טָעָה
𐤈𐤏𐤄
ṭâʻâh
H2937 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To wander, stray, or go astray; to err in a physical, moral, or intellectual sense. The term broadly refers to straying from a path, both literally (e.g., wandering in the wilderness, becoming lost) and figuratively (committing error, being deceived, or being misled). In derived forms, it may also denote causing someone to go astray or to be misled.
Semantic Range
to physically wander or become lost, to err, to stray morally or intellectually, to be misled, to cause to go astray, to deceive, to seduce, to cause error
Root / Etymology
Root: טעה. The root fundamentally means 'to wander' or 'to go astray.' The verb reflects movement away from a correct path or standard, which in context can be physical (walking, traveling), mental (being confused), or moral (committing error or injustice). The causative forms (e.g., Hiphil stem) mean 'to lead astray, mislead, deceive.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
טָעָה occurs in various contexts throughout the Hebrew Bible, describing both literal wandering (e.g., sheep or people lost in the wilderness) and figurative erring (such as moral failure, idolatry, or being misled by false prophets). It is often paralleled with other roots related to error or deception, such as שָׁגָה (shagah, 'to go astray') and תָּעָה (ta'ah, 'to wander'). Over time, the figurative use—referring to error or sin—becomes especially prominent in prophetic and wisdom literature. The English translation 'to err' or 'to go astray' is serviceable, but it may not capture the depth and variety, especially the sense of being led astray by others. The causative form is significant in texts concerning misleading or seducing others away from right behavior, especially in contexts of false teaching or idolatry. English traditions sometimes use 'seduce' or 'deceive,' but these reflect a contextual narrowing of meaning.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to wander; causatively to lead astray; seduce.
Bantu Hebrew
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טעה (ṭ-ʿ-h) — to wander, to stray, to err
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2937-01 |
הִטְע֧וּ | hiteu | HVhp3cp |
they-have-deceived | they led astray | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2937-01 |
Ezekiel 13:10 | הִטְע֧וּ | hiteu | HVhp3cp |
they-have-deceived | they led astray |