Topical Encyclopedia
Laughter, a universal human expression of joy, amusement, or derision, is mentioned several times throughout the Bible. It serves as a reflection of human emotions and divine interactions, illustrating both the joy and folly of mankind. In the biblical context, laughter can signify a range of experiences from genuine delight to skeptical disbelief.
Old Testament References1.
Joy and Celebration: Laughter is often associated with joy and celebration. In
Genesis 21:6, Sarah declares, "God has made me laugh, and everyone who hears of this will laugh with me." This laughter is one of joy and fulfillment as Sarah gives birth to Isaac in her old age, fulfilling God's promise to Abraham.
2.
Skepticism and Disbelief: Laughter also appears in contexts of skepticism. In
Genesis 18:12, Sarah laughs to herself upon overhearing the promise of a son, doubting due to her advanced age. The Lord responds in
Genesis 18:14, "Is anything too difficult for the LORD?" Here, laughter reflects human doubt in the face of divine promise.
3.
Derision and Scorn: Laughter can also be an expression of scorn or derision. In
Psalm 2:4, it is written, "The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them." This divine laughter is a response to the futile rebellion of earthly kings against God's anointed.
4.
Folly and Vanity:
Ecclesiastes 2:2 states, "I said of laughter, 'It is folly,' and of pleasure, 'What does it accomplish?'" This reflects the view that laughter, when associated with frivolity and hedonism, is ultimately meaningless in the pursuit of true wisdom and fulfillment.
New Testament References1.
Joy in the Kingdom: In the Beatitudes, Jesus speaks of laughter as a future blessing for those who mourn.
Luke 6:21 states, "Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh." This promise of laughter signifies the joy and comfort found in the Kingdom of God.
2.
Mockery and Scorn: Laughter is also present in the context of mockery. In
Luke 8:53, when Jesus declares that Jairus' daughter is not dead but asleep, the mourners "laughed at Him, knowing that she was dead." This laughter is one of disbelief and scorn, contrasting human perception with divine power.
Theological ImplicationsLaughter in the Bible serves as a multifaceted symbol. It can be an expression of divine joy and fulfillment, as seen in the birth of Isaac, or a manifestation of human skepticism and disbelief, as with Sarah's initial reaction to God's promise. Divine laughter, as depicted in the Psalms, underscores God's sovereignty and the futility of human rebellion. Conversely, the laughter promised in the Beatitudes points to the eschatological hope and joy that awaits believers.
In summary, laughter in the biblical narrative is a complex expression that encompasses joy, disbelief, scorn, and hope. It reflects the human condition in relation to divine promises and actions, offering insight into the nature of faith, fulfillment, and the ultimate joy found in God's Kingdom.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
(
n.) A movement (usually involuntary) of the muscles of the face, particularly of the lips, with a peculiar expression of the eyes, indicating merriment, satisfaction, or derision, and usually attended by a sonorous and interrupted expulsion of air from the lungs.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
LAUGHTERlaf'-ter (chaq, tsachaq, "to laugh," sechoq, "laughter"; gelao, katagelao):
(1) Laughter as the expression of gladness, pleasurable surprise, is the translation of tsachaq (Genesis 17:17;Genesis 18:12, 13, 15;Genesis 21:6), which, however, should perhaps be "laugh at me," not "with me," as the King James Version and the Revised Version (British and American) (so Delitzsch and others; see also Hastings in HDB), not in the sense of derision, but of surprise and pleasure. In the same verse for "God hath made me to laugh," the Revised Version (British and American) gives in margin, "hath prepared laughter for me," and this gave his name to the son, the promise of whose birth evoked the laughter (Yitschaq, Isaac); gelao (Luke 6:21, 25) has the same meaning of gladness and rejoicing; sechoq, "laughter," has also this sense (Job 8:21Psalm 126:2). It is, however, "laughed to scorn" inJob 12:4; the Revised Version (British and American) "laughing-stock"; soJeremiah 20:7; compare 48:26, 27, 39;Lamentations 3:14, "derision."
(2) Sachaq is used (exceptJob 29:24Ecclesiastes 3:4) in the sense of the laughter of defiance, or derision (Job 5:22;Job 41:29); in Piel it is often translated "play," "playing," "merry"
(3) La`agh is "to scorn" "to laugh to scorn" (2 Kings 19:21Nehemiah 2:19); sachaq has also this sense (2 Chronicles 30:10); tsechoq (Ezekiel 23:32); sechoq (Job 12:4); katagelao (Matthew 9:24Mark 5:40Luke 8:53); the simple gelao occurs only inLuke 6:21, 25; see above. Katagelao is found in Judith 12:12, "laugh to scorn" (Ecclesiasticus 7:11; 20:17; 1 Maccabees 10:70, the Revised Version (British and American) "derision").
For "laugh" (Job 9:23) the Revised Version (British and American) has "mock"; for "mocked of his neighbor" and "laughed to scorn" (Job 12:4) "laughing-stock"; for "shall rejoice in time to come" (Proverbs 31:25), "laugheth at the time to come"; "laughter" for "laughing" (Job 8:21).
