What does מַעַל (maʿal) mean in the Bible?
מַעַל (maʿal) is a Hebrew noun naming a breach of faith or unfaithfulness. Its selected contexts concern responsibilities owed to the LORD and duties that also involve other people.
Hebrew · H4604
מַעַל
מַעַל (maʿal) is a Hebrew noun naming a breach of faith or unfaithfulness. Its selected contexts concern responsibilities owed to the Lord and duties that also involve other people.
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מַעַלH4604
Pronunciationmaʿal
What does מַעַל (maʿal) mean in the Bible?
Reader summary
Full entry for מַעַל (H4604) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H4604?
The BSB source-word alignment has 29 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include . . . (5), unfaithfully (5), the unfaithfulness (2), - (1), [full of] falsehood (1).
Where does מַעַל (maʿal) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Leviticus 5:15. Its strongest book concentrations include Ezekiel (6), Joshua (5), 2 Chronicles (4), Numbers (4).
What This Word Actually Means
מַעַל (maʿal) is a Hebrew noun naming a breach of faith or unfaithfulness. Its selected contexts concern responsibilities owed to the Lord and duties that also involve other people. Leviticus 5:15 speaks of an unintentional offense against holy things; Leviticus 6:2 includes deceiving a neighbor over entrusted property. The noun therefore must not be reduced to a single act of ritual misuse or made to imply that every occurrence describes calculated malice. The particular offense is established by its surrounding account.
Joshua 22:22 places the term in an accusation the eastern tribes answer. The later conclusion that they have not committed this breach makes the narrative especially important for responsible teaching: the presence of an accusation is not proof of guilt. Daniel 9:7 uses unfaithfulness within confession of Israel's shame before the righteous God. The word opens the seriousness of betrayed responsibilities, while its contexts require distinguishing proven wrongdoing, unintentional offense, confessed guilt, and an allegation that is resolved.
Passage contextCanonical parallel
How the Bible Uses It
The selected passages move among sacred responsibility, entrusted property, a disputed altar accusation, and corporate confession. The charge of unfaithfulness is serious, but the surrounding clauses determine what happened and whether a particular accusation is established.
- Lev.5.15
“If someone acts unfaithfully and sins unintentionally against any of the Lord’s holy things, he must bring his guilt offering to the Lord: an unblemished ram from the flock, of proper value in silver shekels according to the sanctuary shekel; it is a guilt offering.
An unintentional offense against the Lord's holy things is addressed with an offering and, in the next verse, restitution. The stated lack of intention prevents equating every instance with deliberate betrayal.
- Lev.6.2
“If someone sins and acts unfaithfully against the Lord by deceiving his neighbor in regard to a deposit or security entrusted to him or stolen, or if he extorts his neighbor
Deceiving a neighbor about entrusted property is described as unfaithfulness against the Lord. The following commands require returning the property and restitution; religious language cannot detach reconciliation from the harm done.
- Josh.22.22
“The Lord, the Mighty One, is God! The Lord, the Mighty One, is God! He knows, and may Israel also know. If this was in rebellion or breach of faith against the Lord, do not spare us today.
The eastern tribes answer a suspicion about their altar by explaining its purpose. The narrative's conclusion denies the alleged breach, making careful hearing part of this passage's contribution.
- Dan.9.7
To You, O Lord, belongs righteousness, but this day we are covered with shame—the men of Judah, the people of Jerusalem, and all Israel near and far, in all the countries to which You have driven us because of our unfaithfulness to You.
Daniel contrasts the Lord's righteousness with the shame of Judah and scattered Israel caused by unfaithfulness. The prayer names responsibility while continuing to appeal to God's compassion and forgiveness.
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It. . .5×Numbers 5:27, 2 Chronicles 28:19, 2 Chronicles 36:14, Ezekiel 14:13
unfaithfully5×Leviticus 5:15, Leviticus 6:2, Numbers 5:6, Numbers 31:16
the unfaithfulness2×Ezra 9:4, Ezra 10:6
-1×Ezekiel 18:24
[full of] falsehood1×Job 21:34
and unfaithfulness1×2 Chronicles 33:19
because of our unfaithfulness1×Daniel 9:7
because of their unfaithfulness1×1 Chronicles 9:1
breach of faith1×Joshua 22:31
by their unfaithfulness1×Ezekiel 20:27
for his unfaithfulness1×1 Chronicles 10:13
he committed1×Ezekiel 17:20
in his unfaithfulness1×2 Chronicles 29:19
in the unfaithfulness1×Leviticus 26:40
or breach of faith1×Joshua 22:22
regarding1×Joshua 22:20
they committed1×Ezekiel 39:26
unfaithfulness1×Ezra 9:2
you have committed1×Joshua 22:16
Show sample aligned rows
Leviticus 5:15מַ֔עַלtounfaithfullyNoun - masculine singularLeviticus 6:2מַ֖עַלtounfaithfullyNoun - masculine singularLeviticus 26:40בְּמַעֲלָ֖םtoin the unfaithfulnessPreposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine pluralNumbers 5:6מַ֖עַלtounfaithfullyNoun - masculine singularNumbers 5:12מָֽעַל׃toNoun - masculine singularNumbers 5:27מַ֣עַלto. . .Noun - masculine singularNumbers 31:16מַ֥עַלtounfaithfullyNoun - masculine singularJoshua 7:1מַ֖עַלtounfaithfullyNoun - masculine singularJoshua 22:16הַמַּ֤עַלtoyou have committedArticle | Noun - masculine singularJoshua 22:20מַ֙עַל֙toregardingNoun - masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowLeviticus 5:15
