Lexical Summary chaphets: To delight in, to take pleasure in, to desire Original Word: חָפֵץ Strong's Exhaustive Concordance delight in, desire, favor, please, have pleasure, whosoever would, willing, wishFrom chaphets; pleased with -- delight in, desire, favour, please, have pleasure, whosoever would, willing, wish. see HEBREW chaphets NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom chaphets Definition delighting in, having pleasure in NASB Translation delight (4), desires (1), pleases (1), takes pleasure (1), who delight (1), who delights (1), who favor (1), willing (1), would (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs חָפֵץ verbal adjective delighting in, having pleasure in; — ׳ח Psalm 5:5 4t.; plural חֲפֵצִים Malachi 3:1; Nehemiah 1:11; construct חֲפֵצֵי Psalm 35:27 2t.; suffix חֶפְצֵיהֶם Psalm 111:2; feminine חֲפֵצָ֑ה 1 Chronicles 28:9; — 1 of man, with accusative Psalm 34:13; Psalm 35:27; Malachi 3:1; with infinitive Nehemiah 1:11; absolute הֶחָפֵץ whosoever would 1 Kings 13:33; אם חפץ אתה if thou pleasest 1 Kings 21:6; נֶפֶשׁ חֲפֵצָה willing soul 1 Chronicles 28:9; plural construct before nouns absolute Psalm 35:22; Psalm 40:15 = Psalm 70:3; דְּרוּשִׁים לְכָלחֶֿפְצֵיהֶם studied of all who take pleasure in them Psalm 111:2. 2 of God, לֹא אֵלֿ חָפֵץ רֶשַׁע אַתָּה thou art not a God taking pleasure in wickedness Psalm 5:5. Topical Lexicon Meaning and Scope of חָפֵץThe word describes inward delight, preference, or willingness that moves a person—or God Himself—to specific action. It may portray a settled inclination (“delight,” “pleasure”), an ethical choice (“desire”), or a disposition of readiness (“willing”). Context determines whether the delight is pure or perverse. Divine Delight and Moral Purity Psalm 5:4 declares, “For You are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil cannot dwell with You.” God’s חָפֵץ is always consistent with His holiness. He never finds enjoyment in sin, yet He does delight in righteousness (Psalm 35:27) and in the covenant Messenger (Malachi 3:1). Believers may therefore rest in the certainty that the Lord’s pleasures are unchanging, righteous, and ultimately benevolent toward His people. Human Delight: Righteous and Unrighteous 1. Righteous Delight 2. Misguided or Sinful Delight Delight and Covenant Hope Malachi 3:1 draws post-exilic Israel to anticipate “the Messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight.” Their longing is portrayed as legitimate, even if their understanding was partial. The verse unites חָפֵץ with eschatological promise, pointing ultimately to Jesus Christ, who fulfills covenant hopes and satisfies every rightly ordered desire. Interplay of Delight and Vindication Psalm 35:27 (where the term appears twice) presents two dimensions: “‘Great is the LORD, who delights in the well-being of His servant!’” First, those who “delight in my vindication” are urged to exult; second, they affirm that the LORD Himself “delights” in the welfare of the righteous. Human delight aligns with divine delight when it centers upon God-wrought justice. Historical Overview of Occurrences • Divided Kingdom – Jeroboam’s pseudo-religious policy (1 Kings 13:33) and Ahab’s covetous scheme (1 Kings 21:6) exemplify royal abuses of delight. Ministry Implications 1. Cultivating Holy Delight Spiritual formation aims not merely at right actions but at a heart that finds pleasure in what pleases God. Regular Scripture intake, corporate worship, and obedience nurtured by grace reshape desire toward holiness. 2. Discernment of Desires Pastoral counseling should probe whether a believer’s “willingness” aligns with God’s character or mimics Jeroboam and Ahab. Desires become indicators of spiritual health. 3. Encouraging Willing Service Ministry recruitment benefits from highlighting David’s principle: God is served best by “a willing mind.” Leaders should seek willingness birthed by delight, not coercion. 4. Hope in Divine Good Pleasure When opposition arises, believers echo Psalm 35:27, trusting that the LORD “delights in the well-being of His servant.” Suffering is tempered by confidence in God’s affectionate involvement. Summary חָפֵץ encompasses the spectrum of delight—from God’s flawless pleasure to humanity’s noble or corrupt desires. Scripture employs the word to expose sinful cravings, commend willing obedience, and celebrate divine favor. Rightly understood, חָפֵץ challenges believers to examine what they find pleasing, to align their delight with God’s moral goodness, and to wait expectantly for the consummation of every righteous desire in the covenant-keeping Lord. Forms and Transliterations הֶ֝חָפֵ֗ץ הֶֽחָפֵץ֙ הֶחָפֵ֣ץ הַֽחֲפֵצִים֙ החפץ החפצים חֲ֝פֵצֵ֗י חֲפֵצִים֙ חֲפֵצֵ֪י חֲפֵצָ֔ה חָפֵ֘ץ חָפֵ֣ץ חפץ חפצה חפצי חפצים chaFetz chafeTzah chafeTzei chafeTzim ha·ḥă·p̄ê·ṣîm ḥă·p̄ê·ṣāh ḥă·p̄ê·ṣê ḥă·p̄ê·ṣîm ḥā·p̄êṣ hachafeTzim haḥăp̄êṣîm ḥāp̄êṣ ḥăp̄êṣāh ḥăp̄êṣê ḥăp̄êṣîm he·ḥā·p̄êṣ hechaFetz heḥāp̄êṣLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 1 Kings 13:33 HEB: כֹּהֲנֵ֣י בָמ֔וֹת הֶֽחָפֵץ֙ יְמַלֵּ֣א אֶת־ NAS: the people; any who would, he ordained, KJV: of the high places: whosoever would, he consecrated INT: priests of the high would accomplish able 1 Kings 21:6 1 Chronicles 28:9 Nehemiah 1:11 Psalm 5:4 Psalm 34:12 Psalm 35:27 Psalm 35:27 Psalm 40:14 Psalm 70:2 Malachi 3:1 11 Occurrences |
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