Laughter — Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary

Expression of a variey of emotions. Laughter can express overjoyed happiness when circumstances change for the better, as for the Jews in returning from exile (Ps 126:2). Such joy is sincerely but facilely offered to Job by one of his comforters (Jb 8:21). Laughter can be good-humored and friendly, to encourage others (29:24). There is “a time to cry and a time to laugh” (Eccl 3:4), but the Preacher had his doubts: life is no laughing matter, and sorrow can be a better teacher (2:2; 7:3). Yet it is good to be able not to take certain things seriously. The well-prepared housewife “laughs with no fear of the future” (Prv 31:25). Job is promised that war and famine would be nothing to worry about (Jb 5:22; cf. Hb 1:9).

Show passage in OET: PSA 126:2

OET-RV PSA 126:2

2 Then our mouths were filled with laughter
⇔ ≈ and our tongues with singing.
⇔ Then they said among the nations,
⇔ “Yahweh has done great things for them.”

OET-LV PSA 126:2

2 Then it _was _filled laughter mouth _of_our and_tongue _of_our a _shout _of _joy then people _said among_nations YHWH he _has _made _great for_doing with these_people.

Show passage in OET: JOB 8:21

OET-RV JOB 8:21

21 He’ll still fill your mouth with laughter,
⇔ ≈ and your lips with a happy shout.

OET-LV JOB 8:21

21 Until he _will _fill laughter mouth _of_your and_lips _of_your a _shout _of _joy.

Show passage in OET: JOB 29:24

OET-RV JOB 29:24

24 I smiled at them even when they didn’t believe me,
⇔ and they didn’t cause the delight on my face to falter.

OET-LV JOB 29:24

24 I _laughed to_them not they _believed and_the _light _of my _face _of_my not they_made _fall.

Show passage in OET: ECC 3:4

OET-RV ECC 3:4

4 A time to cry and a time to laugh.
⇔ A time to mourn and a time to dance.

OET-LV ECC 3:4

4 A _time to_weep and_a _time to_laugh a _time _of to _mourn and_a _time _of to _leap _about.

Show passage in OET: ECC 2:2

OET-RV ECC 2:2

2 To laughter, I said, “It’s madness,”
⇔ ≈ and to joy, “What’s the point of this?”

OET-LV ECC 2:2

2 Of_laughter I _said it_is_mad and_of_pleasure what this is_it_doing.

Show passage in OET: ECC 7:3

OET-RV ECC 7:3

3 Laughter is better than grief
⇔ because a serious face means that the mind is working.

OET-LV ECC 7:3

3 Is_good vexation more_than _laughter if/because by_sadness _of face a _heart it _will _be _good.

Show passage in OET: PRO 31:25

OET-RV PRO 31:25

25 She’s clothed with strength and dignity,
⇔ and she laughs as she thinks about the future.

OET-LV PRO 31:25

25 Is_strength and_honour clothing _of_her and_she _laughed to_a _day future.

Show passage in OET: JOB 5:22

OET-RV JOB 5:22

22 You’ll laugh at destruction and at famine,
⇔ ≈ and you won’t be afraid of wild animals,

OET-LV JOB 5:22

22 To_destruction and_to_famine you _will _laugh and_from_the _animal[s]_of the_earth/land do _not be _afraid.

Show passage in OET: HAB 1:9

OET-RV HAB 1:9

⇔  9 They all come for violence—
⇔ hordes of faces advancing like the wind in the wilderness.
⇔ They gather captives like sand.

OET-LV HAB 1:9

9 Of _it _of_all for_violence it _comes the _totality _of their _faces _of_their eastward_is and_it _gathered like_sand captive[s].

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Laughter can be a negative, derisive thing. We can laugh at people and laugh them to scorn. This element comes very much to the fore in the OT. Job and Jeremiah complain of being laughingstocks (Jb 12:4; Jer 20:7). The nation complains that their enemies laugh at their distress (Ps 80:6; cf. 2 Chr 30:10). Sometimes there is every justification. In Psalm 52:6 the righteous are promised the last laugh, at the expense of the wicked unbeliever who thinks that he can leave God out of his life. In Proverbs 1:26, personified Wisdom warns that she will laugh at the calamity of those who refuse to take her advice: it will serve them right. In this sense laughter is ascribed to God three times in the Psalter. He laughs at the nations plotting against his anointed King (Ps 2:4). He laughs at wicked people, knowing they are heading for disaster (37:13). He is invited to laugh at the psalmist’s enemies (59:8). This divine laughter is a way of expressing that the truth will eventually prevail.

