On the other hand, the _hattath_ referred to in Micah vi. 7
has nothing to do with a due of the priests, but simply denotes
the guilt which eventually another takes upon himself. Even in
Isaiah liii. 10, a passage which is certainly late, _asham_ must not
be taken in the technical sense of the ritual legislation, but
simply (as in Micah) in the sense of guilt, borne by the innocent
for the guilty. For the explanation of this prophetic passage
Gramberg has rightly had recourse to the narrative of 2Samuel
xi. 1-14. "Upon Saul and upon his house lies blood-guiltiness, for
having slain the Gibeonites" is announced to David as the cause of
a three years' famine. When asked how it can be taken away, the
Gibeonites answer,
"It is not a matter of silver and gold to us with respect to Saul
and his house; let seven men of his family be delivered to us that
we may hang them up unto the Lord in Gibeah of Saul upon the
mountain of the Lord."
This was done; all the seven were hanged.
_A*sham_ and _hattath_ as offerings occur for the first time in
Ezekiel, and appear, not long before his day to have come into the
place of the earlier pecuniary fines (2Kings xii.
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