חָטָא֙

Alphabet Analysis

The word

1. word🔊 חָטָא֙

   kha-TA

   he sinned
2. phraseyour reading level🔊 כִּ֣י ל֤וֹא חָטָא֙

   KI LO kha-TA

   for, because not he sinned
3. clause🔊 וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵ֠לָיו אַל־יֶחֱטָ֨א הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ בְּעַבְדּ֣וֹ בְדָוִ֗ד כִּ֣י ל֤וֹא חָטָא֙ לָ֔ךְ וְכִ֥י מַעֲשָׂ֖יו טוֹב־לְךָ֥ מְאֹֽד׃

   va-yo-MER e-LAV al-ye-khe-TA ham-ME-lekh be-av-DO be-da-VID KI LO kha-TA LAKH ve-KI ma-a-saV tov-le-KHA me-OD

   and he said to him let not he sin the king against his servant David for, because not he sinned against you, to you and for, and because his deeds good for you very, exceedingly
4. sentence🔊 וַיְדַבֵּ֨ר יְהוֹנָתָ֤ן בְּדָוִד֙ ט֔וֹב אֶל־שָׁא֖וּל אָבִ֑יו וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵ֠לָיו אַל־יֶחֱטָ֨א הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ בְּעַבְדּ֣וֹ בְדָוִ֗ד כִּ֣י ל֤וֹא חָטָא֙ לָ֔ךְ וְכִ֥י מַעֲשָׂ֖יו טוֹב־לְךָ֥ מְאֹֽד׃

   va-ye-dab-BER ye-ho-na-TAN be-da-VID TOV el-sha-UL a-VIV va-yo-MER e-LAV al-ye-khe-TA ham-ME-lekh be-av-DO be-da-VID KI LO kha-TA LAKH ve-KI ma-a-saV tov-le-KHA me-OD

   and he spoke Jonathan about David good, well to Saul his father and he said to him let not he sin the king against his servant David for, because not he sinned against you, to you and for, and because his deeds good for you very, exceedingly

Exegesis

Two causal clauses introduced by ki {כִּ֣י | kî} and ve-khi {וְכִ֥י | wə·kî} justify the prohibition: first acknowledging David’s innocence (lo chata lakh {ל֤וֹא חָטָא֙ לָ֔ךְ | lōʾ ḥā·ṭāʾ lā·ḵ}), and then affirming the benefit of his conduct (ma‘ăśāw ṯōḇ·lə·ḵā me·ʾōḏ {מַעֲשָׂ֖יו טוֹב־לְךָ֥ מְאֹֽד | ma·ʿă·śā·w ṯōḇ·lə·ḵā mə·ʾō·ḏ}). This structure balances prohibition with rationale.

Root and etymology

ḥ-t-ʾ🔊 ח־ט־אḥet–tet–aleph

“to miss the mark, sin”

• 🔊 חַטָּאתḥat·tāʾsin offeringLeviticus 4:35