guilt (offering)
a.sham denotes an offering brought in response to guilt, and in some contexts the guilt or restitution owed.
The dominant use identifies a sacrificial offering, described through its presentation, slaughter, blood, priestly handling, and association with atonement. A smaller group of passages presents guilt as liability incurred or as restitution returned to the injured party.
Senses in use
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Sacrificial offering for a wrong · dominant
The absolute noun identifies a sacrificial item or rite: in Leviticus 7:2 the APB renders its slaughter and the scattering of its blood on the altar, while Leviticus 14:25 describes slaughtering the lamb and applying blood from it. In Leviticus 5:16, the priest makes atonement with a ram identified by this noun; Ezekiel 46:20 instead locates where priests boil it alongside the sin offering.
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Guilt or liability incurred · occasional
In Genesis 26:10, the APB renders the consequence of a possible act against Abimelech's wife as bringing guilt upon the people. Jeremiah 51:5 describes the land as filled with guilt before the Holy One, and Proverbs 14:9 sets fools mocking at guilt against acceptance among the upright.
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Restitution returned to another · rare
In Numbers 5:7, following confession, the APB renders the term as something returned with an added fifth to the person against whom guilt was incurred. Numbers 5:8 likewise speaks of a returned amount belonging to the LORD and the priest when no redeemer is available, distinguishing it from the ram of atonement mentioned in the same verse.
In the Anselm Project Bible: The APB commonly presents the term in sacrificial contexts as “guilt offering,” including a ram, lamb, blood, slaughter, and priestly procedures. In Genesis 26:10, Jeremiah 51:5, Proverbs 14:9, and Numbers 5:7 it instead uses “guilt” or “guilt offering” in clauses about liability and return; these are whole-verse translation renderings rather than definitions.