What does יָטַב · אֱלֹהִים mean in the Bible?
יָטַב · אֱלֹהִים is a Hebrew phrase meaning "God did good to them; God treated them favorably".
Hebrew · H3190, H430
וַיֵּיטֶב אֱלֹהִים
To be (causative) make well , literally (sound, beautiful) or figuratively (happy, successful, right) · gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God ; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates ; and sometimes as a superlative
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Words in this compound — expand to study each participant
יָטַבH3190to be (causative) make well , literally (sound, beautiful) or figuratively (happy, successful, right)
Pronunciationyāṭab
Moves from physical wholeness to moral/relational goodness; denotes both state and deliberate action toward flourishing.
Open lexicon entry →אֱלֹהִיםH430gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God ; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates ; and sometimes as a superlative
Pronunciationʾĕlōhiym
Plural form persistently denotes the singular God of Israel; signals transcendent power and authority in every application.
Open lexicon entry →What does וַיֵּיטֶב אֱלֹהִים (wayyeteb 'elohim) mean in the Bible?
יָטַב · אֱלֹהִים is a Hebrew phrase meaning "God did good to them; God treated them favorably".
Full entry for וַיֵּיטֶב אֱלֹהִים (H3190, H430) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How many biblical occurrences are listed for H3190, H430?
H3190, H430 is connected to 2,712 lexical occurrence verses in the lexicon data.
Evidence Summary
Hebrew phrase. God did good to them; God treated them favorably
Source Gloss
God did good to them; God treated them favorably
Grammatical Forms
How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups2Aligned forms62
Qalbasic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense18×
Imperfect1Sam 24:5 · 2Sam 18:4 · Deut 4:40 · Deut 5:16 · Deut 5:29 · Deut 6:3 · Deut 6:18 · Deut 12:25 · Deut 12:28 · Deut 22:7 · Eccl 7:3 · Gen 12:13 · Gen 40:14 · Jer 7:23 · Jer 42:6 · Neh 2:518×
Hiphilcausative active — the subject causes someone else to perform the action44×
Imperfect1Sam 2:32 · 1Sam 20:13 · Job 24:21 · Judg 17:13 · Num 10:32 · Prov 15:13 · Prov 17:22 · Zeph 1:12 · Gen 4:7 · Ps 49:19 · Isa 41:23 · Jer 7:5 · Gen 32:13 · Jer 2:33 · Mic 2:7 · Prov 15:217×
Infinitive absolute2Kgs 11:18 · Deut 9:21 · Deut 13:15 · Deut 17:4 · Deut 19:18 · Deut 27:8 · Gen 32:13 · Isa 1:17 · Jer 7:5 · Jer 10:5 · Jonah 4:911×
PerfectDeut 5:28 · Deut 18:17 · Hos 10:1 · Gen 12:16 · Josh 24:20 · Jer 1:12 · Ruth 3:107×
Participle active1Sam 16:17 · Judg 19:22 · Prov 30:294×
Sequential imperfectJer 7:3 · Jer 26:13 · Ps 33:3 · Isa 23:164×
Jussive1Kgs 1:471×
Word Origins
וַיֵּיטֶב אֱלֹהִים is a primitive root - no further derivation.