Dictionary of Bible Themes  »  5000 Humanity  »  5760 Human attitudes and behaviour  »  5900 laughter

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

In scorn and derision

Matthew 9:24 pp Mark 5:40 pp Luke 8:53 See also Job 39:18; Job 41:29; Psalm 52:6; Lamentations 1:7; Habakkuk 1:10

God laughing

Psalm 2:4 See also Psalm 37:13; Psalm 59:8; Proverbs 1:26

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

Laughter qualified

Proverbs 14:13 See also Ecclesiastes 2:2; Ecclesiastes 7:3

Laughter rebuked

Luke 6:25 See also Ecclesiastes 7:6; James 4:9

See also

5818  contempt
5830  delight
5874  happiness
5880  humour
8283  joy
8782  mockery
8815  ridicule