What does צָחַק (ṣāḥaq) mean in the Bible?
צָחַק (ṣāḥaq): Laughter expressing emotion ranging from joy and play to mockery and contempt; often implies derision.
Hebrew · H6711
צָחַק
To laugh outright (in merriment or scorn); by implication, to sport
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צָחַק H6711
Pronunciation ṣāḥaq
What does צָחַק (ṣāḥaq) mean in the Bible?
צָחַק (ṣāḥaq): Laughter expressing emotion ranging from joy and play to mockery and contempt; often implies derision.
Full entry for צָחַק (H6711) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H6711?
The BSB source-word alignment has 13 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include laugh (2), to make sport (2), caressing (1), joking (1), laughed (1).
Where does צָחַק (ṣāḥaq) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 17:17. Its strongest book concentrations include Genesis (11), Exodus (1), Judges (1).
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 laugh 2× Genesis 18:13, Genesis 18:15
to make sport 2× Genesis 39:14, Genesis 39:17
caressing 1× Genesis 26:8
joking 1× Genesis 19:14
laughed 1× Genesis 18:12
Then he laughed 1× Genesis 17:17
to entertain them 1× Judges 16:25
to indulge in revelry 1× Exodus 32:6
was mocking [her son] 1× Genesis 21:9
will laugh 1× Genesis 21:6
you did laugh 1× Genesis 18:15
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 17:17 וַיִּצְחָ֑ק to Then he laughed Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Genesis 18:12 וַתִּצְחַ֥ק to laughed Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular Genesis 18:13 צָחֲקָ֨ה to laugh Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular Genesis 18:15 צָחַ֖קְתִּי to laugh Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular Genesis 18:15 צָחָֽקְתְּ׃ to you did laugh Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person feminine singular Genesis 19:14 כִמְצַחֵ֖ק to joking Preposition-k | Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular Genesis 21:6 יִֽצְחַק־ to will laugh Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Genesis 21:9 מְצַחֵֽק׃ to was mocking [her son] Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular Genesis 26:8 מְצַחֵ֔ק to caressing Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular Genesis 39:14 לְצַ֣חֶק to to make sport Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Genesis 17:17
Aligned rows 13
Books represented 3
Genesis 11 Exodus 1 Judges 1
Source forms
וַיְצַחֵק֙ 1x way·ṣa·ḥêq Judges 16:25
וַיִּצְחָ֑ק 1x way·yiṣ·ḥāq Genesis 17:17
וַתִּצְחַ֥ק 1x wat·tiṣ·ḥaq Genesis 18:12
יִֽצְחַק־ 1x yiṣ·ḥaq- Genesis 21:6
כִמְצַחֵ֖ק 1x ḵim·ṣa·ḥêq Genesis 19:14
לְצַ֣חֶק 1x lə·ṣa·ḥeq Genesis 39:14
לְצַ֥חֶק 1x lə·ṣa·ḥeq Genesis 39:17
לְצַחֵֽק׃פ 1x lə·ṣa·ḥêq Exodus 32:6
Parsing patterns
Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct 3x Genesis 39:14, Genesis 39:17, Exodus 32:6
Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular 2x Genesis 21:9, Genesis 26:8
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular 1x Judges 16:25
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular 1x Genesis 18:12
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular 1x Genesis 17:17
Preposition-k | Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular 1x Genesis 19:14
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular 1x Genesis 21:6
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular 1x Genesis 18:15
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Laughter expressing emotion ranging from joy and play to mockery and contempt; often implies derision.
Strong's H6711
Lexical occurrences 13 verses Word forms 2 forms 6 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link Genesis 17:15-22 Source Gloss
to laugh outright (in merriment or scorn); by implication, to sport
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Laughter expressing emotion ranging from joy and play to mockery and contempt; often implies derision.
to laugh outright (in merriment or scorn); by implication, to sport BDB: laugh Usage: laugh, mock, play, make sport.
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 6
Piel intensive active — emphasizes thoroughness or repeated action 2×
Participle active Gen 21:9 · Gen 26:8 2×
Qal basic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense 4×
Perfect Gen 18:13 · Gen 18:15 3×
Imperfect Gen 21:6 1×
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
Abraham's inward laughter expressing doubt or skepticism about God's promise
Sarah's fearful, skeptical laughter denying she laughed when confronted by the Lord
Ishmael playing or mocking Isaac, causing Sarah to demand his expulsion
Showing 3 selected witnesses from 13 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
צָחַק is a primitive root - no further derivation.
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