What does לָעַג (laag) mean in the Bible?
לָעַג (laag): Derision expressed through mimicry or unintelligible speech; mocking someone's utterance or foreignness.
Hebrew · H3932
לָעַג
To deride ; by implication (as if imitating a foreigner) to speak unintelligibly
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לָעַגH3932
Pronunciationlaag
What does לָעַג (laag) mean in the Bible?
לָעַג (laag): Derision expressed through mimicry or unintelligible speech; mocking someone's utterance or foreignness.
Full entry for לָעַג (H3932) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H3932?
The BSB source-word alignment has 18 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include mock (3), and mocks (2), [that] mocks (1), and mocked (1), He mocks (1).
Where does לָעַג (laag) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at 2 Kings 19:21. Its strongest book concentrations include Job (4), Psalms (4), Proverbs (3), Isaiah (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 Itmock3×Job 22:19, Psalms 22:7, Psalms 80:6
and mocks2×2 Kings 19:21, Isaiah 37:22
[that] mocks1×Proverbs 30:17
and mocked1×2 Chronicles 30:10
He mocks1×Job 9:23
He ridiculed1×Nehemiah 4:1
He who mocks1×Proverbs 17:5
I will sneer1×Proverbs 1:26
mocks1×Jeremiah 20:7
taunts them1×Psalms 2:4
they mocked1×Nehemiah 2:19
who stammer1×Isaiah 33:19
Will you scoff1×Job 11:3
you may go on mocking1×Job 21:3
You scoff1×Psalms 59:8
Show sample aligned rows
2 Kings 19:21לָעֲגָ֣הtoand mocksVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular2 Chronicles 30:10וּמַלְעִגִ֖יםtoand mockedConjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine pluralNehemiah 2:19וַיַּלְעִ֣גוּtothey mockedConjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralNehemiah 4:1וַיַּלְעֵ֖גtoHe ridiculedConjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularJob 9:23יִלְעָֽג׃toHe mocksVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularJob 11:3וַ֝תִּלְעַ֗גtoWill you scoffConjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - second person masculine singularJob 21:3תַלְעִֽיג׃toyou may go on mockingVerb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine singularJob 22:19יִלְעַג־tomockVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularPsalms 2:4יִלְעַג־totaunts themVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularPsalms 22:7יַלְעִ֣גוּtomockVerb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row2 Kings 19:21
Aligned rows18
Books represented8
2 Kings12 Chronicles1Nehemiah2Job4Psalms4Proverbs3Isaiah2Jeremiah1
Source forms
יִלְעַג־2xyil·‘aḡ-Job 22:19, Psalms 2:4
לָעֲגָ֣ה2xlā·‘ă·ḡāh2 Kings 19:21, Isaiah 37:22
אֶ֝לְעַ֗ג1x’el·‘aḡProverbs 1:26
וַיַּלְעֵ֖ג1xway·yal·‘êḡNehemiah 4:1
וַיַּלְעִ֣גוּ1xway·yal·‘i·ḡūNehemiah 2:19
וּמַלְעִגִ֖ים1xū·mal·‘i·ḡîm2 Chronicles 30:10
וַ֝תִּלְעַ֗ג1xwat·til·‘aḡJob 11:3
יִלְעָֽג׃1xyil·‘āḡJob 9:23
Parsing patterns
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular3xJob 9:23, Job 22:19, Psalms 2:4
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular2xProverbs 17:5, Jeremiah 20:7
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular2x2 Kings 19:21, Isaiah 37:22
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural1xNehemiah 2:19
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular1xNehemiah 4:1
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine plural1x2 Chronicles 30:10
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - second person masculine singular1xJob 11:3
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine singular1xJob 21:3
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Derision expressed through mimicry or unintelligible speech; mocking someone's utterance or foreignness.
Strong'sH3932
Lexical occurrences18 versesWord forms3 forms14 referencesVerse guides0 guides
Study linkNehemiah 4:1-14Source Gloss
to deride ; by implication (as if imitating a foreigner) to speak unintelligibly
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Derision expressed through mimicry or unintelligible speech; mocking someone's utterance or foreignness.
to deride; by implication (as if imitating a foreigner) to speak unintelligibly BDB: mock Usage: have in derision, laugh (to scorn), mock (on), stammering.
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 groups3Aligned forms14
Qalbasic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense11×
ImperfectJob 9:23 · Job 22:19 · Ps 2:4 · Prov 1:26 · Prov 30:17 · Ps 59:9 · Ps 80:77×
Perfect2Kgs 19:21 · Isa 37:222×
Participle activeJer 20:7 · Prov 17:52×
Niphalpassive or reflexive — the subject receives or experiences the action1×
Participle passiveIsa 33:191×
Hiphilcausative active — the subject causes someone else to perform the action2×
ImperfectJob 21:3 · Ps 22:82×
Selected Scripture Witness
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Old Testament Witnesses
To scorn or deride with contempt.
Showing 1 selected witness from 18 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
לָעַג is a primitive root - no further derivation.
Why This Word Matters
The term reveals that opposition targets morale and identity. Understanding this helps believers interpret ridicule as spiritual resistance rather than personal failure.Nehemiah 4:1-14
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.