chata, “to sin,” strong’s H2398

28 Aug 2017

First occurrence

And God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know that in the simplicity of your heart you have done this, and I also withheld you from sinning against Me. Therefore I suffered you not to touch her.” Gen 20:6

The primitive root

Strong’s H2398 חטא chata, a primitive root meaning, “to miss the mark.” This is the Hebrew root most often translated “sin” in English Bibles. The ancient pictographs are the chet + tet + aleph.

chet ח = the wall, thus outside, divide, half
tet ט = the basket, thus surround, contain, hold, mud
aleph א = the ox head, thus strength, power, leader

The story the ancient pictographs are telling is of being outside (chet) that which contains (tet) strength, power, and wisdom (aleph, in the sense of that which is necessary to lead); i.e., to miss the mark, the target which Torah defines.

THE ANCIENT HEBREW LEXICON | INDEX OF HEBREW ROOTS