H7832 H7832
To laugh, play, celebrate; in Qal, to laugh in scorn or joy; in Piel, to play, sport, make merry, or perform.
Sachaq captures the full spectrum from derisive laughter to joyful celebration and exuberant play. When God laughs at the wicked in Psalm 2:4, the verb drips with sovereign contempt — yet the same root describes David dancing before the ark (2 Sam 6:21) and children playing in the streets. The multilingual evidence splits revealingly: Spanish distinguishes burlarse ('to mock') from jugar ('to play') and celebrar ('to celebrate'), while French similarly separates rire ('to laugh') from jouer ('to play') and competer ('to compete'). The Piel stem carries the physical, performative senses — sport, entertainment, festive music-making — while the Qal ranges from mocking contempt to pure delight, proving that laughter itself is morally neutral in Hebrew; context determines whether it wounds or heals.
5. sense 5 — Piel: to jest or joke, possibly with a deceptive edge — a single occurrence at Proverbs 26:19, describing someone who deceives a neighbor and then says 'I was only joking!' Spanish estoy bromeando ('I'm joking') and English 'joking' both select lighthearted-deception vocabulary. This sense sits at the intersection of play and mockery: the laughter is a cover for real harm, making it a distinct pragmatic use of the Piel stem. 1×
AR["أُمازِحُ"]·ben["মজা-করছিলাম"]·DE["[משחק]"]·EN["joking"]·FR["rire"]·heb["משחק"]·HI["मज़ाक-करता"]·ID["bercanda"]·IT["ridere"]·jav["guyon"]·KO["놓담하는-것이요-내가"]·PT["brincando"]·RU["шучу"]·ES["estoy-bromeando"]·SW["kucheza"]·TR["şakalaşıyorum"]·urd["مذاق-کر-رہا"]
▼ 5 more senses below
Senses
1. laugh at, mock, scorn — Qal: to laugh at in derision, mock, or scorn — the largest sense cluster at 13 occurrences. Used of contemptuous laughter directed at a person or thing deemed insignificant. God laughs at the wicked (Ps 2:4; 59:8), the righteous laugh at the downfall of the arrogant (Ps 52:8), and Job's former inferiors now mock him (Job 30:1). The figurative extension to fearlessness is notable: the war-horse 'laughs at' fear (Job 39:22), and the noble wife 'laughs at' the future (Prov 31:25). Spanish burlarse and se ríe both confirm the derisive tone, while German and French leave these untranslated, suggesting the contempt nuance resists easy equivalence. 13×
AR["تَسْخَرُ","تَضحَكُ","سَخِرُوا","وَ-تَضْحَكُ","وَ-يَضْحَكُ","وَيَسْخَرُ","يَضحَكونَ","يَضحَكُ","يَضْحَكُ","يَضْحَكُونَ"]·ben["আর-সে-হাসে","উপহাস-করেছে","এবং-সে-হাসে","এবং-হাসে","বিদ্রূপ-করে","সে-হাসে","হাসবে","হাসবে-","হাসবেন","হাসেন"]·DE["[וישחק]","[ושחק]","[ותשחק]","[ישחק]","[שחקו]","[תשחק]","lacht","sie-wird-lachen","wird-lachen-"]·EN["and-he-laughs","and-laughing","and-she-laughs","it-laughs","laugh","laughs","she-laughs","they-laughed","they-will-laugh","will-laugh-"]·FR["et-rire","ils-ont-ri","jouer","rire"]·heb["ו-ישחק","ו-שחק","ו-תשחק","ישחק","ישחק-","ישחקו","שחקו","תשחק","תשחק-"]·HI["और-वह-हँसता-है","और-हँसता","और-हँसती","वह-हँसता-है","वह-हँसती-है","हँसता-है","हँसते-थे","हँसेगा","हंसते-हैं","हंसेंगे"]·ID["Ia