חֵ֫פֶץ (che.phets)
che.phets
pleasure
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 33 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The noun chephets denotes a deep delight or satisfaction, capturing the feeling of finding something truly valuable and pleasing. It appears frequently in wisdom literature and prophetic texts, describing both human enjoyment and divine preference. For instance, Psalm 1:2 uses it to describe the person whose joy is found in God’s instruction, while Ecclesiastes 12:10 refers to "pleasant words" that bring delight.
Its meaning extends beyond simple happiness into the realm of desire and purpose. The sources indicate it can refer to a specific longing or will, such as when Solomon sought what was in his heart's desire (1 Kings 5:8). In Isaiah, it carries theological weight, describing God’s sovereign purpose or the "good pleasure" that guides history (Isaiah 46:10).
A distinct nuance arises in Ecclesiastes, where chephets shifts to mean a "matter" or "affair." This usage reflects something occupying one's mind or attention, highlighting how what we delight in often becomes the central focus of our lives. Translators render this range variously as delight, desire, pleasure, or purpose, depending on whether the context emphasizes emotion, intent, or object.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word chephets reveals that God is not a distant observer but one who takes genuine delight in His creation and His people. In Psalm 1, this deep satisfaction is found in meditating on God’s instruction, showing that our joy aligns with His will when we focus on what He values. This perspective shifts our view of obedience from a burden to a source of profound personal fulfillment.
Yet chephets also carries the weight of sovereign purpose. Isaiah 46:10 reminds us that God declares the end from the beginning and does all that He pleases. This assurance brings comfort, knowing that history is guided by a mind that finds satisfaction in rightness and justice. Our desires are meant to be reshaped by His, leading to a life where our deepest wishes mirror His good pleasure.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 33 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- delight4×
- pleasure3×
- matter3×
- [is] pleasure3×
- pleasures/ your2×
- desire/ my2×
- desire/ her2×
- ¿/ [does] pleasure1×
- ¿/ [does] delight1×
- pleasures1×
- pleasure/ your1×
- pleasure/ his1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- חֵ֔פֶץ4×
- חֵ֖פֶץ3×
- חֶפְצָ/הּ֙2×
- חֶפְצִ֖/י2×
- חֵֽפֶץ\׃2×
- חֵ֥פֶץ2×
- מֵ/חֵ֣פֶץ1×
- חֶפְצָֽ/ם\׃1×
- חֶפְצֵי/הֶֽם\׃1×
- חֶפְצִ/י\־1×
- חֶפְצְ/ךָ֖1×
- חֶפְצ֣/וֹ1×
Key Verses
-
Psalms 1:2
but his delight is in Yahweh’s law. On his law he meditates day and night.
This verse defines the ideal human response, locating chephets not in material gain but in the steady meditation on divine instruction.
-
Isaiah 46:10
I declare the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done. I say: My counsel will stand, and I will do all that I please.
Here the term expresses God’s absolute sovereignty, indicating that His plans are executed according to His own satisfying purpose.
-
I Samuel 15:22
Samuel said, “Has Yahweh as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying Yahweh’s voice? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.
Samuel contrasts ritual sacrifice with obedience, showing that chephets is rooted in relational faithfulness rather than external performance.
-
Ecclesiastes 12:10
The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words, and that which was written blamelessly, words of truth.
The Preacher describes his work as seeking acceptable words, reflecting a life dedicated to producing what brings lasting delight and truth.