'Desire' in the Bible

Now my father David had a strong desire to build a temple to honor the Lord God of Israel.

However, Yahweh said to my father David,“Since it was your desire to build a temple for My name,you have done well to have this desire.

Then give ear from heaven your living-place, and give him his desire, whatever it may be; so that all the peoples of the earth may have knowledge of your name, worshipping you as do your people Israel, and may see that this house which I have made is truly named by your name.

and Baalath, and all the cities of store that Solomon had, and all the cities of the chariot, and the cities of the horsemen, and all the desire of Solomon that he desired to build in Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion.

And king Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked, beside that which she had brought unto the king. So she turned, and went away to her own land, she and her servants.

He did evil because he did not set his heart to seek and worship and honor the Lord.

So he said to Judah, “Let us build these cities and surround them with walls, towers, gates and bars [to secure the doors]. The land is still ours because we have sought the Lord our God; we have sought Him [longing for Him with all our heart] and He has given us peace on every side.” So they built and prospered.

And he came face to face with Asa and said to him, Give ear to me, Asa and all Judah and Benjamin: the Lord is with you while you are with him; if your heart's desire is for him, he will be near you, but if you give him up, he will give you up.

They entered into a covenant (solemn agreement) to seek the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart and soul;

And all Judah rejoiced at the oath: for they had sworn with all their heart, and sought him with their whole desire; and he was found of them: and the LORD gave them rest round about.

but sought the God of his father, and walked in (obeyed) His commandments, and did not act as Israel did.

But there are some good things found in you, for you have removed the Asherim (idols) from the land and you have set your heart to seek God [with all your soul’s desire].”

So [the people of] Judah gathered together to seek help from the Lord; indeed they came from all the cities of Judah to seek the Lord [longing for Him with all their heart].

A son of thirty and two years was he in his reigning, and eight years he hath reigned in Jerusalem, and he goeth without desire, and they bury him in the city of David, and not in the graves of the kings.

Now after this Joash had a desire to put the house of the Lord into good order again;

And by the desire of all the people, the feast went on for another seven days, and they kept the seven days with joy.

And now, if it seems good for the king, let it be investigated in the house of the treasury of the king in Babylonia [to see] if a decree was issued forth from King Cyrus to build this house of God in Jerusalem. And let the king send to us his desire on this matter."

And now it is my order that all those of the people of Israel, and their priests and Levites in my kingdom, who are ready and have a desire to go to Jerusalem, are to go with you.

Furthermore, the balance remaining of the silver and gold may be used for whatever other purpose you and your people desire, as long as such use is consistent with the will of your God.

O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the king's cupbearer.

Then the king said to me, What is your desire? So I made prayer to the God of heaven.

And let the king appoint officers throughout all the provinces of his kingdom to gather all the attractive young women to Susa the citadel, to the harem under the authority of Hegai, the king's eunuch who oversees the women, and let him provide whatever cosmetics they desire.

And in this way the girl went in to the king; whatever she had a desire for was given to her to take with her from the women's house into the house of the king.

Then the king said, What is your desire, Queen Esther, and what is your request? I will give it to you, even to the half of my kingdom.

So Haman came in and the king said to him, “What is to be done for the man whom the king desires to honor?” And Haman said to himself, “Whom would the king desire to honor more than me?”

Haman told himself, "Whom would the king desire to honor more than me?" Haman answered the king, "For a man whom the king desires to honor,

Queen Esther answered, “If I have obtained your approval, my king, and if the king is pleased, spare my life—this is my request; and spare my people—this is my desire.

So the Jews overcame all their attackers with the sword and with death and destruction, and did to their haters whatever they had a desire to do.

To those whose desire is for death, but it comes not; who are searching for it more than for secret wealth;

My soul has no desire for such things, they are as disease in my food.

Oh that I might have my request, and that +God would grant my desire!

I have no desire for life, I would not be living for ever! Keep away from me, for my days are as a breath.

I have done no wrong; I give no thought to what becomes of me; I have no desire for life.

Surely I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to reason with God.

Thou shalt call, and I will answer thee: thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands.

Where then is my hope? and who will see my desire?

whom I will see for myself. My own eyes will look at him there won't be anyone else for me! He is the culmination of my innermost desire."

“Because he knew no quietness or calm within him [because of his greed],He does not retain anything he desires.

He had never enough for his desire; for this cause his well-being will quickly come to an end.

God gives him his desire, and sends the heat of his wrath on him, making it come down on him like rain.

Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways.

But his purpose is fixed and there is no changing it; and he gives effect to the desire of his soul.

And the man whose desire is for the wife of another is waiting for the evening, saying, No eye will see me; and he puts a cover on his face. And in the night the thief goes about;

If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail;

Oh that one would hear me! behold, my desire is, that the Almighty would answer me, and that mine adversary had written a book.

