H6711 H6711
To laugh (in joy, disbelief, or derision); to mock or jest; to play, sport, or make merry.
Forever associated with the patriarch Isaac, whose very name (Yitschaq, 'he laughs') embodies the range of this verb. In its Qal form it describes Sarah's incredulous laughter at the promise of a son (Gen 18:12-15) and Abraham's joyful laughter (Gen 17:17). The Piel intensifies toward mockery — Ishmael 'mocking' the young Isaac (Gen 21:9), Lot seeming 'as one who jests' to his sons-in-law (Gen 19:14), and Potiphar's wife accusing Joseph (Gen 39:14, 17). Spanish burlarse ('to mock') and German Spott treiben ('to make sport') capture this derisive edge. The same Piel also yields a lighter sense of festive play, as when Israel rose up 'to play' before the golden calf (Exod 32:6) and Samson was made to 'amuse' the Philistines (Judg 16:25).
Senses
1. laugh (Qal) — The basic Qal sense of laughing, whether from joy, surprise, or disbelief. Spanish rio/reirá ('laughed/will laugh') and German gelacht ('laughed') converge on spontaneous laughter. Sarah laughed within herself at the seemingly impossible promise (Gen 18:12, 13, 15), Abraham fell on his face and laughed (Gen 17:17), and the proclamation that God 'has made laughter for me' (Gen 21:6) transforms disbelief into celebration. 6×
AR["ضَحِكَتْ", "ضَحِكْتُ", "ضَحِكْتِ", "وَ-ضَحِكَ", "وَ-ضَحِكَتْ", "يَضْحَكُ"]·ben["এবং-হাসল", "হাসবে-", "হাসল", "হাসিনি", "হেসেছিলে"]·DE["du-hast-gelacht", "habe-ich-gelacht", "hat-gelacht", "und-lachte", "wird-lachen-"]·EN["I-laughed", "and-laughed", "laughed", "will-laugh", "you-laughed"]·FR["--rire", "Je-rit", "et-rit", "rit", "tu-rit"]·heb["ו-יצחק", "ו-תצחק", "יצחק", "צחקה", "צחקת", "צחקתי"]·HI["और-हनस", "और-हनसि", "तु-हनसि", "मैन-हनसि", "हँसेगा", "हनसि"]·ID["akan-tertawa", "aku-tertawa", "dan-tertawa", "engkau-tertawa", "tertawa"]·IT["e-rise", "io-rise", "rise", "tu-rise", "will-ridere"]·jav["Lan-gumujeng", "badhé-gumujeng-", "gumujeng", "kula-gumujeng", "lan-gumujeng", "panjenengan-gumujeng"]·KO["그리고-웃었다", "웃다", "웃었는가", "웃었다", "웃으리라-나-에게"]·PT["E-riu", "e-riu", "ri", "rirá", "riste", "riu"]·RU["И-рассмеялась", "будет-смеяться", "и-рассмеялся", "рассмеялась", "смеялась-ты", "смеялась-я"]·ES["Y-rió", "reirá", "reí", "reíste", "rió", "y-rió"]·SW["Na-akacheka", "alicheka", "itacheka", "na-akacheka", "sikucheka", "ulicheka"]·TR["Ve-güldü", "güldü", "güldün", "gülecek-", "gülmedim", "ve-güldü"]·urd["اور-ہنسا", "اور-ہنسی", "ہنسی", "ہنسی-تھی-تُو", "ہنسی-میں-نے", "ہنسے-گا"]
2. mock, scoff, jest (Piel) — The Piel sense of mocking, scoffing, deriding, or jesting — laughter directed at someone with contempt or dismissal. Spanish burlarse/burlándose ('to mock/mocking') and German Spott treiben ('to make sport of') highlight the hostile edge. Ishmael mocked Isaac (Gen 21:9), Lot appeared as one who jests when warning his sons-in-law (Gen 19:14), and Potiphar's wife twice accused Joseph of coming 'to mock us' (Gen 39:14, 17). 4×
