2940. taam

Lexical Summary

taam: Taste, discernment, judgment, understanding

Original Word: טַעַם
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: ta`am
Pronunciation: tah-am
Phonetic Spelling: (tah'-am)
KJV: advice, behaviour, decree, discretion, judgment, reason, taste, understanding
NASB: taste, discernment, decree, discreet, discretion, flavor, sanity
Word Origin: [from H2938 (טָּעַם - taste)]

1. (properly) a taste, i.e. (figuratively) perception
2. (by implication) intelligence
3. (transitively) a mandate

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

advice, behavior, decree, discretion, judgment, reason, taste, understanding

From ta'am; properly, a taste, i.e. (figuratively) perception; by implication, intelligence; transitively, a mandate -- advice, behaviour, decree, discretion, judgment, reason, taste, understanding.

see HEBREW ta'am

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from taam
Definition
taste, judgment
NASB Translation
decree (1), discernment (3), discreet (1), discretion (1), flavor (1), sanity (1), taste (4).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

טַ֫עַם noun masculine^{Jeremiah 48:11} taste, judegement — ׳ט absolute Job 6:6; Psalm 119:66; טָ֑עַם Proverbs 11:22; Proverbs 26:16; construct טַעַם Numbers 11:8 2t.; suffix טַעְמוֺ Exodus 16:31 4t.; טַעְמֵךְ 1 Samuel 25:33; —

1 taste of manna Exodus 16:31 (P), Numbers 11:8 (JE), compare Numbers 11:8; in juice of purslain Job 6:6; of Moab under figure of wine Jeremiah 48:11 ("" רֵיחַ).

2 figurative judgement, discretion, discernment, 1 Samuel 25:33; Proverbs 11:22 Job 12:20, so טוּב טַעַם וָדַעַת לַמְּדֵנִי Psalm 119:66; ׳מְשִׁיבֵי ט Proverbs 26:16 those answering discretion, i.e. discreetly: שׁנה טעם change, disguise one's judgement, sense 1 Samuel 21:13; Psalm 34:1, of David feigning madness.

3 (late Aramaism, compare Daniel 3:10 etc.) decision, decree טַעַם מֶלָךְ וּגְּדֹלָיו Jonah 3:7.

Topical Lexicon

Range of Meaning

טַעַם (taʿam) embraces both the sensory act of tasting and the moral-intellectual faculty of discernment. Scripture freely moves between these senses, teaching that what the tongue detects in food mirrors what the heart and mind detect in life and truth.

Literal Taste: Provision, Deprivation, and Complacency

• Exodus 16:31 – Israel finds that manna “tasted like wafers made with honey,” reinforcing the sweetness of divine provision.
• Numbers 11:8 – Its “taste was like that of cakes baked with oil,” highlighting variety in God’s care.
• Job 6:6 – “Is tasteless food eaten without salt, or is there flavor in the white of an egg?” The common palate illustrates the absurdity of hollow counsel.
• Jonah 3:7 – Nineveh must not “taste anything,” using abstention from flavor to dramatize repentance.
• Jeremiah 48:11 – Moab’s unpoured wine keeps its “flavor,” portraying a nation settled into unchallenged self-sufficiency.

Spiritual Delight in the LORD

Psalm 34:8 issues the classic invitation: “Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him!” The sense of taste is pressed into service to portray direct, personal experience with God Himself.

Discretion and Wise Conduct

• 1 Samuel 25:33 – David blesses Abigail’s “discernment,” crediting her with averting bloodshed.
• Proverbs 11:22 – Beauty without “discretion” is compared to a gold ring in a pig’s snout.
• Proverbs 26:16 – The sluggard scorns seven men who can answer “discreetly,” preferring self-deception to seasoned counsel.
• Psalm 119:66 – “Teach me good judgment and knowledge,” linking discernment with obedience to the commandments.
• Job 12:20 – God “takes away the discernment of elders,” reminding rulers that their wisdom is on loan from Him.
• 1 Samuel 21:14 – David’s altered “behavior” before Achish shows how taʿam can denote personal conduct shaped by quick thinking.

Covenant and Community Implications

Israel’s wilderness diet cultivated gratitude; Nineveh’s forced fast displayed contrition; Moab’s unchanged taste condemned stagnation. In every case, טַעַם marks the line between receiving God’s dealings rightly or spiraling into ingratitude, presumption, or judgment.

Forward Echoes in Redemptive History

New Testament writers pick up the imagery: believers have “tasted the heavenly gift” (Hebrews 6:4) and are to “long for the pure spiritual milk… if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good” (1 Peter 2:2-3). Old Testament טַעַם therefore foreshadows the believer’s experience of Christ, the true manna and sweetest portion.

Ministry Applications

1. Proclamation – Preach the gospel as living bread that must be tasted, not merely discussed.
2. Discipleship – Cultivate spiritual taste buds through Scripture, prayer, and obedience, so that moral discernment becomes as instinctive as a seasoned palate.
3. Leadership – Pray that God preserve the טַעַם of elders, enabling judgments that reflect His character.
4. Corporate Worship – Use rhythms of fasting and feasting to train congregations to look beyond physical flavor to spiritual reality.
5. Mission – Present God’s provision as both sufficient and delightful, inviting the world to “taste and see.”

