6711. tsachaq

Lexicon

tsachaq: To laugh, to mock, to play, to jest

Original Word: צְחַק
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: tsachaq
Pronunciation: tsaw-khak'
Phonetic Spelling: (tsaw-khak')
Definition: To laugh, to mock, to play, to jest
Meaning: to laugh outright, to sport

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

laugh, mock, play, make sport

A primitive root; to laugh outright (in merriment or scorn); by implication, to sport -- laugh, mock, play, make sport.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
a prim. root
Definition
to laugh
NASB Translation
caressing (1), entertained* (1), jesting (1), laugh (4), laughed (2), make sport (2), mocking (1), play (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

[צָחַק] verb laugh (Arabic , laugh, Syriac , compare Ba^{Es 34}; see also שׂחק); —

Qal Perfect3feminine singular צָֽחֲקָה Genesis 18:13, etc.; Imperfect3masculine singular יִצֲחַקֿ Genesis 21:6, וַיִּצְחָ֑ק Genesis 17:17; 3feminine singular וַתִּצְחַק Genesis 18:12; — laugh, Genesis 18:12,13,15 (twice in verse) (J), Genesis 17:17 (P); with ל at, concerning, Genesis 21:6.

Pi`el Imperfect וַיְצַחֵק Judges 16:25; Infinitive construct לְצַחֵק Exodus 32:6, לְצַ֫חֶק בָּנוּ (בִּיׅ Genesis 39:14,17; Participle מְצַחֵק Genesis 19:14; Genesis 26:8, מְצַחֶ֑ק Genesis 21:9; —

1 jest Genesis 19:14 (J).

2 sport, play Genesis 21:9 (E) Exodus 32:6 (J); make sport for Judges 16:25 (לִפְנֵי; "" וִישַׂחֶקלָֿ֑נוּ); toy with (אֶת), of conjugal caresses Genesis 26:8 (compare Doughty^{Arab. Des. i. 231}), make a toy of, with ב, Genesis 39:14,17 (all J).

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: A primitive root

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: • G1070 (gelō): To laugh
• G1702 (empaizō): To mock, to ridicule
• G3815 (paizō): To play, to sport, to jest

These Greek terms capture similar nuances of laughter, mockery, and playful behavior as seen in the Hebrew צְחַק (tsachaq), illustrating the continuity of these concepts across the biblical languages.

Usage: The verb צְחַק (tsachaq) is used in the Hebrew Bible to denote laughter, often in the context of joy, amusement, or derision. It can also imply playful or mocking behavior.

Context: • The Hebrew verb צְחַק (tsachaq) appears in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, often associated with laughter or playful behavior. It is used both in positive and negative connotations, depending on the context.
• In Genesis 18:12, Sarah laughs to herself upon hearing the promise of a son in her old age: "So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, 'After I am worn out and my master is old, will I now have this pleasure?'"
• In Genesis 21:9, the term is used to describe Ishmael's behavior: "But Sarah saw that the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham was mocking."
• The word also appears in the context of Isaac's name, which means "he laughs," reflecting the joy and surprise surrounding his birth.
• In Judges 16:25, the Philistines call for Samson to entertain them, using the term in a context of sport or mockery: "While they were in high spirits, they shouted, 'Bring out Samson to entertain us.' So they called Samson out of the prison, and he performed for them."
• The verb can also imply a more sinister form of mockery or derision, as seen in the story of Ishmael and Isaac, where laughter is not merely amusement but carries a tone of scorn.

Forms and Transliterations

וַיְצַחֵק֙ וַיִּצְחָ֑ק וַתִּצְחַ֥ק ויצחק ותצחק יִֽצְחַק־ יצחק־ כִמְצַחֵ֖ק כמצחק לְצַ֣חֶק לְצַ֥חֶק לְצַחֵֽק׃ לצחק לצחק׃ מְצַחֵ֔ק מְצַחֵֽק׃ מצחק מצחק׃ צָחֲקָ֨ה צָחַ֖קְתִּי צָחָֽקְתְּ׃ צחקה צחקת׃ צחקתי chimtzaChek ḵim·ṣa·ḥêq ḵimṣaḥêq lə·ṣa·ḥeq lə·ṣa·ḥêq ləṣaḥeq ləṣaḥêq leTzachek mə·ṣa·ḥêq məṣaḥêq metzaChek ṣā·ḥă·qāh ṣā·ḥā·qət ṣā·ḥaq·tî ṣāḥăqāh ṣāḥāqət ṣāḥaqtî tzachaKah tzaChaket tzaChakti vaiyitzChak vattitzChak vaytzaChek wat·tiṣ·ḥaq wattiṣḥaq way·ṣa·ḥêq way·yiṣ·ḥāq wayṣaḥêq wayyiṣḥāq yiṣ·ḥaq- yiṣḥaq- yitzchak

