξὴνלִנְדֹּ֑רκυρίῳלֹֽא־θεῷיִהְיֶ֥הσουבְךָ֖ξρονιεῖς

6 of the 7 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

Samaritan Pentateuchthe Torah as the Samaritan community kept it

כי תדר נדר ליהוה אלהיך לא תאחר לשׁלמו כי דרשׁ ידרשׁנו יהוה אלהיך מעמך והיה בך חטא

Agrees with the Masoretic Text here, word for word.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 4Q33a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

[כי] [תדר] [נדר] [ליהוה] [אלהי׳ך] [לא] תאחר לשלמ׳ו כי דרש [ידרש׳נו] [יהוה] [אלהי׳ך] [מעמ׳ך] [והיה] [ב׳ך] [חטא]

3 words on the leather — 1 partly restored, 13 supplied entire by an editor.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 4Q38aa copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

[ידרש׳נו] [יהוה] [אלהי׳ך] והיה [ב׳כה] [חטא]

6 words of the verse are on this fragment — 5 supplied entire by an editor.

Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.


The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with

This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.

Deuteronomy 23:22כִּיand ifand ifכִּיחָדַלyou will reyou will refraiחָדַלנָדַרto make a vto make a vowנָדַרלֹאnotnotלֹאהָיָהit will beit will beהָיָהךָּon youon youךָּחֵטְאsinsinחֵטְאחָטָאto sinto sinחָטָאהָוָאto fallto fallהָוָאיָדַעto knowto knowיָדַעגִּלְעָד(Mount) Gi(Mount) Gileadגִּלְעָדנֶ֫דֶרvowvowנֶ֫דֶרנָזִירNaziriteNaziriteנָזִיריָכֹלbe ablebe ableיָכֹלעוֹדstillstillעוֹדפָּשַׁעto transgrto transgressפָּשַׁעעָוֹןiniquity: iniquity: crimeעָוֹן
meets it a little oftener than chancemeets it far oftener than chancebuilt from the same roottwo words of the verse share ita word of this versea related word

Lexicons — every word in Deuteronomy 23:22

One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.

Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.

and if you will refrain to make a vow not it will be on you sin
וְכִ֥יve.Khi and if H3588 Conjunction · particle
4,483× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A conjunction used to show cause or connection, as in Genesis 2:23 where Adam says the woman is bone of his bone because she was taken out of him. It is often translated as 'for', 'because', or 'since'.
Tyndale gloss
for
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כִּי (ki) is a conjunction primarily meaning 'that,' 'for,' or 'when.' It indicates causal relationships and can express conditions like 'if' or 'though.' The word is versatile, appearing in various contexts to convey certainty, exception, or concession. Notably, it can combine with other particles to modify its meaning, such as in the phrase כִּי אם־ (ki im), meaning 'that if.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כִּי conj. that, for, when

that

Of time, when, of the past

elsewhere כִּי has a force approximating to if, though it usu. represents a case as more likely to occur than אִם

when or if, with a concessive force, i.e. though

Because, since

base

כִּי אם־

each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause:

that if

for if

(About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause—

limiting the prec. clause, except

the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but

after an oath, surely

base

כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3588a כִּי that, for, when . that

. . Of time, when, of the past

. elsewhere כִּי has a force approximating to if, though it usu. represents a case as more likely to occur than אִם

. when or if, with a concessive force, i.e. though

. Because, since

H3588b כִּי אם־ . each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause: . that if

. for if

. (About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause— . limiting the prec. clause, except

. the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but

. after an oath, surely

H3588c כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3588 kiy kee

a primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional

prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent

or consequent; (by implication) very widely used as a relative

conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by

other particles annexed:--and, + (forasmuch, inasmuch,

where-)as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else,

even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, +

nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then,

therefore, + (al- )though, + till, truly, + until, when,

whether, while, whom, yea, yet.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כִּי (ki) — for.

1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since

1a) that

1a1) yea, indeed

1b) when (of time)

1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force)

1c) because, since (causal connection)

1d) but (after negative)

1e) that if, for if, indeed if, for though, but if

1f) but rather, but

1g) except that

1h) only, nevertheless

1i) surely

1j) that is

1k) but if

1l) for though

1m) forasmuch as, for therefore

כִּי [אם] (ki im) — that if: except.

1) except if

1a) but if

1b) even though

כִּי [עַל כֵּן] (ki [al ken]) — for as that: since.

1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since

1a) that

1a1) yea, indeed

1b) when (of time)

1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force)

1c) because, since (causal connection)

1d) but (after negative)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj — Conjunction · particle
HC/Tc
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and if you will refrain to make a vow not it will be on you sin
תֶחְדַּ֖לtech.Dal you will refrain H2308 Verb · Qal · imperfect second person masculine singular
58× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To cease means to stop or end something, like when God told the Israelites to cease work on the Sabbath in Exodus 20:10. It can also mean to be idle or lacking. In the Bible, it is often used to describe a change in action or behavior.
Tyndale gloss
to cease
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חָדַל (chadal) is a Hebrew verb meaning to cease or come to an end. It conveys the idea of stopping, leaving off, or forgoing something. The entries highlight its use in various contexts, including the Qal stem, which indicates simple action. There is a specific note in the Hophil form suggesting a passive sense of being made to leave.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חָדַל vb. cease

Qal

cease, come to an end

cease, leave off

Hoph. should I be made to leave

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2308 חָדַל cease .. cease, come to an end

. cease, leave off

. should I be made to leave

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2308 chadal khaw-dal'

a primitive root; properly, to be flabby, i.e. (by

implication) desist; (figuratively) be lacking or

idle:--cease, end, fall, forbear, forsake, leave (off), let

alone, rest, be unoccupied, want.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חָדַל (cha.dal) — to cease.

