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
H5921a 1. upon, on, over (spatial) (5443×)H0413 1. directional: to, toward (5366×)H1121a 1. son, male offspring, descendant (4914×)H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)H4428 1. king, human ruler (2518×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)H6440 1. before, in front of (spatial) (1870×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H3027 1. physical hand (body part) (1596×)H1697 1. word, speech, utterance (1235×)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×)
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…