Lexical Summary asham: Guilt, guilt offering, trespass, offense Original Word: אָשָׁם Strong's Exhaustive Concordance guiltiness, offering for sin, trespass offering From 'asham; guilt; by implication, a fault; also a sin-offering -- guiltiness, (offering for) sin, trespass (offering). see HEBREW 'asham NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom asham Definition offense, guilt NASB Translation guilt (2), guilt offering (38), guilt offerings (1), guilty deeds (1), sin (1), wrong (3). Brown-Driver-Briggs אָשָׁם noun masculine offence, guilt — ׳א Genesis 26:10 37t., suffix אֲשָׁמוֺ Numbers 5:7 7t.; — 1 offence, trespass, fault Psalm 68:22 (guiltiness RV). 2 guilt Genesis 26:10 (J) Proverbs 14:9; Jeremiah 51:5. 3 compensation, לְהָשִׁיב הָאָשָׁם אֵלָיו to whom to return the compensation (or satisfaction for injury) Numbers 5:7,8 (P; restitution for guilt RV). 4 trespass-offering (AV, but guilt-offering RV) used only in Leviticus 5; Leviticus 6:10; Leviticus 7:1; Leviticus 14:1; Leviticus 19:21,22; Numbers 5:1; Numbers 6:12; Numbers 18:9 (P), & Ezekiel 40:39; Ezekiel 42:13; Ezekiel 44:29; Ezekiel 46:20, compare Ezra 10:19. This offering seems to have been confined to offences against God or man that could be estimated and so covered by compensation. The ordinary trespass-offering was a ram, together with restitution and a penalty of a fifth of its value. The trespass-offerings of the leper and Nazirite were he-lambs Leviticus 14 Numbers 6:12; if the person who suffered wrong or his kinsmen were not living the fine went to the priests. The victims were offered, the blood and fat pieces going to the altar, the skin and flesh to the priests. There seems to have been no application of the blood to the horns of the altar (the chief ceremony of the sin-offering) because the guilt was not expiated at the altar but by compensation to the wronged person or his representative. A part of the blood of the leper's trespass-offering was applied to his person to consecrate him (as in the case of the ram of consecration to consecrate the priests Leviticus 8:23). The trespass-offering is unknown to J E D and the older Hebrew literature. However, the Philistines send an אשׁם of golden mice and tumours 1 Samuel 6:3,4,8,17, and an אשׁם of money was given to the priests 2 Kings 12:17, but these are entirely different from the trespass-offering of P. The Messianic servant offers himself as an אשׁם in compensation for the sins of the people, interposing for them as their substitute Isaiah 53:10 (incorrectly, sin-offering AV RV). See further OehlerOT Theol. § 137 Di Leviticus 5:14. Topical Lexicon Meaning and Conceptאָשָׁם combines two ideas: (1) an objective state of guilt incurred by violating a divine or social boundary, and (2) the sacrificial reparation that removes that guilt. In Scripture the word can denote the offense itself (Genesis 26:10; Hosea 5:15), the liability that follows it (Numbers 5:31), or the specific “guilt offering” that repairs the breach (Leviticus 5:15). Mosaic Legislation Leviticus devotes two full sections to the guilt offering: Leviticus 5:14–6:7 sets out the circumstances, and Leviticus 7:1-10 describes the ritual portions. A guilt offering was required when someone • misappropriated what was “holy to the LORD” (Leviticus 5:15), Where money or property was involved, full restitution plus “a fifth” (twenty percent) was mandatory (Leviticus 5:16; 6:5). Confession (Numbers 5:6-7) and priestly mediation completed the process, so that “he will be forgiven” (Leviticus 5:16). Ritual Procedure 1. A male ram “without blemish” was selected (Leviticus 5:15). Distinctive Features Unlike the sin offering (חַטָּאת), which dealt primarily with defilement, the guilt offering emphasized damages. It addressed concrete loss or desecration as well as the spiritual offense. Its built-in restitution highlighted God’s concern for both justice and reconciliation. The fixed ram underscored the costly nature of sin, while the added “one-fifth” reminded Israel that restoration must exceed mere replacement. Historical Illustrations • The Philistines returned the ark with “five golden tumors” and “five golden rats as a guilt offering to the LORD” (1 Samuel 6:4-5). Prophetic and Post-Exilic Usage Isaiah 53:10 anchors the term in messianic hope: “Yet it pleased the LORD to crush Him, and He has made Him sick. When He makes His life a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days.” Ezekiel’s vision of the future Temple retains the guilt offering alongside the sin and burnt offerings (Ezekiel 40:39; 42:13; 44:29; 46:20), signaling its lasting typological value. Theological Themes 1. Substitution: the blameless ram bears the consequence of the offender’s guilt. Christological Fulfillment By using אָשָׁם for the Servant’s sacrifice, Isaiah 53 bridges Levitical ritual and New Covenant fulfillment. Jesus Christ, “the righteous One” (Isaiah 53:11), offers not a ram but His own life, providing both expiation and the full “one-fifth” of restoration—more than the debt owed. The New Testament echoes the pattern: “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree” (1 Peter 2:24) and “by one sacrifice He has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified” (Hebrews 10:14). Pastoral and Ministry Applications • Preaching the gospel: the guilt offering clarifies why the cross involves both substitution and reconciliation. With approximately forty-six occurrences, אָשָׁם consistently communicates God’s provision for the guilty and His demand that redeemed people make wrongs right. As such, it remains a vital lens through which to read both the Old Testament sacrifices and the finished work of Christ. Forms and Transliterations אֲשָׁמ֜וֹ אֲשָׁמ֣וֹ אֲשָׁמ֥וֹ אֲשָׁמ֨וֹ אֲשָׁמָם֙ אֲשָׁמוֹ֙ אָשָֽׁם׃ אָשָׁ֑ם אָשָׁ֔ם אָשָׁ֖ם אָשָׁ֛ם אָשָׁם֙ אשם אשם׃ אשמו אשמם בַּאֲשָׁמָֽיו׃ באשמיו׃ הָֽאָשָׁ֔ם הָֽאָשָׁם֒ הָֽאָשָׁם֙ הָאָשָֽׁם׃ הָאָשָׁ֑ם הָאָשָׁ֖ם הָאָשָׁ֛ם הָאָשָׁ֥ם הָאָשָׁם֒ הָאָשָׁם֙ הָאָשָׁם֮ האשם האשם׃ וְהָאָשָֽׁם׃ וְהָאָשָׁ֔ם וְכָאָשָֽׁם׃ וְלָאָשָׁ֑ם והאשם והאשם׃ וכאשם׃ ולאשם כָּֽאָשָׁ֔ם כאשם לְאָשָֽׁם׃ לְאָשָׁ֑ם לְאָשָׁ֖ם לאשם לאשם׃ ’ă·šā·mām ’ă·šā·mōw ’ā·šām ’āšām ’ăšāmām ’ăšāmōw aSham ashaMam ashaMo ba’ăšāmāw ba·’ă·šā·māw baashaMav hā’āšām hā·’ā·šām haaSham kā’āšām kā·’ā·šām kaaSham lə’āšām lə·’ā·šām leaSham vechaaSham vehaaSham velaaSham wə·hā·’ā·šām wə·ḵā·’ā·šām wə·lā·’ā·šām wəhā’āšām wəḵā’āšām wəlā’āšāmLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 26:10 HEB: וְהֵבֵאתָ֥ עָלֵ֖ינוּ אָשָֽׁם׃ NAS: and you would have brought guilt upon us. KJV: and thou shouldest have brought guiltiness upon us. INT: have brought and guilt Leviticus 5:6 Leviticus 5:7 Leviticus 5:15 Leviticus 5:15 Leviticus 5:16 Leviticus 5:18 Leviticus 5:19 Leviticus 6:6 Leviticus 6:6 Leviticus 6:17 Leviticus 7:1 Leviticus 7:2 Leviticus 7:5 Leviticus 7:7 Leviticus 7:37 Leviticus 14:12 Leviticus 14:13 Leviticus 14:14 Leviticus 14:17 Leviticus 14:21 Leviticus 14:24 Leviticus 14:25 Leviticus 14:25 Leviticus 14:28 46 Occurrences |
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