Menu

Jeremiah 14:20 — Word Study

Depth

WLCיָדַ֧עְנוּ יְהוָ֛ה רִשְׁעֵ֖נוּ עֲוֹ֣ן אֲבוֹתֵ֑ינוּ כִּ֥י חָטָ֖אנוּ לָֽךְ׃

BSAWe acknowledgeyâdaʻ [confess, are conscious of] our wickednessreshaʻ [wrongdoing, immoral actions] O LORDYᵉhôvâh [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] the guiltʻâvôn [iniquity, moral evil] of our fathersʼâb [ancestors, forefathers] indeedkîy we have sinnedchâṭâʼ [missed the mark, gone wrong]

Word
Listen & take awayJeremiah 14
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 20 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 (Lakh) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Jeremiah 14:20quick helps
In a sentenceThe people confess their sins and the iniquity of their ancestors to the LORD.
Who is speakingThe people of Judah, addressing God directly.
Where we areIn a lament, acknowledging their wrongdoing and seeking God's mercy.
The hard wordרִשְׁעֵ֖נוּ
Take awayAcknowledgment of guilt is the first step toward reconciliation.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbיהוה 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 — Jeremiah 14:20

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 — The Lament of Judahgenerated

19Have You rejected Judah completely? Do You despise Zion? Why have You stricken us so that we are beyond healing? We hoped for peace, but no good has come, and for the time of healing, but there was only terror.
20We acknowledge our wickedness, O LORD, the guilt of our fathers; indeed, we have sinned against You.
21For the sake of Your name do not despise us; do not disgrace Your glorious throne. Remember Your covenant with us; do not break it.
22Can the worthless idols of the nations bring rain? Do the skies alone send showers? Is this not by You, O LORD our God? So we put our hope in You, for You have done all these things.

Jeremiah 14:20 captures the people of Judah in a moment of deep sorrow, recognizing their sins and those of their ancestors. They plead with the LORD for mercy, reflecting a communal acknowledgment of guilt and a desire for restoration. This passage is part of a larger context where the people express their despair over their situation and their hope for divine intervention, as seen in the preceding and following verses.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Jeremiah 3:13–25Only acknowledge your guilt, that you have rebelled against the LORD your God. You have scattered your favors to foreign gods under every green tree and have not obeyed My voice,’” declares the LORD.
2Leviticus 26:40–42But if they will confess their iniquity and that of their fathers in the unfaithfulness that they practiced against Me, by which they have also walked in hostility toward Me—
3Ezra 9:6–7and said: “O my God, I am ashamed and embarrassed to lift up my face to You, my God, because our iniquities are higher than our heads, and our guilt has reached the heavens.
4Nehemiah 9:2Those of Israelite descent separated themselves from all the foreigners, and they stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers.
5Psalm 32:5Then I acknowledged my sin to You and did not hide my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,” and You forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah

The Key Word יָדַ֧עְנוּ, ya.Da'.nugenerated

The verb יָדַע (yada`) means 'to know' and encompasses a range of meanings from perception to recognition. In this context, it conveys a deep awareness and confession of wrongdoing, indicating that the people are not just aware of their sins but are also taking responsibility for them.

The perfect tense indicates a completed action, suggesting that the acknowledgment of their wickedness is a present reality for the people. This is not a mere intellectual acknowledgment; it is a heartfelt confession before God.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

The translations agree in rendering יָדַ֧עְנוּ as 'we acknowledge' or 'we have known', emphasizing the act of confession.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb יָדַ֧עְנוּ governs the sentence, indicating the action of acknowledgment. The structure is straightforward, with the subject 'we' followed by the acknowledgment of their wickedness and the guilt of their ancestors.

The sentence flows logically, with the acknowledgment leading to the confession of sin, creating a clear and impactful statement of repentance.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates יָדַ֧עְנוּ as ἔγνωμεν, which also means 'we have known' or 'we acknowledge'. This choice retains the sense of awareness and recognition of wrongdoing, aligning closely with the Hebrew meaning.

