The Hebrew verb nasa (H5375) means to lift up, to bear, to carry, or to take away. In its theological usage, it becomes the primary verb for forgiveness — 'lifting up' and 'carrying away' sin, guilt, and iniquity.
Nasa is Isaiah 53's central verb of atonement: 'He took up our pain and bore our suffering.' The scapegoat ritual in Leviticus 16 uses nasa — Aaron confesses Israel's sins onto the goat, which 'bears' them into the wilderness. This ritual enacted the prophecy of Christ's substitutionary atonement. When God 'forgives' (nasa) sin, the image is of lifting the weight of guilt off the sinner and onto a substitute.