What does תָּעָה (tāʿāh) mean in the Bible?
תָּעָה (tāʿāh): Vacillating movement—physical staggering or moral straying—often implies deception or leading others deliberately astray.
Hebrew · H8582
תָּעָה
To vacillate , i.e. reel or stray (literally or figuratively); also causative of both
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תָּעָהH8582
Pronunciationtāʿāh
What does תָּעָה (tāʿāh) mean in the Bible?
תָּעָה (tāʿāh): Vacillating movement—physical staggering or moral straying—often implies deception or leading others deliberately astray.
Full entry for תָּעָה (H8582) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H8582?
The BSB source-word alignment has 50 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include astray (5), go astray (4), stray (3), went astray (3), and makes them wander (2).
Where does תָּעָה (tāʿāh) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 20:13. Its strongest book concentrations include Isaiah (15), Ezekiel (7), Psalms (6), Proverbs (5).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders Itastray5×2 Chronicles 33:9, Isaiah 19:13, Jeremiah 23:13, Jeremiah 23:32
go astray4×Psalms 58:3, Psalms 95:10, Proverbs 14:22, Ezekiel 48:11
stray3×Exodus 23:4, Proverbs 7:25, Ezekiel 14:11
went astray3×Ezekiel 44:10, Ezekiel 44:15, Ezekiel 48:11
and makes them wander2×Job 12:24, Psalms 107:40
[did]1×Ezekiel 48:11
and spread1×Isaiah 16:8
and stumble1×Isaiah 28:7
and wandered1×Genesis 21:14
as they wander about1×Job 38:41
deceive himself1×Job 15:31
do You make us stray1×Isaiah 63:17
falters1×Isaiah 21:4
goes astray1×Proverbs 10:17
had me journey1×Genesis 20:13
has been led astray1×Isaiah 19:14
have deceived1×Jeremiah 42:20
have gone astray1×Isaiah 53:6
have led them astray1×Jeremiah 50:6
He makes them stagger1×Job 12:25
I have strayed1×Psalms 119:176
lead them astray1×Proverbs 12:26
leads them astray1×Hosea 4:12
led them astray1×2 Kings 21:9
mislead them1×Isaiah 9:16
mislead you1×Isaiah 3:12
Some wandered1×Psalms 107:4
staggers through1×Isaiah 19:14
stray onto it1×Isaiah 35:8
strayed1×Psalms 119:110
strays1×Isaiah 47:15
Then the wayward1×Isaiah 29:24
they are led astray1×Amos 2:4
They stumble1×Isaiah 28:7
to lead them astray1×Isaiah 30:28
wandered1×Ezekiel 44:10
wandering1×Genesis 37:15
who strays1×Proverbs 21:16
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 20:13הִתְע֣וּtohad me journeyVerb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common pluralGenesis 21:14וַתֵּ֔תַעtoand wanderedConjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singularGenesis 37:15תֹעֶ֖הtowanderingVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularExodus 23:4תֹּעֶ֑הtostrayVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular2 Kings 21:9וַיַּתְעֵ֤םtoled them astrayConjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine plural2 Chronicles 33:9וַיֶּ֣תַעtoastrayConjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularJob 12:24וַ֝יַּתְעֵ֗םtoand makes them wanderConjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine pluralJob 12:25וַ֝יַּתְעֵ֗םtoHe makes them staggerConjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine pluralJob 15:31נִתְעָ֑הtodeceive himselfVerb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singularJob 38:41יִ֝תְע֗וּtoas they wander aboutVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowGenesis 20:13
Aligned rows50
Books represented13
Genesis3Exodus12 Kings12 Chronicles1Job4Psalms6Proverbs5Isaiah15Jeremiah4Ezekiel7Hosea1Amos1Micah1
Source forms
וַ֝יַּתְעֵ֗ם3xway·yaṯ·‘êmJob 12:24, Job 12:25, Psalms 107:40
בִּתְע֤וֹת2xbiṯ·‘ō·wṯEzekiel 44:10, Ezekiel 44:15
תָּע֣וּ2xtā·‘ūPsalms 107:4, Ezekiel 44:10
בִּתְעוֹת֙1xbiṯ·‘ō·wṯEzekiel 48:11
הַמַּתְעִ֣ים1xham·maṯ·‘îmMicah 3:5
הִתְעָ֔ה1xhiṯ·‘āhHosea 4:12
הִתְע֣וּ1xhiṯ·‘ūGenesis 20:13
הִתְע֥וּ1xhiṯ·‘ūIsaiah 19:13
Parsing patterns
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural9xPsalms 58:3, Psalms 107:4, Isaiah 16:8, Isaiah 28:7
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine plural4x2 Kings 21:9, Job 12:24, Job 12:25, Psalms 107:40
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural4xJob 38:41, Proverbs 14:22, Isaiah 35:8, Ezekiel 14:11
Preposition-b | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct3xEzekiel 44:10, Ezekiel 44:15, Ezekiel 48:11
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular3xGenesis 37:15, Exodus 23:4, Proverbs 21:16
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural2xJeremiah 23:13, Jeremiah 23:32
Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine plural2xIsaiah 3:12, Isaiah 9:16
Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular2xProverbs 10:17, Isaiah 30:28
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Vacillating movement—physical staggering or moral straying—often implies deception or leading others deliberately astray.
Strong'sH8582
Lexical occurrences51 versesWord forms3 forms32 referencesVerse guides0 guides
Study linkIsaiah 44:9-20Source Gloss
to vacillate , i.e. reel or stray (literally or figuratively); also causative of both
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Vacillating movement—physical staggering or moral straying—often implies deception or leading others deliberately astray.
to vacillate, i.e. reel or stray (literally or figuratively); also causative of both BDB: err Usage: (cause to) go astray, deceive, dissemble, (cause to, make to) err, pant, seduce, (make to) stagger, (cause to) wander, be out of the way.
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 forms32
Qalbasic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense23×
PerfectEzek 44:10 · Ezek 48:11 · Isa 16:8 · Isa 28:7 · Isa 47:15 · Ps 58:4 · Ps 107:4 · Ps 119:110 · Ps 119:176 · Isa 21:4 · Isa 53:613×
Participle activeExod 23:4 · Gen 37:15 · Isa 29:24 · Prov 21:16 · Ps 95:105×
ImperfectEzek 14:11 · Isa 35:8 · Job 38:41 · Prov 14:224×
JussiveProv 7:251×
Hiphilcausative active — the subject causes someone else to perform the action8×
Participle activeIsa 3:12 · Isa 9:15 · Isa 30:28 · Prov 10:174×
PerfectGen 20:13 · Isa 19:13 · Hos 4:12 · Jer 42:204×
Niphalpassive or reflexive — the subject receives or experiences the action1×
PerfectJob 15:311×
Selected Scripture Witness
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Old Testament Witnesses
To wander or go astray.
Showing 1 selected witness from 51 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
תָּעָה is a primitive root - no further derivation.
Why This Word Matters
Describes the heart’s self-deception in false worship.Isaiah 44:9-20
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.