H6601b H6601b
To entice, persuade, deceive; Nifal/Qal passive: be deceived; Qal participle: simple, naive.
A psychologically rich verb that maps the terrain between persuasion and deception. In the Piel, it describes the art of influence — from Delilah's seductive coaxing of Samson (Judg 16:5) to God's own question in the heavenly court: 'Who will entice Ahab?' (1 Kgs 22:20). Whether the persuasion is legitimate or deceitful depends entirely on context, not on the word itself. Jeremiah's agonized cry — 'You deceived me, LORD, and I was deceived' (Jer 20:7) — uses both Piel and Nifal of the same root in a single devastating sentence, collapsing the distance between divine sovereignty and human vulnerability.
Senses
1. entice, persuade, allure (Piel) — The Piel active of enticement and persuasion, where the moral valence ranges from seduction to legitimate influence. Exodus 22:16 uses it for seducing an unbetrothed virgin; Judges 14:15 and 16:5 for Delilah's persistent coaxing of Samson. In the heavenly court scene (1 Kgs 22:20-22), a spirit volunteers to 'entice' Ahab — persuasion as divinely sanctioned strategy. Spanish 'sedúcelo' and 'persuadirás' nicely bracket the moral range. 12×
AR["أَغوى", "أَغْرِي", "أَغْوَاكَ", "أُغويها", "أُغويهِ", "أُغْوِيهِ", "تُغوي", "تُغْوِيهِ", "يُغوي", "يُغْوي", "يُغْوِي"]·ben["তুমি-প্রলোভন-করবে", "প্রলুব্ধ-কর", "প্রলুব্ধ-করে", "প্রলুব্ধ-করে-তোমাকে", "প্রলোভন-করব-তাঁকে", "প্রলোভন-করব-তাকে", "প্রলোভন-করবে", "প্রলোভন-করে", "ফুসলাও"]·DE["[אפתנו]", "[יפתה]", "[יפתוך]", "[מפתיה]", "[תפתה]", "du-wird-entice", "entice", "seduces", "wird-entice", "wird-entice-ihn"]·EN["alluring-her", "entice", "entice-you", "entices", "seduces", "will-entice", "will-entice-him", "you-will-entice"]·FR["[אפתנו]", "[יפתה]", "[תפתה]", "entice", "fera-entice", "fera-entice-lui", "seduces", "séduire", "séduire-toi", "tu-fera-entice"]·heb["אפתנו", "יפתה", "יפתוך", "מפתיה", "פתי", "תפתה"]·HI["और-कहा", "जाएगा", "फुसला", "फुसलाऊँगा-उसे", "फुसलाए", "फुसलाएँ-तुझे", "फुसलाएगा-उसे", "बहकाउँगा", "बहकाएगा", "बहकाता-है"]·ID["Engkau-akan-membujuk", "akan-membujuk", "akan-membujuknya", "bujuklah", "kamu-akan-membujuk", "membujuk", "merayu"]·IT["[אפתנו]", "[יפתה]", "[מפתיה]", "[תפתה]", "entice", "ingannare", "ingannare-tuo", "seduces", "tu-vorrà-sedurre", "vorrà-sedurre", "vorrà-sedurre-lui"]·jav["badhé-mbujuk", "badhé-mbujuk-piyambakipun", "bujuka", "mbujuk", "mbujuk-panjenengan", "mbujuk-panjenenganipun", "mbujuk-piyambakipun", "panjenengan-badhé-mbujuk", "sira-mbujuk", "tiyang-ngrayu"]·KO["꾀느니라", "꿀이겠느냐", "꿀이겠다", "꿀이겠다-그를", "유혹하겠다-그를", "유혹하리라", "유혹하면", "유혹하여라", "유혹할-것-이다-그녀-를"]·PT["Persuade", "o-persuadirei", "persuadirei-o", "persuadirá", "persuadirás", "seduz", "seduzindo-ela", "seduzir", "te-seduzem"]·RU["обольстит", "обольстишь", "обольщу-его", "соблазнит", "соблазнишь", "соблазню-его", "соблазняет", "соблазняю-её", "соблазняют-тебя", "уговори"]·ES["Persuadirás", "Sedúcelo", "la-seduciré", "lo-persuadiré", "persuade", "persuadirá", "persuadirás", "seduce", "seduzca", "te-seducen"]·SW["Mdanganye", "akimshawishi", "anamshawishi", "atamshawishi", "mshawishi", "nitamshawishi", "utamshawishi", "wakushawishi"]·TR["Kandıracaksın", "ayartan", "ayartırlarsa-seni", "ayartırsa", "kandır", "kandıracak", "kandıracaksın", "kandıracağım-onu", "kandırır"]·urd["اُسے-بہکاؤںگا", "بہکائیں-تجھے", "بہکائے", "بہکائےگا", "بہکاتا-ہے", "تُو-بہکائےگا", "لبھاؤں-گا-اُسے", "لبھائے-گا", "پھسلا", "پھسلاؤں-گا-اُسے"]
