What does לוּץ (lets) mean in the Bible?
לוּץ (lets): Scoffing and interpretation share root in mimicry; moving from mockery to mediation between languages and peoples.
Hebrew · H3887
לוּץ
Properly, to make mouths at , i.e. to scoff ; hence (from the effort to pronounce a foreign language) to interpret , or (generally) intercede
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לוּץ H3887
Pronunciation lets
What does לוּץ (lets) mean in the Bible?
לוּץ (lets): Scoffing and interpretation share root in mimicry; moving from mockery to mediation between languages and peoples.
Full entry for לוּץ (H3887) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H3887?
The BSB source-word alignment has 28 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include a mocker (5), mock (2), mocks (2), the mockers (2), and a mocker (1).
Where does לוּץ (lets) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 42:23. Its strongest book concentrations include Proverbs (18), Isaiah (3), Job (2), Psalms (2).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It a mocker 5× Proverbs 9:7, Proverbs 9:8, Proverbs 14:6, Proverbs 15:12
mock 2× Proverbs 14:9, Isaiah 28:22
mocks 2× Proverbs 3:34, Proverbs 19:28
the mockers 2× Proverbs 3:34, Isaiah 29:20
and a mocker 1× Proverbs 24:9
and your spokesmen 1× Isaiah 43:27
are my scoffers 1× Job 16:20
but a mocker 1× Proverbs 13:1
but if you scoff 1× Proverbs 9:12
deride me 1× Psalms 119:51
for mockers 1× Proverbs 19:29
How long will scoffers 1× Proverbs 1:22
is a mocker 1× Proverbs 20:1
mediator 1× Job 33:23
Mocker 1× Proverbs 21:24
of mockers 1× Psalms 1:1
the mocker 1× Proverbs 22:10
there was an interpreter 1× Genesis 42:23
those who mock him 1× Hosea 7:5
When a mocker 1× Proverbs 21:11
when ambassadors 1× 2 Chronicles 32:31
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 42:23 הַמֵּלִ֖יץ to there was an interpreter Article | Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular 2 Chronicles 32:31 בִּמְלִיצֵ֣י׀ to when ambassadors Preposition-b | Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine plural construct Job 16:20 מְלִיצַ֥י to are my scoffers Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine plural construct | first person common singular Job 33:23 מֵלִ֗יץ to mediator Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular Psalms 1:1 לֵ֝צִ֗ים to of mockers Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural Psalms 119:51 הֱלִיצֻ֣נִי to deride me Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common plural | first person common singular Proverbs 1:22 וְלֵצִ֗ים to How long will scoffers Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural Proverbs 3:34 לַלֵּצִ֥ים to mocks Preposition-l, Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural Proverbs 3:34 יָלִ֑יץ to the mockers Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Proverbs 9:7 לֵ֗ץ to a mocker Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Genesis 42:23
Aligned rows 28
Books represented 7
Genesis 1 2 Chronicles 1 Job 2 Psalms 2 Proverbs 18 Isaiah 3 Hosea 1
Source forms
לֵ֣ץ 4x lêṣ Proverbs 14:6, Proverbs 19:25, Proverbs 20:1, Proverbs 21:24
לֵ֭ץ 3x lêṣ Proverbs 9:8, Proverbs 15:12, Proverbs 22:10
יָלִ֣יץ 2x yā·lîṣ Proverbs 14:9, Proverbs 19:28
בִּמְלִיצֵ֣י׀ 1x bim·lî·ṣê 2 Chronicles 32:31
הֱלִיצֻ֣נִי 1x hĕ·lî·ṣu·nî Psalms 119:51
הַמֵּלִ֖יץ 1x ham·mê·lîṣ Genesis 42:23
וְ֝לֵ֗ץ 1x wə·lêṣ Proverbs 13:1
וְלֵצִ֗ים 1x wə·lê·ṣîm Proverbs 1:22
Parsing patterns
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular 11x Proverbs 9:7, Proverbs 9:8, Proverbs 14:6, Proverbs 15:12
Preposition-l, Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural 2x Proverbs 3:34, Proverbs 19:29
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular 2x Proverbs 3:34, Proverbs 19:28
Article | Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular 1x Genesis 42:23
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular 1x Isaiah 43:27
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular 1x Proverbs 9:12
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural 1x Proverbs 1:22
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular 1x Proverbs 13:1
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Scoffing and interpretation share root in mimicry; moving from mockery to mediation between languages and peoples.
Strong's H3887
Lexical occurrences 27 verses Word forms 2 forms 17 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link Proverbs 9:7-12 Source Gloss
properly, to make mouths at , i.e. to scoff ; hence (from the effort to pronounce a foreign language) to interpret , or (generally) intercede
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Scoffing and interpretation share root in mimicry; moving from mockery to mediation between languages and peoples.
properly, to make mouths at, i.e. to scoff; hence (from the effort to pronounce a foreign language) to interpret, or (generally) intercede BDB: scorn Usage: ambassador, have in derision, interpreter, make a mock, mocker, scorn(-er, -ful), teacher.
Grammatical Forms
How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups 2 Aligned forms 17
Hiphil causative active — the subject causes someone else to perform the action 4×
Imperfect Prov 3:34 · Prov 14:9 · Prov 19:28 3×
Participle active Job 33:23 1×
Hithpolel 1×
Jussive Isa 28:22 1×
Selected Scripture Witness
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Old Testament Witnesses
one who scorns instruction and despises wisdom
Showing 1 selected witness from 27 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
לוּץ is a primitive root - no further derivation.
Why This Word Matters
The mocker represents the hardened rejection of correction. Proverbs 9:7-12
Canonical Themes
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain