BIBLE HEBREW WORD STUDY
ʿAvon — Meaning & Usage in the Bible
ʿAvon (עָוֹן) is a Hebrew noun denoting moral evil, perversity, or iniquity — the guilt and penalty that come from wrongdoing.
Meaning of the word
ʿAvon (עָוֹן, Strong's H5771) is defined in the lexicon as 'perversity, i.e. (moral) evil.' It points not merely to a single sinful act but to the crooked, twisted character of wrongdoing itself, together with the guilt and consequences attached to it.
In biblical usage the term covers both the inward distortion (crookedness away from God's standard) and the outward effect (the liability or punishment that follows). It is regularly translated 'iniquity' or 'iniquities' in the KJV, and it is one of the principal Hebrew words for sin in the Old Testament.
Usage in Scripture
ʿAvon appears across law, psalms, and prophecy. In Exodus 20:5 the second commandment warns that God is 'a jealous God, visiting the iniquity (ʿavon) of the fathers upon the children,' tying the word to covenant accountability that spans generations.
In Psalms 51 David's confession uses the term repeatedly (vv. 4, 7, 11) to acknowledge moral evil before God, and Psalm 103:3, 10 pairs the forgiving of ʿavon with God's mercy that does not repay sinners as their sins deserve. Isaiah 53 applies the word to the suffering Servant, who is 'wounded for our transgressions' and 'bears our iniquities' (vv. 5, 6, 11), showing that the guilt and penalty of ʿavon are transferred to the Servant on behalf of many.
The word in detail
- H5771 ʿAvon (עָוֹן) denotes moral perversity or evil, the crookedness of sin together with its guilt and consequence. It is translated 'iniquity' in the KJV and is central to passages on confession, divine judgment, and atonement.
Example verses
- Psalms 51:7 David asks to be purified from ʿavon, linking the word to the deeper stain of sin that requires cleansing beyond outward ritual.
- Psalms 103:10 God's mercy is measured against our ʿavon — He has not repaid us 'after our iniquities,' contrasting deserved penalty with lavish grace.
- Isaiah 53:6 ʿAvon is placed on the suffering Servant: 'Jehovah hath laid on him the iniquity of us all,' presenting Him as the one bearing the penalty of human evil.
- Isaiah 53:11 The Servant 'shall bear their iniquities,' tying ʿavon explicitly to substitutionary bearing of guilt before God.
Common questions
What does ʿavon (H5771) mean?
It means moral perversity or evil — the twisted character of sin and the guilt and penalty that accompany it. The KJV renders it 'iniquity.'
Is ʿavon the same as 'sin' in general?
It overlaps with the broader idea of sin but highlights crookedness and the resulting guilt or consequence, not just the act itself.
How is ʿavon used in Isaiah 53?
It is applied to the suffering Servant who is wounded, bruised, and made to bear the iniquities of many, presenting Him as the one bearing human guilt before God.