menertawakan","dan-ia menertawakan","dan-ia-tertawa","dan-tertawa","ia menertawakan","menertawakan","menertawakan,","menertawakanku","tertawa"]·IT["Isacco","e-ridere","essi-si-beffarono","ridere","si-allegro'"]·jav["Piyambak-ipun-nggegujeng","eh","gumujeng","gègèsan","kanthi-cangkem","lan-gumujeng","lan-guyu","lan-piyambakipun-gumujeng","nggeguyu","piyambak-ipun-geguyon","piyambak-ipun-nggegujeng"]·KO["그리고-그녀가-웃다","그리고-비웃는다","그리고-웃다","비웃고","비웃는다","비웃었네","비웃으리이다","비웃으시리이다","웃으시니","웃으시도다"]·PT["Ri","e-ri","e-rindo","ri","riem","rir-se-á","riram","rirá","rirás","rirão"]·RU["и-смеётся","посмеются","смеются","смеялись","смеётся","смеёшься-"]·ES["Se-ríe","se-burlaron","se-reirán","se-ríe","se-ríen","te-reirás-","y-se-ríe"]·SW["anacheka","anaicheka","anamcheka","hucheka","na-akicheka","na-anacheka","na-hucheka","utawacheka","wakacheka","wananicheka","watacheka"]·TR["Güler","alay-ediyorlar","güldüler","gülecek","güleceksin-","güler","güler-","ve-güler"]·urd["اور-وہ-ہنستا-ہے","اور-ہنستی-ہے","اور-ہنسے","وہ-ہنستا-ہے","وہ-ہنستی-ہے","ہنستا-ہے","ہنستے ہیں","ہنسیں-گے","ہنسے","ہَنسو-"]
2. play, sport, frolic — Piel: to play, sport, or compete physically — 8 occurrences covering children's play, athletic contest, and animal play. Samson is brought out 'to play' (entertain) before the Philistines (Judg 16:25); Abner proposes that young men 'compete' before the commanders (2 Sam 2:14); Leviathan plays in the sea (Ps 104:26; Job 40:20). Spanish jugar and jugando consistently select game/sport vocabulary here, while French competer appears for the martial-contest nuance, marking a clear boundary from the laughter senses. 8×
AR["أَلْعَبُ","لِيَلعَب-","هَلْ-تَلْعَبُ-","وَ-يُلْعِبُ-","وَلْيَتَصَارَعُوا","يَلْعَبُ-","يَلْعَبُونَ"]·ben["আর-খেলুক","এবং-মজা-করুক","খেলছে","খেলা-করছিলাম","খেলা-করতে","খেলা-করে-","তুমি-কি-খেলা-করবে-"]·DE["[התשחק]","[ישחקו]","[משחקים]","[משחקת]","und-lass-ihn-amuse","und-lass-ihnen-compete","zu-play"]·EN["Will-you-play-","and-let-him-amuse","and-let-them-compete","play-","playing","rejoicing","to-play"]·FR["et-que-eux-compete","et-que-lui-amuse","rire","à-jouer"]·heb["ה-תשחק","ו-ישחק","ו-ישחקו","ישחקו","ל-שחק","משחקים","משחקת"]·HI["और-खेल-करे","और-खेलें","क्या-तू-खेलेगा","खेलती-हुई","खेलते-हुए","खेलते-हैं","खेलने-के-लिए-"]·ID["Apakah-engkau-bermain-","Bermain-main","bermain","bermain-main","bermain-main-","dan-bermainlah-","dan-biarlah-bermain","untuk-bermain"]·IT["[משחקים]","e-lascia-loro-compete","e-lasciare-lui-amuse","ridere","si-allegro'"]·jav["Punapa-Panjenengan-badhé-dolanan-kalayan-","dolanan","dolanan-","lan-dolanan","lan-piyambakipun-ndolani-","supados-dolanan"]·KO["그리고-경합하라","그리고-웃기게-하라","