esher · happy, blessed

What it means

esher (אֶשֶׁר) is a Hebrew word of the Bible that means “happy, blessed”.

An exclamation for the good that someone has.

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. Truly well off: "blessed is the man who…".

From Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906)

Word study

Happy: an exclamation, ‘how happy!’, at the good that someone has. In Hebrew it is a plural that works as a formula. It is the word with which the book of Psalms begins.

• “Happy {is} the man”: the way of the righteous Psalms 1:1Psalms 119:1Psalms 128:1
• Happy is the one forgiven Psalms 32:1Psalms 32:2
• “Happy {are} all who take refuge in him” Psalms 2:12Psalms 34:8Isaiah 30:18
• “Happy {is} the man {who} finds wisdom” Proverbs 3:13Proverbs 8:34
• A happy people or happy servants Deuteronomy 33:29Psalms 33:121 Kings 10:8

How we translate it

“Happy is” 28 times, “Happy are” 14, “happy” 3. This edition’s glossary sets אַשְׁרֵי = ‘happy’, like μακάριος (G3107) in the New Testament, so that the reader can see the echo between the Psalms and the beatitudes; ‘blessed’ is kept for בָּרוּךְ.

How it is translated

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

• Happy is ×28
• Happy are ×14
• happy ×3

Related words

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

Where it appears

• Deuteronomy×1
• 1 Kings×2
• 2 Chronicles×2
• Job×1
• Psalms×26
• Proverbs×8
• Ecclesiastes×1
• Isaiah×3
• Daniel×1

• Deuteronomy 33:29

  Happy are you, Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by YHWH, the shield of your help and who is the sword of your majesty? Your enemies will cringe before you, and you will tread on their high places.”

• 1 Kings 10:8

  Happy are your men, happy are these your servants, who stand before you continually, who hear your wisdom!

• 2 Chronicles 9:7

  Happy are your men, and happy are these servants of yours who stand before you continually and hear your wisdom!

• Job 5:17

  Look, happy is the mortal whom Eloah reproves; so do not despise the correction of Shaddai.

• Psalms 1:1

  Happy is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, or stand in the way of sinners, or sit in the seat of scoffers;

• Psalms 2:12

  Kiss the son, lest he be angry and you perish in the way, for soon his anger will flare up. Happy are all who take refuge in him.

• Psalms 32:1

  Of David. A maskil. Happy is he whose transgression is taken away, whose sin is covered.

• Psalms 32:2

  Happy is the human being against whom YHWH does not count iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.

• Psalms 33:12

  Happy is the nation whose Elohim is YHWH, the people he has chosen as an inheritance for himself.

• Psalms 34:8

  Taste and see that YHWH is good; happy is the man who takes refuge in him.

• Psalms 40:4

  Happy is the man who has made YHWH his trust, and has not turned to the arrogant or to those who go astray after a lie.

• Psalms 41:1

  For the director. A psalm of David. Happy is the one who considers the poor; in the day of evil YHWH will let him escape.

• Psalms 65:4

  Happy is the one you choose and bring near; he will dwell in your courts. We will be satisfied with the goodness of your house, the holiness of your temple.

• Psalms 84:4

  Happy are those who dwell in your house; they will still praise you. Selah.

• Psalms 84:5

  Happy is the man whose strength is in you, highways are in their heart.

• Psalms 84:12

  YHWH Tsevaot, happy is the man who trusts in you!

• Psalms 89:15

  Happy is the people who know the acclamation; YHWH, in the light of your face they walk.

• Psalms 94:12

  Happy is the man whom you correct, Yah, and from your instruction you teach him,

• Psalms 106:3

  Happy are those who keep justice, who do righteousness at all times.

• Psalms 112:1

  Praise Yah. Happy is the man who fears YHWH, who in his commandments delights greatly.

• Psalms 119:1

  Happy are those blameless in their way, who walk in the instruction of YHWH.

• Psalms 119:2

  Happy are those who guard his testimonies, who with all their heart seek him.

• Psalms 127:5

  Happy is the man who has filled his quiver with them; they will not be put to shame when they speak with enemies in the gate.

• Psalms 128:1

  A song of the ascents. Happy is everyone who fears YHWH, who walks in his ways.

• Psalms 128:2

  The labor of your hands, when you eat it, happy are you, and it will be good for you.

• Psalms 137:8

  Daughter of Babylon, the devastated one, happy is he who repays you your recompense that you dealt to us.

• Psalms 137:9

  Happy is he who seizes and dashes your little ones against the rock.

• Psalms 144:15

  Happy is the people to whom it is thus; happy is the people whose Elohim is YHWH.

• Psalms 146:5

  Happy is he whose help is the El of Jacob, whose hope is in YHWH his Elohim,

• Proverbs 3:13

  Happy is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who obtains insight;

• Proverbs 8:32

  And now, sons, listen to me: and happy are those who keep my ways.

• Proverbs 8:34

  Happy is the man who listens to me, watching at my doors day by day, guarding the doorposts of my entrances.

• Proverbs 14:21

  Whoever despises his neighbor sins, but whoever shows favor to the humble, happy is he.

• Proverbs 16:20

  Whoever pays attention to the word will find good, and whoever trusts in YHWH, happy is he.

• Proverbs 20:7

  One who walks in his integrity is righteous; happy are his sons after him.

• Proverbs 28:14

  Happy is the man who fears always, but whoever hardens his heart will fall into evil.

• Proverbs 29:18

  Where there is no vision, the people run wild, but whoever keeps instruction, happy is he.

• Ecclesiastes 10:17

  Happy are you, land, when your king is a son of nobles, and your princes eat at the right time, with strength and not with drunkenness!

• Isaiah 30:18

  And therefore YHWH waits to show you favor, and therefore he rises up to have compassion on you; for an Elohim of justice is YHWH; happy are all who wait for him.

• Isaiah 32:20

  Happy are you who sow beside all waters, who let range free the foot of the ox and the donkey.

And 5 more times.