Lexical Summary tatuim: Marks, Inscriptions Original Word: תַּעְתֻּעַ Strong's Exhaustive Concordance error From ta'a'; a fraud -- error. see HEBREW ta'a' NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom taa Definition mockery NASB Translation mockery (2). Brown-Driver-Briggs תַּעְתֻּעִים noun [masculine] plural abstract mockery; — ׳מַעֲשְׁה ת, epithet of idols, Jeremiah 10:15; Jeremiah 51:18 (both + הֶבֶל). [תַּעֲצֻמָה] see [I. עצם]. תְּעֻפָה see עיף. תַּ֫עַר see [ערה]. [תַּעֲרֻבָה] see II. ערב. תַּעְתֻּעִים see [תעע]. תֹּף see [ תפף] above, below תִּפְאָרָה see [I. פאר]. I, II, III. תַּמּוּחַ see [נפח]. P.656, 802 [תְּפוֺצָה] see [I. פוץ]. Topical Lexicon Scriptural Occurrences The noun תַּעְתֻּעַ appears only twice in the Old Testament, both times in Jeremiah’s oracles against idolatry (Jeremiah 10:15; Jeremiah 51:18). In each instance the prophet denounces man-made images as nothing more than “a work to be mocked”, destined to perish when divine judgment falls. Literary Setting in Jeremiah Jeremiah 10 contrasts lifeless idols with the living God who made the heavens and the earth. Chapter 51 extends the same polemic to Babylon, exposing the folly of trusting in carved images when the LORD is about to overthrow the empire. By using תַּעְתֻּעַ, Jeremiah underscores the tragic irony: what the nations revere is actually an illusion that brings shame. Historical Background Jeremiah ministered during Judah’s final decades before the Babylonian exile (late seventh to early sixth century B.C.). International commerce and political alliances had flooded the land with foreign cults (2 Kings 23:11-13). Craftsmen produced deities of wood, silver, and gold, promising protection and prosperity. Against this backdrop the prophet brands these icons as deceptive showpieces that cannot avert the coming invasion. Theological Emphasis 1. Worthlessness of Idols: Both occurrences link תַּעְתֻּעַ with worthlessness. The idols possess no intrinsic power; their value is purely imagined (cf. Psalm 115:4-8). Prophetic and Eschatological Overtones Jeremiah’s language anticipates later prophetic visions where idols collapse before the glory of God (Isaiah 2:18-21; Revelation 18:22-23). The word תַּעְתֻּעַ thus hints at a universal reckoning when every false refuge is exposed. Practical Ministry Implications • Discernment: Modern believers confront cultural idols that promise identity, security, or pleasure. Jeremiah’s verdict on תַּעְתֻּעַ calls for vigilant discernment of anything that rivals God’s supremacy. New Testament Resonance Paul echoes Jeremiah’s assessment in 1 Corinthians 8:4, affirming that “an idol is nothing in the world.” The same contrast appears in 1 Thessalonians 1:9, where converts “turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God.” Te’atu’a therefore bridges Old and New Testaments, revealing a consistent divine stance against idolatry. Summary תַּעְתֻּעַ encapsulates the prophetic exposure of idols as deceptive, powerless, and transient. By anchoring the term within Jeremiah’s warnings and tracing its theological trajectory, Scripture invites God’s people to abandon every illusion and cleave to the everlasting King whose word endures forever. Forms and Transliterations תַּעְתֻּעִ֑ים תעתעים ta‘·tu·‘îm ta‘tu‘îm tatuImLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Jeremiah 10:15 HEB: הֵ֔מָּה מַעֲשֵׂ֖ה תַּעְתֻּעִ֑ים בְּעֵ֥ת פְּקֻדָּתָ֖ם NAS: a work of mockery; In the time KJV: [and] the work of errors: in the time INT: like A work of mockery the time of their punishment Jeremiah 51:18 2 Occurrences |
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