הָתֹל
𐤄𐤕𐤋
hâthôl
H2049 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A term denoting those who deride, scoff, or mock; refers collectively to individuals engaged in scornful or mocking behavior, especially through speech. In context, it designates mockers as a group, often characterized by their ridiculing attitude or scornful jesting.
Semantic Range
mockers, scoffers, those who deride, collective group engaged in ridicule; in wisdom literature, those acting in opposition to moral teaching or wisdom
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root הָתַל (htl), meaning 'to mock, deride, deceive (playfully)'. הָתֹל is a plural collective noun, indicating a group or class of mockers rather than an individual. The root conveys a sense of playful or scornful mockery, not mere deception.
Historical & Contextual Notes
הָתֹל occurs very rarely in the Hebrew Bible (notably in Proverbs 21:24), and is used to describe a category of individuals—the scoffers or mockers—who exhibit a pattern of derisive or scornful speech. In ancient Israelite society, 'mockers' were often associated with a lack of respect for wisdom, authority, or instruction, and could be contrasted with the wise (חָכָם) or the naive (פֶּתִי). The term does not have explicit ethnic, geographic, or religious connotations but designates a type of social or moral behavior. In later Jewish literature, related terms (e.g., לֵץ) also take on the sense of skeptics or those opposed to moral instruction. English translations typically use 'scorners', 'mockers', or 'scoffers', but the nuance of collective derisive behavior may be underemphasized. This nuance is significant within the wisdom literature, where the mocker is seen as resistant to correction or wisdom, in contrast to the receptive wise person.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from הָתַל (only in plural collectively); a derision; mocker.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
התל (h-t-l) — to mock, deride, deceive playfully
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H2048 | הָתַל | to cause to be deceived |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2049-01 |
הֲ֭תֻלִים | hatulim | HNcmpa |
mockers | mockers | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2049-01 |
Job 17:2 | הֲ֭תֻלִים | hatulim | HNcmpa |
mockers | mockers |