The translation reflects a consistent understanding of the text, emphasizing the importance of confession in the relationship between the people and God.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Jeremiah 14:20 shows the people of Judah confessing their sins and the sins of their ancestors to the LORD. They express their awareness of wrongdoing and seek God's mercy, highlighting the importance of acknowledging guilt in their relationship with Him.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean to acknowledge our wickedness?

To acknowledge wickedness means to recognize and confess one's sins, both personal and communal, as the people of Judah do in this verse.

Why do they mention the guilt of their fathers?

Mentioning the guilt of their fathers reflects a communal aspect of sin, recognizing that the consequences of wrongdoing can affect generations.

What is the significance of addressing God as 'LORD'?

Addressing God as 'LORD' signifies a recognition of His sovereignty and covenant relationship with His people, emphasizing their dependence on His mercy.

How does this verse connect to the broader themes in Jeremiah?

This verse connects to broader themes of lament, repentance, and the hope for restoration that permeate the book of Jeremiah, highlighting the need for divine intervention.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways can I acknowledge my own shortcomings before God?
  2. How does understanding the sins of our ancestors impact our view of our own actions?
  3. What steps can I take to seek reconciliation in my relationships, as the people sought with God?
  4. How can I cultivate a deeper awareness of my actions and their consequences?

The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it

The early Church Fathers, such as Jerome, referenced this verse to discuss the acknowledgment of sin and the need for repentance, illustrating its enduring significance.

JeromeVerse 20. c. 347–420
We have known, Lord, our impieties and the iniquity of our fathers, for we have sinned against you. And He says, both we and our fathers have neglected the precepts of God with the same folly,
Early Church Fathers on Jeremiah 14 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Jeremiah 14:20 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

We acknowledge, O Lord, our wickedness, and the iniquity of our fathers,.... This is said by the prophet, in the name of the few faithful that were among this people, who were sensible of their own

Read John Gill on Jeremiah 14 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

We acknowledge, O LORD, our wickedness, and the iniquity of our fathers: for we have sinned against thee. We acknowledge, O Lord, our wickedness - (Daniel 9:8).

Read Robert Jamieson on Jeremiah 14 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

That is, both we and our fathers have sinned against thee, and have given thee a right to punish and destroy its; we desire not to cover or cloak our sin, we own and acknowledge it.

Read Matthew Poole on Jeremiah 14 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Jeremiah 14:20 We acknowledge, O LORD, our wickedness, [and] the iniquity of our fathers: for we have sinned against thee.Ver. 20. We acknowledge, O Lord, our wickedness.] We, the better sort of us, do so. And so the saints have ever done in their interdealings with God, falling low at his footstool for pardoning and prevailing mercy.

Read John Trapp on Jeremiah 14 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(20) And the iniquity.—The insertion of the conjunction weakens the force of the original. The wickedness which Israel confesses is the iniquity of its fathers, inherited, accepted, on the way to be perpetuated.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Jeremiah 14 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 20. We acknowledge, O Lord, our wickedness] This the prophet did in behalf of the people; but, alas! they did not join him.

Read AdamClarke on Jeremiah 14 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

20–22. In these vv. three pleas are urged on behalf of the people: (i) their contrition, (ii) God’s honour, (iii) their hopelessness of any other aid.

Read Cambridge on Jeremiah 14 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

19-21. Do not abhor us — Again the prophet turns in still more importunate pleading to God. His burdened spirit pours out more impassioned supplications.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Jeremiah 14 →

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

We acknowledge our wickedness, O LORD, the guilt of our fathers; indeed, we have sinned against You.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

We acknowledge, Yahweh, our wickedness, and the iniquity of our fathers; for we have sinned against you.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

We acknowledge our wickedness, O LORD, the guilt of our fathers; indeed, we have sinned against You.

