חֵפֶץ
Pleasure ; hence (abstractly) desire ; concretely, a valuable thing; hence (by extension) a matter (as something in mind)
Reading a lexicon entry
What this page is: Each lexicon entry shows the original Hebrew or Greek word behind the English translation: its meaning, its range of use, and where it appears in Scripture.
Strong's number: The Strong's code (H- or G-) is the standard reference number for this word. It connects this entry to chapter and passage language tabs.
Canonical witness: The witness passages show where this word is used in context. Click any to open the study page for that passage.
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What does חֵפֶץ (ḥēp̄eṣ) mean in the Bible?
חֵפֶץ (ḥēp̄eṣ) is a Hebrew word meaning "pleasure ; hence (abstractly) desire ; concretely, a valuable thing; hence (by extension) a matter (as something in mind)". pleasure; hence (abstractly) desire; concretely, a valuable thing; hence (by extension) a matter (as something in mind) BDB: delight Usage: acceptable, delight(-some), desire, things desired, matter, pleasant(-ure), purpose, willingly. Affirms that God accomplishes what pleases him.
Meaning
Moves from God's sovereign pleasure or delight to human desire; expresses what is valued, chosen, or purposed.
pleasure; hence (abstractly) desire; concretely, a valuable thing; hence (by extension) a matter (as something in mind) BDB: delight Usage: acceptable, delight(-some), desire, things desired, matter, pleasant(-ure), purpose, willingly.
Why This Word Matters
Affirms that God accomplishes what pleases Him. Isaiah 46:8-11
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Biblical Occurrences
Each occurrence shows the passage reference, the original language term as it appears in that context, its transliteration, and the contextual sense.
Old Testament Witnesses
Showing 8 of 39 occurrences in the biblical text.