Word study
Plea
16 Hebrew and 6 Greek words behind this English word
The original-language words that the Berean Standard Bible translates with one of these: pleasing, pleased, pleases, plea, pleas. English often uses one word where Hebrew or Greek has several, each with its own shade of meaning. Under each word are verses where it is translated this way; choose the word itself for its full study: every verse, how else it is translated, the forms it takes and what the dictionaries say.
At a glance
How often each original word is translated “plea” or one of its forms.
Compare the Hebrew words side by side Compare the Greek words side by side
Hebrew and Aramaic words (Old Testament)
- נִיחוֹחַ nîchôacha quieting, soothing, tranquillizingtranslated this way 41 times of its 43 uses · Strong’s H5207Noun · Translated: pleasing 41, fragrant 2Full study and all 43 verses →
Genesis 8:21 When the LORD smelled the pleasing aroma, He said in His heart, “Never again will I curse the ground because of man, even though every inclination of his heart is evil from his youth. And never again will I destroy all living creatures as I have done.
Exodus 29:18 Then burn the entire ram on the altar; it is a burnt offering to the LORD, a pleasing aroma, a food offering to the LORD.
- טוֹב ṭôbpleasant, agreeable, goodtranslated this way 14 times of its 538 uses · Strong’s H2896Adjective · Translated: good 249, better 72, prosperity 19, good things 12Full study and all 499 verses →
Deuteronomy 23:16 Let him live among you wherever he chooses, in the town of his pleasing. Do not oppress him.
1 Samuel 29:9 Achish replied, “I know that you are as pleasing in my sight as an angel of God. But the commanders of the Philistines have said, ‘He must not go into battle with us.’
- יָטַב yâṭabbe good, well, glad, pleasingtranslated this way 10 times of its 110 uses · Strong’s H3190Verb · Translated: good 14, well 8, pleased 8, go well 6Full study and all 106 verses →
Genesis 41:37 This proposal pleased Pharaoh and all his officials.
1 Samuel 18:5 So David marched out and prospered in everything Saul sent him to do, and Saul set him over the men of war. And this was pleasing in the sight of all the people, and of Saul’s officers as well.
- תְּחִנָּה techinnâhfavour, supplication for favourtranslated this way 10 times of its 24 uses · Strong’s H8467Noun · Translated: petition 11, plea 8, pleas 2, mercy 1Full study and all 24 verses →
1 Kings 8:28 Yet regard the prayer and plea of Your servant, O LORD my God, so that You may hear the cry and the prayer that Your servant is praying before You today.
2 Chronicles 6:19 Yet regard the prayer and plea of Your servant, O LORD my God, so that You may hear the cry and the prayer that Your servant is praying before You.
- חָפֵץ châphêtsdelight intranslated this way 9 times of its 73 uses · Strong’s H2654Verb · Translated: delight 14, delighted 13, desire 8, pleases 5Full study and all 70 verses →
Deuteronomy 21:14 And if you are not pleased with her, you are to let her go wherever she wishes. But you must not sell her for money or treat her as a slave, since you have dishonored her.
1 Samuel 18:22 Then Saul ordered his servants, “Speak to David privately and tell him, ‘Behold, the king is pleased with you, and all his servants love you. Now therefore, become his son-in-law.’”
- יָשַׁר yâsharbe smooth, straight, righttranslated this way 6 times of its 25 uses · Strong’s H3474Verb · Translated: pleased 4, make 3, please 2, pleasing 2Full study and all 25 verses →
Judges 14:3 But his father and mother replied, “Can’t you find a young woman among your relatives or among any of our people? Must you go to the uncircumcised Philistines to get a wife?” But Samson told his father, “Get her for me, for she is pleasing to my eyes.”
1 Samuel 18:20 Now Saul’s daughter Michal loved David, and when this was reported to Saul, it pleased him.
- רָצוֹן râtsôngoodwill, favour, acceptance, willtranslated this way 6 times of its 54 uses · Strong’s H7522Noun · Translated: favor 15, delight 5, acceptable 3, acceptance 3Full study and all 54 verses →
Esther 9:5 The Jews put all their enemies to the sword, killing and destroying them, and they did as they pleased to those who hated them.
