Lexical Summary chephets: Delight, pleasure, desire, purpose, matter Original Word: חֵפֶץ Strong's Exhaustive Concordance acceptable, delightsome, desire, things desired, matter, pleasant, purposeFrom chaphets; pleasure; hence (abstractly) desire; concretely, a valuable thing; hence (by extension) a matter (as something in mind) -- acceptable, delight(-some), desire, things desired, matter, pleasant(-ure), purpose, willingly. see HEBREW chaphets NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom chaphets Definition delight, pleasure NASB Translation care (1), delight (8), delightful (2), delights (1), desirable things (1), desire (10), desired (2), event (1), good pleasure (3), matter (1), pleased (1), pleasure (3), precious (1), sight (1), undesirable* (2), what you desire (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs חֵ֫פֶץ noun masculineProverbs 3:15 delight, pleasure; — ׳ח Isaiah 54:12 20t.; suffix חֶפְצְךָ Isaiah 58:13 etc. + 13 t. suffixes; plural חֲפָצִים Proverbs 8:11; suffix חֲפָצֶיךָ Proverbs 3:15; חֲפָצֶ֖ךָ Isaiah 58:13 — 1 delight ׳אבני ח Isaiah 54:12 delightful stones; ׳אֶרֶץ ח Malachi 3:12 delightsome land; ׳דִּבְּרֵי ח Ecclesiastes 12:10; so perhaps also ׳בִּגְדֵי ח Ezekiel 27:20 garments of delight, i.e. of beauty and luxury (Gr; ᵑ0 חֹפֶשׁ q. v.); with בְּ of persons Psalm 16:3; Ecclesiastes 5:3; Malachi 1:10; of things 1 Samuel 15:22; 1 Samuel 18:25; Psalm 1:2; Job 21:21; Ecclesiastes 12:1; כְּלִי אֵין חֵפֶץ בּוֺ vessel wherein is no pleasure Jeremiah 22:28; Jeremiah 48:38; Hosea 8:8; הַחֵפֶץ לְשַׁדַּי כִּי Job 22:3 is it a pleasure to Shadday that ? 2 desire, longing דלים ׳מנע מח Job 31:16 withhold the poor from (their) desire; מְחוֺז חֶפְצָם the city of their desire Psalm 107:30; כל חפץ all (one's) desire 2 Samuel 23:5; 1 Kings 5:22; 1 Kings 5:23; 1 Kings 5:24; 1 Kings 9:11; 1 Kings 10:13 2Chronicles 9:12; כל חפצים all things to be desired Proverbs 3:15; Proverbs 8:11. 3 the good pleasure, will, purpose, of Yahweh Isaiah 44:28; Isaiah 46:10; Isaiah 48:14. 4 that in which one takes delight, his business (late), or matter (very late, compare in Mishna = thing) בְּיָדוֺ יִצְלַח ׳חֵפֶץ י the good pleasure (cause, business) of Yahweh will prosper in his hands Isaiah 53:10; ׳מצא ח Isaiah 58:3,13; עֲשׂוֺת חֲפָצֶךָ doing thy affairs Isaiah 58:13 (see De on the passage); בְּחֵפֶץ כַּמֶּיהָ in the business of her hands Proverbs 31:13; עֵתּ לְכָלחֵֿפֶץ time for every matter, affair Ecclesiastes 3:1,17; Ecclesiastes 8:6; אַלֿ תִּתְּמַהּ עַלהַֿחֵפֶץ marvel not at the matter Ecclesiastes 5:7. Note. — חפץ is not used in any of its forms in E D2 H P of the Hexateuch. Topical Lexicon OverviewUsed roughly thirty-nine times across the Tanakh, חֵפֶץ appears in narratives, wisdom poetry, prophetic oracles, and post-exilic writings. It is a richly textured term describing the stance of the heart toward an object or purpose, ranging from ordinary human longings to the sovereign delight of the LORD. Its occurrences trace a consistent biblical theology: what people desire reveals their character, and what God delights in reveals His purposes for creation and redemption. Semantic Range and Theological Nuances 1. Personal longing (Genesis–Kings). 2 Samuel 23:5 records David’s last words: “For He is all my salvation and all my desire.” The verse sets human hope in covenantal terms—David’s deepest longing rests in YHWH’s promise, not in temporal success. 