Hebrew word · H4123

מַֽהֲתַלּוֹת

mahatalot

deception

This word appears only once in the Hebrew Bible. It is formed from the root htl / tll, “to mock, trifle with, deceive.” Elijah uses that root when he mocks the prophets of Baal (1 Kgs 18:27). Laban is said to have “cheated” Jacob (Gen 31:7).

Appears once in the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

deceptions, illusions

Abridged from Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Isaiah 30:10

Range of meaning

This word appears only once in the Hebrew Bible. It is formed from the root htl / tll, “to mock, trifle with, deceive.” Elijah uses that root when he mocks the prophets of Baal (1 Kgs 18:27). Laban is said to have “cheated” Jacob (Gen 31:7). Job asks, “Will you deceive him as one deceives a man?” (Job 13:9). Jeremiah says “each deceives his neighbour” (Jer 9:5 [Heb 9:4]). So the noun means tricks, delusions, things that make a fool of the one who trusts them.

Against the English

KJV and WEB have “deceits,” BSB and most modern versions “illusions,” and NLT bluntly “lies.” “Illusions” fits well with the verb “see” in this verse: they ask to be shown things that are not real.

Used elsewhere in the period

Lexicons such as HALOT and BDB connect the noun to the root htl. Since it occurs only here, its exact shade of meaning comes from the root and from the context.

Where it appears

Isaiah · 1

  1. Isaiah 30:10 מַהֲתַלּֽוֹת׃ deception<s>

    They say to the seers, “Stop seeing visions!” and to the prophets, “Do not prophesy to us the truth! Speak to us pleasant words; prophesy illusions.

    Here: “Trickeries.” The word appears only here in the Hebrew Bible. Its root means to fool or make a fool of someone, so the word suggests illusions that make a fool of the one who believes them.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.