תָּעַע (ta.a)
ta.a
to mock
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb ta‘a carries a sharp meaning: to mock, deceive, or treat someone with contempt. In Scripture it appears only twice, yet both instances highlight a serious spiritual failure. The word describes an attitude that refuses to take divine warning seriously, instead responding with ridicule or dismissive trickery.
Its most striking occurrence is in Genesis 39:14, where Potiphar’s wife uses deceptive words to accuse Joseph. Here the verb implies not just jesting, but a calculated attempt to mislead and harm through false testimony. The second instance, found in 2 Chronicles 36:16, describes the leaders of Judah mocking God’s prophets sent to call them back. In this context, ta‘a reflects a hardened heart that treats sacred correction as a joke.
This rare verb underscores the danger of treating God’s messengers with scorn. Rather than inviting reflection, mockery hardens the spirit against truth. The biblical record presents it as a destructive force that leads to judgment, showing how contempt for divine guidance ultimately isolates people from grace.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word ta‘a describes a sharp and dangerous attitude: to mock or deceive with contempt. It is rare in Scripture, appearing only twice, which highlights its severity. This is not playful teasing but a hardened rejection of truth that seeks to mislead or dismiss divine warning.
In Genesis 27:12, Jacob fears being seen as a deceiver, using this word to describe the risk of false testimony. In 2 Chronicles 36:16, the leaders of Judah mocked God’s messengers, treating sacred correction as a joke until judgment came. This shows how scorn for truth isolates us from grace.
When we face difficult truths or corrections, it is easy to respond with ridicule or dismissal. Yet this word reminds us that such attitudes harden the heart. Instead of mocking what we do not understand, we are invited to listen with humility, recognizing that God’s words are meant for our good and restoration.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- like/ a mocker1×
- and/ mocking1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- כִּ/מְתַעְתֵּ֑עַ1×
- וּ/מִֽתַּעְתְּעִ֖ים1×
Key Verses
-
Genesis 27:12
What if my father touches me? I will seem to him as a deceiver, and I would bring a curse on myself, and not a blessing.”
Jacob uses this word to express fear of being labeled a deceiver through deceptive actions, highlighting the moral weight of false testimony.
-
II Chronicles 36:16
but they mocked the messengers of God, despised his words, and scoffed at his prophets, until Yahweh’s wrath arose against his people, until there was no remedy.
The leaders mocked God’s messengers, showing how contempt for divine warning leads to hardened hearts and inevitable judgment.