Aligned rows29
Books represented9
Leviticus3Numbers4Joshua51 Chronicles22 Chronicles4Ezra3Job1Ezekiel6Daniel1
Source forms
מַ֖עַל4xma·‘alLeviticus 6:2, Numbers 5:6, Joshua 7:1, 2 Chronicles 28:19
מַ֔עַל3xma·‘alLeviticus 5:15, Ezekiel 14:13, Ezekiel 15:8
בְּמַעֲלָ֖ם2xbə·ma·‘ă·lāmLeviticus 26:40, Daniel 9:7
מַ֣עַל2xma·‘alNumbers 5:27, Ezra 9:4
מַ֥עַל2xma·‘alNumbers 31:16, Ezra 10:6
מָֽעַל׃2xmā·‘alNumbers 5:12, Ezekiel 20:27
בְּמַ֙עַל֙1xbə·ma·‘alJoshua 22:22
בַּמַּ֥עַל1xbam·ma·‘alEzra 9:2
Parsing patterns
Noun - masculine singular14xLeviticus 5:15, Leviticus 6:2, Numbers 5:6, Numbers 5:12
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural3xLeviticus 26:40, 1 Chronicles 9:1, Daniel 9:7
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular3x1 Chronicles 10:13, 2 Chronicles 29:19, Ezekiel 18:24
Article | Noun - masculine singular2xJoshua 22:16, Joshua 22:31
Noun - masculine singular construct2xEzra 9:4, Ezra 10:6
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular1x2 Chronicles 33:19
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural1xEzekiel 39:26
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular1xEzekiel 17:20
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- People harmed by betrayal must not be pressed to offer immediate trust as proof that they have forgiven; accountable repair takes their harm seriously.
- Distinguish a confessed offense from an unproved allegation, and use appropriate accountable shepherding or safeguarding help for actual situations of harm.
Avoid claiming...
- Every occurrence does not prove malicious intent; Leviticus 5:15 names an unintentional offense while still treating its consequences seriously.
- An accusation using the breach-of-faith noun does not establish guilt; Joshua 22:31 clears the eastern tribes after their explanation is heard.
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Treachery rooted in breaking covenant faith; sin as active unfaithfulness against God rather than passive wrongdoing
Source Gloss
treachery , i.e. sin
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Treachery rooted in breaking covenant faith; sin as active unfaithfulness against God rather than passive wrongdoing
treachery, i.e. sin BDB: unfaithful Usage: falsehood, grievously, sore, transgression, trespass, × very.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
Sin of unfaithfulness in holy things requiring guilt offering
Treacherous act against neighbor requiring restitution and atonement
Showing 2 selected witnesses from 28 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
מַעַל is built from this root:
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
For the Preacher and Teacher
Leviticus 6 refuses to divide devotion to the Lord from honesty toward a neighbor. An entrusted deposit, a stolen item, or extorted property is not a minor concern outside the life of faith. Deception about these things is named as unfaithfulness against the Lord, and the following instructions make the harmed person's property and restitution concrete. An offering does not make the neighbor disappear from the account. Forgiveness and the restoration of what was taken are held together within this particular covenant instruction.
Joshua 22 adds a different responsibility for teachers: do not mistake the gravity of a charge for proof that it is true. Israel hears the eastern tribes explain the altar's intended witness and concludes that the suspected breach did not occur. Daniel's confession supplies a third posture, accepting guilt without accusing God's righteousness. These distinct contexts prevent a one-note study that either minimizes betrayal or assigns it carelessly. They support accountable confession, careful hearing, and concrete attention to those harmed.
Anchor passage
Lev.6.2
Doctrinal connections
- Leviticus 5:15-16 explicitly combines an unintentional offense, repair of the holy thing's value, and priestly atonement without calling intention irrelevant.
- Leviticus 6:2-7 places deception about a neighbor's property under responsibility to the Lord and requires restitution to the owner.
- Joshua 22:22-31 distinguishes an alarming accusation from a proved breach after the eastern tribes explain their altar.
- Daniel 9:4-9 holds Israel's unfaithfulness and shame beside the Lord's righteousness, compassion and forgiveness within confession.
- Leviticus 26:40 names confession of unfaithfulness within covenant warnings and restoration, rather than making denial the route back to God.
- Second Corinthians 5:19-21 supplies a New Testament account of reconciliation through Christ; it is a canonical comparison, not a lexical definition of maʿal.
H4604 is the noun for the breach or unfaithfulness, distinct from the related verb H4603. Leviticus supplies an unintentional setting as well as deliberate deception, so the noun alone does not disclose motive or resolve whether an accusation is true.
From Old to New Testament
The Levitical instructions address guilt, restitution and priestly atonement within Israel's covenant worship. Second Corinthians 5:19-21 presents reconciliation through Christ with its own apostolic argument. The Christian comparison should preserve both God's initiative and truthful responsibility toward harmed neighbors, without treating a religious declaration as evidence that all relational damage has been repaired.
Passage contextCanonical parallel