The act or sound of laughing, often associated with joy and delight, yet occasionally linked with ridicule and scorn.
People laughing
Out of pleasure
Genesis 21:6 See also Proverbs 31:25; Ecclesiastes 3:4, Ecclesiastes 10:19
Then Sarah said, “God has made me laugh, and everyone who hears of this will laugh with me.”
In scorn and derision
Matthew 9:24 parallels Mark 5:40, Luke 8:53 See also Job 39:18, Job 41:29; Psalm 52:6; Lamentations 1:7; Habakkuk 1:10
“Go away,” He told them. “The girl is not dead, but asleep.” And they laughed at Him.
God laughing
Psalm 2:4 See also Psalm 37:13, Psalm 59:8; Proverbs 1:26
The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord taunts them.
God helping people to laugh
Psalm 126:2; Luke 6:21 See also Job 5:22, Job 8:21; Jeremiah 51:39 as a prelude to judgment
Then our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with shouts of joy. Then it was said among the nations, “The LORD has done great things for them.”
Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.
Laughter qualified
Proverbs 14:13 See also Ecclesiastes 2:2, Ecclesiastes 7:3
Even in laughter the heart may ache, and joy may end in sorrow.
Laughter rebuked
Luke 6:25 See also Ecclesiastes 7:6; James 4:9
Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will hunger. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep.
Related themes
Dictionary of Bible Themes © 1999 Martin Manser, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Bible Aquifer. Formatted for this site, with Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible.