Iniquity

Ex. xxviii. 38. Ex. xxxix. 7. Ps. xvii. 5.INIQUITY. By this word not only sin is meant, but the punishment likewise of sin, and expiation of it; for example, it is said, Aaron will bear the iniquities of the people; he will atone for them. And in another place, The Lord visits the iniquities of the fathers upon the children. He sometimes causes the external effects of his wrath to fall upon the children of criminal parents.

Lev. v. 1. xvii. 16. xix. 8, &c. Lev. xvi. 22. 1 Sam. xxv. 28.To bear his Iniquity, to endure the punishment of it, to be obliged to expiate it. Azazel or the Scape-goat shall bear upon him all the iniquities of the people unto a land not inhabited. He shall be led to a precipice, and thrown down, in order to be an expiatory victim for the whole multitude. Aufer iniquitatem famulæ tuæ, said Abigail to David, let not the fault of my husband Nabal be imputed to me.

The man of Iniquity, the child of Iniquity, the hand of Iniquity, the workers of Iniquity, signify a wicked man, a wicked child, sinful men, a criminal behaviour, &c. Torrentes iniquitatis conturbaverunt me. In the Hebrew, The torrents of Belial made me afraid¹. The wicked have fallen upon Ps. xlix. 6.me like a torrent. The Iniquity of my heels shall compass me about. The punishment of my iniquities, which pursue me gradually, will on a sudden lay hold on me. Shall the Ps. xciv. 20. Acts i. 18.throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee, which frameth mischief by a law? Is it possible, O my God, that thou shouldest be in concert with the throne of iniquity, with the Chaldeans, those proud and unjust rulers, who abuse their power that they may overwhelm us with calamities? Judas purchased a field with the reward of Iniquity; or rather he furnished the Chief Priests with wherewithal to purchase one, by restoring to them the reward of his treachery.

Ex. xxviii. 38.To bear Iniquity, to expiate it. The Priests bear the Iniquity of the people, they are charged with the expiation of it. Aaron shall bear the Iniquity of the holy things, which the children of Israel shall hallow in Lev. x. 17.all their holy gifts. Wherefore have ye not eaten of sin offerings in the holy place, seeing it is most holy; and God hath given it you to bear the Iniquity of the Congregation.

To bear Iniquity, speaking of common Israelites, signifies bearing the punishment of their faults, the being obliged to expiate them, or to be even chastised for them, according to the nature of the things, Lev. v. 1.and the judgment of the Priests or Judges. If a man is called upon to give testimony of any thing whereof he was a witness, 1 Sam. xv. 25.and will not discover it, he shall bear his Iniquity; he shall be punished with death: for so bearing his Iniquity is generally explained. See Lev. xix. 8. xx. 17, 19, 20. xxiv. 15. Numb. ix. 13. xvi. 31, &c. It must be confessed however that sometimes To bear his Iniquity, particularly when the matter in question is something secret, or of less consequence, for the expiation whereof the Law ordains certain sacrifices, that to bear his Iniquity, then signifies no more than to expiate his sin, and offer the sacrifices prescribed by Moses. We know that sin and Iniquity are used in Scripture not only for the sin committed, but likewise for the punishment of sin, and for the victim which is offered as an atonement for it.

The bearing sin, is used likewise for the forgiving it, taking it away, for the absolution and pardon of it. Thus Saul says to Samuel, Nunc porta quæso peccatum meum, & revertere mecum: Bear my sin, excuse, forgive it, &c. And Jesus Christ in the Gospel John. i. 29.is called the Lamb of God, that beareth or taketh away the sins of the world; who expiates them by his death, who pardons them in those who repent of them. And in Isaiah, If. liii. 4, 12.Truly he hath born our sorrows. And again, he bore the sins of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

Read this article in its place on the printed pages