Psalm 19:14 May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.
- קוֹל qôlsound, voicetranslated this way 5 times of its 425 uses · Strong’s H6963Noun · Translated: voice 197, sound 63, voices 22, thunder 11Full study and all 378 verses →
Genesis 30:6 Then Rachel said, “God has vindicated me; He has heard my plea and given me a son.” So she named him Dan.
Numbers 21:3 And the LORD heard Israel’s plea and delivered up the Canaanites. Israel devoted them and their cities to destruction; so they named the place Hormah.
- רָצָה râtsâhbe pleased with, accept favourablytranslated this way 5 times of its 57 uses · Strong’s H7521Verb · Translated: accept 12, delight 6, pleased 5, accepted 4Full study and all 55 verses →
1 Chronicles 28:4 Yet the LORD, the God of Israel, chose me out of all my father’s house to be king over Israel forever. For He chose Judah as leader, and from the house of Judah He chose my father’s household, and from my father’s sons He was pleased to make me king over all Israel.
Psalm 40:13 Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me; hurry, O LORD, to help me.
- עַל alheighttranslated this way 4 times of its 4,859 uses · Strong’s H5921Preposition · Translated: on 777, over 297, in 218, against 216Full study and all 3,996 verses →
- תַּחֲנוּן tachănûnsupplication for favourtranslated this way 3 times of its 18 uses · Strong’s H8469Noun · Translated: mercy 5, petitions 3, plea 2Full study and all 18 verses →
2 Chronicles 6:21 Hear the plea of Your servant and of Your people Israel when they pray toward this place. May You hear from heaven, Your dwelling place. May You hear and forgive.
Psalm 130:2 O Lord, hear my voice; let Your ears be attentive to my plea for mercy.
- שְׁפַר shepharbe fair, seemlytranslated this way 2 times of its 3 uses · Strong’s H8232Verb · Translated: pleased 1, pleasing 1, now it 1Full study and all 3 verses →
Daniel 4:2 I am pleased to declare the signs and wonders that the Most High God has performed for me.
Daniel 4:27 Therefore, may my advice be pleasing to you, O king. Break away from your sins by doing what is right, and from your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed. Perhaps there will be an extension of your prosperity.”
- רִיב rîbstrife, disputetranslated this way 2 times of its 61 uses · Strong’s H7379Noun · Translated: case 11, strife 9, dispute 8, cause 8Full study and all 60 verses →
Job 13:6 Hear now my argument, and listen to the plea of my lips.
Isaiah 1:23 Your rulers are rebels, friends of thieves. They all love bribes and chasing after rewards. They do not defend the fatherless, and the plea of the widow never comes before them.
- יָאַל yâalshew willingness, be pleased, determine, undertaketranslated this way 2 times of its 18 uses · Strong’s H2974Verb · Translated: determined 4, please 3, ventured 2, agreed 2Full study and all 18 verses →
1 Samuel 12:22 Indeed, for the sake of His great name, the LORD will not abandon His people, because He was pleased to make you His own.
1 Chronicles 17:27 So now You have been pleased to bless the house of Your servant, that it may continue forever before You. For You, O LORD, have blessed it, and it will be blessed forever.”
- עַיִן ayineyetranslated this way 2 times of its 764 uses · Strong’s H5869Noun · Translated: eyes 383, sight 186, eye 38, presence 13Full study and all 731 verses →
2 Samuel 3:36 All the people took note and were pleased. In fact, everything the king did pleased them.
- יָשָׁר yâshârstraight, righttranslated this way 2 times of its 119 uses · Strong’s H3477Adjective · Translated: upright 54, right 41, seems right 4, Jashar 2Full study and all 119 verses →
2 Samuel 19:6 You love those who hate you and hate those who love you! For you have made it clear today that the commanders and soldiers mean nothing to you. I know today that if Absalom were alive and all of us were dead, it would have pleased you!