W. L. Walker
Greek
1071. gelos --laughter... gelos. 1072 .
laughter. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration: gelos
Phonetic Spelling: (ghel'-os) Short Definition:
laughter Definition:
laughter.
...Strong's Hebrew
7814. sechoq --laughter, derision, sport... 7813, 7814. sechoq or sechoq. 7815 .
laughter, derision, sport. Transliteration:
sechoq or sechoq Phonetic Spelling: (sekh-oke') Short Definition:
laughter...6712. tsechoq --laughter
... 6711, 6712. tsechoq. 6713 .laughter. Transliteration: tsechoq Phonetic
Spelling: (tsekh-oke') Short Definition: laughed. Word Origin...
3327. Yitschaq -- "he laughs," son of Abraham and Sarah
... Isaac. From tsachaq;laughter (ie Mochery); Jitschak (or Isaac), son of Abraham --
Isaac. Compare Yischaq. see HEBREW tsachaq. see HEBREW Yischaq. 3326, 3327...
Library
OnLaughter.
... Chapter V."OnLaughter.... If, then, wags are to be ejected from our society, we ourselves
must by no manner of means be allowed to stir uplaughter....
HollowLaughter, Solid Joy
... THE PROVERBS HOLLOWLAUGHTER, SOLID JOY. 'Even inlaughter the heart is sorrowful;
and the end of that mirth is heaviness.'"Proverbs 14:13....
Of Isaac, who was Born According to the Promise, Whose Name was...
... Book XVI. Chapter 31."Of Isaac, Who Was Born According to the Promise, Whose
Name Was Given on Account of theLaughter of Both Parents....
An Examination of the Question Where the Ruling Principle is to be...
... XII. An examination of the question where the ruling principle is to be considered
to reside; wherein also is a discussion of tears andlaughter, and a...
Whether Pain or Sorrow is Assuaged by Tears?
... Objection 2: Further, just as tears or groans are an effect of sorrow, solaughter
is an effect of joy. Butlaughter does not lessen joy....
Chapter xxi
... There the joyouslaughter of faith on Abraham's part was the direct cause
for the choice of the name. At the same time, as far as...
But Whilst the King Has not that Most Blessed Light...
... better than precious ointment.2. The day of death " " " the day of birth.3. The
house of mourning " " " the house of feasting.4. Borrow " " "laughter.5. The...
Chapter ii.
... 2. "I said oflaughter, It is mad; [938] and of mirth, What doest thou?".
Laughter has a twofold madness; because madness begets...
O what Amazement Befel the Evil One, of a Sudden, My Brethren...
... to the One Who alone, conquered the Evil One; and to Him yea Him be also confession,
Who vanquished Death!"3. The Evil One marvelled "Where is herlaughter?...
Of the Question Why, if Christ is Believed to have Been the Wisest...
... But if these deities are to be considered proper objects for reverence, why then
do they make them the subject oflaughter in the theatres?...
Thesaurus
Laughter (14 Occurrences)... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia.
LAUGHTER. laf'-ter (chaq, tsachaq, "to
laugh," sechoq, "
laughter"; gelao, katagelao): (1)
Laughter...Laugh (23 Occurrences)
... a lighting up of the face and eyes, and usually accompanied by the emission of
explosive or chuckling sounds from the chest and throat; to indulge inlaughter....
Ridicule (14 Occurrences)
... 1. (n.) Remarks designed to excitelaughter with a degree of contempt; wit of that
species which provokes contemptuouslaughter; disparagement by making a...
Mirth (18 Occurrences)
... 1. (n.) Merriment; gayety accompanied withlaughter; jollity.... Proverbs 14:13 Even
inlaughter the heart may be sorrowful, and mirth may end in heaviness....
Merry (38 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (superl.) Laughingly gay; overflowing with good humor
and good spirits; jovial; inclined tolaughter or play ; sportive....
Laughingstock (10 Occurrences)
... laf'-ing-stok: Something set up to be laughed at; thrice in the Revised Version
(British and American) the translation of sechoq, "laughter," etc....
Ha (8 Occurrences)
... When repeated, ha, ha, it is an expression oflaughter, satisfaction, or triumph,
sometimes of derisivelaughter; or sometimes it is equivalent to Well, it is...
Scorn (65 Occurrences)
... In Habakkuk 1:10 (the King James Version) the word translated "scorn" is micchaq,
"an object oflaughter," "laughing-stock." In Psalm 44:13; Psalm 79:4 the...
Sadness (16 Occurrences)
... to thy word. (DBY). Proverbs 14:13 Even inlaughter the heart is sorrowful,
and the end of mirth is sadness. (DBY). Ecclesiastes 1...
Isaac (127 Occurrences)
... Easton's Bible DictionaryLaughter. (1) Israel, or the kingdom of the ten tribes
(Amos 7:9, 16). (2.) The only son of Abraham by Sarah....
Resources
What is holy laughter? | GotQuestions.orgHow is sorrow better than laughter (Ecclesiastes 7:3)? | GotQuestions.orgHow should a Christian view comedy? | GotQuestions.orgLaughter: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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