1) to stop, cease, desist, forego, cease to be, leave undone, forbear

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to cease, come to an end

1a2) to cease, leave off

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HVqi2ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect second person masculine singular
HVqi2ms
and if you will refrain to make a vow not it will be on you sin
לִנְדֹּ֑רlin.Dor to make a vow H5087 Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common
31× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To vow means to make a promise to God, like Hannah did in 1 Samuel 1:11 when she asked for a son. This promise is a commitment to give something to God in return for a blessing. It's a solemn pledge to God.
Amplified meaning
a promise to God, a sacred pledge
Tyndale gloss
to vow
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

נָדַר (nadar) is a Hebrew verb meaning to vow or make a vow, particularly in the context of promising something to God. The entries consistently emphasize its use as a primitive root related to making commitments. There are no significant disagreements among the lexicons regarding its meaning.

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5087 נָדַר vow

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5087 nadar naw-dar'

a primitive root; to promise (pos., to do or give something

to God):--(make a) vow.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נָדַר (na.dar) — to vow.

1) to vow, make a vow

1a) (Qal) to vow a vow

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-2ms — Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common
HR/Vqcc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

vou (nedher; euche; 'iccar, found only in Nu 30:6,8,10 and translated horismos, by the Septuagint: A vow could be positive (nedher) and included all promises to perform certain things for, or bring certain offerings to, God, in return for certain benefits which were hoped for at His hand (Ge 28:20-22, Jacob; Le 27:2,8; Nu 30; Jud 11:30, Jephthah; 1Sa 1:11, Hannah; 2Sa 15:8, Absalom; Jon 1:16, vows of heathen); or negative ('iccar), and included promises by which a person bound himself or herself to abstain from…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

A promise made to God of doing some good thing or abstaining from some lawful enjoyment, under the influence of gratitude for divine goodness, of imminent danger, the apprehension of future evils, or the desire of future blessings. To fulfill a vow binding one to sin, was to all sin to sin; but no considerations of inconvenience or loss could absolve one from a vow, Ps 15:4 Mal 1:14. Jacob, going into Mesopotamia, vowed the tenth of his estate, and promised to offer it at Beth-el, to the honor of God, Ge 28:20-22. Moses enacted several laws for the regulation and execution of vows. "If thou shalt forbear to vow, it shall be no sin in thee; that which is gone out of thy lips thou shalt keep and perform,"

and if you will refrain to make a vow not it will be on you sin
לֹֽא־lo'- not H3808 Particle
5,170× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.
Tyndale gloss
not
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

לֹא (lo') is a Hebrew word meaning 'not' or 'no.' It serves as a simple negation and can imply absence or prohibition. The word can also be used in various contexts, often combined with other particles for emphasis or clarification. Its Aramaic equivalent is לָא (la), which also means 'not.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לֹא or לוֹא adv. not

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3808 lo' lo

or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle;

not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often

used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else,

ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never,

no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out

of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, +

of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לֹא (lo) — not.

1) not, no

1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)

1b) not (with modifier-negation)

1c) nothing (subst)

1d) without (with particle)

1e) before (of time)

Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Part — Particle
HTn
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and if you will refrain to make a vow not it will be on you sin
יִהְיֶ֥הyih.Yeh it will be H1961 Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singular
3,562× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for to be means to exist or come into being. It is used to describe something that happens or comes to pass, like in Genesis where God creates the world.
Tyndale gloss
to be
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word הָיָה (hayah) is a primitive root meaning to exist or become, and it encompasses a range of meanings including to happen, occur, and come to pass. It is often used in narrative contexts, particularly in phrases like "and it came to pass." The word can also denote a state of being or existence, and it appears frequently in various forms throughout the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הָיָה 3570 vb. fall out, come to pass, become, be

Qal

Fall out, happen

occur, take place, come about, come to pass

esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass

וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)

rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה

less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)

Come into being, become

abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come

sq. prep.

become

sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)

sq. pred. adj.

become like

sq. pred. לְ pers.

sq. לְ pred.

oft. c. לְ pred. לְ pers.

with עַל and לְ

sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of

Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming)

exist, be in existence

abide, remain, continue

with word of locality, be in or at a place, be situated, stand, lie

as copula, joining subj. & pred.

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Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1961 הָיָה fall out, come to pass, become, be .. . . Fall out, happen

. occur, take place, come about, come to pass

. esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass . . וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)

. rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה

. less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)

. Come into being, become . . abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come

. sq. prep.