네가-놀겠느냐","놀려고","놀린다","놀며","즐거워하며"]·PT["Brincando","Brincarás-","brinca-","brincando","e-brinquem","e-ele-divertirá-","para-brincar"]·RU["будешь-ли-играть-","и-пусть-сразятся","и-сыграет-","играть-","играют-","играющая","играющими"]·ES["juega-","jugando","para-jugar","y-jueguen","y-que-nos-divierta","¿Jugarás-"]·SW["atuburudishe","je-utacheza","kucheza","na-wapigane","nikifuraha","wanacheza","wanaocheza"]·TR["mı-Oynarsın-","oynaması-için-","oynarlar-","oynayan","ve-eğlendirsin-","ve-oynasalar"]·urd["اور-تماشا-کرے","اور-کھیلیں","کھیلتی-ہوئی","کھیلتے-ہوئے","کھیلتے-ہیں","کھیلنے-کو","کیا-تو-کھیلے-گا"]
3. celebrate, make merry — Piel: to celebrate with music, dancing, and festive joy — 8 occurrences, concentrated in the David narratives. David and all Israel celebrate before the ark with instruments (2 Sam 6:5; 1 Chr 13:8), and David defends his dancing 'before the LORD' (2 Sam 6:21). The women celebrate Saul's and David's victories (1 Sam 18:7). Spanish celebraban and tocaban ('they played instruments') both surface, revealing that this sense fuses bodily movement with musical performance in communal worship — a meaning neither 'laugh' nor 'play' alone captures in English. 8×
AR["الضَّاحِكِينَ","اللاَّعِبَاتُ","الْمُتَهَلِّلِينَ","فَلَعِبْتُ","مُتَهَلِّلِينَ","مُحْتَفِلُونَ","وَ-يَلْعَبُ","يَلْعَبُونَ"]·ben["আনন্দকারীদের-এর","আর-উল্লাস-করব","উপহাসকারীদের","উল্লাস-করছিলেন","ও-খেলছিলেন","ক্রীড়া-করছিলেন","খেলা-করছে"]·DE["[ומשחק]","[משחקים]","celebrating","der-playing","und-ich-wird-celebrate"]·EN["and-I-will-celebrate","and-celebrating","celebrating","merrymakers","the-playing","those-who-make-merry"]·FR["[ומשחק]","[משחקים]","celebrating","et-je-fera-celebrate","le-jouant","rire"]·heb["ה-משחקות","ו-משחק","ו-שיחקתי","משחקים"]·HI["और-खेलता","और-खेलूँगा","खेलति-हुइ","खेलते-थे","खेलनेवालों-का","हंसने-वालों-की"]·ID["bermain","bermain-main","dan-bermain","dan-bermain-main","orang-orang-yang-bersukacita","orang-orang-yang-tertawa","yang-bermain"]·IT["[ומשחק]","[משחקים]","celebrating","e-io-vorrà-celebrate","giocanti","il-suonando"]·jav["-ingkang-joged","ingkang-gègèran","lan-kula-sesukan","lan-surak-surak","sesukan","surak-surak","tiyang-bingah","tiyang-ingkang-guyu"]·KO["그-와-즐기는-자","그-즐기는","그리고-연주할-것이다","연주하고-있었다","웃는-자들의","즐기는-자들","즐기는-자들의"]·PT["as-que-festejavam","brincando","celebrando","e-brinquei","e-festejando","os-que-brincam","que-riem","zombadores"]·RU["веселящихся","и-играл-я","и-играющего","играющие","насмешников"]·ES["celebraban","jugando","las-que-tocaban","los-que-ríen","los-que-se-alegran","los-que-se-ríen","y-jugaré","y-tocando"]·SW["na-kucheza","nitacheza","wachekeshaji","wachezaji","walicheza","walikuwa-wakicheza","wanaocheza"]·TR["eğlenenler","gülenlerin","oynayan","oynuyanlar","oynuyorlar","ve-oynadım","ve-oynayan"]·urd["اور-میں-نے-کھیلا","اور-کھیلتے","خوشی-منانے-والوں-کے","کھیل-رہے-تھے","کھیلتی-ہوئی","کھیلتے-تھے","ہنسنے-والوں-کی"]
