Word Studies¶

H2852 chathak — Cut off, determine (HAPAX LEGOMENON)¶

Original: חָתַךְ Transliteration: chathak Part of Speech: verb Occurrences: 1 (Daniel 9:24 ONLY) Definition: A primitive root; properly, to cut off, i.e. (figuratively) to decree, determine.

In Daniel 9:24¶

Form: נֶחְתַּךְ (nechtak) — Niphal Perfect 3ms
Gloss: "are determined" (KJV) / "are cut off"
The Niphal passive means "have been cut off" — the 70 weeks are cut off FROM something larger
Primary meaning: CUT OFF from a larger whole
The 70 weeks (490 years) are CUT OFF from the 2300 evening-mornings (2300 years)
Cognate languages: Aramaic chathak = cut, decide; Arabic = cut off

Significance¶

As a hapax legomenon, this word's meaning must be derived from: 1. Its root etymology (cut off) 2. Cognate language evidence (Aramaic/Arabic: cutting, severing) 3. Context (70 weeks separated from a larger time period — the 2300 days of Dan 8:14) The KJV "determined" captures only the figurative extension; the primary meaning "cut off" connects Dan 9 back to the unfinished explanation of Dan 8.

H3722 kaphar — Cover, atone, make reconciliation¶

Original: כָּפַר Transliteration: kaphar Part of Speech: verb Occurrences: 102 (BLB count) Definition: A primitive root; to cover (specifically with bitumen); figuratively, to expiate or condone, to placate or cancel. Appease, make atonement, cleanse, forgive, be merciful, pacify, pardon, purge, put off, make reconciliation.

In Daniel 9:24¶

Form: וּלְכַפֵּר (ulekapper) — Piel Infinitive Construct with conjunction and preposition
Purpose 3: "to make reconciliation for iniquity" (ulekapper avon)
The Piel stem (intensive active) is the standard cultic/ritual form of kaphar
Every priestly use of kaphar in Leviticus uses Piel

Key Occurrences¶

Leviticus 16 (Day of Atonement): 16+ occurrences - 16:6 — atonement for himself - 16:10 — atonement with the scapegoat - 16:16 — atonement for the holy place - 16:17 — atonement in the holy place - 16:18 — atonement for the altar - 16:20 — "reconciling" the holy place - 16:24 — atonement for himself and people - 16:30 — "shall make atonement for you, to cleanse you" - 16:33 — atonement for sanctuary, tabernacle, altar, priests, people - 16:34 — "everlasting statute...to make atonement for all their sins once a year"

Leviticus 17:11: "it is the blood that maketh an atonement [yekhapper] for the soul"

The kaphar → tsadaq Progression¶

Lev 16:30: kaphar → taher (atonement produces cleansing)
Dan 9:24: kaphar → tsedeq (atonement produces everlasting righteousness)
The DOA process (kaphar) produces the result (tsadaq/tsedeq)

H6664 tsedeq — Righteousness, justice¶

Original: צֶדֶק Transliteration: tsedeq Part of Speech: masculine noun Occurrences: 116 Definition: From tsadaq (H6663); the right (natural, moral or legal); equity; prosperity. Just, justice, righteous, righteousness.

In Daniel 9:24¶

Form: צֶדֶק עֹלָמִים (tsedeq olamim) — construct: "righteousness of ages"
Purpose 4: "to bring in everlasting righteousness"
The verb is lehavi (Hiphil of bo) — "to cause to come in, to bring in"
This righteousness is actively INTRODUCED — not merely revealed but inaugurated

Connection to tsadaq (H6663) in Daniel 8:14¶

Dan 8:14: nitsdaq (Niphal of tsadaq) — "shall be vindicated"
Dan 9:24: tsedeq olamim — "everlasting righteousness"
Same root (ts-d-q); 8:14 is the verb (the sanctuary is vindicated), 9:24 is the noun (the righteousness that results)
The progression: kaphar (Dan 9:24 purpose 3) produces tsedeq (Dan 9:24 purpose 4) which IS the nitsdaq (Dan 8:14)

Psalm 119:142 Bridge¶

"Thy righteousness [tsedeq] is an everlasting righteousness [tsedeq le-olam], and thy law is the truth [emeth]" - This verse verbally matches Dan 9:24's "tsedeq olamim" - Also connects tsedeq with emeth (truth) — the truth cast down in Dan 8:12

H6588 pesha — Transgression, rebellion, revolt¶

Original: פֶּשַׁע Transliteration: pesha Part of Speech: masculine noun Occurrences: 93 Definition: From pasha; a revolt (national, moral or religious); rebellion, sin, transgression, trespass.

In Daniel 9:24¶

Form: הַפֶּשַׁע (happesha) — with definite article: "THE transgression"
Purpose 1: "to finish THE transgression" (lekalle happesha)
The article is significant: not transgression in general, but THE specific transgression
Semantic range: pesha implies REBELLION, willful revolt — the most serious of the three sin-words

In Leviticus 16:16, 21¶

16:16: "because of their transgressions [pishehem] in all their sins"
16:21: "all their transgressions [pisheihem]"
Pesha appears in both the DOA atonement rationale and confession

In Daniel 8:12-13¶

8:12: "by reason of transgression [pesha]" — the horn's power given through rebellion
8:13: "the transgression [pesha] of desolation" — the attack that desolates

H2403 chattat — Sin, sin-offering¶

Original: חַטָּאת Transliteration: chattat (chattaah/chattath) Part of Speech: feminine noun Occurrences: 296 (most frequent sin-word) Definition: An offence (sometimes habitual sinfulness), and its penalty, occasion, sacrifice, or expiation; also an offender. Sin, sin-offering, punishment, purifying.

In Daniel 9:24¶

Form: חַטָּאוֹת (chattaoth) — feminine plural
Purpose 2: "to make an end of sins" (ulehathem/ulehathim chattaoth)
NOTE: Textual variant (Kethiv/Qere):
Kethiv (written): ולחתם (ulechathem) — "to seal up sins" (from chatham, H2856)
Qere (read): ולהתם (ulehathim) — "to make an end of sins" (from tamam, H8552)
Both readings are theologically coherent: sins are either "sealed up" (enclosed, shut away permanently) or "brought to completion" (finished, ended)

In Leviticus 16:16, 21, 30, 34¶

16:16: "in all their sins [chattotham]"
16:21: "all their sins [chattotam]"
16:30: "from all your sins [chattoteikhem]"
16:34: "for all their sins [chattotam] once a year"

H5771 avon — Iniquity, guilt, punishment¶

Original: עָוֹן Transliteration: avon Part of Speech: masculine noun Occurrences: 230 Definition: Perversity, depravity, iniquity, guilt; or punishment of iniquity.

In Daniel 9:24¶

Form: עָוֹן (avon) — masculine singular
Purpose 3: "to make reconciliation for iniquity" (ulekapper avon)
Avon implies CROOKEDNESS, distortion, perversion — the inner twisted nature of sin
It also carries the sense of GUILT and its PUNISHMENT

In Leviticus 16:21-22¶

16:21: "all the iniquities [avonot] of the children of Israel"
16:22: "the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities [avonotam]"
The scapegoat carries AVON specifically — the guilt/punishment dimension

Three Sin-Words Combined¶

Word	Nuance	Dan 9:24 Purpose	Lev 16:21
pesha	Rebellion/revolt	1. Finish transgression	"all their transgressions"
chattat	Missing the mark/sin	2. End sins	"all their sins"
avon	Twisted perversion/guilt	3. Reconcile iniquity	"all the iniquities"

This threefold grouping appears in: Exo 34:7, Num 14:18, Lev 16:21, Psa 32:1-5, Psa 51:1-5, Dan 9:24

H6944 qodesh — Holiness, holy thing, sanctuary¶

Original: קֹדֶשׁ Transliteration: qodesh Part of Speech: masculine noun Occurrences: 468 Definition: From qadash (H6942); a sacred place or thing; rarely abstract, sanctity. Consecrated, dedicated, hallowed, holiness, most holy, sanctuary.

