Psalms 106:6 — Word Study
WLCחָטָ֥אנוּ עִם־ אֲבוֹתֵ֗ינוּ הֶעֱוִ֥ינוּ הִרְשָֽׁעְנוּ׃
BSAWe have sinnedchâṭâʼ■ [with our fathers, like our ancestors] likeʻim our fathersʼâb we have done wrongʻâvâh■ [committed iniquity, twisted from the right path] [and] acted wickedlyrâshaʻ■ [done perversely, been guilty of evil]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| חָטָ֥אנוּ | we have sinned | Verb, Qal, perfect first person common plural |
| עִם־ | with | Preposition |
| אֲבוֹתֵ֗ינוּ | ancestors our | Noun common feminine plural construct, suffix |
| הֶעֱוִ֥ינוּ | we have done wrong | Verb, Hiphil, perfect first person common plural |
| הִרְשָֽׁעְנוּ׃ | we have acted wickedly | Verb, Hiphil, perfect first person common plural |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | We have sinned like our fathers; we have done wrong and acted wickedly. |
| KJV | We have sinned with our fathers, we have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly. |
| ASV | We have sinned with our fathers, We have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly. |
| YLT | We have sinned with our fathers, We have done perversely, we have done wickedly. |
| WEB | We have sinned with our fathers. We have committed iniquity. We have done wickedly. |
| BBE | We are sinners like our fathers, we have done wrong, our acts are evil. |
The translations agree on the key terms used in this verse, reflecting a consistent understanding of the confession.
The sentence structure highlights the confession of sin, with the main clause supported by additional phrases that elaborate on the nature of the wrongdoing.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbחָטָא
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Psalms 106:6
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — Confession of Singenerated
Psalm 106:6 reflects a communal acknowledgment of sin, where the psalmist admits to wrongdoing alongside the ancestors. This verse is part of a larger narrative that recounts Israel's failures and God's faithfulness, emphasizing the need for repentance and recognition of past mistakes, as seen in the surrounding verses.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 78:8 | Then they will not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, whose heart was not loyal, whose spirit was not faithful to God. |
| 2 | Leviticus 26:40 | But if they will confess their iniquity and that of their fathers in the unfaithfulness that they practiced against Me, by which they have also walked in hostility toward Me— |
| 3 | Numbers 32:14 | Now behold, you, a brood of sinners, have risen up in place of your fathers to further stoke the burning anger of the LORD against Israel. |
| 4 | 1 Kings 8:47 | and when they come to their senses in the land to which they were taken, and they repent and plead with You in the land of their captors, saying, ‘We have sinned and done wrong; we have acted wickedly,’ |
| 5 | Ezra 9:6–7 | and said: “O my God, I am ashamed and embarrassed to lift up my face to You, my God, because our iniquities are higher than our heads, and our guilt has reached the heavens. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 9 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — חָטָאנוּ, cha.Ta.nugenerated
The verb חָטָא (chata') means to miss the mark or go astray, indicating a failure to meet God's standards. It is a perfect first-person plural form, showing that the speaker includes the community in this confession of sin.
This word carries the weight of moral failure, suggesting not just individual wrongdoing but a collective responsibility. The use of the first-person plural emphasizes unity in sin, linking the present generation to their forebears.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
Translations of this verse generally agree on the meaning, with phrases like we have sinned (BSB, KJV, ASV) and we have done wrong (YLT, WEB, BBE) conveying the same sense of collective guilt.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main finite verbs are חָטָאנוּ (we have sinned), הֶעֱוִינוּ (we have done wrong), and הִרְשָֽׁעְנוּ (we have acted wickedly), creating a structure that emphasizes the community's acknowledgment of sin through parallelism.
The clauses are linked in a way that builds on the confession, with each action reinforcing the collective failure of the people, illustrating a progression of wrongdoing.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, חָטָאנוּ is rendered as ἡμάρτομεν (we have sinned), which maintains the original meaning but may carry a slightly different connotation in Greek.
This choice reflects a direct translation of the Hebrew concept of sin, indicating a consistent understanding of the community's moral failures across both texts.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalm 106:6 expresses a collective confession of sin, where the speaker acknowledges that they have sinned like their ancestors. This verse highlights the importance of recognizing past wrongs and the need for repentance, as the community reflects on its history.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It means acknowledging that the same patterns of wrongdoing have persisted through generations, indicating a shared responsibility for moral failures.
Confessing collective sin emphasizes the unity of the community in its failures and the need for communal repentance and restoration.
This verse fits into a larger narrative that recounts Israel's history of rebellion and God's faithfulness, serving as a reminder of the need for humility and repentance.