NETBNew English Translation2006

Lord, we confess that we have been wicked. We confess that our ancestors have done wrong. We have indeed sinned against you.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

We acknowledge, O LORD, our wickedness, and the iniquity of our fathers: for we have sinned against thee.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

We acknowledge, O Jehovah, our wickedness, and the iniquity of our fathers; for we have sinned against thee.

RVARevised Version, American1894

We acknowledge, O LORD, our wickedness, and the iniquity of our fathers: for we have sinned against thee.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

We acknowledge, O LORD, our wickedness, and the iniquity of our fathers; for we have sinned against thee.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

We acknowledge, O Lord, our wickednesse and the iniquitie of our fathers: for we haue sinned against thee.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Jehovah, we acknowledge our wickedness, the iniquity of our fathers; for we have sinned against thee.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

We have known, O Jehovah, our wickedness, The iniquity of our fathers, For we have sinned against Thee.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

We have known, O YHWH, our wickedness, || The iniquity of our fathers, || For we have sinned against You.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

We know, O Lord, our wickedness, the iniquity of our fathers; for we have sinned against thee.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

We admit, Yahweh, our offenses, the iniquity of our ancestors, for we have sinned against you.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

We acknowledge, O Lord, our wickedness, the iniquities of our fathers, because we have sinned against thee.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Lord, we admit our wickedness, the guilt of our forefathers as well as our own sins against you.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

We are conscious, O Lord, of our sin and of the wrongdoing of our fathers: we have done evil against you.

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.

clauseclauseיְהוָ֛הO.Yahwehclauseverbיָדַ֧עְנוּwe.knownoun phrase · objectnoun phraseרִשְׁעֵ֖wickednessנוּournoun phraseעֲוֺ֣ןthe.iniquitynoun phraseאֲבוֹתֵ֑יour.ancestorsנוּourכִּ֥י(dm)clauseverbחָטָ֖אנוּwe.have.sinnedprepositional phrase · prepositionalלָֽtoךְyou

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


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

The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree closely, with all eight words matched in the Hebrew and Greek texts. This suggests a strong consistency in the transmission of this verse across different traditions.

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

יָדַ֧עְנוּ יְהוָ֛ה רִשְׁעֵ֖נוּ עֲוֹ֣ן אֲבוֹתֵ֑ינוּ כִּ֥י חָטָ֖אנוּ לָֽךְ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
יָדַ֧עְנוּκύριεיְהוָ֛הἔγνωμενרִשְׁעֵ֖נוּἡμῶνעֲוֹ֣ןἀδικίαςאֲבוֹתֵ֑ינוּἡμῶνכִּ֥יὅτιחָטָ֖אנוּἡμάρτομενלָֽךְ׃σου

8 of the 8 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.

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.

Jeremiah 14:20יָדַעwe knowwe knowיָדַעיהוהO YahwehO Yahwehיהוהרֶ֫שַׁעwickedness wickedness ourרֶ֫שַׁעעָוֹן[the] iniqu[the] iniquity עָוֹןאָבancestors oancestors ourאָבכִּיforforכִּיחָטָאwe have sinwe have sinnedחָטָאךְto youto youךְהָיָהto beto beהָיָהרָשַׁעbe wickedbe wickedרָשַׁעעָוָהto twistto twistעָוָהאֲבַדto destroyto destroyאֲבַדאֲנִיIIאֲנִיבִּיןto understto understandבִּיןנְאֻםutteranceutteranceנְאֻםצָבָאarmyarmyצָבָאצֶ֫דֶקRighteousnRighteousnessצֶ֫דֶקצְדָקָהrighteousnrighteousnessצְדָקָהפֶּ֫שַׁעtransgresstransgressionפֶּ֫שַׁעחַטָּאָהsinsinחַטָּאָהקָבַרto buryto buryקָבַראֵםmothermotherאֵםיָדַעto knowto knowיָדַענְבָטNebatNebatנְבָטסָלַחto forgiveto forgiveסָלַח
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 Jeremiah 14:20

