📖 Biblical Definition
The asham (אָשָׁם) is the Mosaic trespass or guilt offering, prescribed in Leviticus 5:14-19 and 6:1-7 for sins requiring restitution — usually involving sacred property (a man who unknowingly used a holy thing) or harm to a neighbor (deceit, theft, swearing falsely). The required sacrifice was a ram without blemish, accompanied by full restitution plus a fifth-part penalty paid to the wronged party. The offering taught what cheap forgiveness has forgotten: real sin requires real repair. The deepest application is Christological: "when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin (asham), he shall see his seed" (Isaiah 53:10). The Suffering Servant Himself is the great asham — Christ’s soul presented as the guilt offering that pays restitution for sin.
📜 Webster 1828 Definition
The Mosaic trespass-offering with restitution-plus-fifth.
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The Mosaic guilt or trespass offering (Lev 5:14-19; 6:1-7). Distinct from the chattat (sin offering): the asham is for sins involving sacred property or harm to neighbor, requires restitution-plus-a-fifth in addition to sacrifice. Isaiah 53:10 names the Suffering Servant's soul as asham — an offering for guilt — making Christ the ultimate guilt-bearer who pays both God and the wronged.
📖 Key Scripture
Leviticus 6:5-6 — "He shall even restore it in the principal, and shall add the fifth part more thereto, and give it unto him to whom it appertaineth, in the day of his trespass offering. And he shall bring his trespass offering unto the LORD."
Isaiah 53:10 — "Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin (asham), he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days."
Numbers 5:7 — "Then they shall confess their sin which they have done: and he shall recompense his trespass with the principal thereof, and add unto it the fifth part thereof."
⚠️ Modern Corruption
The restitution-with-sacrifice principle gets dropped; cheap-grace theology accepts forgiveness without the restitution Scripture requires.
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The asham required both sacrifice and restitution-plus-fifth. Forgiveness from God did not erase the obligation to make right with the wronged neighbor. Modern cheap-grace theology often skips the restitution.
Recover the both-and: Christ paid the asham as substitute, and we still owe restitution where possible. Forgiven sin can still owe a fifth part to the wronged.
🔗 Greek & Hebrew Roots
Hebrew asham.
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['Hebrew', 'H817', 'asham', 'guilt, trespass-offering']
Usage
"Asham requires sacrifice + restitution-plus-fifth."
"Christ as asham (Isa 53:10) is the gospel."
"Forgiven sin can still owe restitution."