H2940 H2940
Taste, flavor; figuratively, discernment, good judgment; also behavior or manner; in late usage, a royal decree.
Begins with the tongue and ends at the throne. In its most concrete sense, טַעַם is the flavor of manna — 'like wafers made with honey' (Exod 16:31). From physical taste, it extends naturally to the faculty of discernment: Abigail is praised for her טַעַם, her good sense (1 Sam 25:33), and the elders lose theirs when God strips it away (Job 12:20). David famously 'changed his behavior' (שִׁנָּה טַעְמוֹ) before Achish, feigning madness (1 Sam 21:14). In Jonah 3:7, the word takes on its Aramaic coloring as a royal decree — a late development that links taste, judgment, and authoritative decision in a single semantic arc.
Senses
1. taste, flavor — Physical taste or flavor — the sensory quality of food perceived by the palate. Manna tasted like wafers with honey (Exod 16:31) and like fresh oil (Num 11:8). Job 6:6 asks rhetorically whether tasteless food can be eaten without salt. Jeremiah 48:11 uses taste figuratively of Moab's wine whose flavor has not changed. Spanish 'sabor' and French 'goût' map directly to this primary sense. Ps 119:66 bridges toward the figurative, asking God to teach 'good taste' — that is, judgment. 6×
AR["الطَّعْمِ", "طَعْمٌ", "طَعْمُهُ", "كَ-طَعْمِ", "وَ-طَعْمُهُ"]·ben["এবং-তার-স্বাদ", "তার-স্বাদ", "স্বাদ", "স্বাদের-মতো"]·DE["Befehl", "[טעמו]", "sein-taste", "taste", "und-sein-taste", "wie-taste-von"]·EN["and-its-taste", "his-taste", "its-taste", "like-taste-of", "taste"]·FR["[טעמו]", "comme-taste-de", "et-son-goût", "goût", "son-taste", "טעם"]·heb["ו-טעמו", "טעם", "טעמו", "כ-כטעם"]·HI["उसका-स्वाद", "और-स्वाद-उसका", "जैसा-स्वाद", "स्वाद"]·ID["dan-rasanya", "kebijaksanaan", "rasa", "rasanya", "seperti-rasa"]·IT["[טעם]", "[טעמו]", "come-taste-di", "e-suo-taste", "suo-taste", "taste"]·jav["kados-raos", "lan-rasanipun", "raos", "raos-ipun", "raosipun", "rasa"]·KO["같이-맛", "그것의-맛", "그의-맛이", "맛-이", "분별-과", "흰"]·PT["como-sabor-de", "discernimento", "e-seu-gosto", "sabor", "sabor-seu", "seu-sabor"]·RU["вкус", "вкус-его", "вкус-её", "вкусу", "и-вкус-её", "как-вкус"]·ES["como-sabor-de", "discernimiento", "sabor", "su-sabor", "y-su-sabor"]·SW["kama-ladha-ya", "ladha", "ladha-yake", "na-ladha-yake", "wa-ladha"]·TR["-e-benzer-tadı", "ayrım", "tadı", "tat", "ve-tadı"]·urd["اور-اُس-کا-ذائقہ", "اُس-کا-ذائقہ", "ذائقہ", "ذائقہ-اُس-کا", "ذائقے-کی-طرح", "سمجھ"]
2. discernment, good sense — Discernment, good sense, or the faculty of wise judgment. Abigail's טַעַם in 1 Sam 25:33 is her perceptive counsel that prevented David from bloodshed. Prov 11:22 warns that beauty without discretion is like a gold ring in a pig's snout, and Prov 26:16 describes the sluggard as wiser in his own eyes than seven who answer with טַעַם — with good sense. Job 12:20 shows God removing discernment from the trusted. Spanish 'discreción' and 'sensatez' capture this well. 4×