He cannot stand his food, and he has no desire for appetizing food.

If thou hast any thing to say, answer me: speak, for I desire to justify thee.

Shall his recompense be as you desire, that you refuse it? For you must choose, and not I. Therefore speak what you know.

My desire is that Job may be tried unto the end because of his answers for wicked men.

Desire not the night, when people are cut off in their place.

How may he have knowledge of my desire for talk with him? or did any man ever say, May destruction come on me?

Dost thou hunt for a lion prey? And the desire of young lions fulfil?

But his delight is in the law of the Lord,And on His law [His precepts and teachings] he [habitually] meditates day and night.

For the wicked boasteth of his heart's desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the LORD abhorreth.

LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear:

"Because of the violence done to the oppressed, because of the painful cries of the needy, I will spring into action," says the Lord. "I will provide the safety they so desperately desire."

With regard to [the] saints who [are] in the land, they [are the] noble ones in [whom is] all my desire.

their troubles multiply, they desire other gods. I will not pour out drink offerings of blood to their gods, nor will I make vows in the name of their gods.

Like a lion they desire to rip us to pieces, like a young lion waiting in ambush.

Lord, use your power to deliver me from these murderers, from the murderers of this world! They enjoy prosperity; you overwhelm them with the riches they desire. They have many children, and leave their wealth to their offspring.

May He grant you your heart’s desireAnd fulfill all your counsel!

Thou hast given him his heart's desire, and hast not withholden the request of his lips. Selah.

I have asked one thing from the Lord;it is what I desire:to dwell in the house of the Lordall the days of my life,gazing on the beauty of the Lordand seeking Him in His temple.

Do not deliver me over to the desire of my adversaries,For false witnesses have risen against me,And such as breathe out violence.

What man has a love of life, and a desire that his days may be increased so that he may see good?

They do not say in their heart, 'Aha, our desire.' They do not say, 'We swallowed him up.'

May those who desire my vindication shout for joy and rejoice! May they continually say, "May the Lord be praised, for he wants his servant to be secure."

Lord, all my desire is before thee; and my groaning is not hid from thee.

Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required.

Let them be shamed and abashed altogether who seek to take away my life. Let them be repulsed and humiliated [who] desire my harm.

The Lord will keep him and preserve him;he will be blessed in the land.You will not give him over to the desire of his enemies.

As for all who hate me, they whisper together against me; they desire to do me harm.

Like the desire of the roe for the water-streams, so is my soul's desire for you, O God.

So shall the king greatly desire thy beauty: for he is thy Lord; and worship thou him.

Surely You desire integrity in the inner self,and You teach me wisdom deep within.

Let me again experience the joy of your deliverance! Sustain me by giving me the desire to obey!

Indeed, you do not delight in sacrifices, or I would give them, nor do you desire burnt offerings.

“Behold, the man who would not make God his refuge,But trusted in the abundance of his richesAnd was strong in his evil desire.”

They were in great fear, where there was no cause for fear: for the bones of those who make war on you have been broken by God; you have put them to shame, because God has no desire for them.

For he hath delivered me out of all trouble: and mine eye hath seen his desire upon mine enemies.

He will send from heaven, and take me from the power of him whose desire is for my destruction. God will send out his mercy and his good faith.

The God of my mercy shall prevent me: God shall let me see my desire upon mine enemies.

O God, you are my God; early will I make my search for you: my soul is dry for need of you, my flesh is wasted with desire for you, as a dry and burning land where no water is;

Let them be ashamed and confounded that seek after my soul: let them be turned backward, and put to confusion, that desire my hurt.

Their eyes are bursting with fat; they have more than their heart's desire.

Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.

And in their heart they put God to the testBy asking food according to their desire.

So they did eat, and were well filled: for he gave them their own desire;

Before they had satisfied their desire,while the food was still in their mouths,

I desire and long for the Temple courts of the LORD. My heart and body sing for joy to the living God.

Make glad the soul of your servant, because {I desire you}, O Lord.

Mine eye also shall see my desire on mine enemies, and mine ears shall hear my desire of the wicked that rise up against me.

For forty years I was continually disgusted with that generation, and I said, 'These people desire to go astray; they do not obey my commands.'

Who is satisfying with good thy desire, Renew itself as an eagle doth thy youth.

He gives its desire to the unresting soul, so that it is full of good things.

And they rejoice because they are quiet, And He leadeth them to the haven of their desire.

He loved to curse others, so those curses have come upon him. He had no desire to bless anyone, so he has experienced no blessings.

Great are the acts of the LORD; they are within reach of all who desire them.

His heart is established, he shall not be afraid, until he see his desire upon his enemies.

The wicked shall see it, and be grieved; he shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away: the desire of the wicked shall perish.