H8173b H8173b
To delight in, take exquisite pleasure; to play, sport joyfully
The Pilpel verb שִׁעֲשַׁע (from שׁעע II) expresses a deep, luxuriating delight — the kind of pleasure that lingers and savors. Five of its six occurrences describe spiritual delight: the psalmist delights in God's Torah (Ps 119:16, 47, 70), and God's consolations delight the troubled soul (Ps 94:19). German 'Wohlgefallen' (well-pleasure, deep satisfaction) captures the contemplative quality perfectly. But Isaiah gives us a stunning sixth use: in the messianic kingdom, a nursing child 'plays' over the cobra's hole (Isa 11:8) — fearless, innocent delight turned physical. Isaiah 66:12 adds a tender image of being 'fondled' on the knees, blending physical comfort with spiritual joy.
Senses
1. delight in, take pleasure in — To take exquisite delight or pleasure in something, to find deep, lingering enjoyment — predominantly used of delighting in God's Torah, commandments, and consolations. The psalmist declares 'I delight in your statutes' (Ps 119:16, 47) and 'I take delight in your law' (119:70), while God's consolations 'delight my soul' (Ps 94:19). Isaiah 66:12 extends this to being 'fondled' (Polpal stem) on the knees — comfort as delight. Spanish 'me deleitare' and German 'Wohlgefallen' both encode a deep, savoring pleasure rather than mere happiness. 5×
AR["أَتَلَذَّذُ", "تَلَذَّذْتُ", "تُبْهِجُ", "تُدَلَّلُونَ", "وَ-أَتَلَذَّذُ"]·ben["আনন্দিত-করে", "আমি-আনন্দ-করব", "আমি-আনন্দ-করেছি", "ও-আমি-আনন্দ-করব", "তোমরা-আদর-পাবে"]·DE["Wohlgefallen", "[תשעשעו]", "ich-Wohlgefallen", "und-ich-wird-Wohlgefallen"]·EN["I-delight", "and-I-will-delight", "delight", "you-shall-be-bounced"]·FR["[תשעשעו]", "et-se-délecter", "se-délecter"]·heb["אשתעשע", "ו-אשתעשע", "ישעשעו", "שיעשעתי", "תשתעשעו"]·HI["आनंदित-करती-हैं", "लाड-किए-जाओगे"]·ID["aku-bersenang-senang", "dan-aku-bersenang-senang", "kamu-akan-dimanja", "menyenangkan"]·IT["[תשעשעו]", "e-si-diletto'", "si-diletto'"]·jav["Lan-kula-remen-manahipun", "kula-remen-manahipun", "mbingahaken", "panjenengan-badhe-dipuntresnani"]·KO["그리고-즐거워하리라", "기뾘게-하셨도다", "너희가-즐길-것이다", "즐거워하리라", "즐거워하였나이다"]·PT["E-me-deleitarei", "deleitam", "me-deleitarei", "me-deleito", "sereis-acariciados"]·RU["И-буду-утешаться", "будете-ласкаемы", "радовали", "утешаюсь", "утешаюсь-я"]·ES["Y-me-deleitaré", "deleitan", "me-deleitaré", "me-deleité", "seréis-acariciados"]·SW["mtatunzwa", "na-nitajifurahisha", "nimefurahia", "nitajifurahisha", "zinafurahisha"]·TR["okşanacaksınız", "sevindirdi", "ve-zevk-alacağım", "zevk-alacağım", "zevk-aldım"]·urd["اور-خوش-ہوں-گا", "تم-نوازے-جاؤ-گے", "خوش-ہوا", "خوش-ہوں-گا", "میری-جان-کو-خوش-کرتی-ہیں"]
2. play, sport — To play or sport, describing innocent, joyful physical activity in a context of fearless trust. In Isaiah 11:8, the messianic vision depicts a nursing child who 'plays' (וְשִׁעֲשַׁע) over the hole of the cobra — an image where deadly danger has been abolished and unguarded delight reigns. Spanish 'y jugara' (and will play) shifts decisively from the contemplative 'delight' vocabulary of the psalm occurrences to the physical vocabulary of childhood play, confirming a distinct sense within the same root. 1×
AR["وَ-يَلْعَبُ"]·ben["ও-খেলবে"]·DE["[ושעשע]"]·EN["and-will-play"]·FR["[ושעשע]"]·heb["ו-שעשע"]·HI["और-खेलेगा"]·ID["Dan-bermain"]·IT["[ושעשע]"]·jav["Lan-dolanan"]·KO["재미-보리라"]·PT["E-brincará"]·RU["и-будет-играть"]·ES["Y-jugará"]·SW["Na-atacheza"]·TR["ve-oynayacak"]·urd["اور-کھیلے-گا"]
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
† II. [שָׁעַע] vb. Pilp., etc., sport, take delight in, delight (usually made = I. שׁ׳ smooth over, please; Buhl cp. Aramaic ܫܥܳܐ, Ithpe. sport, trifle, Vulg.Ar. مشعشع (loan-word?) VollersZMG xiv (1891), 86, 1. 3);— Pilp. Pf. 3 ms. consec. וְשִׁעֲשַׁע Is 11:8 the suckling shall sport on (עַל) the cobra’s hole; 1 s. שִׁעֲשָׁ֑עְתִּי ψ 119:70 I take delight in thy law (acc.; but? read שַׁעֲשֻׁעָ֑י,…