Word Study for H8591 (תָּעַע)

tâʻaʻ /taw-ah'/ Ask about this word

Roota primitive root

Meaningto cheat; by analogy, to maltreat

KJV usagedeceive, misuse.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of tâʻaʻ — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word tâʻaʻ, represented by H8591, is a primitive root meaning to cheat; by analogy, to maltreat; deceive, misuse. It is a rare term, appearing only 2 times in 2 unique verses, yet its applications are significant, touching on both personal deception and national rebellion.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its biblical usage, H8591 describes actions that violate trust and authority. In Genesis, Jacob fears that his father will perceive him as a deceiver H8591 if his ruse is discovered, showing the word's connection to deliberate cheating to gain an advantage Genesis 27:12. In a much broader context, the people of Judah are condemned because they misused H8591 God's prophets, an act of maltreatment that contributed to the Lord's wrath and their eventual judgment 2 Chronicles 36:16.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words appear alongside H8591, clarifying its meaning:

H3931 lâʻab (to deride; mock): Used in direct parallel with H8591, this word shows that the "misuse" of the prophets was an act of contemptuous mockery 2 Chronicles 36:16.
H959 bâzâh (a primitive root; to disesteem; despise, disdain): This term further defines the attitude behind the maltreatment of the prophets as one of despising God's words 2 Chronicles 36:16.
H5869 ʻayin (an eye (literally or figuratively)): This word is used when Jacob worries he will "seem" to his father as a deceiver, connecting the concept of deception to what is perceived in someone's sight or "eye" Genesis 27:12.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H8591 is demonstrated in its two distinct contexts.

Violation of Familial Trust: The word's use in Jacob's deception of his father highlights a fundamental breakdown of integrity. Jacob fears his action as a deceiver will bring upon him a curse rather than a blessing, linking deceit to negative spiritual consequences Genesis 27:12.
Rejection of Divine Authority: The term's application to the misuse of prophets frames this action as a grave offense against God. It is presented as a final straw, alongside mocking messengers and despising God's words, which leads to inescapable wrath 2 Chronicles 36:16.

Summary

In summary, H8591 is a potent word that, while infrequent, carries significant meaning. It encompasses the spectrum from personal, familial deceit to national, spiritual rebellion. The use of tâʻaʻ illustrates that acts of cheating, deception, and maltreatment are not minor flaws but serious violations that carry severe consequences, whether in the home or in one's relationship with God.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a verb across 2 occurrences, inflected in 2 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

מִתַּעְתְּעִים
מְתַעְתֵּעַ

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 2 verses across 2 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Genesis and 2 Chronicles (1 verse each); never once in the other 37.

Genesis

2 Chronicles

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.