The Hebrew word *nasa'* (H5375) relates to the concept of bearing or taking away sins, as seen in the role of the live goat during the Day of Atonement. In Leviticus 16:21-22, the live goat lifts up, carries, and takes away the sins placed on its head by the high priest. This action parallels the Greek word *airo* in Colossians 2:14, which means to lift up or take away, and by Hebraism, to expiate sin. In Colossians, Christ is declared to have lifted up, taken away, and expiated the record of sins against us, matching precisely the function of the goat of departure. The use of *airo* in the perfect tense indicates this action was completed in the past, affirming that Christ has already borne and removed the sins, fulfilling the symbolic role of the live goat.

The Hebrew word nasa means to lift up, to carry, and to take away. Scripture uses it for the Messiah's bearing of transgression and ties it to acceptance, forgiveness, and pardon (Job 42:8-9; Psalm 25:18; 28:9; 32:1, 5; 85:2; Micah 7:18). It is tied to forgiveness because it is as if He carries the sins out of sight. The Bible also uses it for what men do, such as carrying (Genesis 47:30) and forgiving (Genesis 50:17), but it is never used of Satan. It describes the live goat's bearing of Israel's iniquities (Leviticus 16:22), and Isaiah 53 unambiguously applies it to Christ, who bore the griefs and iniquities of many (Isaiah 53:4, 11-12). Christ's bearing goes beyond paying the penalty and fits one meaning of azazel, complete removal (compare Psalm 103:12). In Isaiah 53:12 the bearing is linked with intercession, which shows an active work of carrying the sins until they are completely removed from view, as far as the east is from the west. The New Testament confirms the fulfillment. Jesus Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree (I Peter 2:24), and, as the azazel did, He bore them alone. He was offered once to bear the sins of many (Hebrews 9:28). Ezekiel's figurative bearing of Israel's iniquities (Ezekiel 4:4-6) likewise pictured Christ, not the Devil.

The Hebrew verb *nasa* (H5375), appearing 654 times in the Old Testament, is a highly polyvalent word with numerous meanings, much like the English verb "put." In the King James Version, it is rendered in over ten different ways, including "bear," "forgive," "exalt," "obtain," and "respect," which are not always synonymous. This diversity in translation requires careful attention to context to determine its precise meaning. In Isaiah 53:4, *nasa* is translated as "borne," paired with the verb *cabal*, translated as "carried," to emphasize that the Messiah bears and carries our sins. The use of these near-synonymous verbs clarifies God's intent to communicate that Christ actively takes on the burden of our sins, a point further reinforced in the New Testament by Matthew 8, where Isaiah 53:4 is quoted to underscore this truth.

The Hebrew word nasa (H5375), meaning to bear or carry, is central to understanding the role of the second goat, often referred to as the azazel, in Leviticus 16:22, where it is stated that the goat shall bear (nasa) on itself all the iniquities of the people into the wilderness. This action of bearing sins is a defining function of the azazel, symbolizing the removal of the nation's transgressions from God's presence. This concept finds a parallel in Messianic prophecies, such as Isaiah 53:11-12, where the Messiah is prophesied to bear (nasa) the iniquities of many, fulfilling the role of a substitute who carries away sin. Additionally, in the New Testament, the Greek equivalent airo (G142), often translated as bear or take away, is used in contexts like John 1:29, where John the Baptist declares Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes away (airo) the sin of the world, and in I John 3:5, stating that Jesus was manifested to take away (airo) our sins. These verses directly correlate the action of bearing sins, as described with nasa in Leviticus, to Jesus Christ's redemptive work, highlighting His fulfillment of the azazel's role in carrying away the sins of humanity.

The Hebrew verb nā&347;ā' (Strong's 5375) underlies the word "take" in the third commandment, "You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain" (Exodus 20:7). Though English "take" has nearly a hundred shades of meaning and is usually read as "use" or "employ," nā&347;ā' means to lift, to carry, to take away, to raise high, or to bear. Its first use in Scripture is Genesis 4:13, where Cain says his punishment is greater than he can bear. This sense fits the commandment better than "use" does, because God is concerned with how His people carry or bear His name in all their everyday activities, not only in outbursts of temper or casual speech. Those who have made the covenant with Him bear His name, and they must carry it in a worthy way, in thought, word, and behavior, so that their lives speak and model the truth about Him and His righteousness. The commandment therefore forbids profanity, but it reaches much further. It binds God's people to a high standard of conduct in which every activity honors and glorifies Him, and it is fundamentally about making a righteous witness to others.