Lexical Summary
kaphar: To cover, to atone, to make reconciliation, to purge
Original Word:כָּפַר
Part of Speech:Verb
Transliteration:kaphar
Pronunciation:kah-far'
Phonetic Spelling:(kaw-far')
KJV: appease, make (an atonement, cleanse, disannul, forgive, be merciful, pacify, pardon, purge (away), put off, (make) reconcile(-liation)
Word Origin:[a primitive root]
1. to cover (specifically with bitumen)
2. (figuratively) to expiate or condone, to placate or cancel
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
appease, make an atonement, cleanse, disannul, forgive, be merciful, pacify, pardon,
A primitive root; to cover (specifically with bitumen); figuratively, to expiate or condone, to placate or cancel -- appease, make (an atonement, cleanse, disannul, forgive, be merciful, pacify, pardon, purge (away), put off, (make) reconcile(-liation).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
etc.
(figurative), ; —
PerfectExodus 30:10 31t.; 2 masculine singular suffixEzekiel 43:20; 3masculine pluralEzekiel 43:26; 2masculine pluralEzekiel 45:20;ImperfectExodus 30:10 10t.;Leviticus 7:7;Numbers 5:8; suffixProverbs 16:14; 1singular2 Samuel 21:3;Genesis 32:21;Exodus 32:30, etc.;ImperativeDeuteronomy 21:8 4t.;InfinitiveExodus 30:15 28t.; suffixesEzekiel 16:63;Exodus 29:36;Isaiah 47:11; —
cover over, pacify, propitiate;Genesis 32:21let me cover his face by the present (so that he does not see the offence, i.e.pacify, him; E; RSOTJC, 2d ed., 381 'wipe clean the face,' blackened by displeasure, as the Arabs say 'whiten the face');Isaiah 47:11and disaster will fall upon thee, thou wilt not be able to propitiate it (by payment of a , seeIsaiah 43:3); pacify the wrath of a kingProverbs 16:14 (e.g. by a gift).
cover over, atone for sin, without sacrifice :
man as subject,2 Samuel 21:3,with what shall I cover over (namely, the bloodguiltiness of the house of Saul, says David The answer is by a death penalty of seven sons of the guilty house);Exodus 32:30on behalf of your sins (J E; Moses, by intercession); with of personsNumbers 17:11;Numbers 17:12 (P; by incense),Numbers 25:13 (P when Phinehas slays the ringleaders).
with God as subject, with accusative of person,cover, i.e. treat as covered, view propitiously, Yahweh's landDeuteronomy 32:43 (song); personDeuteronomy 21:8 (bloodguiltiness flows away in the stream),Ezekiel 16:63; of person 2 Chronicles 30:18; with accusative ofthe sinPsalm 65:4;Psalm 78:38, probably alsoDaniel 9:24 "" ; of sin,Psalm 79:9;Jeremiah 18:23 "" . It is conceived that God in his sovereignty may himself provide an atonement or covering for men and their sins which could not be provided by men.
cover over, atone for sin and persons by legal rites, in the codes of H, P, and Ezekiel: absoluteand the priest shall make atonementLeviticus 16:32;
with accusative of sacred places (by the great sin-offering of the day of atonement),Leviticus 16:20,33 (twice in verse); alsoEzekiel 43:20,26;Ezekiel 45:20 (by the blood of the sin-offering "" , ).