4. laugh with joy — Qal: to laugh or smile with joy, pleasure, or relief — 5 occurrences where the laughter is warm rather than derisive. Job recalls when he 'smiled' at people in their darkest moments (Job 29:24); personified Wisdom 'laughs' when calamity arrives (Prov 1:26), but the laughter is vindication rather than cruelty. Ecclesiastes names 'a time to laugh' alongside 'a time to weep' (Eccl 3:4). Spanish me reía and French rire both use simple 'laugh' vocabulary without the scorn coloring, and the prepositions shift from hostile (al 'against') to neutral or temporal. 5×
AR["أَضحَكُ","أَضْحَكُ","بِ-لَعِبِ","تَضْحَكُ","لِلضَّحِكِ"]·ben["তুমি-হাসবে","মজা-করতে","হাসতাম","হাসতে","হাসব"]·DE["[אשחק]","[לשחוק]","[תשחק]","in-amusement-von"]·EN["I-smiled","in-amusement-of","to-laugh","will-laugh","you-will-laugh"]·FR["dans-amusement-de","rire","à-rire"]·heb["אשחק","ב-שחוק","ל-שחוק","תשחק"]·HI["खेल-में","हँसने-का","हँसूँगी","हँसेगा-तू","हंसता-था-मैं"]·ID["Aku tersenyum","akan-tertawa","dalam-permainan","engkau-tertawa","untuk-tertawa"]·IT["in-amusement-di","per-ridere","ridere"]·jav["Kula-mesem","bakal-ngguyu","ing-dolanan","kangge-geguyon","panjenengan-gumujeng"]·KO["에-웃기는-것","웃기-위한","웃으리라-너는","웃으면","웃을-것이다"]·PT["Eu-sorria","na-diversão-de","para-rir","rirei","rirás"]·RU["на-игру","посмеюсь,","посмеёшься","смеяться;","улыбался-я"]·ES["Me-reía","en-la-diversión-de","me-reiré","para-reír","te-reirás"]·SW["mchezo","niliwatabasamu","nitacheka","utacheka","wa-kucheka"]·TR["-de-eğlence","Gülümserdim","gulmek-icin","güleceksin","güleceğim"]·urd["تماشے-میں","تُو-ہنسے-گا","مسکراتا تھا","ہنسنے-کا","ہنسوں-گی"]
6. sense 6 — Hifil participle: to laugh in scorn or ridicule — a single occurrence at 2 Chronicles 30:10, where Hezekiah's messengers are 'laughed to scorn' by the northern tribes. Spanish riéndose ('laughing at') and English 'laughing' both treat this as derisive, but the Hifil causative morphology distinguishes it from the Qal mocking in sense 1, suggesting a sense of provoking or inducing mockery in others. The isolation of this stem form warrants its own entry. 1×
AR["يَضْحَكُونَ"]·ben["উপহাস-করছিল"]·DE["[משחיקים]"]·EN["laughing"]·FR["[משחיקים]"]·heb["משחיקים"]·HI["हँसी-उड़ाते"]·ID["menertawakan"]·IT["[משחיקים]"]·jav["nggègèg"]·PT["zombando"]·RU["насмехающиеся"]·ES["riéndose"]·SW["mashchiykiym"]·TR["alay-edenler"]·urd["مذاق-اڑاتے-ہوئے"]
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† שָׂחַק vb. laugh (‖ צהק, q.v.; NH שָׂחַק, סָחַק; Ethiopic ሠሐቀ: );— Qal Pf. 3 ms. וְשׂ׳ consec. Pr 29:9; 3 pl. שָֽׂחֲקוּ La 1:7; Jb 30:1; Impf. 3 ms. יִשְׂחַק Jb 39:7 +, etc.; Inf. cstr. שְׂחוֹק Ju 16:27; Ec 3:4;— 1. a. laugh at, usually in contempt, derision, c. עַל pers. Jb 30:1 ψ 52:8; עַל rei La 1:7; c. ל pers. God subj. ψ 37:13; 59:9 (‖ לָעַג); c. ל rei vel pers. = have no fear of, Hb 1:10;…