עֹנֶשׁ
𐤏𐤍𐤔
ʻônesh
H6066 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Penalty, punishment, or fine imposed as the consequence for an offense; the legal or judicial assessment of retribution or compensation for a wrongdoing, frequently within judicial or covenantal contexts. It most commonly refers to a prescribed or judicial response to wrongdoing—whether the punishment itself (physical, monetary, or other sanctions) or, less commonly, a formal fine.
Semantic Range
punishment, penalty, fine, judicial retribution, legal consequence, prescribed sanction, tribute (rarely in sense of imposed obligation)
Root / Etymology
From the root עָנַשׁ (ʻānaš), which means 'to impose a penalty, to punish.' עֹנֶשׁ is a substantivized noun form, signifying the act/result of imposing a punishment or fine. The root developed a legal/judicial sense associated with penalty or punishment, but the noun refers specifically to the penalty itself, not the action of punishing.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In biblical usage, עֹנֶשׁ appears primarily within legal or judicial provisions, especially in Leviticus and Numbers, specifying the result or prescribed consequence for particular transgressions. In the Torah, it consistently denotes the formal, legalistic sense of 'punishment' or 'fine', distinguishing it from broader terms like עָוֹן ('iniquity', more oriented to the act itself or its moral consequence) or פֶּשַׁע ('transgression', the act of rebellion). Unlike more general Hebrew terms for 'sin' or 'guilt', עֹנֶשׁ focuses on the penalty component, especially in procedural or statutory contexts, and is most often seen in legal discourse. The English translation 'punishment' often works, but sometimes narrows the meaning, as monetary fines may also be included. In post-biblical Hebrew, the term maintains a strictly juridical sense, while in later periods and rabbinic usage, it formalizes into categories of punishments, fines, and compensations. The word is rare and always carries the nuance of a formal or official penalty, not general suffering or natural consequence.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from עָנַשׁ; a fine; punishment, tribute.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
ענש (ʿ-n-š) — to penalize, to impose punishment, to fine
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6066-01 |
עֹ֨נֶשׁ֙ | onesh | HNcmsa |
a fine | judicial penalty | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6066-01 |
2 Kings 23:33 | עֹ֨נֶשׁ֙ | onesh | HNcmsa |
a fine | judicial penalty | |
H6066-01 |
Proverbs 19:19 | עֹ֑נֶשׁ | onesh | HNcmsa |
punishment | judicial penalty |