In Daniel 9:24¶

Form: קֹדֶשׁ קָדָשִׁים (qodesh qodashim) — construct phrase: "holiness of holinesses" = "most holy"
Purpose 6: "to anoint the most Holy" (velimeshoach qodesh qodashim)

Qodesh Qodashim in the OT — ALWAYS Things/Places, Never Persons¶

The construct qodesh qodashim appears 40+ times and ALWAYS refers to objects or places: - The Most Holy Place: 1Ki 6:16; 7:50; 8:6; 2Ch 3:8,10; 4:22; 5:7; Eze 41:4 - The altar: Exo 29:37; 30:10; 40:10 - The tabernacle and its furniture: Exo 30:26,29,36; 40:9-10 - Offerings: Lev 2:3,10; 6:17,25,29; 7:1,6; 10:12,17; 14:13; 24:9; Num 18:9 - Consecrated things: Lev 27:28; Num 4:4,19; 1Ch 23:13; 2Ch 31:14; Ezr 2:63 - NEVER used of a person being anointed as "most holy"

This is significant for Daniel 9:24: "anoint the most holy" most naturally refers to the anointing/consecration of a place or object (the heavenly sanctuary), not a person.

H4886 mashach — Anoint, smear¶

Original: מָשַׁח Transliteration: mashach Part of Speech: verb Occurrences: 69 Definition: A primitive root; to rub with oil, i.e. to anoint; by implication, to consecrate; also to paint.

In Daniel 9:24¶

Form: וְלִמְשֹׁחַ (velimeshoach) — Qal Infinitive Construct with conjunction and preposition
Purpose 6: "to anoint the most Holy"
Root of mashiach (H4899, "anointed one, Messiah") — Dan 9:25-26

Objects of mashach in OT¶

Tabernacle: Exo 30:26; 40:9
Altar: Exo 29:36; 40:10
Laver: Exo 40:11
Priests: Exo 28:41; 29:7; Lev 8:12; 16:32
Kings: 1Sa 9:16; 10:1; 16:12-13; 2Sa 2:4; 5:3
Prophet: 1Ki 19:16 (Elisha)
The Servant: Isa 61:1

H3615 kalah — Finish, complete, consume, destroy¶

Original: כָּלָה Transliteration: kalah Part of Speech: verb Occurrences: 206 Definition: To end, whether intransitive (to cease, be finished, perish) or transitive (to complete, prepare, consume). Accomplish, cease, consume, determine, destroy, be done, end, expire, fail, finish, fulfil.

In Daniel 9:24¶

Form: לְכַלֵּא (lekalle) — Piel Infinitive Construct
Purpose 1: "to finish the transgression" (lekalle happesha)
NOTE: The aleph at the end (כַלֵּא instead of כַלֵּה) is a scribal/textual variant
Standard kalah (כלה) = to finish, complete, consume
With aleph (כלא) = could relate to kala (H3607) = to restrain, shut up, confine
This may be intentional ambiguity: transgression is BOTH finished AND restrained/confined

Theological Significance¶

In Piel, kalah can mean "bring to completion" or "destroy utterly." Purpose 1 thus means either: 1. Transgression will be COMPLETED (its allotted time runs out) 2. Transgression will be CONSUMED/DESTROYED (eliminated entirely) Both meanings point to the definitive end of sin's rebellion.

H2856 chatham — Seal, close up¶

Original: חָתַם Transliteration: chatham Part of Speech: verb Occurrences: 27 Definition: A primitive root; to close up; especially to seal. Make an end, mark, seal up, stop.

