Judges 20:16 – what is sinning?

From all these people were seven hundred chosen men hampered in their right hand; every one of these could sling a stone at a hair without sinning

Most Bible translations read here “… without missing”. Undoubtedly that is precisely the purpose of this communication. Yet in Hebrew the usual word for “sin” stands here. Whoever slings a stone and misses the target, sins.

When a precious vase falls to the floor, we shout (in Dutch): “that’s sin”! (that’s a shame!). And that’s right. Because that vase was not intended for that. This everyday meaning of the word “sin” is correct. The meaning, on the other hand, that is attributed to it in a religious sphere is not. With ‘sin’ there is only thought of something that is morally reprehensible. But that is not the meaning of the word.

The GOD, as the Scriptures speak of Him, never ‘sins’. Not even when He created ‘the old serpen’ and placed man in the garden and forbade him to eat from that one tree. It was the beginning of a lot of suffering and evil. And certainly, man missed his goal as a result. But not GOD! Everything fits in with his perfect plan. Good and evil! He can’t miss!

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