AR["بِ-فَهْمٍ", "ذَوْقٍ", "فَهمُكِ", "وَتَمْييزَ"]·ben["এবং-স্বাদ", "তোমার-বুদ্ধি", "বিবেচনা-থেকে", "বুদ্ধিমত্তার"]·DE["Befehl", "dein-discernment", "und-Befehl"]·EN["a-sensible-answer", "and-discernment-of", "discretion", "your-discernment"]·FR["et-וטעם", "ton-discernment", "טעם"]·heb["ו-טעם", "טעם", "טעמ-ך"]·HI["और-विवेक", "तेरी-बुद्धि", "विवेक-से", "समझ-के।"]·ID["akal-budimu", "dan-pertimbangan", "dari-pertimbangan", "dengan-akal-sehat"]·IT["discretion", "e-e-discernment-of", "tuo-discernment", "un-sensible-answer"]·jav["alasan", "kalantipan-panjenengan", "lan-kawruh", "rasa"]·KO["그리고-분별력-을", "네-분별이", "분별-에서", "지각을"]·PT["bom-senso", "discernimento", "discernimento-teu", "e-discernimento-de"]·RU["вкуса", "и-рассудок", "разум-твой", "разумно"]·ES["discreción", "sensatez", "tu-juicio", "y-el-juicio-de"]·SW["akili-yako", "busara", "kwa-busara", "na-busara-ya"]·TR["aklın", "mantıklı-cevap", "sağduyudan", "ve-yargısını"]·urd["اور-سمجھ", "تمیز", "تیری-سمجھ", "جواب"]
3. behavior, conduct — Outward behavior or manner of conduct, especially as perceived by others. In 1 Sam 21:14, David 'changed his behavior' (וַיְשַׁנּוֹ אֶת טַעְמוֹ) before the Philistine king, acting insane to save his life. The superscription of Ps 34:1 references the same event. Here טַעַם has moved from inner judgment to its visible expression — how one presents oneself. Spanish 'su conducta' pinpoints this external, observable dimension. 2×
AR["طَعْمَهُ", "عَقْلَهُ"]·ben["তাঁর-আচরণ", "তার-আচরণ"]·DE["sein-behavior"]·EN["his-behavior"]·FR["goût", "son-behavior"]·heb["טעמ-ו"]·HI["अपन-बरतअव", "बुद्धि-अपनी"]·ID["kelakuannya"]·IT["[טעמו]", "suo-behavior"]·jav["kelakuanipun", "nipun"]·KO["그-의-행동을", "그의-행동을"]·PT["seu-comportamento"]·RU["поведение-своё", "рассудок-свой"]·ES["su-conducta", "su-juicio"]·SW["akili-yake", "tabia-yake"]·TR["davranışını"]·urd["اپنا-برتاؤ", "اپنی-عقل"]
4. decree, command — A decree or official command, reflecting Aramaic influence. In Jonah 3:7, the proclamation goes out מִטַּעַם הַמֶּלֶךְ — 'by the decree of the king.' This is the same usage found extensively in Daniel and Ezra in Aramaic passages. The semantic journey from 'taste' to 'decree' passes through 'judgment': a king's taste for how things should be becomes his authoritative ruling. Spanish 'por decreto de' and German 'Befehl' (command) capture this late, official sense. 1×
AR["بِ-مَرْسُومِ"]·ben["ডিক্রি-থেকে"]·DE["von-Befehl"]·EN["by-the-decree-of"]·FR["goût"]·heb["מ-טעם"]·HI["आज्ञा-से"]·ID["atas-perintah"]·IT["[מטעם]"]·jav["saking-dhawuhipun"]·KO["부터-조서"]·PT["por-decreto-de"]·RU["по-повелению"]·ES["por-decreto-de"]·SW["kwa-amri-ya"]·TR["emriyle"]·urd["حکم-سے"]
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H3212 1. go, depart, travel (884×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)G0575 1. from (649×)G1223 1. through, by means of (582×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† טַ֫עַם n.m. Jo 48:11 taste, judgment—ט׳ abs. Jb 6:6 ψ 119:66; טָ֑עַם Pr 11:22; 26:16; cstr. טַעַם Nu 11:8 + 2 times; sf. טַעְמוֹ Ex 16:31 + 4 times; טַעְמֵךְ 1 S 25:33;— 1. taste of manna Ex 16:31 (P), Nu 11:8 (JE), cf. v 8; in syrup of mallow Jb 6:6; of Moab under fig. of wine Je 48:11 (‖ רֵיחַ). 2. fig. judgment, discretion, discernment, 1 S 25:33 Pr 11:22 Jb 12:20, so טוּב טַעַם וָדַעַת…