The word atonement, in the Old Testament, is a translation of various forms of the word kaphar. It literally means “to cover.” Its usage in Scripture is not always literal, however, and the word has a further theological meaning associated with appeasement, ransom, and forgiveness.

The word kaphar first appears in the Bible in a literal context: God instructs Noah to build the ark “and cover it inside and out with pitch” (Genesis 6:14, ESV). The word translated “and cover” is a form of the Hebrew word kaphar. The waterproof “covering” of the ark would seal out the flood water. Noah and his family were preserved from judgment by the “atonement” of the ark.