. (I) of things, e.g. of the altar to which the blood of the sin-offering was appliedExodus 29:36,37;Exodus 30:10;Leviticus 8:15 "" ,Leviticus 16:18; and specifically the horns of the altarExodus 30:10; the holy place of the tabernacleLeviticus 16:16 (by the great sin-offering, because of the uncleannesses of thechildren of Israel and because of their transgressions); for the leprous house by ceremony of purificationLeviticus 14:53 "" ; for the goatLeviticus 16:10 (which was presented before Yahweh to consecrate him for the bearing away of the sins of the people). (2) of persons, ,for your persons, yourselves, e.g. by the payment of atonement-money at the censusExodus 30:15,16; by the of the spoilsNumbers 31:50; by the blood upon the altarLeviticus 17:11; in the ritual , by ministry of priest through the blood of the sin-offeringLeviticus 4:20,31;Leviticus 8:34;Leviticus 10:17;Leviticus 12:7,8;Leviticus 14:19,31;Leviticus 16:30,33;Leviticus 23:28;Numbers 8:12,21;Numbers 15:25,28 (twice in verse);Numbers 28:22,30;Numbers 29:5; 2Chronicles 29:24;Nehemiah 10:34; of the trespass-offeringLeviticus 5:16,18;Leviticus 5:26;Leviticus 7:7;Leviticus 14:21;Leviticus 19:22;Numbers 5:8; the whole burnt-offeringLeviticus 1:4;Leviticus 14:20;Leviticus 16:24; by the oil used in purifying a leperLeviticus 14:18,29; by theEzekiel 45:15; by the priestly ministry in General1 Chronicles 6:34; by the substitution of the Levites for the firstbornNumbers 8:19. Underlying all these offerings there is the conception that the persons offering are covered by that which is regarded as sufficient and satisfactory by Yahweh. (The purpose of the covering is statedLeviticus 16:30 =shall atonement be made for you to cleanse you, from all your sins shall ye be clean before Yahweh, andNumbers 8:21and (Aaron)made atonement for them to cleanse them.)
: others understand as =away from; compare DiLev 4:26, RiSühne 50 f.because of his sinLeviticus 4:26;Leviticus 5:6,10;Leviticus 16:34;Leviticus 14:19;Leviticus 16:16;Leviticus 15:15,30;Numbers 6:11; alsoon account of his sinLeviticus 4:35;Leviticus 5:13;Leviticus 19:22;Leviticus 5:18.
with instrumentalLeviticus 5:16;Leviticus 19:22;Numbers 5:8;with a trespass-offeringLeviticus 7:7;Leviticus 17:11for it is the blood with the living being that covers over (H, see
(a); RVby reason of the life after De Di Kn Bähr Kau and most moderns; AV follows . . so Ges Ew§ 282 a. Anm. 1 :' for the soul '); with localLeviticus 6:23;Leviticus 16:17,27.
with person,on behalf ofLeviticus 9:7 (twice in verse);Leviticus 16:6,11,17,24 (by Aaron),Ezekiel 45:17 (by the prince).
PerfectExodus 29:33;Isaiah 28:18 (but read , — √ I. , — so . Hu We Che SS and others see BrMP 209);ImperfectNumbers 35:33 3t.; 3 feminine singularIsaiah 6:7be covered over, atoned for.
,Isaiah 6:7 thy sinshall be covered over ( "" ; by the touch of the live coal from the altar);Isaiah 22:14surely this iniquity shall not be covered over; with instrumentalIsaiah 27:9 bythis shall the iniquityof Jacob be covered over ("" namely by the destruction of idolatrous objects);Proverbs 16:6by mercy and fidelity iniquity is covered over.
withfor whom,Numbers 35:33for the land atonement cannot be made, in view of the blood shed in it, except by the blood of the shedder of blood; in the ritual of P, with instrumentalExodus 29:33wherewith atonement was made (ram of consecration).
Imperfect1 Samuel 3:14; with instrumentalthe iniquity of the house of Eli shall not be covered by peace offering or minchah (in other words there was no atonement for it; compare PunicIsaiah 22:14).
PerfectDeuteronomy 21:8and the blood shall be covered for them.
II. [] (from II. ) —Perfect2masculine singularGenesis 6:14and thou shalt pitch it with pitch (P).
III. (√ of following).
Topical Lexicon
OverviewThe root כָּפַר threads through approximately one-hundred four Old Testament verses, forming a unified biblical motif of covering, appeasing, ransoming, and reconciling. Whether describing pitch on Noah’s ark or the sacrificial blood on the mercy seat, each occurrence reinforces the same divine principle: sin or danger demands a covering supplied by God’s appointed means.