2. Royal privilege and luxury (Kings–Chronicles). Solomon repeatedly gathers “all Solomon’s desire” (1 Kings 9:1; 1 Kings 10:13; 2 Chronicles 9:12). The narrative invites readers to weigh opulent pursuits against the call to covenant faithfulness (1 Kings 11:1–11). 3. Voluntary willingness (Esther 1:8; Ecclesiastes 12:1). At Ahasuerus’s banquet “no one was compelled, for the king had directed each servant to do as each one desired” (Esther 1:8). The passage shows the word’s legal nuance: freedom of choice within royal decree. 4. Delight in righteousness (Psalms). Psalm 40:8: “I delight to do Your will, O my God; Your law is within my heart.” Here חֵפֶץ stands at the intersection between affection and obedience, anticipating the new-covenant promise of the law written on the heart (Jeremiah 31:33). 5. Divine purpose (Isaiah). Isaiah 46:10: “My purpose will stand, and I will accomplish all My good pleasure.” What God delights to do is irrevocable, securing assurance for the exiles. Isaiah 55:11 extends the thought: the word that proceeds from His mouth accomplishes the delight for which He sends it. 6. Saving will expressed in the Suffering Servant (Isaiah 53:10). “Yet it pleased the LORD to crush Him.” Divine delight here is not sadistic; it reflects the Father’s redemptive purpose realized through substitutionary sacrifice, foreshadowing the atoning work of Jesus Christ (Acts 8:32-35; Hebrews 10:5-10). Occurrences in Wisdom Literature Proverbs 31:13 links חֵפֶץ with industrious delight: “She selects wool and flax and works with willing hands.” It portrays diligence that springs from inward eagerness, an ethic of joyful labor rather than mere obligation. Ecclesiastes uses the term to expose the limits of human pursuit. The Teacher finally counsels, “Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years draw near when you will say, ‘I find no pleasure in them’” (Ecclesiastes 12:1). All earthly delights fade unless anchored in fear of God (Ecclesiastes 12:13). The Word and God’s Sovereign Will Several passages present חֵפֶץ as synonymous with the LORD’s unthwarted plan. Isaiah 44:28 and 48:14 declare that Cyrus will perform God’s delight in rebuilding Jerusalem. The same term frames the prophetic conviction that history bends under God’s purposeful pleasure—never arbitrary, always righteous. Psalm 147:10-11 balances divine transcendence with personal care: “He delights not in the strength of the horse… the LORD delights in those who fear Him, who put their hope in His loving devotion.” The juxtaposition underscores that God’s delight is relational and moral, not based on human power. Human Desire in Covenant Context Under Moses the covenant set boundaries for Israel’s desires: God’s people were to “love the LORD” with all heart, soul, and might. Prophets expose the tragedy of misplaced delight—seeking bribes (Micah 7:3), ritual without righteousness (Isaiah 58:3-5), or self-indulgence during spiritual apathy (Haggai 1:8). Each misuse of חֵפֶץ is a call to repentance and realignment with divine delight. Messianic Implications Psalm 40 and Isaiah 53 converge in Hebrews 10:5-10, where the writer reads both passages christologically. The incarnate Son embodies perfect delight in the Father’s will, accomplishing what animal sacrifices never could. Thus חֵפֶץ becomes a keyword for Christ’s obedient passion and the believer’s sanctification. Liturgical and Devotional Usage Jewish liturgy often cites Psalm 1:2—“his delight is in the law of the LORD”—as the daily aspiration of the faithful. Christian hymnody echoes the theme (“I delight to do Thy will, O Lord”). In both traditions חֵפֶץ calls worshipers from duty to delight, infusing covenant obedience with heartfelt joy. Historical Interpretation Rabbinic commentators (Rashi on Isaiah 53:10) wrestled with how God could “delight” in the Servant’s suffering, often viewing the Servant corporately. Early church fathers read the passage prophetically of Christ, emphasizing the salvific intent behind the divine pleasure. Reformation expositors stressed God’s gracious purpose, safeguarding His goodness against any charge of injustice. Practical Ministry Applications 1. Counseling. Encourage believers to examine core desires in light of Scripture. Augustine’s dictum “love God and do what you will” echoes the biblical pattern: transformed delight guides righteous living. 2. Worship Planning. Select songs and prayers that move the congregation from obligation to delight, reflecting Psalm 37:4: “Delight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” 3. Preaching. Frame sermons on sovereignty (Isaiah 46), sacrificial atonement (Isaiah 53), or spiritual disciplines (Psalm 1) around the central motif of divine and human delight. 4. Missions. Isaiah 62:4 (noun of same root) assures Zion, “My delight is in her.” God’s missionary heart flows from delight in redeemed people, motivating evangelistic labor. Conclusion Across redemptive history חֵפֶץ binds together divine purpose and human response. What God delights to do He surely accomplishes; what He calls His people to desire is nothing less than Himself. To study the term is to glimpse the joy at the center of creation, covenant, and consummation. Forms and Transliterations בְּחֵ֣פֶץ בחפץ הַחֵ֑פֶץ הַחֵ֣פֶץ הַחֵ֤פֶץ החפץ וְחֵ֥פֶץ וחפץ חֲ֝פָצִ֗ים חֲ֝פָצֶ֗יךָ חֲפָצֶ֖יךָ חֵ֑פֶץ חֵ֔פֶץ חֵ֖פֶץ חֵ֜פֶץ חֵ֤פֶץ חֵ֥פֶץ חֵֽפֶץ׃ חֶ֫פְצ֥וֹ חֶפְצ֑וֹ חֶפְצ֣וֹ חֶפְצְךָ֔ חֶפְצְךָ֖ חֶפְצִ֔י חֶפְצִ֖י חֶפְצִי־ חֶפְצֵיהֶֽם׃ חֶפְצָֽם׃ חֶפְצָהּ֙ חֶפְצֽוֹ׃ חֶפְצוֹ֙ חפץ חפץ׃ חפצה חפצו חפצו׃ חפצי חפצי־ חפציהם׃ חפציך חפצים חפצך חפצם׃ מֵחֵ֣פֶץ מחפץ bə·ḥê·p̄eṣ beChefetz bəḥêp̄eṣ chafaTzeicha chafaTzim Chefetz chefTzah chefTzam cheftzeCha cheftzeiHem chefTzi chefTzo ha·ḥê·p̄eṣ ḥă·p̄ā·ṣe·ḵā ḥă·p̄ā·ṣîm haChefetz haḥêp̄eṣ ḥăp̄āṣeḵā ḥăp̄āṣîm ḥê·p̄eṣ ḥep̄·ṣāh ḥep̄·ṣām ḥep̄·ṣê·hem ḥep̄·ṣə·ḵā ḥep̄·ṣî ḥep̄·ṣî- ḥep̄·ṣōw ḥêp̄eṣ ḥep̄ṣāh ḥep̄ṣām ḥep̄ṣêhem ḥep̄ṣəḵā ḥep̄ṣî ḥep̄ṣî- ḥep̄ṣōw mê·ḥê·p̄eṣ meChefetz mêḥêp̄eṣ veChefetz wə·ḥê·p̄eṣ wəḥêp̄eṣLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 1 Samuel 15:22 HEB: וַיֹּ֣אמֶר שְׁמוּאֵ֗ל הַחֵ֤פֶץ לַֽיהוָה֙ בְּעֹל֣וֹת NAS: Has the LORD as much delight in burnt offerings KJV: Hath the LORD [as great] delight in burnt offerings INT: said Samuel delight has the LORD burnt 1 Samuel 18:25 2 Samuel 23:5 1 Kings 5:8 1 Kings 5:9 1 Kings 5:10 1 Kings 9:11 1 Kings 10:13 2 Chronicles 9:12 Job 21:21 Job 22:3 Job 31:16 Psalm 1:2 Psalm 16:3 Psalm 107:30 Psalm 111:2 Proverbs 3:15 Proverbs 8:11 Proverbs 31:13 Ecclesiastes 3:1 Ecclesiastes 3:17 Ecclesiastes 5:4 Ecclesiastes 5:8 Ecclesiastes 8:6 Ecclesiastes 12:1 39 Occurrences |
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