In Daniel 9:24¶

Form: וְלַחְתֹּם (velachtom) — Qal Infinitive Construct
Purpose 5: "to seal up the vision and prophecy" (velachtom chazon venavi)
Also possibly the Kethiv reading of Purpose 2: "to seal up sins" (ulechathem)

Key Occurrences¶

Isa 8:16: "seal the law among my disciples"
Dan 12:4: "seal the book, even to the time of the end"
Dan 12:9: "the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end"

Meanings of Sealing¶

To AUTHENTICATE — confirm as genuine (like a royal seal)
To CLOSE UP — preserve for future opening
To COMPLETE — bring to finality Purpose 5 likely means: the vision and the prophet are CONFIRMED/AUTHENTICATED by fulfillment. The prophecy is "sealed" = validated by its exact accomplishment.

H3772 karath — Cut off, destroy, covenant¶

Original: כָּרַת Transliteration: karath Part of Speech: verb Occurrences: 288 Definition: To cut (off, down or asunder); by implication, to destroy or consume; specifically, to covenant (make an alliance, originally by cutting flesh and passing between the pieces).

In Daniel 9:26¶

Form: יִכָּרֵת (yikkaret) — Niphal Imperfect 3ms
"Messiah shall be CUT OFF" (yikkaret mashiach)
Niphal = passive: Messiah WILL BE cut off (by an external agent)
"but not for himself" (ve-ein lo) — literally "and nothing to him" or "and there is not for him"

In Leviticus 23:29¶

"whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be CUT OFF [venikheretah] from among his people"
Same root karath used for the DOA penalty
Those who do not observe the Day of Atonement are CUT OFF
The Messiah is CUT OFF as the antitypical DOA sacrifice — He is cut off SO THAT others need not be

The karath-karat Connection¶

Dan 9:26: Messiah cut off (karath, Niphal)
Lev 23:29: Non-observer cut off (karath, Niphal)
Both are PASSIVE — the cutting off is done TO them
The substitutionary logic: Messiah endures the karath penalty so the people escape it

H8552 tamam — Be complete, finished, consumed¶

Original: תָּמַם Transliteration: tamam Part of Speech: verb Occurrences: 64 Definition: To complete, in a good or a bad sense. Accomplish, cease, be clean, consume, have done, end, fail, be perfect, be spent, be upright, be wasted, whole.

In Daniel 9:24 (Qere reading of Purpose 2)¶

Form: וּלְהָתֵם (ulehathim) — Hiphil Infinitive Construct
Qere reading of Purpose 2: "to bring sins to an end/completion"
Hiphil = causative: to CAUSE sins to be completed/finished
This is the Qere (read) form; the Kethiv (written) form is from chatham (seal)

In Daniel 8:23¶

"when the transgressors are come to the full [heathim]" — Hiphil Infinitive of tamam
Same form appears in Dan 9:24 (Qere): the "fullness" or "completion" of sin
Dan 8:23 describes when transgressors reach the full measure of their sin
Dan 9:24 describes the Messianic purpose of FINISHING that sin

H5769 olam — Everlasting, perpetual, eternity¶

Original: עוֹלָם Transliteration: olam Part of Speech: masculine noun Occurrences: 439 Definition: Properly, concealed, i.e. the vanishing point; generally, time out of mind (past or future). Always, ancient, everlasting, perpetual, world.

In Daniel 9:24¶

Form: עֹלָמִים (olamim) — masculine plural: "ages, eternities"
Purpose 4: "everlasting righteousness" (tsedeq olamim)
The PLURAL form is emphatic — "righteousness of the ages/eternities"
Distinguished from temporary, annual Day of Atonement cleansing (Lev 16:34 uses olam for the statute, but the righteousness itself needed annual renewal)

Significance¶

The DOA was an "everlasting statute" (chuqqat olam, Lev 16:34) — but it required annual repetition. Dan 9:24's tsedeq olamim is a righteousness that does NOT need repetition. Heb 9:12 confirms: "having obtained eternal redemption."