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.

we know O Yahweh wickedness our [the] iniquity of ancestors our for we have sinned to you
יָדַ֧עְנוּya.Da'.nu we know H3045 Verb · Qal · perfect first person common plural
945× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for to know means to ascertain by seeing, and is used in many senses, including to learn, perceive, and recognize, as seen in various KJV translations.
Amplified meaning
confess, are conscious of
Tyndale gloss
to know
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יָדַע (yada`) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to know,' encompassing a wide range of senses including perception, recognition, and experience. It can refer to knowing someone intimately or being skilled in a task. The word has various forms, indicating actions such as making known or being made known. Lexicons note its use in both literal and figurative contexts, but there is no significant disagreement among them.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָדַע 943 vb. know

Qal

know, learn to know

perceive

perceive and see; find out and discern

discriminate, distinguish

know by experience

recognize, admit, acknowledge, confess

consider

not know = not expect

know a person, be acquainted with

know a person carnally, of sexual intercourse

know how, to do a thing, be able to do it

be skilful in

abs. have knowledge, be wise

Niph.

be made known, be or become known, of things

make oneself known of pers.

be perceived

be instructed

Pi. cause to know

Pu. known

Hiph. make known, declare

Hoph. made known

Hithp. make oneself known

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3045 יָדַע know .. . know, learn to know

. perceive

. perceive and see; find out and discern

. discriminate, distinguish

. know by experience

. recognize, admit, acknowledge, confess

. consider

. not know = not expect

. know a person, be acquainted with

. know a person carnally, of sexual intercourse

. . know how, to do a thing, be able to do it

. be skilful in

. abs. have knowledge, be wise

. . be made known, be or become known, of things

. make oneself known of pers.

. be perceived

. be instructed

. cause to know

. known

. make known, declare

. made known

. make oneself known

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3045 yada` yaw-dah'

a primitive root; to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing);

used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally,

euphemistically and inferentially (including observation,

care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation,

punishment, etc.) (as follow):--acknowledge, acquaintance(-ted

with), advise, answer, appoint, assuredly, be aware,

(un-)awares, can(-not), certainly, comprehend, consider, X

could they, cunning, declare, be diligent, (can, cause to)

discern, discover, endued with, familiar friend, famous, feel,

can have, be (ig-)norant, instruct, kinsfolk, kinsman, (cause

to let, make) know, (come to give, have, take) knowledge, have

(knowledge), (be, make, make to be, make self) known, + be

learned, + lie by man, mark, perceive, privy to, X

prognosticator, regard, have respect, skilful, shew, can (man

of) skill, be sure, of a surety, teach, (can) tell,

Read the full entry →
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָדַע (ya.da) — to know.

1) to know

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to know

1a1a) to know, learn to know

1a1b) to perceive

1a1c) to perceive and see, find out and discern

1a1d) to discriminate, distinguish

1a1e) to know by experience

1a1f) to recognise, admit, acknowledge, confess

1a1g) to consider

1a2) to know, be acquainted with

1a3) to know (a person carnally)

1a4) to know how, be skilful in

1a5) to have knowledge, be wise

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be made known, be or become known, be revealed

1b2) to make oneself known

1b3) to be perceived

1b4) to be instructed

1c) (Piel) to cause to know

1d) (Poal) to cause to know

1e) (Pual)

1e1) to be known

1e2) known, one known, acquaintance (participle)

