A verb used exclusively of God's forgiveness in the Old Testament — humans never salach one another. This exclusivity underscores that ultimate forgiveness is a divine prerogative. It appears 46 times and always involves God pardoning sin, iniquity, or transgression.
The fact that salach is reserved for God alone is profound — true forgiveness that removes guilt requires divine action. This is the forgiveness Solomon prays for (1 Kings 8), Daniel pleads for (Daniel 9), and the new covenant promises (Jeremiah 31:34).
That salach belongs to God alone raises the question: on what basis can a holy God forgive? The sacrificial system provided a provisional answer. The New Testament answers through the cross. When Jesus claims authority to forgive sins (Mark 2:7), the scribes recognize this as a divine claim — only God can salach.