תַּעְתֻּעַ
𐤕𐤏𐤕𐤏
taʻtuaʻ
H8595 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A deliberate deception, falsehood, or misleading action; by extension, the result or product of deceiving—fraud, trick, or error. The term designates a purposeful act of leading others astray, rather than an accidental mistake or misunderstanding.
Semantic Range
fraud, deceit, deception, trick, falsehood, misleading action, error (as the result of deception)
Root / Etymology
From the root תָּעַע (tā‘a‘), which relates to the idea of deceiving, misleading, or causing to wander, especially in a moral or intellectual sense. The noun תַּעְתֻּעַ is a rare formation, likely denoting the concrete result of active deception.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The word תַּעְתֻּעַ is very rare in the Hebrew Bible, appearing chiefly in poetic or prophetic contexts (e.g., Isaiah 32:6). In these settings, it refers not merely to an abstract 'error,' but to conscious and intentional acts of deception—false promises or actions that mislead others with malicious intent. The related verb (תָּעַע) commonly means 'to deceive' or 'to cause to wander,' but the nominal form intensifies the sense to a finished product of deceit. Modern English translations often reduce the word to 'error' or 'fraud,' but the original term implies a more active, deliberate misleading or trickery. It does not carry the forensic or legal sense of fraud in later periods, nor does it denote unintended error. It should not be confused with שָׁגָגָה (shagagah, 'inadvertent sin' or 'unintentional error'). The term does not acquire religious-legal overtones in the biblical context, remaining primarily an ethical or behavioral description.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from תָּעַע; a fraud; error.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
תעע (t-ʿ-ʿ) — to deceive, to lead astray, to mislead
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H8591 | תָּעַע | misleading one |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8595-01 |
תַּעְתֻּעִ֑ים | taetuim | HNcmpa |
of delusions | deliberate deceptions | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8595-01 |
Jeremiah 10:15 | תַּעְתֻּעִ֑ים | taetuim | HNcmpa |
of delusions | deliberate deceptions |
H8595-01 |
Jeremiah 51:18 | תַּעְתֻּעִ֑ים | taetuim | HNcmpa |
of delusions | deliberate deceptions |