Pardon

Concise Bible Dictionary:

Four Hebrew words are so translated.

1. kaphar, “to cover,” same as “to make atonement,” forgive (2 Chron. 30:18¹⁸For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim, and Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet did they eat the passover otherwise than it was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, The good Lord pardon every one (2 Chronicles 30:18)).

2. nasa, “to lift up,” forgive (Ex. 23:21²¹Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him. (Exodus 23:21); 1 Sam. 15:25²⁵Now therefore, I pray thee, pardon my sin, and turn again with me, that I may worship the Lord. (1 Samuel 15:25); Job 7:21²¹And why dost thou not pardon my transgression, and take away mine iniquity? for now shall I sleep in the dust; and thou shalt seek me in the morning, but I shall not be. (Job 7:21); Mic. 7:18¹⁸Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy. (Micah 7:18)).

3. salach, “to pass over,” forgive; used only of God’s forgiveness (Ex. 34:9⁹And he said, If now I have found grace in thy sight, O Lord, let my Lord, I pray thee, go among us; for it is a stiffnecked people; and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for thine inheritance. (Exodus 34:9); Num. 14:19-20¹⁹Pardon, I beseech thee, the iniquity of this people according unto the greatness of thy mercy, and as thou hast forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now. ²⁰And the Lord said, I have pardoned according to thy word: (Numbers 14:19‑20); 2 Kings 5:18¹⁸In this thing the Lord pardon thy servant, that when my master goeth into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leaneth on my hand, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon: when I bow down myself in the house of Rimmon, the Lord pardon thy servant in this thing. (2 Kings 5:18); 2 Kings 24:4⁴And also for the innocent blood that he shed: for he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood; which the Lord would not pardon. (2 Kings 24:4); Neh. 9:17¹⁷And refused to obey, neither were mindful of thy wonders that thou didst among them; but hardened their necks, and in their rebellion appointed a captain to return to their bondage: but thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and forsookest them not. (Nehemiah 9:17); Psa. 25:11¹¹For thy name's sake, O Lord, pardon mine iniquity; for it is great. (Psalm 25:11); Isa. 55:7⁷Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. (Isaiah 55:7); Jer. 5:1,7¹Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth; and I will pardon it. (Jeremiah 5:1)
⁷How shall I pardon thee for this? thy children have forsaken me, and sworn by them that are no gods: when I had fed them to the full, they then committed adultery, and assembled themselves by troops in the harlots' houses. (Jeremiah 5:7); Jer. 33:8⁸And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me; and I will pardon all their iniquities, whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against me. (Jeremiah 33:8); Jer. 50:20²⁰In those days, and in that time, saith the Lord, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found: for I will pardon them whom I reserve. (Jeremiah 50:20); Lam. 3:42⁴²We have transgressed and have rebelled: thou hast not pardoned. (Lamentations 3:42)).

4. ratsah, “to delight in,” receive graciously, forgive (Isa. 40:2²Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the Lord's hand double for all her sins. (Isaiah 40:2)).