ratson · favor, will

What it means

ratson (רָצוֹן) is a Hebrew word of the Bible that means “favor, will”.

What pleases: favor, goodwill, will; also willfulness, whim.

How to say it

Approximate pronunciation. Vowels sound as in Spanish (a as in father, e as in bed, i as in machine, o as in note, u as in rule); the syllable in bold is stressed. The voice is your device's.

Its senses in the Bible

1. The goodwill with which one looks on another.
2. For YHWH to welcome someone or their offering.
3. What one decides as one likes.

From Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906)

Word study

What pleases: the favor with which someone looks on another, acceptance; and also the will, what one wants and decides, sometimes on a whim. It is the noun of רָצָה (‘accept, take pleasure’, H7521).

• Sacrifices offered to be accepted Leviticus 1:3Leviticus 19:5Leviticus 22:21
• The favor of YHWH Psalms 5:12Proverbs 8:35Isaiah 61:2
• What is “his pleasure” Proverbs 11:1Proverbs 15:8
• Doing the will of YHWH Psalms 40:8Psalms 143:10Psalms 103:21
• A king who does as he pleases Daniel 11:3Daniel 8:4Esther 9:5

How we translate it

“Favor” 25 times, “will” 10, “pleasure” 5; in the laws of the sacrifices, phrases with ‘accept’ (“for his acceptance”, “so that you are accepted”, “to be accepted”), because there the word says that the offering will be received with pleasure; “as he pleases” of a king who does what he wants (Daniel 11:3). In Genesis 49:6, “whim”.

How it is translated

The words this translation uses for it, most frequent first.

• favor ×25
• will ×10
• pleasure ×5
• acceptance ×4
• as he pleases ×3
• acceptable ×2
• accepted ×2
• you are accepted ×2
• as it pleased ×1
• what is pleasing ×1
• others ×1

Related words

Words of the same family, by Strong’s numbering.

Where it appears

• Genesis×1
• Exodus×1
• Leviticus×7
• Deuteronomy×2
• 2 Chronicles×1
• Ezra×1
• Nehemiah×2
• Esther×2
• Psalms×13
• Proverbs×14
• Isaiah×6
• Jeremiah×1
• Daniel×4
• Malachi×1

• Genesis 49:6

  Into their council let my soul not enter; to their assembly let my honor not be joined; for in their anger they killed men, and at their whim they hamstrung oxen.

• Exodus 28:38

  It shall be on the forehead of Aaron, and Aaron shall bear the iniquity of the holy things that the sons of Israel consecrate, in all their holy gifts; it shall be on his forehead continually, for their acceptance before YHWH.

• Leviticus 1:3

  If his offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he shall present a male without defect; at the entrance of the tent of meeting he shall present it, for his acceptance before YHWH.

• Leviticus 19:5

  And when you sacrifice a sacrifice of peace to YHWH, you shall sacrifice it so that you are accepted.

• Leviticus 22:19

  it shall be for your acceptance: a male without defect from the herd, from the sheep, or from the goats.

• Leviticus 22:20

  Anything that has a defect you shall not present, for it will not be accepted for you.

• Leviticus 22:21

  And when a man presents a sacrifice of peace to YHWH to fulfill a vow or as a freewill offering, from the herd or from the flock, it shall be without defect to be accepted; no defect shall be in it.

• Leviticus 22:29

  And when you sacrifice a sacrifice of thanksgiving to YHWH, you shall sacrifice it so that you are accepted.

• Leviticus 23:11

  And he shall wave the sheaf before YHWH for your acceptance; on the day after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it.

• Deuteronomy 33:16

  and with the choicest of the earth and its fullness, and the favor of him who dwells in the bush. Let it come on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of the one consecrated among his brothers.

• Deuteronomy 33:23

  And of Naphtali he said, “Naphtali, satisfied with favor and full of the blessing of YHWH, take possession of the sea and the south.”

• 2 Chronicles 15:15

  All Judah rejoiced over the oath, for with all their heart they had sworn, and with all their will they had sought him, and he let himself be found by them; and YHWH gave them rest all around.

• Ezra 10:11

  So now, give acknowledgment to YHWH, the Elohim of your fathers, and do his will, and separate yourselves from the peoples of the land and from the foreign women.”

• Nehemiah 9:24

  So the sons went in and possessed the land, and you subdued before them the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, and gave them into their hand, both their kings and the peoples of the land, to do with them according to their will.

• Nehemiah 9:37

  And its produce increases for the kings whom you have set over us because of our sins; and over our bodies they rule, and over our livestock, according to their will; and in great distress are we.”

• Esther 1:8

  And the drinking was according to the law: no one compelled; for the king had so established for every steward of his house, that they should do according to the will of each one.

• Esther 9:5

  And the Jews struck all their enemies with a blow of the sword, and slaughter, and ruin, and they did to those who hated them according to their will.

• Psalms 5:12

  For you bless the righteous, YHWH; as with a large shield with favor you surround him.

• Psalms 19:14

  May the sayings of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable before you, YHWH, my Rock and my redeemer.

• Psalms 30:5

  For a moment in his anger, life in his favor; in the evening weeping lodges, and at morning, a shout of joy.

• Psalms 30:7

  YHWH, by your favor you set firm my mountain with strength; you hid your face; I was dismayed.

• Psalms 40:8

  To do your will, my Elohim, I have desired, and your instruction is within my inward parts.”

• Psalms 51:18

  Do good in your favor to Zion; build the walls of Jerusalem.

• Psalms 69:13

  But I, my prayer is to you, YHWH, at a time of favor; Elohim, in the abundance of your loyal love, answer me with the truth of your salvation.

• Psalms 89:17

  For the beauty of their strength are you, and by your favor our horn is exalted.

• Psalms 103:21

  Bless YHWH, all his armies, his ministers who do his will.

• Psalms 106:4

  Remember me, YHWH, with the favor you show your people; visit me with your salvation,

• Psalms 143:10

  Teach me to do your will, for you are my Elohim; may your good spirit lead me in a land of level ground.

• Psalms 145:16

  You open your hand and satisfy every living thing with favor.

• Psalms 145:19

  The will of those who fear him he will do, and their cry for help he will hear, and he will save them.

• Proverbs 8:35

  For whoever finds me finds life, and obtains favor from YHWH.

• Proverbs 10:32

  The lips of the righteous know what is pleasing, but the mouth of the wicked, perversities.

• Proverbs 11:1

  Scales of deceit are an abomination to YHWH, but a full weight is his pleasure.

• Proverbs 11:20

  An abomination to YHWH are the crooked of heart, but the blameless in their way are his pleasure.

• Proverbs 11:27

  Whoever eagerly seeks good seeks favor, but whoever searches for evil, it will come to him.

• Proverbs 12:2

  The good man obtains favor from YHWH, but a man of schemes he declares wicked.

• Proverbs 12:22

  An abomination to YHWH are lips of falsehood, but those who practice faithfulness are his pleasure.

• Proverbs 14:9

  Fools mock at guilt, but among the upright there is favor.

• Proverbs 14:35

  The favor of a king is toward a prudent slave, but his fury will be on the one who brings shame.

• Proverbs 15:8

  The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to YHWH, but the prayer of the upright is his pleasure.

And 16 more times.