תָּעַע
𐤕𐤏𐤏
tâʻaʻ
H8591 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To lead astray, mislead, deceive, or confuse; to deal treacherously with someone so as to cause them to wander morally, mentally, or in intent. The verb can refer to both intentional deception and broader misuse or mistreatment, reflecting an act that disrupts one's proper path, trust, or status.
Semantic Range
deceive, mislead, cause to wander (morally or intellectually), cheat, misuse, maltreat, deal treacherously; to disrupt trust or understanding
Root / Etymology
The root is תָּעַע (t-ʻ-ʻ), likely related to the root תָּעָה (t-ʻ-h), meaning 'to wander, go astray, err.' תָּעַע appears to be an intensive or causative form, signifying 'to cause to wander,' especially in a metaphorical sense. The root's basic meaning of going astray underlies the sense of misleading or deceiving someone.
Historical & Contextual Notes
תָּעַע is a relatively rare verb in the Hebrew Bible and often appears in poetic or prophetic contexts. While the common verb for 'to go astray' physically is תָּעָה (e.g., straying sheep), תָּעַע typically refers to deliberate misleading or causing someone to err. The nuance of 'deceive' reflects false guidance or betrayal of trust. Unlike more general terms for violence or harm, תָּעַע focuses on harming through misdirection, often in a psychological or moral sense; thus, it does not carry the physical violence implied in some translations. In post-biblical Hebrew the distinction between these roots softens, but in the biblical text, this root communicates the deliberate causing of error, more than simple mistake or accident. English translations often render it with 'deceive,' 'mislead,' or 'cheat,' which may not fully capture the range of disruptions to trust implied.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to cheat; by analogy, to maltreat; deceive, misuse.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
תעע (t-ʿ-ʿ) — to lead astray, to mislead, to deceive, to cause to wander
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H8595 | תַּעְתֻּעַ | deliberate deceptions |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8591-01 |
כִּ/מְתַעְתֵּ֑עַ | kimetaetea | HR/Vlrmsa |
as a deceiver | misleading one | 1 |
H8591-02 |
וּ/מִֽתַּעְתְּעִ֖ים | umitaeteim | HC/Vfrmpa |
and scoffing | those misleading themselves | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8591-01 |
Genesis 27:12 | כִּ/מְתַעְתֵּ֑עַ | kimetaetea | HR/Vlrmsa |
as a deceiver | misleading one |
H8591-02 |
2 Chronicles 36:16 | וּ/מִֽתַּעְתְּעִ֖ים | umitaeteim | HC/Vfrmpa |
and scoffing | those misleading themselves |