Patterns of Occurrence
1. Pentateuch (about two-thirds of all uses): Especially Leviticus, where the priest “shall make atonement” for individuals (Leviticus 4:20), objects (Leviticus 16:18), and the nation (Leviticus 16:34).
2. Historical narratives: Key redemptive moments such as Moses’ plea after the golden calf (Exodus 32:30).
3. Poetic and prophetic texts: The term broadens to personal and national forgiveness (Psalm 65:3;Isaiah 6:7) and eschatological hope (Daniel 9:24).
Covering and Protection
The first occurrence in Scripture is physical: “Make for yourself an ark of gopher wood; make rooms in the ark and cover it with pitch inside and out” (Genesis 6:14). The tangible coating that kept judgment waters out prefigures a spiritual covering from divine wrath. A similar protective nuance appears when ransom money “covers” lives during the census (Exodus 30:12-16).
Sacrificial Atonement in the Mosaic Law
Leviticus defines the verb’s liturgical backbone. The priest applies sacrificial blood “to make atonement for him because of the sin he has committed” (Leviticus 4:26). The object of the verb alternates between:
• Persons (Leviticus 5:6).
• Holy places and furniture (Leviticus 16:20).
• The altar itself (Leviticus 8:15).
Each usage underscores vicarious substitution: innocent blood covers the guilty so that fellowship may continue.
The Day of Atonement
Leviticus 16 concentrates the theology of כָּפַר. Blood from the bull and goat is sprinkled “to make atonement for the Most Holy Place because of the uncleanness of the Israelites” (Leviticus 16:16). The scapegoat then carries forgiven sin into the wilderness (Leviticus 16:10, 21-22). Once a year, every category—priest, people, sanctuary—is covered, portraying comprehensive reconciliation.
Ransom and Payment
Several contexts translate the verb with the idea of ransom. The half-shekel at census “is to be an offering to the LORD to make atonement for your lives” (Exodus 30:15). InNumbers 35:31, no ransom may be accepted for a murderer, showing that some guilt defies monetary covering.Proverbs 16:14 captures the nuance metaphorically: “A king’s wrath is a messenger of death, but a wise man will appease it,” linking appeasement to relational harmony.
Intercession and Propitiation
Moses stands in the breach, saying, “Perhaps I can make atonement for your sin” (Exodus 32:30). Later, Phinehas’s zeal “made atonement for the Israelites” (Numbers 25:13). Prophets likewise invoke the verb: Isaiah’s guilt is “taken away, and your sin atoned for” (Isaiah 6:7). The action is always God-initiated yet often mediated through appointed servants, revealing a consistent divine pattern of priestly intercession.
National and Cultic Purification
Kings and reformers utilized כָּפַר during covenant renewals. Hezekiah’s priests “made atonement for all Israel” (2 Chronicles 29:24) as temple worship was restored. Later, Ezekiel envisions sacrifices “to make atonement for the house of Israel” in a future temple (Ezekiel 45:15, 17, 20), revealing the term’s eschatological elasticity.
Messianic Trajectory and New Covenant Fulfillment
Daniel 9:24 predicts a climactic “to make an end to sin, to atone for iniquity.” The New Testament presents Jesus Christ as that final covering: “He Himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins” (1 John 2:2). Hebrews interprets Leviticus, stating that the blood of bulls and goats foreshadowed the once-for-all offering of the Messiah (Hebrews 9:11-14). Thus every כָּפַר points beyond itself to the cross, where the provision becomes permanent and universal.
Ministerial Application
1. Preaching: Emphasize God’s consistent requirement and provision of a covering, leading naturally to the gospel.
2. Counseling: Assure penitents that divine atonement is sufficient; no additional payment can supplement it.
3. Worship: Root confession and assurance of pardon in both Old and New Testament readings, illustrating continuity.
4. Missions: Present substitutionary atonement as a biblical constant from Genesis to Revelation, addressing universal human guilt.
Summary
Whether sealing the ark against rising waters or reconciling repentant sinners, כָּפַר manifests the Lord’s gracious resolve to shield, forgive, and restore. The Old Testament’s repetitive rhythm of “and he shall make atonement” crescendos in the singular work of Christ, the ultimate and eternal covering for all who believe.