. become . sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)

. sq. pred. adj.

. become like

. sq. pred. + לְ pers.

. sq. לְ pred.

. oft. c. לְ pred. + לְ pers.

. with עַל and לְ

. sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of

. Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming) . exist, be in existence

. abide, remain, continue

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Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1961 hayah haw-yaw

a primitive root (compare 1933); to exist, i.e. be or become,

come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or

auxiliary):--beacon, X altogether, be(-come), accomplished,

committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint,

fall, + follow, happen, X have, last, pertain, quit

(one-)self, require, X use.

see HEBREW for 01933

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הָיָה (ha.yah) — to be.

1) to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out

1a) (Qal)

1a1) ---

1a1a) to happen, fall out, occur, take place, come about, come to pass

1a1b) to come about, come to pass

1a2) to come into being, become

1a2a) to arise, appear, come

1a2b) to become

1a2b1) to become

1a2b2) to become like

1a2b3) to be instituted, be established

1a3) to be

1a3a) to exist, be in existence

1a3b) to abide, remain, continue (with word of place or time)

1a3c) to stand, lie, be in, be at, be situated (with word of locality)

1a3d) to accompany, be with

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to occur, come to pass, be done, be brought about

1b2) to be done, be finished, be gone

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-3ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singular
HVqi3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

See TESTAMENT.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ THE MENTAL FACULTY

Freedom of, recognized by God Ge 4:6-10; De 5:29; 1Ki 20:42; Isa 1:18-20; 43:26; Jer 36:3,7; Joh 7:17

See BLESSINGS, CONTINGENT UPON OBEDIENCE

See CHOICE

See CONTINGENCY

→ OF GOD, THE SUPREME RULE OF DUTY Mt 6:10; 12:50; 26:39,42; Mr 3:35; 14:36; Lu 11:2; 22:42; Joh 4:34; 5:30; 6:38-40; Ac…

and if you will refrain to make a vow not it will be on you sin
בְךָ֖ve.Kha on you H9031 Preposition · suffix
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

ךָּ (ka) — you.

Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 2nd person masculine singular

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HRd/Sp2ms — Preposition · suffix
HRd/Sp2ms
and if you will refrain to make a vow not it will be on you sin
חֵֽטְא׃Chet' sin H2399 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
33× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Sin refers to a crime or its punishment, including guilt and offense. It is the result of missing the mark or going wrong, and can have serious consequences.
Amplified meaning
accountable, responsible, missing the mark, rebellion against God
Tyndale gloss
sin
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חֵטְא (chet) refers to sin, encompassing the concepts of guilt associated with sin and the punishment that follows. It is derived from a root meaning 'to miss' or 'to err.' The term appears in various contexts in the Old Testament, highlighting both the act of sinning and its consequences.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חֵטְא n.m. sin

sin

guilt of sin

punishment for sin

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2399 חֵטְא sin . sin

. guilt of sin

. punishment for sin

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2399 chet' khate

from 2398; a crime or its penalty:--fault, X grievously,

offence, (punishment of) sin.

see HEBREW for 02398

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חֵטְא (chet) — sin.

1) sin

1a) sin

1b) guilt for sin

1c) punishment for sin

Aramaic equivalent: cha.ti (חֲטָי "sin" H2408)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Sin

Is “any want of conformity unto or transgression of the law of God” (1 John 3:4; Rom. 4:15), in the inward state and habit of the soul, as well as in the outward conduct of the life, whether by omission or commission (Rom. 6:12-17; 7:5-24). It is “not a mere violation of the law of our constitution, nor of the system of things, but an offence against a personal lawgiver and moral governor who vindicates his law with penalties. The soul that sins is always conscious that his sin is (1) intrinsically vile and polluting, and (2) that it justly deserves punishment, and calls down the righteous wrath of God. Hence sin carries with it two inalienable characters, (1) ill-desert, guilt (reatus); and (2) pollution (macula).”, Hodge’s…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

a city of Egypt, mentioned only by Ezekiel. (Ezekiel 30:15,16) The name is Hebrew, or at least Semitic, perhaps signifying clay . It is identified in the Vulgate with Pelusium, "the clayey or muddy" town. Its antiquity may perhaps be inferred from the mention of "the wilderness of Sin" in the journeys of the Israelites. (Exodus 16:1; Numbers 33:11) Ezekiel speaks of Sin as "Sin the strongholds of Egypt." (Ezekiel 30:15) This place was held by Egypt from that time until the period of the Romans. Herodotus relates that Sennacherib advanced against Pelusium, and that near Pelusium Cambyses defeated Psammenitus. In like manner the decisive battle in which Ochus defeated the…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

1. Any thought, word, desire, action, or omission of action, contrary to the law of God, or defective when compared with it.

The origin of sin is a subject which baffles all investigation; and our inquiries are much better directed when we seek through Christ a release from its penalty and power, for ourselves and the world. Its entrance into the world, and infection of the whole human race, its nature, forms, and effects, and its fatal possession of every unregenerate soul, are fully described in the Bible, Ge 6:5 Ps 51:5 Mt 15:19 Ro 5:12 Jas 1:14,15.

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

bush

Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

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