Lexical Summary toah: Error, wandering, confusion Original Word: תּוֹעָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance abominable custom, thing, abomination Feminine active participle of ta'ah; mistake, i.e. (morally) impiety, or (political) injury -- error, hinder. see HEBREW ta'ah NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom the same as toebah Definition a wandering, error NASB Translation disturbance (1), error (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs תּוֺעָה noun feminine wandering, error; — 1 error in morals and religion, with דִּבֶּר, Isaiah 32:6. 2 confusion, disturbance, with עָשָׂה, Nehemiah 4:2. תֹּ֫עוּ see תֹּעִי. תְּעוּדָה see [עוד] below Topical Lexicon Occurrences in CanonThe noun תּוֹעָה surfaces only twice in the Old Testament. These sparse appearances intensify its force, allowing each context to illumine the word’s rich moral implications. Contextual Observations Nehemiah 4:8 portrays the foreign coalition plotting to “create confusion” among the returned exiles rebuilding Jerusalem’s wall. The term carries the idea of calculated disruption—an intentional twisting of communal order meant to halt covenant obedience. Isaiah 32:6 places the word on the lips of a prophetic indictment: “to speak error concerning the LORD”. Here the fool’s perversion is doctrinal, not merely social. His words subvert divine revelation and produce injustice—“to leave the hungry empty and deprive the thirsty of drink.” Theological Significance 1. Moral Deviation: תּוֹעָה denotes more than innocent mistake; it is a willful turning from what is straight (compare Proverbs 4:25–27). Both passages show an active agency—conspiring foes in Nehemiah and a fool’s rebellious heart in Isaiah. 2. Disorder Versus Divine Order: Scripture presents Yahweh as One who “is not a God of disorder but of peace” (1 Corinthians 14:33). תּוֹעָה therefore stands in antithesis to God’s character, highlighting the ethical weight of sowing confusion. 3. Corporate Impact of Sin: Nehemiah’s scene stresses community vulnerability; Isaiah’s focuses on societal neglect (hungry, thirsty). The word warns that doctrinal and moral deviation inevitably harms the weak. Intertextual Connections • Psalm 95:10 laments a generation that “goes astray” in heart—another vocabulary stream depicting deviation. These parallels show a canonical trajectory: deviation in speech leads to oppressed lives and corrupted worship. Practical and Ministry Applications 1. Discernment in Leadership: Builders in every era face external schemes and internal folly. Church leaders must watch for doctrinal confusion that stalls kingdom work (Titus 1:9). 2. Protection of the Vulnerable: Isaiah pairs theological error with social neglect. Faithful ministry guards both pulpit and mercy ministries, ensuring orthodoxy produces justice (James 1:27). 3. Corporate Prayer and Vigilance: Nehemiah responds with prayer and watchfulness (Nehemiah 4:9). Congregations today resist תּוֹעָה through the same twin disciplines, depending on sovereign protection while taking responsible action. Christological Perspective Jesus Christ, the incarnate Truth (John 14:6), embodies the exact opposite of תּוֹעָה. His flawless teaching and redemptive work expose and conquer every form of error. The cross dismantles hostile conspiracies (Colossians 2:15), and the Spirit guides believers “into all the truth” (John 16:13), ensuring that the final word over God’s people is clarity, not confusion. Summary תּוֹעָה signals deliberate deviation—an assault on divine order whether through external conspiracy or internal folly. Though the term’s scriptural footprint is small, its message resonates across redemptive history: God opposes confusion and error, calls His people to vigilance and compassion, and supplies in Christ the definitive cure for every distortion of truth. Forms and Transliterations תּוֹעָ֔ה תּוֹעָֽה׃ תועה תועה׃ tō·w·‘āh toAh tōw‘āhLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Nehemiah 4:8 HEB: וְלַעֲשׂ֥וֹת ל֖וֹ תּוֹעָֽה׃ NAS: and to cause a disturbance in it. INT: Jerusalem cause A disturbance Isaiah 32:6 2 Occurrences |
    |