תַּעֲלוּלִים

From the study of Isaiah 66:4

Range of meaning

A rare plural noun from the root ʿ-l-l. In some verb forms that root means 'to deal wantonly or harshly with, to make a toy of, to abuse.' Examples: Exodus 10:2, where God 'made sport of' Egypt; 1 Samuel 6:6; Judges 19:25, where the Levite's concubine is 'abused'; 1 Samuel 31:4, 'make sport of me.' Lexicons give 'wantonness, caprice' and, here, 'wanton or harsh dealings, maltreatment' (BDB; HALOT has similar).

Against the English

KJV and WEB: 'delusions.' BSB and NASB: 'punishment(s).' NIV and ESV: 'harsh treatment.' NRSV: 'to mock them.' NJPS: 'make a mock of them.' 'Delusions' points English readers to the mind (false beliefs, deception), which the Hebrew word does not mean. 'Punishment' is accurate as to effect but loses the overtone of being treated with contempt, as a plaything.

How it drifted

The KJV's 'delusions' comes through the Latin Vulgate's illusiones ('mockeries'). In Latin that word could mean mockery or deceit. In English 'delusion' narrowed to a false belief someone holds, so the original sense of being mocked or roughly handled was lost.

Used elsewhere in the period

The only other occurrence is Isaiah 3:4: 'I will make boys their princes, and taʿălulîm shall rule over them.' There it means capricious or abusive rulers, or 'capriciousness' itself. The Septuagint, the ancient Greek translation, renders 66:4 with empaigmata ('mockeries') and 3:4 with empaiktai ('mockers'). The Vulgate has illusiones here. All the ancient versions understood the word as mockery or abuse, not mental deception.