We learn the importance of recognizing our own faults and the faults of our community, and the necessity of turning back to God for forgiveness and guidance.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways do I see patterns of sin repeating in my own life or community?
- How can acknowledging our collective failures lead to healing and restoration?
- What steps can I take to ensure that I do not repeat the mistakes of those who came before me?
- How can I encourage others to seek repentance and turn back to God?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early commentators like Augustine of Hippo have noted this verse's confession of collective sin, emphasizing the importance of acknowledging past wrongs.
But let us hear what they next confess: "we have sinned with our fathers: we have done amiss, and dealt wickedly" [Psalms 106:6].Early Church Fathers on Psalms 106 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 106:6 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleWe have sinned with our fathers,.... Sinned in their first father Adam; derived a corrupt nature from their immediate ancestors; sinned after the similitude of their transgressions; sinned after
Read John Gill on Psalms 106 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryWe have sinned with our fathers, we have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly. We have sinned with our fathers, we have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly.
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 106 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleWith our fathers; as our fathers did, and have not been made wiser or better by their examples, as we should have been.
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 106 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 106:6 We have sinned with our fathers, we have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly.Ver. 6. We have sinned with our fathers] Adding to their heap, and making up their measure, Matthew 23:32. People think the example of their fathers a sufficient excuse. Jerome once (but not well) desired leave of Austin to err with seven Fathers whom he found of his opinion. I will follow my forefathers, saith Cicero, although I fall together with them. See Jeremiah 44:17. But so would not these good souls, as neither Jeremiah, Jeremiah 3:25, nor Daniel, Daniel 9:5, whose confession suiting and symbolizing with this (together with that we read Psalms 106:47), maketh some think that this psalm…
Read John Trapp on Psalms 106 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(6) We.—Regard must be paid to the fact that the confession includes the speaker and his generation, as well as the ancestors of the race. The psalm proceeds from the period of the Captivity, when the national conscience, or at all events that of the nobler part of the nation, was thoroughly alive to the sinfulness of idolatry.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 106 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 6. We have sinned] Here the confession begins; what preceded was only the introduction to what follows: Our forefathers sinned, and suffered; we, like them, have sinned, and do suffer.
Read AdamClarke on Psalms 106 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges6. The main purpose of the Psalm is here stated;—the confession of the constant sin of Israel throughout its history. The acknowledgement that the nation does not deserve the mercy for which it prays is the primary condition of forgiveness and restoration to God’s favour. The language is borrowed from Solomon’s prayer (1 Kings 8:47); and the accumulation of synonyms expresses the manifold character of Israel’s guilt. Cp. Daniel’s confession (Daniel 9:5), and the confession of the Jews in Babylon in Bar 2:12. We have sinned with our fathers] “This remarkable expression is not to be weakened to mean merely that the present generation had sinned like their ancestors, but gives expression to…
Read Cambridge on Psalms 106 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleWe have sinned with our fathers - We have sinned as “they” did; we have followed their example.
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 106 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
We have sinned like our fathers; we have done wrong and acted wickedly.
We have sinned with our fathers. We have committed iniquity. We have done wickedly.
We have sinned like our fathers; we have done wrong and acted wickedly.
We have sinned like our ancestors; we have done wrong, we have done evil.
Tyndale line
We have sinned with our fathers, we have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly.
We have sinned with our fathers, We have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly.
We have sinned with our fathers, we have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly.
We have sinned with our fathers, we have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly.
We haue sinned with our fathers: we haue committed iniquitie, and done wickedly.
Strictly literal
We have sinned with our fathers, we have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly.
We have sinned with our fathers, We have done perversely, we have done wickedly.
We have sinned with our fathers, || We have done perversely, we have done wickedly.
We have sinned together with our fathers, we have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly.
We have sinned like our ancestors; we have done wrong, and we have done evil.
From the Latin
And they cried to the Lord in their tribulation: and he delivered them out of their distresses.
Simplified
We have sinned just like our forefathers. We have done wrong. We are guilty.
We are sinners like our fathers, we have done wrong, our acts are evil.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree on the wording of this verse, with a direct correspondence between the Hebrew and Greek terms used. This alignment indicates a shared understanding of the confession of sin across these ancient texts.
