לָעַב
𐤋𐤏𐤁
lâʻab
H3931 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To mock, ridicule, or hold up to derision—used primarily of expressing scorn, contempt, or derision through words or gestures. The term emphasizes the act of treating someone or something with ridicule or disdain, often by overt actions or speech.
Semantic Range
to mock, to deride, to ridicule, to heap scorn upon, to treat with contempt or derision
Root / Etymology
Root: ל־ע־ב (לעב), likely a verb of Semitic stock. The core meaning relates to derision or mockery, with the root itself conveying the idea of making fun of, scoffing, or openly ridiculing. This term appears rarely in Biblical Hebrew and does not exhibit a wide morphological family.
Historical & Contextual Notes
לָעַב is a rare term within the Hebrew Bible, attested chiefly in later poetic and wisdom literature (e.g., Psalms, Proverbs). In all occurrences, it refers to open mockery—often in contexts where enemies or outsiders show disdain for Israel or Israel's deity, or where individuals express contempt for others. Unlike some Hebrew verbs for speaking contemptuously (such as לָעֵג or שָׂחַק), לָעַב more specifically denotes active derision, not mere laughter or scornful words. In later translation tradition, the act of 'mocking' was sometimes glossed as 'to make sport of' or 'to ridicule,' but the original Hebrew focuses on the public and pointed nature of the contempt. Standard English translations as 'mock' or 'deride' capture the central sense, but 'to gibe' or 'to heap ridicule' would also be apt. The nuanced difference with similar roots is that לָעַב signals stronger, more public, and performative ridicule rather than private sarcasm or internal scorn. The term does not carry post-biblical, cultural, or religious connotations, nor is it directly associated with any communal rituals of mockery.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to deride; mock.
Bantu Hebrew
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+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
לעב (l-ʿ-b) — to mock, to deride, to ridicule
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3931-01 |
מַלְעִבִים֙ | maleivim | HVhrmpa |
mocking | the ones who deride | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3931-01 |
2 Chronicles 36:16 | מַלְעִבִים֙ | maleivim | HVhrmpa |
mocking | the ones who deride |