Lexical Summary sha'a': To delight, to play, to be merry, to be blinded Original Word: שָׁעַע Strong's Exhaustive Concordance cry outA primitive root; (in a good acceptation) to look upon (with complacency), i.e. Fondle, please or amuse (self); (in a bad one) to look about (in dismay), i.e. Stare -- cry (out) (by confusion with shava'), dandle, delight (self), play, shut. see HEBREW shava' Brown-Driver-Briggs I. [שָׁעַע] verb be smeared over, blinded (Aramaic שְׁעַע smear (akin to שׁוּעַ id.),  to smooth, שָׁעִיעַ smooth (of words), flattering,  smooth (compare also  ,  smear over, close up); — Qal Imperative + Hithpalpel Imperative masculine plural הִשְׁתַּעַשְׁעוּ וָשֹׁ֑עוּ Isaiah 29:9 blind yourselves and be blind ! ("" הִתְמַהְמְהוּ וּתְמָהוּ); > Buhl הִשְׁתָּעוּ וּשְׁעוּ, √שׁעה look about (2 Samuel 22:42); Isaiah 32:3 read probably 3 feminine plural תְּשֹׁעֶינָה, of eyes, be blinded (see שׁעה). Hiph`il Imperative masculine singular וְעֵינָיו הָשַׁ֑ע Isaiah 6:10 and its eyes besmear ! — So perhaps הָשַׁע Psalm 39:14 (עֵינֶיךָ omitted) was intended by Masoretes (but wrongly, see Ol and others); see שָׁעָה. II. [שָׁעַע] verb Pilpel, etc., sport, take delight in, delight (usually made = I. ׳שׁ smooth over, please; Buhl compare Aramaic Pilpel Perfect3masculine singular consecutive וְשִׁעֲשַׁע Isaiah 29:9 the suckling shall sport on (עַל) the cobra's hole; 1 singular שִׁעֲשָׁ֑עְתִּי Psalm 119:70 I take delight in thy law (accusative; but ? read שַׁעֲשֻׁעָ֑י, Psalm 119:77); Imperfect transitive 3 masculine plural יְשַׁעַשְׁעוּ Psalm 94:19 thy consolations delight my soul (accusative). Palpel Imperfect2masculine plural תְּשָֽׁעֳשָׁ֑עוּIsaiah 66:12 upon (עַל) the knees shall ye be fondled. Hithpalpel Imperfect1singular אֶשְׁתַּעֲשָׁ֑ע Psalm 119:16 in (ב) thy statutes will I delight myself, compare Psalm 119:47. Topical Lexicon Semantic range and nuances The verb שָׁעַע (Strong’s 8173) moves along two complementary axes: (1) positive delight, soothing, or playful ease; (2) self-inflicted dullness that deadens spiritual perception. In all nine occurrences the context makes plain which shade is intended, but the author’s choice of this single root subtly invites readers to ponder how genuine delight in the Lord can be counterfeited by a numbing preoccupation with lesser things. Occurrences in worship and wisdom (Psalms) Psalm 94:19; 119:16, 47, 70. In the Psalter the verb always speaks of wholesome delight born of intimate communion with God. Isaiah: from dullness to restored play Six occurrences appear in Isaiah’s prophecy, and they fall into two distinct clusters. 1. Isaiah 6:10; 29:9 (twice). In the oracles of judgment the people “shut their eyes” or “blind themselves and be sightless.” The same verb that celebrates delight in the Psalms now describes the suicidal act of turning away from the light. The blindness is self-chosen, yet it serves God’s judicial purpose (Isaiah 6:9–10; Romans 11:8). 2. Isaiah 11:8; 66:12. In the section of messianic hope the verb reverts to its tender nuance. This literary strategy traces a redemptive arc: Israel’s self-inflicted blindness (שָׁעַע of judgment) is overcome by God’s future salvation that re-opens the possibility of unthreatened play (שָׁעַע of delight). Theological synthesis 1. Delight in divine revelation. The psalmist’s use of שָׁעַע underscores that joy is inseparable from obedience; Scripture is not merely informative but delightful. Pastoral and ministry applications • Cultivating biblical pleasure. Regular, meditative engagement with God’s word trains believers to find satisfaction in what delights God, counteracting the hollow allurements of the age (Psalm 119:16, 70). Intercanonical echoes Jesus’s repeated appeal “He who has ears to hear, let him hear” mirrors Isaiah’s contrast between dullness and delight. Paul cites Isaiah 6:10 in Acts 28:26–27 to explain Jewish unbelief, yet also proclaims that the gospel restores sight and joy (2 Corinthians 3:14–16). Revelation 21:3–4 completes the trajectory: all tears wiped away, the children of God at last free to delight forever in the unveiled presence of the Lamb. In sum, שָׁעַע invites every generation to embrace the only delight that can outlast anxiety, judgment, and death—the consoling, law-saturated, Christ-centered joy that flows from the heart of God Himself. Forms and Transliterations אֶֽשְׁתַּעֲשָׁ֑ע אשתעשע הִשְׁתַּֽעַשְׁע֖וּ הָשַׁ֑ע השע השתעשעו וְאֶשְׁתַּֽעֲשַׁ֥ע וְשִֽׁעֲשַׁ֥ע וָשֹׁ֑עוּ ואשתעשע ושעו ושעשע יְֽשַׁעַשְׁע֥וּ ישעשעו שִֽׁעֲשָֽׁעְתִּי׃ שעשעתי׃ תְּשָׁעֳשָֽׁעוּ׃ תשעשעו׃ ’eš·ta·‘ă·šā‘ ’ešta‘ăšā‘ eshtaaSha hā·ša‘ hāša‘ haSha hiš·ta·‘aš·‘ū hishtaashU hišta‘aš‘ū ShiaShaeti ši‘ăšā‘ətî ši·‘ă·šā·‘ə·tî tə·šā·‘o·šā·‘ū təšā‘ošā‘ū teshooShau vaShou veeshtaaSha veshiaSha wā·šō·‘ū wāšō‘ū wə’ešta‘ăša‘ wə·’eš·ta·‘ă·ša‘ wə·ši·‘ă·ša‘ wəši‘ăša‘ yə·ša·‘aš·‘ū yəša‘aš‘ū yeshaashULinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Psalm 94:19 HEB: בְּקִרְבִּ֑י תַּ֝נְחוּמֶ֗יךָ יְֽשַׁעַשְׁע֥וּ נַפְשִֽׁי׃ NAS: me, Your consolations delight my soul. KJV: me thy comforts delight my soul. INT: within your consolations delight my soul Psalm 119:16 Psalm 119:47 Psalm 119:70 Isaiah 6:10 Isaiah 11:8 Isaiah 29:9 Isaiah 29:9 Isaiah 66:12 9 Occurrences |
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, Ithpe`el sport, trifle, Vulgar Arabic 
(loan-word ?) VollersZMG xiv (1891), 86, 1. 3); —