חָטָ֥אנוּ עִם־ אֲבוֹתֵ֗ינוּ הֶעֱוִ֥ינוּ הִרְשָֽׁעְנוּ׃
5 of the 5 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Psalms 106:6
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
חָטָא (chata') means to miss a goal or way, and is commonly translated as 'to sin.' It encompasses a range of meanings including incurring guilt, making a sin offering, and purifying from uncleanness. The word can also imply leading others to sin or causing oneself to lose one's way. It appears in various forms, such as Qal, Piel, Hiphil, and Hithpael, indicating different nuances of the concept of sin.
חָטָא 238 vb. miss (a goal or way), go wrong, sin
Qal
miss
sin, miss the goal or path of right and duty
incur guilt, penalty by sin, forfeit
Pi.
bear loss
make a sin offering
purify from sin
purify from uncleanness
Hiph.
miss the mark
induce or cause to sin
bring into guilt, condemnation, punishment
Hithp.
miss oneself, lose oneself, fig. for be bewildered, beside oneself
purify oneself from uncleanness
base
H2398 חָטָא miss (a goal or way), go wrong, sin .. miss
. sin, miss the goal or path of right and duty
. incur guilt, penalty by sin, forfeit
. . bear loss
. make a sin offering
. purify from sin
. purify from uncleanness
. . miss the mark
. induce or cause to sin
. bring into guilt, condemnation, punishment
. . miss oneself, lose oneself, fig. for be bewildered, beside oneself
. purify oneself from uncleanness
2398 chata' khaw-taw'
a primitive root; properly, to miss; hence (figuratively and
generally) to sin; by inference, to forfeit, lack, expiate,
repent, (causatively) lead astray, condemn:--bear the blame,
cleanse, commit (sin), by fault, harm he hath done, loss,
miss, (make) offend(-er), offer for sin, purge, purify (self),
make reconciliation, (cause, make) sin(-ful, -ness), trespass.
חָטָא (cha.ta) — to sin.
1) to sin, miss, miss the way, go wrong, incur guilt, forfeit, purify from uncleanness
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to miss
1a2) to sin, miss the goal or path of right and duty
1a3) to incur guilt, incur penalty by sin, forfeit
1b) (Piel)
1b1) to bear loss
1b2) to make a sin-offering
1b3) to purify from sin
1b4) to purify from uncleanness
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to miss the mark
1c2) to induce to sin, cause to sin
1c3) to bring into guilt or condemnation or punishment
1d) (Hithpael)
1d1) to miss oneself, lose oneself, wander from the way
1d2) to purify oneself from uncleanness
V-Qal-Perf-1cp — Verb · Qal · perfect first person common pluralHVqp1cp
עִם (im) is a preposition meaning 'with' and covers a range of relationships, including companionship, locality, and possession. It can imply actions done jointly, equality, or even opposition in contexts like combat. The related form מֵעִם (me.im) means 'from with' or 'beside.' The entries reflect various nuances but do not present significant disagreement.
עִם prep. with
of fellowship and companionship
of aid
Of actions done jointly with another
If the common action be of the nature of a contest or combat, with in the sense of against
Of dealing with a person, or of the relation in which one stands with, or towards, another
Of a common lot together with the wicked
Of equality or resemblance generally aid
Of time, as long as
Of a locality, close to, beside
Of persons, עִם is spec.
in the house or family or service of
In possession of
In the custody or care of
Beside = except
With = friendly with
Idiom. of a thought or purpose present with one
Metaph. together with = in spite of, notwithstanding
base
מֵעִם 72 from with or beside
base
H5973a עִם with . of fellowship and companionship
. Of a locality, close to, beside
. Of persons, עִם is spec. . in the house or family or service of
. In possession of
. In the custody or care of
. Beside = except
. With = friendly with
. Idiom. of a thought or purpose present with one
. Metaph. together with = in spite of, notwithstanding
H5973b מֵעִם from with, beside
5973 `im eem
from 6004; adverb or preposition, with (i.e. in conjunction
with), in varied applications; specifically, equally with;
often with prepositional prefix (and then usually
unrepresented in English):--accompanying, against, and, as (X
long as), before, beside, by (reason of), for all, from
(among, between), in, like, more than, of, (un-)to,
with(-al).
see HEBREW for 06004
עִם (im) — with.
1) with
1a) with
1b) against
1c) toward
1d) as long as
מֵעִם (me.im) — from with.
1a) beside, except
1b) in spite of
Prep — PrepositionHR
אָב (av) means 'father' and encompasses various roles such as the literal father of an individual, God as the father of His people, and the head of a household or clan. It can also refer to an ancestor, originator of a profession, or a figure of respect and protection. Notably, it can imply a ruler or chief in later contexts.