In its thirteen appearances, טַעַם binds together appetite and judgment, flavor and wisdom, urging God’s people to savor His goodness and walk in seasoned discernment.

Forms and Transliterations

וְטַ֖עַם וְטַעְמ֖וֹ וטעם וטעמו טַ֝֗עַם טַ֣עַם טַ֭עְמוֹ טַעְמ֔וֹ טַעְמֵ֖ךְ טַעְמוֹ֙ טָֽעַם׃ טעם טעם׃ טעמו טעמך כְּטַ֖עַם כטעם מִטַּ֧עַם מטעם kə·ṭa·‘am kəṭa‘am keTaam miṭ·ṭa·‘am miṭṭa‘am mitTaam ṭa‘·mêḵ ṭa‘·mōw ṭa‘am ṭā‘am ṭa‘mêḵ ṭa‘mōw ṭa·‘am ṭā·‘am Taam taMech taMo veTaam vetaMo wə·ṭa‘·mōw wə·ṭa·‘am wəṭa‘am wəṭa‘mōw

Englishman's Concordance

Exodus 16:31
HEB: גַּד֙ לָבָ֔ן וְטַעְמ֖וֹ כְּצַפִּיחִ֥ת בִּדְבָֽשׁ׃
NAS: white, and its taste was like wafers
KJV: white; and the taste of it [was] like wafers
INT: coriander white taste wafers honey

Numbers 11:8
HEB: עֻג֑וֹת וְהָיָ֣ה טַעְמ֔וֹ כְּטַ֖עַם לְשַׁ֥ד
NAS: cakes with it; and its taste was as the taste
KJV: cakes of it: and the taste of it was as the taste
INT: cakes become taste was as the taste of cakes

Numbers 11:8
HEB: וְהָיָ֣ה טַעְמ֔וֹ כְּטַ֖עַם לְשַׁ֥ד הַשָּֽׁמֶן׃
NAS: with it; and its taste was as the taste of cakes baked
KJV: of it: and the taste of it was as the taste of fresh
INT: become taste was as the taste of cakes oil

1 Samuel 21:14
HEB: וַיְשַׁנּ֤וֹ אֶת־ טַעְמוֹ֙ בְּעֵ֣ינֵיהֶ֔ם וַיִּתְהֹלֵ֖ל
INT: do speak advice affliction boast

1 Samuel 25:33
HEB: וּבָר֥וּךְ טַעְמֵ֖ךְ וּבְרוּכָ֣ה אָ֑תְּ
NAS: and blessed be your discernment, and blessed
KJV: And blessed [be] thy advice, and blessed
INT: and blessed be your discernment and blessed be you

Job 6:6
HEB: אִם־ יֶשׁ־ טַ֝֗עַם בְּרִ֣יר חַלָּמֽוּת׃
NAS: is there any taste in the white of an egg?
KJV: or is there [any] taste in the white
INT: Or is there taste the white the white

Job 12:20
HEB: שָׂ֭פָה לְנֶאֱמָנִ֑ים וְטַ֖עַם זְקֵנִ֣ים יִקָּֽח׃
NAS: And takes away the discernment of the elders.
KJV: and taketh away the understanding of the aged.
INT: of speech the trusted the discernment of the elders and takes

Psalm 34:1
HEB: בְּשַׁנּוֹת֣וֹ אֶת־ טַ֭עְמוֹ לִפְנֵ֣י אֲבִימֶ֑לֶךְ
KJV: when he changed his behaviour before
INT: David changed his behaviour before Abimelech

Psalm 119:66
HEB: ט֤וּב טַ֣עַם וָדַ֣עַת לַמְּדֵ֑נִי
NAS: me good discernment and knowledge,
KJV: me good judgment and knowledge:
INT: good discernment and knowledge Teach

Proverbs 11:22
HEB: יָ֝פָ֗ה וְסָ֣רַת טָֽעַם׃
NAS: woman who lacks discretion.
KJV: woman which is without discretion.
INT: a beautiful lacks discretion

Proverbs 26:16
HEB: מִ֝שִּׁבְעָ֗ה מְשִׁ֣יבֵי טָֽעַם׃
NAS: men who can give a discreet answer.
KJV: that can render a reason.
INT: seven give A discreet

Jeremiah 48:11
HEB: כֵּ֗ן עָמַ֤ד טַעְמוֹ֙ בּ֔וֹ וְרֵיח֖וֹ
NAS: he retains his flavor, And his aroma
KJV: into captivity: therefore his taste remained
INT: after that retains his flavor and his aroma Nor

Jonah 3:7
HEB: וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ בְּנִֽינְוֵ֔ה מִטַּ֧עַם הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ וּגְדֹלָ֖יו
NAS: In Nineveh by the decree of the king
KJV: through Nineveh by the decree of the king
INT: said Nineveh the decree of the king and his nobles

13 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 2940
13 Occurrences

kə·ṭa·‘am — 1 Occ.
miṭ·ṭa·‘am — 1 Occ.
ṭa·‘am — 4 Occ.
ṭa‘·mêḵ — 1 Occ.
ṭa‘·mōw — 4 Occ.
wə·ṭa·‘am — 1 Occ.
wə·ṭa‘·mōw — 1 Occ.