Englishman's Concordance

Genesis 17:17
HEB: עַל־ פָּנָ֖יו וַיִּצְחָ֑ק וַיֹּ֣אמֶר בְּלִבּ֗וֹ
NAS: on his face and laughed, and said
KJV: upon his face, and laughed, and said
INT: on his face and laughed and said his heart

Genesis 18:12
HEB: וַתִּצְחַ֥ק שָׂרָ֖ה בְּקִרְבָּ֣הּ
NAS: Sarah laughed to herself, saying,
KJV: Therefore Sarah laughed within herself,
INT: laughed Sarah to herself

Genesis 18:13
HEB: לָ֣מָּה זֶּה֩ צָחֲקָ֨ה שָׂרָ֜ה לֵאמֹ֗ר
NAS: did Sarah laugh, saying,
KJV: did Sarah laugh, saying,
INT: Why he laugh Sarah saying

Genesis 18:15
HEB: לֵאמֹ֛ר לֹ֥א צָחַ֖קְתִּי כִּ֣י ׀ יָרֵ֑אָה
NAS: [it] however, saying, I did not laugh; for she was afraid.
KJV: saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid.
INT: saying No laugh for was afraid

Genesis 18:15
HEB: לֹ֖א כִּ֥י צָחָֽקְתְּ׃
NAS: And He said, No, but you did laugh.
KJV: Nay; but thou didst laugh.
INT: No did laugh

Genesis 19:14
HEB: הָעִ֑יר וַיְהִ֥י כִמְצַחֵ֖ק בְּעֵינֵ֥י חֲתָנָֽיו׃
NAS: to his sons-in-law to be jesting.
KJV: this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto
INT: the city become to be jesting unto to his sons-in-law

Genesis 21:6
HEB: כָּל־ הַשֹּׁמֵ֖עַ יִֽצְחַק־ לִֽי׃
NAS: who hears will laugh with me.
KJV: [so that] all that hear will laugh with me.
INT: everyone hears will laugh

Genesis 21:9
HEB: יָלְדָ֥ה לְאַבְרָהָ֖ם מְצַחֵֽק׃
NAS: she had borne to Abraham, mocking.
KJV: unto Abraham, mocking.
INT: had borne to Abraham mocking

Genesis 26:8
HEB: וְהִנֵּ֤ה יִצְחָק֙ מְצַחֵ֔ק אֵ֖ת רִבְקָ֥ה
NAS: Isaac was caressing his wife
KJV: and, behold, Isaac [was] sporting with Rebekah
INT: and behold Isaac was caressing Rebekah his wife

Genesis 39:14
HEB: אִ֥ישׁ עִבְרִ֖י לְצַ֣חֶק בָּ֑נוּ בָּ֤א
NAS: in a Hebrew to us to make sport of us; he came
KJV: an Hebrew unto us to mock us; he came in
INT: to the men A Hebrew to make came to

Genesis 39:17
HEB: הֵבֵ֥אתָ לָּ֖נוּ לְצַ֥חֶק בִּֽי׃
NAS: to us, came in to me to make sport of me;
KJV: unto us, came in unto me to mock me:
INT: whom came to make

Exodus 32:6
HEB: וְשָׁת֔וֹ וַיָּקֻ֖מוּ לְצַחֵֽק׃ פ
NAS: and to drink, and rose up to play.
KJV: and to drink, and rose up to play.
INT: drink up to play

Judges 16:25
HEB: (הָאֲסוּרִ֗ים ק) וַיְצַחֵק֙ לִפְנֵיהֶ֔ם וַיַּעֲמִ֥ידוּ
NAS: from the prison, and he entertained them. And they made him stand
KJV: and he made them sport: and they set
INT: house bound sport them stand

13 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 6711
13 Occurrences

ḵim·ṣa·ḥêq — 1 Occ.
lə·ṣa·ḥeq — 3 Occ.
mə·ṣa·ḥêq — 2 Occ.
ṣā·ḥă·qāh — 1 Occ.
ṣā·ḥā·qət — 1 Occ.
ṣā·ḥaq·tî — 1 Occ.
way·yiṣ·ḥāq — 1 Occ.
wat·tiṣ·ḥaq — 1 Occ.
way·ṣa·ḥêq — 1 Occ.
yiṣ·ḥaq- — 1 Occ.