2937. taah

Lexical Summary

taah: To err, to wander, to go astray

Original Word: טָעָה
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: ta`ah
Pronunciation: tah-ah
Phonetic Spelling: (taw-aw')
KJV: seduce
NASB: misled
Word Origin: [a primitive root]

1. to wander
2. ,causatively to lead astray

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

seduce

A primitive root; to wander;,causatively to lead astray -- seduce.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
a prim. root
Definition
to wander, stray
NASB Translation
misled (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

[טָעָה] verb wander, stray (Late Hebrew id., err; Aramaic טְעָא, ; Arabic exceed just limit, be immoderate, extravagant, one who deviates from right way: Ethiopic apostasy, superstition, idolatry) —

Qal Participle feminine כְּׅטֹׅעֲיָה Songs 1:7 like a wandering (vagrant) woman, for ᵑ0 כְּעֹטְיָה according to ᵑ6 Symm ᵑ7 ᵑ9 Bö Hi Gr and others

Hiph`il Perfect הִטְעוּ אֶתעַֿמִּי Ezekiel 13:10 figurative, they have led astray my people.

Topical Lexicon

Meaning and Usage

The term depicts the act of intentionally leading others off course—morally, spiritually, or intellectually. It conveys a willful misdirection that promises safety while concealing danger.

Biblical Context

Only once does Scripture employ this noun, in Ezekiel 13:10. The prophet exposes self-appointed visionaries in Jerusalem who soothe the nation with empty assurances:

“Because they have led My people astray, saying, ‘Peace!’ when there is no peace—and when a flimsy wall is built, they plaster it with whitewash—” (Ezekiel 13:10).

Here the word concentrates the charge: the prophets are not merely mistaken; they are culpably misleading.

Historical Background

Ezekiel’s ministry spans the early sixth century B.C. while Judah languishes in Babylonian exile. Back in Jerusalem, political elites and temple personnel still believe the city will stand. False prophets bolster that optimism, dismissing warnings of impending collapse. Their “whitewash” recalls a quick lime wash that hides cracks in mud-brick walls; the façade looks stable until the first storm exposes the fraud (Ezekiel 13:11–15).

Theological Significance

1. Divine Truth versus Human Fabrication: Scripture repeatedly contrasts God’s sure word with human inventions (Deuteronomy 18:20–22; Jeremiah 23:28–32). The term highlights the lethal gap between the two.
2. Accountability of Spiritual Leaders: God judges shepherds who exchange hard truth for popular applause (James 3:1; 2 Peter 2:1–3).
3. False Peace: The promise of peace without repentance is a signature deception (Jeremiah 6:14; 1 Thessalonians 5:3). The single occurrence of this noun crystallizes that theme.

Ministry Application

• Preachers and teachers must refuse the temptation to “whitewash” sin. Authentic ministry exposes cracks before calamity strikes (Acts 20:26–27).
• Discernment in the congregation is imperative. Believers test every spirit and prophecy by the written Word (1 John 4:1; Isaiah 8:20).
• Pastoral care pursues genuine reconciliation with God rather than the superficial relief of conscience.

Cross-References

Jeremiah 8:11; Jeremiah 14:13–14; Matthew 7:15; Luke 6:26; 2 Corinthians 11:13–15; 2 Timothy 4:3–4; 2 Peter 2:18–19. Each passage amplifies the danger of seductive speech that contradicts God’s revelation.

Summary

Strong’s Hebrew 2937 spotlights the sin of calculated spiritual misdirection. Its lone appearance in Ezekiel 13:10 stands as a perpetual warning: whenever leaders promise peace apart from obedience, they endanger souls. Truth may feel abrasive, but only truth builds a wall that endures the storm.

Forms and Transliterations

הִטְע֧וּ הטעו hiṭ‘ū hiṭ·‘ū hitU

Englishman's Concordance

Ezekiel 13:10
HEB: יַ֣עַן וּבְיַ֜עַן הִטְע֧וּ אֶת־ עַמִּ֛י
NAS: because they have misled My people
KJV: Because, even because they have seduced my people,
INT: is definitely because have misled my people saying

1 Occurrence

Strong's Hebrew 2937
1 Occurrence

hiṭ·‘ū — 1 Occ.