What Does 2 Chronicles 28:13 Mean?
And said unto them, Ye shall not bring in the captives hither, for we have already become guilty against the LORD, and ye intend to add more to our shortcomings and to our guilt. For great is our guilt, and the burning of anger is against Israel.
Key words are shown with the Hebrew or Greek and what each word meant.
Selah Decoded Version The Selah Decoded Version renders what the Hebrew and Greek words meant to the people who first heard them.
King James wording
King James Version
And said unto them, Ye shall not bring in the captives hither: for whereas we have offended against the LORD already, ye intend to add more to our sins and to our trespass: for our trespass is great, and there is fierce wrath against Israel.THE KEY
The Hebrew calls bringing in the captives an added liability: its words for “offended” and “trespass” share one guilt-root, while “sin” comes from another.
THE MEANING
The verse speaks to the moment when wrong is already present: bringing the captives in would add to it. It keeps the captive people and the intended harm in view, and leaves the fierce anger against Israel explicit.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
Past wrongdoing does not make another injury inconsequential; adding harm deepens the guilt.
THE ROOT
אַשְׁמָה
ashmah
GROWS FROM
אשם
To incur guilt or be liable.
“become guilty” in this verse is ashmah. The English varies among “offended” and “trespass,” but the Hebrew repeats the guilt-root and says that guilt is great. Bringing in the captives would add to the liability already named.
ALSO GROWS
ʾāšēm: Guilty or liable.
אָשֵׁם
This form shows the root can name the person who bears the liability, not just the offense.
ʾāšām: Guilt, or in sacrificial contexts, a guilt offering.
אָשָׁם
The branch keeps the repeated language of guilt connected to the burden that the verse says must not be enlarged.
חַטֹּאתֵינוּ
ḥaṭṭōʾtênû
GROWS FROM
חטא
To miss or err.
“shortcomings” in this verse is ḥaṭṭōʾtênû. The word translated “sins” does not come from the repeated guilt-root. The verse holds a missed mark beside liability, then says the proposed action would add to both.
ALSO GROWS
ḥāṭāʾ: To miss or go wrong.
חָטָא
It reveals the distinct sense carried by “sins” in the verse.
ḥaṭṭāʾt: A missing or sin, and in sacrificial language, an offering for the missing.
חַטָּאת
This branch shows how the word can name both the wrong and a response associated with it.
THE PATTERN
Refusing to multiply harm can interrupt its reach even while its consequences remain.
And he answered, You shall not strike them down. Would you strike down those you have taken captive with your sword and your bow? Set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go to their master.Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.Then Jesus said, Father, release them, for they do not know what they are doing. And they parted his garments, and cast lots.THE THREAD
And they said to one another, We are truly guilty concerning our brother, for we saw the narrow place of his living soul when he pleaded with us for favor, and we did not hear and respond. Therefore this narrow place has come upon us.The same guilt-root appears in “We are verily guilty,” beside the memory of a brother’s anguish and an unheard plea. It opens the repeated liability language here: harm to a captive is part of what the guilt names, and bringing captives further would deepen it.
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