2. deceive, mislead (Piel) — The Piel with an explicitly negative, deceptive force: to deceive, mislead, delude. Jeremiah 20:7 is the watershed text — 'You deceived me (pittitani), LORD' — where the prophet accuses God of entrapment. Psalm 78:36 describes Israel flattering God 'with their mouths' while their hearts were false. Ezekiel 14:9 warns that if a prophet is deceived, 'I the LORD have deceived that prophet.' Spanish 'me sedujiste' and 'engañé' capture the treacherous quality. 4×
AR["أَغْوَيْتَنِي", "خَدَعْتُ", "لِ-يَخْدَعَكَ", "وَخَدَعُوهُ"]·ben["আমি-প্রলুব্ধ-করেছি", "এবং-তারা-তোষামোদ-করেছিল", "তুমি-প্রলোভিত-করেছ-আমাকে", "প্রতারণা-করতে-তোমাকে"]·DE["[פתיתי]", "[פתיתני]", "und-sie-flattered-ihn", "zu-deceive-du"]·EN["You-deceived-me", "and-they-flattered-him", "have-deceived", "to-deceive-you"]·FR["[פתיתני]", "et-séduire", "séduire", "à-trompe-tu"]·heb["ו-יפתוהו", "ל-פתות-ך", "פיתיתי", "פיתיתני"]·HI["और-वे-फुसलाते-थे-उसे", "फुसलाया", "फुसलाया-तूने-मुझे", "बहकाने-को-तुझे"]·ID["Engkau-telah-membujukku", "Tetapi-mereka-merayu-Nya", "membujuk", "untuk-menipu-engkau"]·IT["[ויפתוהו]", "[פתיתי]", "a-inganna-tu", "ingannare"]·jav["Panjenengan-sampun-mbujuk-kawula,", "Saha-tiyang-tiyang-ngrayuk-Panjenengan", "kangge-ngapusi-panjenengan", "sampun-nggodha"]·KO["미혹하였다", "속이려고-당신을", "아첨하였나이다-그-를", "유혹하셨다-나를"]·PT["Mas-o-adulavam", "Seduziste-me,", "enganei", "para-enganar-te"]·RU["и-льстили-Ему", "обмануть-тебя", "обольстил", "обольстил-Меня"]·ES["Me-sedujiste", "Y-lo-lisonjeaban", "engañé", "para-engañarte"]·SW["Lakini-walimbembeleza", "Umenidanganya", "kukudanganya", "nimemdanganya"]·TR["aldatmak-için-seni", "kandrıdın-beni", "kandırdım", "ve-kandorlardı"]·urd["اور-پھسلایا-اُنہوں-نے-اُسے", "بھٹکایا-مجھے", "بہکایا-ہے", "تجھے-دھوکہ-دینے"]
3. be enticed, be deceived (Nifal/Qal passive) — The Nifal and Qal passive: to be enticed, to let oneself be deceived. Jeremiah 20:7b completes the verse — 'and I was deceived (va-eppat)' — the passive counterpart to God's active deception. Deuteronomy 11:16 warns 'take heed lest your heart be enticed,' and Job 31:9, 27 confess the danger of a heart 'secretly enticed.' The reflexive nuance suggests culpable gullibility — being open to seduction rather than merely victimized by it. 4×
AR["افتُتِنَ", "تَغْتَرَّ", "فَ-اغْتَوَيْتُ", "وَ-افتُتِنَ"]·ben["আর-প্রলুব্ধ-হয়েছে", "ও-আমি-প্রলোভিত-হলাম", "প্রলুব্ধ-হয়েছে", "প্রলোভিত-হয়"]·DE["[ואפת]", "[ויפת]", "[נפתה]", "sein-betrog"]·EN["and-I-was-deceived", "and-was-enticed", "be-deceived", "has-been-enticed"]·FR["[ואפת]", "et-séduire", "séduire", "être-deceived"]·heb["ו-אפת", "ו-יפת", "יפתה", "נפתה"]·HI["और-फुसला-गया-मैं", "और-बहका", "बहका", "बहकाया-जाए"]·ID["Dan-tergoda", "dan-aku-terbujuk", "tergoda"]·IT["e-ingannare", "essere-deceived", "ingannare"]·jav["Lan-kapikat", "kagodha", "kapikat", "lan-kawula-kabujuk;"]·KO["그리고-내가-유혹당했다", "그리고-유혹되었다", "유혹되었다", "유혹받으리라"]·PT["E-foi-seduzido", "e-fui-seduzido;", "foi-seduzido", "seja-enganado"]·RU["и-обольстился-я", "и-обольщалось", "обольстилось", "обольщалось"]·ES["Y-se-sedujo", "se-sedujo", "sea-seducido", "y-fui-seducido"]·SW["ikadanganywa", "imedanganywa", "na-nikadanganyika", "na-ulidanganywa"]·TR["Ve-aldandı", "aldanasınız", "aldandı", "ve-kanlandım"]·urd["اور-بھٹک-گیا", "اور-بہکا گیا", "بہک-جائے", "بہکایا گیا"]