1f) (Hiphil) to make known, declare

1g) (Hophal) to be made known

1h) (Hithpael) to make oneself known, reveal oneself

Aramaic equivalent: ye.da (יְדַע "to know" H3046)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-1cp — Verb · Qal · perfect first person common plural
HVqp1cp
we know O Yahweh wickedness our [the] iniquity of ancestors our for we have sinned to you
יְהוָ֛הYah.weh O Yahweh H3068 Noun proper
6,528× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Yehovah is another name for God, often translated as 'the Lord'. It is a national name for God in the Jewish faith. This name is used throughout the Old Testament.
Amplified meaning
Yehovah, The covenant Name of God
Tyndale gloss
The Lord
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) is the proper name of the God of Israel, often rendered as Jehovah or the Lord. It signifies the self-existent or eternal nature of God. The name is closely associated with the revelation to Moses in Exodus 3:12-15 and is used in conjunction with other terms to denote sacred places. Some scholars suggest it derives from a root meaning 'to bring into being.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יהוה c. 6823 i.e. יַהְוֶה n.pr.dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel—(1. MT יְהֹוָה 6518 (Qr אֲדֹנָי), or יֱהֹוִה 305 (Qr אֱלֹהִים) 2. Many recent scholars explain יַהְוֶה as Hiph. of הוה (= היה) the one bringing into being, life-giver)

יהוה is not used by E in Gn, but is given Ex 3:12-15 as the name of the God who revealed Himself to Moses at Horeb

יהוה is used with אלהים and suffixes, especially in D

the phrase † אֲנִי יהוה is noteworthy

יהוה is also used with several predicates, to form sacred names of holy places of Yahweh

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3068 יהוה i.e. יַהְוֶה n. pr. dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3068 Yhovah yeh-ho-vaw'

from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish

national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord. Compare 3050, 3069.

see HEBREW for 01961

see HEBREW for 03050

see HEBREW for 03069

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — LORD.

Jehovah = "the existing One"

1) the proper name of the one true God

1a) unpronounced except with the vowel pointings of a.do.na (אֲדֹנָי "Lord" H0136)

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — The Lord.

Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — (Jerusalem of) the Lord.

Combined with ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper
HNpt
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
we know O Yahweh wickedness our [the] iniquity of ancestors our for we have sinned to you
רִשְׁעֵ֖נוּrish.'E.nu wickedness our H7562 Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
30× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for wickedness, describing wrong or immoral actions, as seen in the wickedness of enemies or those hostile to God. It appears in various forms, such as iniquity or wickedness. This concept is discussed in biblical books like Psalms and Proverbs.
Amplified meaning
wrongdoing, immoral actions
Tyndale gloss
wickedness
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רֶ֫שַׁע (resha`) refers to wickedness or moral wrong. It encompasses various forms of wrongdoing, including violence, crime against civil law, and ethical violations. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to be wrong' and is used in contexts relating to both personal and societal morality.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רֶ֫שַׁע n.m. wickedness

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7562 רֶ֫שַׁע wickedness

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7562 resha` reh'-shah

from 7561; a wrong (especially moral):--iniquity,

wicked(-ness).

see HEBREW for 07561

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רֶ֫שַׁע (re.sah) — wickedness.

1) wrong, wickedness, guilt

1a) wickedness (as violence and crime against civil law)

1b) wickedness (of enemies)

1c) wickedness (in ethical relations)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HNcmsc/Sp1bp
we know O Yahweh wickedness our [the] iniquity of ancestors our for we have sinned to you
עֲוֹ֣ן'a.Von [the] iniquity of H5771 Noun common · masculine singular construct
233× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means moral evil or sin, like the kind God sees in people's hearts. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Psalms. This concept is key to understanding human nature.
Amplified meaning
iniquity, moral evil
Tyndale gloss
iniquity: crime
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עָוֹן (avon) refers to iniquity, guilt, or the punishment associated with iniquity. It encompasses concepts of moral evil, such as perversity and depravity, and includes the consequences or punishment for these actions. The term appears in contexts like 2 Kings 7:9 and Psalm 51:5, highlighting its significance in discussions of sin and guilt.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עָוֹן n.m. iniquity, guilt, or punishment of iniquity

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5771 עָוֹן iniquity, guilt, or punishment of iniquity

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5771 `avon aw-vone'

or oavown (2 Kings 7:9; Psalm 51:5 (7)) {aw-vone'}; from

5753; perversity, i.e. (moral) evil:--fault, iniquity,

mischeif, punishment (of iniquity), sin.

see HEBREW for 07

see HEBREW for 05753

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עָוֺן (a.van) — iniquity: crime.