אָב 1101 n.m. father
father of individual
of God as father of his people
head of household, family or clan
ancestor
originator or patron of a class, profession, or art
fig. of producer, generator
fig. of benevolence & protection
term of respect & honor
specif., ruler, chief (late)
base
H1 אָב father . father of individual
. of God as father of his people
. head of household, family or clan
. ancestor
. originator or patron of a class, profession, or art
. fig. of producer, generator
. fig. of benevolence & protection
. term of respect & honor
. specif., ruler, chief (late)
1 'ab awb
a primitive word; father, in a literal and immediate, or
figurative and remote application):--chief,
(fore-)father(-less), X patrimony, principal. Compare names
in "Abi-".
אָב (av) — father.
1) father of an individual
2) of God as father of his people
3) head or founder of a household, group, family, or clan
4) ancestor
4a) grandfather, forefathers - of person
4b) of people
5) originator or patron of a class, profession, or art
6) of producer, generator (fig.)
7) of benevolence and protection (fig.)
8) term of respect and honour
9) ruler or chief (spec.)
Also means: av (אַב "father" H0002)
אָב (av) — (Huram)-abi.
A man living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ki.7.13; also called Huram-abi (KJV: "Huram my father's") at 2Ch.2.13; 4.16;
Combined with chi.ram (חִירָם "Hiram" H2438H)
אָב (av) — father of.
The father of Gibeon, also known as Abiel - a man of the tribe of Benjamin living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Sa.9.1;
son of: Zeror (H6872C); married to Maacah (H4601N);
N-mp | Suff — Noun common feminine plural construct · suffixHNcfpc/Sp1bp
עָוָה (avah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to bend or twist, both literally and figuratively. It encompasses actions like distorting paths, committing iniquity, and doing wrong. The entries indicate various forms, such as being bent or perverted (Niphal) and committing iniquity (Hiphil). There is some overlap in the definitions across the lexicons, but they consistently emphasize the themes of distortion and moral wrongdoing.
[עָוָה] vb. bend, twist
Niph. be bent, bowed down, twisted
Pi. my paths hath he twisted; its surface will he distort
Hiph. the right have I perverted
base
[עָוָה] vb. denom. commit iniquity, do wrong
Qal (late) she hath done wrong
Hiph. commit iniquity
base
H5753a עָוָה bend, twist . be bent, bowed down, twisted
. my paths hath he twisted; its surface will he distort
. the right have I perverted
H5753b עָוָה vb. denom. commit iniquity, do wrong
5753 `avah aw-vaw'
a primitive root; to crook, literally or figuratively (as
follows):--do amiss, bow down, make crooked, commit iniquity,
pervert, (do) perverse(-ly), trouble, X turn, do wickedly, do
wrong.
עָוָה (a.vah) — to twist.
1) to bend, twist, distort
1a) (Niphal) to be bent, be bowed down, be twisted, be perverted
1b) (Piel) to twist, distort
1c) (Hiphil) to do perversely
עָוָה (a.vah) — to pervert.
1) to commit iniquity, do wrong, pervert
1a) (Qal) to do wrong, commit iniquity
1b) (Hiphil) to commit iniquity
V-Hiphil-Perf-1cp — Verb · Hiphil · perfect first person common pluralHVhp1cp
רָשַׁע (rasha`) is a Hebrew verb meaning to be wicked or to act wickedly. It covers various aspects of wrongdoing, including being guilty and condemning others in both civil and ethical contexts. The entries indicate a distinction between its basic meaning of wickedness and its implications of guilt and condemnation.
[רָשַׁע] vb. denom. be wicked, act wickedly
Qal
be wicked, act wickedly
be guilty
Hiph.
condemn as guilty, in civil relations
condemn as guilty, in ethical and religious relations
act wickedly, in ethics and religious
base
H7561 רָשַׁע vb. denom. be wicked, act wickedly .. be wicked, act wickedly
. be guilty
. . condemn as guilty, in civil relations
. condemn as guilty, in ethical and religious relations
. act wickedly, in ethics and religious
7561 rasha` raw-shah'
a primitive root; to be (causatively, do or declare) wrong;
by implication, to disturb, violate:--condemn, make trouble,
vex, be (commit, deal, depart, do) wicked(-ly, -ness).
רָשַׁע (ra.sah) — be wicked.
1) to be wicked, act wickedly
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to be wicked, act wickedly
1a2) to be guilty, be condemned
1b) (Hiphil)
1b1) to condemn as guilty (in civil relations)
1b2) to condemn as guilty (in ethical or religious relations)
1b3) to act wickedly (in ethics and religion)
V-Hiphil-Perf-1cp — Verb · Hiphil · perfect first person common pluralHVhp1cp