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Hebrew · H2656

חֵפֶץ

Pleasure ; hence (abstractly) desire ; concretely, a valuable thing; hence (by extension) a matter (as something in mind)

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חֵפֶץH2656
Pronunciationḥēp̄eṣ

What does חֵפֶץ (ḥēp̄eṣ) mean in the Bible?

חֵפֶץ (ḥēp̄eṣ): Moves from God's sovereign pleasure or delight to human desire; expresses what is valued, chosen, or purposed.

Full entry for חֵפֶץ (H2656) · Open the biblical lexicon

Questions this entry answers

What does חֵפֶץ (ḥēp̄eṣ) mean in the Bible?

חֵפֶץ (ḥēp̄eṣ): Moves from God's sovereign pleasure or delight to human desire; expresses what is valued, chosen, or purposed.

How does the BSB render H2656?

The BSB source-word alignment has 39 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include pleasure (3), you desire (3), as you please (2), desire (2), purpose (2).

Where does חֵפֶץ (ḥēp̄eṣ) appear in Scripture?

The source-word alignment first shows this entry at 1 Samuel 15:22. Its strongest book concentrations include Isaiah (8), Ecclesiastes (7), 1 Kings (5), Psalms (4).

Source Word Evidence

BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.

How English Renders It
pleasure3×Ecclesiastes 5:4, Ecclesiastes 12:1, Malachi 1:10
you desire3×1 Kings 5:8, Proverbs 3:15, Proverbs 8:11
as you please2×Isaiah 58:3, Isaiah 58:13
desire2×2 Samuel 23:5, 1 Kings 9:11
purpose2×Ecclesiastes 3:1, Ecclesiastes 8:6
she desired2×1 Kings 10:13, 2 Chronicles 9:12
. . .1×Hosea 8:8
activity1×Ecclesiastes 3:17
and the good pleasure1×Isaiah 53:10
delight1×1 Samuel 15:22
delightful1×Ecclesiastes 12:10
desires1×1 Samuel 18:25
does he care1×Job 21:21
Does it delight1×Job 22:3
he wanted1×1 Kings 5:10
his delight1×Psalms 1:2
His desire1×Isaiah 48:14
like an unwanted1×Jeremiah 48:38
my delight1×Psalms 16:3
My good pleasure1×Isaiah 46:10
my needs1×1 Kings 5:9
of delight1×Malachi 3:12
of precious1×Isaiah 54:12
one wants1×Jeremiah 22:28
that I desire1×Isaiah 44:28
the desires1×Job 31:16
the matter1×Ecclesiastes 5:8
they desired1×Psalms 107:30
who delight in them1×Psalms 111:2
with eager1×Proverbs 31:13
your own pleasure1×Isaiah 58:13
Show sample aligned rows
1 Samuel 15:22הַחֵ֤פֶץtodelightArticle | Noun - masculine singular1 Samuel 18:25חֵ֤פֶץtodesiresNoun - masculine singular2 Samuel 23:5חֵ֖פֶץtodesireNoun - masculine singular1 Kings 5:8חֶפְצְךָ֔toyou desireNoun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular1 Kings 5:9חֶפְצִ֔יtomy needsNoun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular1 Kings 5:10חֶפְצֽוֹ׃tohe wantedNoun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular1 Kings 9:11חֶפְצ֑וֹtodesireNoun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular1 Kings 10:13חֶפְצָהּ֙toshe desiredNoun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular2 Chronicles 9:12חֶפְצָהּ֙toshe desiredNoun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singularJob 21:21חֶפְצ֣וֹtodoes he careNoun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Usage map

A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.

First aligned row1 Samuel 15:22
Aligned rows39
Books represented12
1 Samuel22 Samuel11 Kings52 Chronicles1Job3Psalms4Proverbs3Ecclesiastes7Isaiah8Jeremiah2Hosea1Malachi2
Source forms
חֵ֖פֶץ4xḥê·p̄eṣ2 Samuel 23:5, Ecclesiastes 3:1, Ecclesiastes 5:4, Jeremiah 22:28
חֵ֔פֶץ4xḥê·p̄eṣEcclesiastes 3:17, Ecclesiastes 8:6, Isaiah 58:3, Malachi 3:12
חֵ֥פֶץ2xḥê·p̄eṣJeremiah 48:38, Hosea 8:8
חֵֽפֶץ׃2xḥê·p̄eṣEcclesiastes 12:1, Isaiah 54:12
חֶפְצָהּ֙2xḥep̄·ṣāh1 Kings 10:13, 2 Chronicles 9:12
חֶפְצִ֖י2xḥep̄·ṣîIsaiah 44:28, Isaiah 46:10
בְּחֵ֣פֶץ1xbə·ḥê·p̄eṣProverbs 31:13
הַחֵ֤פֶץ1xha·ḥê·p̄eṣ1 Samuel 15:22
Parsing patterns
Noun - masculine singular15x1 Samuel 18:25, 2 Samuel 23:5, Ecclesiastes 3:1, Ecclesiastes 3:17
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular5x1 Kings 5:10, 1 Kings 9:11, Job 21:21, Psalms 1:2
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular4x1 Kings 5:9, Psalms 16:3, Isaiah 44:28, Isaiah 46:10
Article | Noun - masculine singular3x1 Samuel 15:22, Job 22:3, Ecclesiastes 5:8
Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular2xProverbs 3:15, Isaiah 58:13
Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular2x1 Kings 5:8, Isaiah 58:13
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular2x1 Kings 10:13, 2 Chronicles 9:12
Adjective - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural1xPsalms 111:2
Sources

MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain

Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0

Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0

STEPBible Data — CC BY 4.0

Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain

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