: crime

1) perversity, depravity, iniquity, guilt or punishment of iniquity

1a) iniquity

1b) guilt of iniquity, guilt (as great), guilt (of condition)

1c) consequence of or punishment for iniquity

עָוֺן (a.van) — iniquity: guilt.

: guilt

1) perversity, depravity, iniquity, guilt or punishment of iniquity

1a) iniquity

1b) guilt of iniquity, guilt (as great), guilt (of condition)

1c) consequence of or punishment for iniquity

עָוֺן (a.van) — iniquity: punishment.

: punishment

1) perversity, depravity, iniquity, guilt or punishment of iniquity

1a) iniquity

1b) guilt of iniquity, guilt (as great), guilt (of condition)

1c) consequence of or punishment for iniquity

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-cs — Noun common · masculine singular construct
HNcmsc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ov:

(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]

1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.

I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.

For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.

Lamentations 3:1.

The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.

Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.

That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.

Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…

we know O Yahweh wickedness our [the] iniquity of ancestors our for we have sinned to you
אֲבוֹתֵ֑ינוּ'a.vo.Tei.nu ancestors our H1 Noun common feminine plural construct · suffix
1,213× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In Hebrew, this word means father, whether literal or figurative. It is used to describe God as the father of his people, as well as human fathers like Abraham. The word is about a paternal relationship or authority.
Amplified meaning
ancestors, forefathers
Tyndale gloss
father
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָב (av) means 'father' and encompasses various roles such as the literal father of an individual, God as the father of His people, and the head of a household or clan. It can also refer to an ancestor, originator of a profession, or a figure of respect and protection. Notably, it can imply a ruler or chief in later contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָב 1101 n.m. father

father of individual

of God as father of his people

head of household, family or clan

ancestor

originator or patron of a class, profession, or art

fig. of producer, generator

fig. of benevolence & protection

term of respect & honor

specif., ruler, chief (late)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1 אָב father . father of individual

. of God as father of his people

. head of household, family or clan

. ancestor

. originator or patron of a class, profession, or art

. fig. of producer, generator

. fig. of benevolence & protection

. term of respect & honor

. specif., ruler, chief (late)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1 'ab awb

a primitive word; father, in a literal and immediate, or

figurative and remote application):--chief,

(fore-)father(-less), X patrimony, principal. Compare names

in "Abi-".

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָב (av) — father.

1) father of an individual

2) of God as father of his people

3) head or founder of a household, group, family, or clan

4) ancestor

4a) grandfather, forefathers - of person

4b) of people

5) originator or patron of a class, profession, or art

6) of producer, generator (fig.)

7) of benevolence and protection (fig.)

8) term of respect and honour

9) ruler or chief (spec.)

Also means: av (אַב "father" H0002)

אָב (av) — (Huram)-abi.

A man living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ki.7.13; also called Huram-abi (KJV: "Huram my father's") at 2Ch.2.13; 4.16;

Combined with chi.ram (חִירָם "Hiram" H2438H)

אָב (av) — father of.

The father of Gibeon, also known as Abiel - a man of the tribe of Benjamin living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Sa.9.1;

son of: Zeror (H6872C); married to Maacah (H4601N);

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp | Suff — Noun common feminine plural construct · suffix
HNcfpc/Sp1bp
we know O Yahweh wickedness our [the] iniquity of ancestors our for we have sinned to you
כִּ֥יki for H3588 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 — Particle
HTc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

for (ki (conjunction), le, from 'el (preposition), and various other words. In the New Testament also the words are various, chiefly gar, kai gar, hoti (conjunctions); anti apo eis dia (accusative), epi (dative and accusative), peri (genitive), pros (genitive and accusative), huper (genitive) (prepositions)): the English Revised Version and the American Standard Revised Version give in many cases more literal or more accurate renderings than those in the King James Version.

In the New Testament the most important preps. from a doctrinal point of view are anti, "face to face," "over against," "instead," "on behalf of," peri, "around," "about," "concerning," huper, "over," "on behalf of." The first has been claimed as stating the substitutionary nature of Christ's sacrifice as contrasted with huper and peri, more frequently used of it. But, although anti in the New Testament often means…

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
we know O Yahweh wickedness our [the] iniquity of ancestors our for we have sinned to you
חָטָ֖אנוּcha.Ta.nu we have sinned H2398 Verb · Qal · perfect first person common plural
238× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To sin means to miss the mark or go wrong, incurring guilt or penalty, and can also mean to repent or make amends. It is used in the Bible to describe wrongdoing and its consequences.
Amplified meaning
missed the mark, gone wrong
Tyndale gloss
to sin
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חָטָא (chata') means to miss a goal or way, and is commonly translated as 'to sin.' It encompasses a range of meanings including incurring guilt, making a sin offering, and purifying from uncleanness. The word can also imply leading others to sin or causing oneself to lose one's way. It appears in various forms, such as Qal, Piel, Hiphil, and Hithpael, indicating different nuances of the concept of sin.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חָטָא 238 vb. miss (a goal or way), go wrong, sin

Qal

miss

sin, miss the goal or path of right and duty

incur guilt, penalty by sin, forfeit

Pi.

bear loss

make a sin offering

purify from sin

purify from uncleanness

Hiph.

miss the mark

induce or cause to sin

bring into guilt, condemnation, punishment

Hithp.

miss oneself, lose oneself, fig. for be bewildered, beside oneself

purify oneself from uncleanness

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2398 חָטָא miss (a goal or way), go wrong, sin .. miss

. sin, miss the goal or path of right and duty

. incur guilt, penalty by sin, forfeit

. . bear loss

. make a sin offering

. purify from sin

. purify from uncleanness

. . miss the mark

. induce or cause to sin

. bring into guilt, condemnation, punishment

. . miss oneself, lose oneself, fig. for be bewildered, beside oneself

. purify oneself from uncleanness

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2398 chata' khaw-taw'

a primitive root; properly, to miss; hence (figuratively and

generally) to sin; by inference, to forfeit, lack, expiate,

repent, (causatively) lead astray, condemn:--bear the blame,

cleanse, commit (sin), by fault, harm he hath done, loss,

miss, (make) offend(-er), offer for sin, purge, purify (self),

make reconciliation, (cause, make) sin(-ful, -ness), trespass.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חָטָא (cha.ta) — to sin.

1) to sin, miss, miss the way, go wrong, incur guilt, forfeit, purify from uncleanness

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to miss

1a2) to sin, miss the goal or path of right and duty

1a3) to incur guilt, incur penalty by sin, forfeit

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to bear loss

1b2) to make a sin-offering

1b3) to purify from sin

1b4) to purify from uncleanness

1c) (Hiphil)

1c1) to miss the mark

1c2) to induce to sin, cause to sin

1c3) to bring into guilt or condemnation or punishment

1d) (Hithpael)

1d1) to miss oneself, lose oneself, wander from the way

1d2) to purify oneself from uncleanness

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-1cp — Verb · Qal · perfect first person common plural
HVqp1cp
we know O Yahweh wickedness our [the] iniquity of ancestors our for we have sinned to you
לָֽךְ׃Lakh to you H9032 Preposition · suffix
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

ךְ (kh) — you.

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

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HRd/Sp2ms — Preposition · suffix
HRd/Sp2ms
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.

Everything we make is available for free because of a generous community of supporters.

Donate