4. be persuaded, be deceived (Pual) — The Pual passive: to be persuaded or deceived by another's action. Proverbs 25:15 says 'by patience a ruler is persuaded' — here the persuasion is constructive. But Jeremiah 20:10 and Ezekiel 14:9 use the Pual for being fatally misled. The Pual foregrounds the completed state of having been persuaded, rather than the process (Nifal). Three attestations span the moral spectrum from wise diplomacy to divine judgment. 3×
AR["انْخَدَعَ", "يُغْوَى", "يُقْنَعُ"]·ben["সম্মত-হবে", "সে-প্রলুব্ধ-হয়", "সে-প্রলোভিত-হবে"]·DE["[יפתה]"]·EN["he-is-deceived", "he-will-be-deceived", "is-persuaded"]·FR["[יפתה]", "séduire"]·heb["יפותה"]·HI["फुसलाया-जाएगा", "मनाया-जाएगा", "वह-फुसलाया-जाए"]·ID["dibujuk", "ia-dapat-dibujuk", "ia-terbujuk"]·IT["[יפתה]", "ingannare"]·jav["dipun-godha", "dipunbujuk", "piyambakipun-badhé-kabujuk,"]·KO["미혹되면", "설득되니", "유혹당할-것이다-그가"]·PT["for-enganado", "seja-seduzido,", "será-persuadido"]·RU["обольщён-будет", "соблазнится", "убеждается"]·ES["es-engañado", "será-persuadido", "será-seducido"]·SW["amedanganywa", "atashawishika", "hushawishiwa"]·TR["ikna-edilir", "kandırılacak", "kandırılırsa"]·urd["بھٹکے", "بہکایا-جائے", "منایا-جاتا-ہے"]
5. simple, naive (Qal participle) — The Qal participle as substantive adjective: simple, naive, gullible. Hosea 7:11 calls Ephraim 'a silly dove, without sense' (yonah potah) — easily lured by every passing power. Job 5:2 warns that 'vexation kills the simple.' This sense reveals the root's psychological core: the patah-person is 'open' — open-minded perhaps, but dangerously so. Spanish 'al simple' and the dove metaphor show a figure who lacks the discernment to resist enticement. 2×
AR["ساذَجَةٍ", "وَالسَّاذِجَ"]·ben["এবং-সরলকে", "প্রতারিত"]·DE["[ופתה]", "[פותה]"]·EN["and-the-simple", "silly"]·FR["et-séduire", "séduire"]·heb["ו-פותה", "פותה"]·HI["और-भोले-को", "मूर्ख"]·ID["bodoh", "dan-orang-dungu"]·IT["[פותה]", "e-ingannare"]·jav["bodho", "lan-tiyang-gampil"]·KO["그리고-단순한-자를", "어리석은"]·PT["e-o-simples", "tóla"]·RU["глупый", "и-простака"]·ES["seducida", "y-al-simple"]·SW["aliyedanganywa", "na-mjinga"]·TR["saf", "ve-safı"]·urd["اور-سادہ-لوح-کو", "بے-وقوف"]
Related Senses
G0846 1. third-person pronoun reference (5552×)H???? 1. (4670×)H6213a 1. do, perform, act (2383×)H7200 1. Qal: to see, perceive (1257×)G4771 2. you (singular address) (1077×)H8085 1. Qal: hear, perceive aurally (921×)H3045 1. Qal: to know, perceive, understand (829×)H0859a 1. you (2nd person masculine singular pronoun) (743×)H0398 1. eat (consume food) (697×)H5315 1. soul, inner being (647×)H4191 1. die (Qal: natural/general death) (645×)H3820a 1. heart, inner self (mind/will/emotion) (572×)G4160 1. do, act, perform (473×)G3708 1. see, perceive visually (419×)H5221 1. Hifil: to strike in battle, smite enemies (362×)G0191 1. hear, perceive sound (360×)H???? 3. (352×)H4672 1. Qal: find, discover (289×)G1492 1. know facts or truths (285×)G3708 2. behold, look (exclamatory) (256×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† [פָּתָה] vb. denom. be simple (NH Pi. entice);— Qal Impf. 3 ms. יִפְתֶּה Dt 11:16; וַיִּפְתְּ Jb 31:27; Pt. פֹּתֶה Jb 5:2 Pr 20:19; f. פּוֹתֶה Ho 7:11;— 1. be open-minded(?), simple Jb 5:2; יוֹנָה פוֹתָה Ho 7:11 silly dove; פֹּתֶה שְׂפָתָיו Pr 20:19 one foolish as to his lips (most, openeth wide his lips). 2. be enticed deceived Dt 11:16 Jb 31:27. Niph. Pf. 3 ms. נִפְתָּה Jb 31:9; Impf. 1 s.…