Lexical Summary laaz: To speak unintelligibly, to mock, to scorn Original Word: לָעַז Strong's Exhaustive Concordance to speak in a foreign tongueA primitive root; to speak in a foreign tongue: NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. root Definition to talk indistinctly or unintelligibly NASB Translation strange language (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [לָעַז] verb talk indistinctly, unintelligibly (Late Hebrew id., in derivatives (לַעַז foreign language, לָעוּז foreigner), also murmur, remonstrate; Syriac  talk indistinctly; Arabic  distort; IV. talk obscurely, ambiguously); — only Qal Participle עַם לֹעֵז Psalm 114:1 a people talking unintelligibly ("" מִצְרַיִם). Topical Lexicon Biblical Setting The noun לָעַז (Strong’s 3937) appears one time in the Masoretic Text, Psalm 114:1. The Psalm commemorates the exodus and celebrates the Lord’s sovereign power that drew Israel “from a people of foreign tongue”. Within this poetic frame, לָעַז marks the alien culture and language of Egypt against which Israel’s covenant identity shines. Historical Background In the Ancient Near East, language was inseparable from political allegiance and religious devotion. Egypt’s tongue represented an imperial worldview grounded in polytheism and oppressive power structures (Exodus 5:2). By labeling it לָעַז, the psalmist underscores the profound discontinuity God effected when He redeemed His people. The Exodus did not merely relocate Israel; it extracted them from linguistic, cultural, and spiritual bondage. Theological Themes Separation unto God: The contrast between Israel and the “foreign tongue” accentuates holiness. The Lord calls His people to be distinct (Leviticus 20:26), and language becomes a metonym for the whole system of idolatry He commands them to forsake. Divine Sovereignty over Nations: Psalm 114 continues with personified creation trembling before the Lord. The single mention of לָעַז functions as a doorway to universal praise—if God can emancipate from a foreign dominion, He rules all dominions. Reversal of Babel: Genesis 11 describes the multiplication of languages as judgment; Psalm 114 shows redemption working within that fractured world. Israel’s deliverance hints at the day when “peoples, nations, and languages” will worship together (Revelation 7:9). Intertextual Connections Psalm 81:5 recalls the Exodus in similar terms (“I heard an unfamiliar language”). Though a different Hebrew root is used, the conceptual link reinforces the motif of God revealing Himself amid foreign speech. Acts 2:6–11 portrays the gospel proclaimed “in our own languages.” The Spirit overcomes linguistic estrangement, echoing the Exodus pattern: salvation produces intelligible praise that transcends the boundaries marked by לָעַז. Ministry Significance • Mission and Translation: The single occurrence reminds the Church that the gospel must cross linguistic barriers. Every tongue outside Scripture’s original languages could be viewed as לָעַז; yet the command to disciple all nations (Matthew 28:19) turns foreign speech from a symbol of separation into a field of harvest. Practical Reflection When modern readers encounter ethnic diversity, linguistic confusion, or cultural marginalization, Psalm 114:1 supplies a theological lens: the Lord specializes in calling His people out of a לָעַז environment to reveal His glory. Confidence in His unchanging purpose fuels missions, multicultural fellowship, and personal sanctification today. Forms and Transliterations לֹעֵֽז׃ לעז׃ lō‘êz lō·‘êz loEzLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Psalm 114:1 HEB: יַ֝עֲקֹ֗ב מֵעַ֥ם לֹעֵֽז׃ NAS: from a people of strange language, KJV: from a people of strange language; INT: of Jacob A people of strange |
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