WG: Atonement
Overview
The atonement concept in Hebrew Scripture involves a tightly integrated cluster of words describing who performs atonement, how, where, for what, and with what result. The verb כָּפַר (kaphar) sits at the center, connected to the sacrificial system vocabulary of Leviticus and Numbers.
Word Group Members
| Strong's |
Word |
Transliteration |
POS |
Occurrences |
Role in Concept |
Library Entry |
| H3722 |
כָּפַר |
kaphar |
verb |
102 |
The action — to cover/atone/expiate |
H3722 |
| H3724 |
כֹּפֶר |
kopher |
noun |
17 |
The price — ransom, satisfaction |
H3724 |
| H3725 |
כִּפֻּר |
kippur |
noun |
8 |
The event — atonement (Yom Kippurim) |
H3725 |
| H3727 |
כַּפֹּרֶת |
kapporeth |
noun |
27 |
The place — mercy seat / atonement cover |
H3727 |
| H2403 |
חַטָּאָה |
chattaah |
noun |
296 |
The offering — sin / sin offering |
H2403-chattaah |
| H817 |
אָשָׁם |
asham |
noun |
41 |
The offering — guilt/trespass offering (debt-focused) |
H817-asham.md |
| H1818 |
דָּם |
dam |
noun |
360 |
The instrument — blood |
H1818-dam.md |
| H3548 |
כֹּהֵן |
kohen |
noun |
750 |
The agent — priest |
H3548-kohen.md |
| H4196 |
מִזְבֵּחַ |
mizbeach |
noun |
402 |
The location — altar |
H4196 |
| H5545 |
סָלַח |
salach |
verb |
46 |
The divine response — forgive/pardon |
H5545 |
| H2891 |
טָהֵר |
taher |
verb |
94 |
The result — cleanse/purify |
H2891 |
| H5771 |
עָוֺן |
avon |
noun |
230 |
The problem — iniquity/guilt |
H5771-avon.md |
Relationships
Shared Roots
- כפר root: kaphar (H3722), kopher (H3724), kippur (H3725), kapporeth (H3727) — all from the root כפר "to cover"
Co-occurrence (appear in same verses)
| Word A |
Word B |
Shared Verses |
Typical Context |
| kaphar (H3722) |
chattaah (H2403) |
38 |
sin offering as the means of atonement |
| kaphar (H3722) |
kohen (H3548) |
27 |
"the priest shall make atonement" |
| kaphar (H3722) |
mizbeach (H4196) |
17 |
atonement performed at the altar |
| kaphar (H3722) |
olah (H5930) |
17 |
burnt offering paired with atonement |
| kaphar (H3722) |
dam (H1818) |
12 |
"the blood makes atonement" |
| kaphar (H3722) |
salach (H5545) |
12 |
atonement → forgiveness result |
| kaphar (H3722) |
taher (H2891) |
12 |
atonement → cleansing result |
| kaphar (H3722) |
avon (H5771) |
10 |
atonement for iniquity |
| chattaah (H2403) |
salach (H5545) |
16 |
sin offering → forgiveness |
| chattaah (H2403) |
dam (H1818) |
12 |
blood of the sin offering |
| chattaah (H2403) |
taher (H2891) |
7 |
sin offering → cleansing |
| dam (H1818) |
taher (H2891) |
6 |
blood used for cleansing |
LXX Overlaps
| Hebrew Words |
Shared Greek |
Notes |
| kaphar + taher |
both → καθαρίζω (katharizo) in some contexts |
Greek conflates atonement and cleansing |
| kaphar + salach |
both → ἱλάσκομαι (hilaskomai) |
Greek conflates atoning act and divine pardon |
| kaphar + salach |
both → ἀφίημι (aphiemi) |
"forgive/release" used for both |
NT Greek Counterparts
| Strong's |
Word |
Transliteration |
Role |
Library Entry |
| G2433 |
ἱλάσκομαι |
hilaskomai |
The act — to propitiate, expiate, be merciful |
G2433 |
| G2434 |
ἱλασμός |
hilasmos |
The event — propitiation (abstract noun; 1 John 2:2; 4:10) |
G2434 |
| G2435 |
ἱλαστήριον |
hilastērion |
The place/person — the propitiatory (mercy seat / Christ; Rom 3:25; Heb 9:5) |
G2435 |
Roles in the Concept
- Action: kaphar (כָּפַר) — the atoning/covering act itself
- Price: kopher (כֹּפֶר) — the ransom or satisfaction paid
- Event: kippur (כִּפֻּר) — the occasion of atonement (Day of Atonement)
- Place: kapporeth (כַּפֹּרֶת) — the mercy seat where atonement is made
- Agent: kohen (כֹּהֵן) — the priest who performs atonement
- Instrument: dam (דָּם) — blood as the means of atonement
- Offering: chattaah (חַטָּאָה) — the sin offering presented
- Location: mizbeach (מִזְבֵּחַ) — the altar where blood is applied
- Problem: avon (עָוֺן) — iniquity/guilt that requires atonement
- Result (divine): salach (סָלַח) — God's forgiveness that follows
- Result (ritual): taher (טָהֵר) — cleansing/purification achieved
Key Passages Where Multiple Group Words Appear Together
- Lev 16:16 — kaphar + qodesh + chattaah + avon: "he shall make an atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins"
- Lev 16:30 — kaphar + taher + chattaah: "on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins"
- Lev 17:11 — kaphar + dam + nephesh: "I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul"
- Lev 4:20 — kaphar + kohen + salach: "the priest shall make an atonement for them, and it shall be forgiven them"
- 2 Chr 29:24 — kaphar + dam + mizbeach + chattaah + olah: "they made reconciliation with their blood upon the altar, to make an atonement for all Israel"
Generated from: search_strongs.py, co-occurrence queries
Last updated: 2026-03-31