Show passage in OET: JOB 12:4

OET-RV JOB 12:4

4 I’m laughed at by my friends.
⇔ I was calling on God and he answered,
⇔ but an innocent man becomes someone to laugh at.

OET-LV JOB 12:4

4 A _laughing-stock to_friend _of_his I _am I_was_calling to_god and_he_answered _him is_a _laughing-stock a _righteous_person a _blameless_person.

Show passage in OET: JER 20:7

OET-RV JER 20:7

7 Yahweh, you’ve deceived me, and I was deceived.
⇔ ≈ You’ve overcome me and prevailed.
⇔ I’m laughed at all day long—
⇔ ≈ everyone mocks me.

OET-LV JER 20:7

7 You_deceived _me Oh_YHWH and_I _was _deceived you_prevailed _over _me and_you _prevailed I _have _become (into)_a_laughing-stock all _of the_day of _it _of_all is_mocking to_me.

Show passage in OET: PSA 80:6

OET-RV PSA 80:6

6 You make us something for our neighbours to argue over,
⇔ and our enemies laugh about us among themselves.

OET-LV PSA 80:7

7  You_make _us a _contention to_neighbours _of_our and_enemies _of_our they _mock (to)_themselves.

Show passage in OET: CH2 30:10

OET-RV CH2 30:10

10 The messengers went from city to city in the Efrayim (Ephraim) and Menasheh (Manasseh) regions, as far north as Zevulun, but many people there laughed at them and mocked them.

OET-LV CH2 30:10

10 And_ the_runners _they _were passing from_city to_city in_land _of ʼEfrayim and_Mənashsheh and_unto Zəⱱūlūn and_they _were laughing on_them and_mocking (in)_them.

Show passage in OET: PSA 52:6

OET-RV PSA 52:6

6 Godly people will also see it and fear.
⇔ They’ll laugh at him and say,

OET-LV PSA 52:8

8  And_ righteous_people _they _will _see and_they _will _fear and_on_him they _will _laugh.

Show passage in OET: PRO 1:26

OET-RV PRO 1:26

26 So I’ll laugh when calamity hits you all
⇔ and I’ll ridicule you when you’re all terrified

OET-LV PRO 1:26

26 Also I at_calamity _of_your(pl) I _will _laugh I _will _mock when_ dread _of_your(pl) _comes.

Show passage in OET: PSA 2:4

OET-RV PSA 2:4

4 The one who sits in the heavens laughs.
⇔ ≈ The master ridicules them.

OET-LV PSA 2:4

4 The _one _who_sits in_heavens he _laughs my_master he _mocks (to)_them.

Show passage in OET: PSA 37:13

OET-RV PSA 37:13

13 My master laughs at them,
⇔ because he knows that their day is coming.

OET-LV PSA 37:13

13 My_master he _laughs to_him/it if/because he _sees if/because _that day _of_his it _will _come.

Show passage in OET: PSA 59:8

OET-RV PSA 59:8

8 But Yahweh, you laugh at them—
⇔ ≈ you mock all the pagan nations.

OET-LV PSA 59:9

9  And_you(ms) Oh_YHWH you _laugh to_them you _mock to/from_all/each/any/every the_nations.

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Laughter has a special place in the Abraham narratives. It is used in connection with the name of his son Isaac, which means “He laughs” or “May [God] smile [upon him].” Hebrew stories like to bring out the meaning of words, and so the human reaction to the birth of Isaac, the channel of God’s patriarchal promises, is described in terms of laughter. It is theologically important because it tends to be contrasted with faith. In Genesis 17:17 laughter is Abraham’s incredulous response to God’s unrealistic promise of a son, in view of Sarah’s elderliness. In Genesis 18:12 Sarah cannot smother her laughter as she eavesdrops—it seems so absurd that she will become pregnant in her 90s. But finally in Genesis 21:6, when the impossible becomes true, Sarah’s laughter is a mark of God-given joy.