Forms and Transliterations
אֲכַפְּרָ֖ה אֲכַפְּרָ֣ה אֲכַפֵּ֔ר אכפר אכפרה בְּכַפְּרִי־ בְּכַפֶּרְךָ֖ בכפרי־ בכפרך הַכִּפֻּרִ֔ים הַכִּפֻּרִ֗ים הכפרים וְכִפֶּ֕ר וְכִפֶּ֣ר וְכִפֶּ֤ר וְכִפֶּ֥ר וְכִפֶּ֧ר וְכִפֶּ֨ר וְכִפֶּר֙ וְכִפֶּר֩ וְכִפַּרְתֶּ֖ם וְכִפַּרְתָּֽהוּ׃ וְכַפֵּ֣ר וְכַפֵּ֥ר וְכָֽפַרְתָּ֥ וְכֻפַּ֤ר וְנִכַּפֵּ֥ר וַיְכַפֵּ֖ר וַיְכַפֵּ֧ר וּלְכַפֵּ֖ר וּלְכַפֵּ֣ר וּלְכַפֵּר֙ ויכפר וכפר וכפרת וכפרתהו׃ וכפרתם ולכפר ונכפר יְ֠כֻפַּר יְכַפְּרֶֽנָּה׃ יְכַפְּרוּ֙ יְכַפֵּ֑ר יְכַפֵּ֤ר יְכַפֵּ֥ר יְכַפֵּֽר׃ יְכַפֶּר־ יְכֻפַּ֗ר יְכֻפַּ֣ר יִתְכַּפֵּ֞ר יכפר יכפר־ יכפר׃ יכפרו יכפרנה׃ יתכפר כַּפְּרָ֑הּ כַּפֵּר֩ כֻּפַּ֣ר כפר כפרה לְכַפֵּ֖ר לְכַפֵּ֞ר לְכַפֵּ֣ר לְכַפֵּ֥ר לכפר מִכַּפֵּ֣ר מכפר תְּכַפֵּר֙ תְּכֻפָּֽר׃ תְכַפְּרֵֽם׃ תכפר תכפר׃ תכפרם׃ ’ă·ḵap·pə·rāh ’ă·ḵap·pêr ’ăḵappêr ’ăḵappərāh achapPer achappeRah bə·ḵap·pə·rî- bə·ḵap·per·ḵā bechapperCha bechapperi bəḵappərî- bəḵapperḵā hak·kip·pu·rîm hakkippuRim hakkippurîm kap·pə·rāh kap·pêr kapPer kappêr kappeRah kappərāh kup·par kuppar lə·ḵap·pêr lechapPer ləḵappêr mik·kap·pêr mikkapPer mikkappêr ṯə·ḵap·pə·rêm tə·ḵap·pêr tə·ḵup·pār techapPer techappeRem techupPar təḵappêr ṯəḵappərêm təḵuppār ū·lə·ḵap·pêr ulechapPer ūləḵappêr vaychapPer vechafarTa vechapPer vechipparTahu vechipparTem vechipPer vechupPar venikkapPer way·ḵap·pêr wayḵappêr wə·ḵā·p̄ar·tā wə·ḵap·pêr wə·ḵip·par·tā·hū wə·ḵip·par·tem wə·ḵip·per wə·ḵup·par wə·nik·kap·pêr wəḵāp̄artā wəḵappêr wəḵippartāhū wəḵippartem wəḵipper wəḵuppar wənikkappêr yə·ḵap·pə·ren·nāh yə·ḵap·pə·rū yə·ḵap·pêr yə·ḵap·per- yə·ḵup·par yechapPer yechappeRennah yechappeRu yechupPar yəḵappêr yəḵapper- yəḵappərennāh yəḵappərū yəḵuppar yiṯ·kap·pêr yitkapPer yiṯkappêr
Links
Interlinear Greek •
Interlinear Hebrew •
Strong's Numbers •
Englishman's Greek Concordance •
Englishman's Hebrew Concordance •
Parallel Texts