Jeremiah 34:15 Recently you repented and did what pleased Me; each of you proclaimed freedom for his neighbor. You made a covenant before Me in the house that bears My Name.
Greek words (New Testament)
- εὐδοκέω eudokéōI am resolved, well-pleasedtranslated this way 12 times of its 21 uses · Strong’s G2106Verb · Translated: pleased 7, well pleased 5, delight 2, delighted 2Full study and all 21 verses →
Matthew 3:17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased!”
Mark 1:11 And a voice came from heaven: “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.”
- εὐάρεστος euárestosacceptable, well-pleasingtranslated this way 6 times of its 9 uses · Strong’s G2101Adjective · Translated: pleasing 5, well-pleasing 2, please 1, pleases 1Full study and all 9 verses →
Romans 12:1 Therefore I urge you, brothers, on account of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.
Ephesians 5:10 Test and prove what pleases the Lord.
- ἀρέσκω aréskōI please, servetranslated this way 4 times of its 17 uses · Strong’s G700Verb · Translated: please 11, pleased 3, still trying to please 1, displeasing 1Full study and all 16 verses →
Matthew 14:6 On Herod’s birthday, however, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod
Mark 6:22 When the daughter of Herodias came and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests, and the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it to you.”
- ἀρεστός arestóspleasing, satisfactory, acceptabletranslated this way 3 times of its 4 uses · Strong’s G701Adjective · Translated: pleases 1, unacceptable 1, pleased 1, pleasing 1Full study and all 4 verses →
John 8:29 He who sent Me is with Me. He has not left Me alone, because I always do what pleases Him.”
Acts 12:3 And seeing that this pleased the Jews, Herod proceeded to seize Peter during the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
- ἀπόδεκτος apódektosworthy to be received, acceptable, welcometranslated this way 2 times of its 2 uses · Strong’s G587Adjective · Translated: pleasing 2Full study and all 2 verses →
1 Timothy 2:3 This is good and pleasing in the sight of God our Savior,
1 Timothy 5:4 But if a widow has children or grandchildren, they must first learn to show godliness to their own family and repay their parents, for this is pleasing in the sight of God.
- εὐαρεστέω euarestéōI pleasetranslated this way 2 times of its 3 uses · Strong’s G2100Verb · Translated: pleased 2, please 1Full study and all 3 verses →
Hebrews 11:5 By faith Enoch was taken up so that he did not see death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.” For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God.
Hebrews 13:16 And do not neglect to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.
How to study a word well
- Start from the verse, not the dictionary. Find which Hebrew or Greek word stands in the verse you are studying. One English word often translates several different original words.
- Read every place the word is used. A word means what its writers used it to mean. The list of verses and the count by book show its range, and who uses it most.
- Look at how it is translated. A word rendered five different ways has a wider meaning than any one English word can carry.
- Notice the form. A command is not a statement, and a passive verb is something done to the subject. The form in your verse is part of the meaning.
- See what it keeps company with. The words that appear beside it again and again show how the Bible itself connects ideas.
- Then read the dictionaries. They give the considered view of scholars, with their evidence.
- Come back to the verse. Context decides. A word does not carry every one of its meanings into every verse, and where a word came from does not settle what it means in a sentence written centuries later.
Scripture text and translation counts: Berean Standard Bible. Full entry: Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906, public domain), in the digital edition Brown-Driver-Briggs Enhanced by unfoldingWord (Joel Ruark, J. de Joode), based on data by Eliran Wong and Stephen Ku; its additions are used under CC BY 4.0. Strong’s Hebrew Dictionary: Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible Project, CC BY 4.0. Hebrew-to-English verse numbering: original work of the Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible available at https://github.com/openscriptures/morphhb, CC BY 4.0. We reformatted the data, linked the references to this site’s Bible text and left out words in other scripts that the source holds only as images. These are historical reference works; an entry gives its authors’ view, and a word’s meaning in any verse depends on how it is used there.