AR["كَ-مُمَازِحٍ", "لِ-يَسْخَرَ", "يَسْخَرُ"]·ben["উপহাস-করতে", "ঠাট্টা-করছে", "যেন-ঠাট্টা-করছেন"]·DE["scherzend", "um-Spott-zu-treiben", "wie-ein-Scherzender"]·EN["as-jesting", "mocking", "to-mock"]·FR["comme-jesting", "moquant", "à-mock"]·heb["כ-מצחק", "ל-צחק", "מצחק"]·HI["जैसे-मज़क", "ठठ्ठा-करने-के-लिए", "मज़ाक-करते"]·ID["mengejek", "seperti-bercanda", "untuk-mempermainkan"]·IT["a-mock", "come-jesting", "mocking"]·jav["gegujengan", "kados-geguyon", "kanggé-moyèki"]·KO["놀리는", "농담하는-자같이", "희롱하려고"]·PT["como-brincando", "para-zombar", "zombando"]·RU["как-шутящий", "насмехаться", "насмехающегося"]·ES["burlándose", "como-bromeando", "para-burlarse"]·SW["akicheka", "kama-kuchekeana", "kufanya-mzushi"]·TR["alay-eden", "alay-etmek-için", "şakacı-gibi"]·urd["جیسا-مذاق-کرنے-والا", "مذاق-کرنے-کو", "ہنس-مذاق-کرتے-ہوئے"]
3. play, sport, amuse (Piel) — The Piel sense of playing, sporting, entertaining, or making merry — laughter as festive or amorous activity rather than derision. Spanish jugar ('to play') and English 'amuse/play' point to recreational activity. Isaac 'sporting' (caressing) Rebekah revealed their relationship to Abimelech (Gen 26:8), Israel rose up 'to play' in idolatrous revelry at the golden calf (Exod 32:6), and the blinded Samson was made to 'amuse' the Philistine assembly (Judg 16:25). 3×
AR["لِ-يَلعَبوا", "وَ-لَعِبَ", "يُداعِبُ"]·ben["এবং-মজা-করলেন", "খেলা-করতে।", "হাসাহাসি-করছেন"]·DE["scherzte", "und-amused", "zu-play"]·EN["and-amused", "laughing", "to-play"]·FR["et-amused", "riant", "à-play"]·heb["ו-ציחק", "ל-צחק", "מצחק"]·HI["और-खेला", "खेल-रहा-था", "खेलने-को"]·ID["bercumbu", "dan-bermain", "untuk-bermain-main"]·IT["a-suonare", "e-amused", "laughing"]·jav["gegujengan", "kanggé-dolanan.", "lan-piyambakipun-ndolani"]·KO["그리고-웃기게-했다", "놀고-있었다", "놀기-위하여"]·PT["acariciando", "e-divertiu", "para-folgar"]·RU["и-играл", "ласкает", "чтобы-забавляться"]·ES["a-jugar", "riendo", "y-los-divirtió"]·SW["akimburudisha", "kucheza", "na-akawachekesha"]·TR["oynamak-için", "sevişiyordu", "ve-eğlendirdi"]·urd["اور-تماشا-کیا-اُس-نے", "لاڑ-پیار-کر-رہا-تھا", "کھیلنے-کو"]
Related Senses
G2309 1. want, desire (166×)G0025 1. to love actively (133×)H0157 1. love (verb, active Qal) (129×)H8055 1. Qal: rejoice, be glad (123×)H7453 1. neighbor, fellow man (120×)G0026 1. of love (115×)H1058 1. Qal: to weep, cry (112×)H0954 1. to be ashamed, feel shame (Qal) (95×)H8057 1. joy, gladness, delight (90×)H2781 1. disgrace, shame, dishonor (68×)G2307 1. will, desire, purpose (63×)G5463 1. rejoice, be glad (63×)G0027 1. beloved (61×)H8130 1. Qal: to hate, detest (60×)G5479 1. (59×)G1680 1. (53×)H8130 2. Qal ptcp: hater, enemy (53×)H0014 1. be willing, want (51×)H0157 2. lover, friend (Qal participle substantive) (51×)H1945 1. woe (50×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† [צָחַק] vb. laugh (Arabic ضَحِكَ, laugh, Syriac ܓܚܶܟ, cf. BaES 34; v. also שׂחק);— Qal Pf. 3 fs. צָֽחֲקָה Gn 18:13, etc.; Impf. 3 ms. יִצֲחַק־ Gn 21:6, וַיִּצְחָ֑ק 17:17; 3 fs. וַתִּצְחַק 18:12;—laugh, Gn 18:12, 13, 15(×2) (J), 17:17 (P); c. ל at, concerning, 21:6. Pi. Impf. וַיְצַחֵק Ju 16:25; Inf. cstr. לְצַחֵק Ex 32:6, (בִּי) לְצַ֫חֶק בָּנוּ Gn 39:14, 17; Pt. מְצַחֵק Gn 19:14; 26:8, מְצַחֶ֑ק…