Lexical Summary mischaq: Laughter, play, sport, jest Original Word: מִשְׂחַק Strong's Exhaustive Concordance scorn From Shachatsowm; a laughing-stock -- scorn. see HEBREW Shachatsowm NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom sachaq Definition object of derision NASB Translation laughing (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs מִשְׂחָק noun [masculine] object of derision, Habakkuk 1:10. [שֵׂט], שֵׁטִים see [שׂוט]. Topical Lexicon Semantic Range and Nuance מִשְׂחַק evokes the idea of derisive laughter—mirth not of joy but of contempt. It portrays scorn that belittles its object and asserts dominance over it. While the root can denote ordinary play or celebration elsewhere, the form preserved in Habakkuk 1:10 sharpens the meaning to hostile mockery. Literary Context in Habakkuk 1:10 Habakkuk describes a marauding power sweeping through the nations. “They deride kings and scoff at rulers. They laugh at every fortress” (Habakkuk 1:10). מִשְׂחַק thus serves to paint the invader’s arrogance. The term stands mid-verse, flanked by verbs of disdain, creating a triplet of contempt that amplifies the prophet’s alarm: kings are worthless, princes are toys, and strongholds are comic relief. The word functions as an auditory brushstroke, letting the reader hear the invader’s mocking laughter echo across the battlefield. Historical Setting Habakkuk’s oracle likely dates to the closing decades of the seventh century BC, when Babylon’s ascendancy threatened Judah. Ancient siege tactics exploited psychological warfare; ridicule demoralized populations before physical conquest began. מִשְׂחַק captures that milieu. The Babylonians’ scorn signaled both their self-confidence and the impotence of the nations that had trusted walls, alliances, or royal prestige. Theological Significance 1. Human Arrogance versus Divine Sovereignty The mockery of earthly powers contrasts with the sovereign laughter of God (Psalm 2:4). Nations may sneer, yet the Lord’s purposes stand. Habakkuk ultimately learns to “rejoice in the Lord” (Habakkuk 3:18) even while tyrants deride. 2. Judgment Tool, Not Moral Model Scripture never commends contemptuous laughter as a virtue for God’s people. The invader’s מִשְׂחַק is recorded, not endorsed. It becomes a sign of judgment permitted for a season, exposing the futility of pride (Proverbs 3:34; James 4:6). 3. Prophetic Vindication The derision hurled at kings foreshadows the final reversal when the oppressor himself becomes the spectacle (Habakkuk 2:7). Thus מִשְׂחַק anticipates the day when “the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord” (Habakkuk 2:14). Christological and Eschatological Echoes At the cross, rulers “mocked” Jesus (Luke 23:35), yet in resurrection He triumphed over them, “making a public spectacle of them” (Colossians 2:15). The contempt once directed at God’s Anointed becomes the instrument whereby He shames the powers. Habakkuk’s solitary use of מִשְׂחַק thus foreshadows the paradox of victory emerging from apparent weakness. Ministry Implications • Courage under Scorn: Believers facing ridicule for faith can read Habakkuk to see that derision is transient and destined for reversal (1 Peter 4:14). Related Hebrew and Greek Vocabulary • שָׂחַק (to laugh/play) shares the wider semantic field, sometimes positive (Genesis 21:6) yet also negative (Genesis 39:14). Summary מִשְׂחַק in Habakkuk 1:10 crystallizes the arrogance of imperial power, sets a literary foil for divine sovereignty, and offers enduring lessons on the fleeting nature of human pride versus the unassailable reign of God. Forms and Transliterations מִשְׂחָ֣ק משחק miś·ḥāq misChak miśḥāqLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Habakkuk 1:10 HEB: יִתְקַלָּ֔ס וְרֹזְנִ֖ים מִשְׂחָ֣ק ל֑וֹ ה֚וּא NAS: And rulers are a laughing matter to them. They laugh KJV: and the princes shall be a scorn unto them: they shall deride INT: mock and rulers laughing he every 1 Occurrence |
    |