'Better' in the Bible

Laban said, "It is better that I give her to you, than that I should give her to another man. Stay with me."

Isn't this the word that we spoke to you in Egypt, saying, 'Leave us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians?' For it were better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness."

Why does Yahweh bring us to this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will be a prey: wouldn't it be better for us to return into Egypt?"

He said to them, "What have I now done in comparison with you? Isn't the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer?

"Please speak in the ears of all the men of Shechem, 'Is it better for you that all the sons of Jerubbaal, who are seventy persons, rule over you, or that one rule over you?' Remember also that I am your bone and your flesh."

Now are you anything better than Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab? Did he ever strive against Israel, or did he ever fight against them?

They said to him, "Hold your peace, put your hand on your mouth, and go with us, and be to us a father and a priest. Is it better for you to be priest to the house of one man, or to be priest to a tribe and a family in Israel?"

He shall be to you a restorer of life, and sustain you in your old age, for your daughter-in-law, who loves you, who is better to you than seven sons, has borne him."

Elkanah her husband said to her, "Hannah, why do you weep? Why don't you eat? Why is your heart grieved? Am I not better to you than ten sons?"

He had a son, whose name was Saul, an impressive young man; and there was not among the children of Israel a better person than he. From his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people.

Samuel said, "Has Yahweh as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of Yahweh? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.

Samuel said to him, "Yahweh has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day, and has given it to a neighbor of yours who is better than you.

David said in his heart, "I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than that I should escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul will despair of me, to seek me any more in all the borders of Israel. So shall I escape out of his hand."

Absalom answered Joab, "Behold, I sent to you, saying, 'Come here, that I may send you to the king, to say, "Why have I come from Geshur? It would be better for me to be there still. Now therefore let me see the king's face; and if there is iniquity in me, let him kill me."'"

Absalom and all the men of Israel said, "The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel." For Yahweh had ordained to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, to the intent that Yahweh might bring evil on Absalom.

But the people said, "You shall not go forth; for if we flee away, they will not care for us; neither if half of us die, will they care for us. But you are worth ten thousand of us. Therefore now it is better that you are ready to help us out of the city."

Moreover the king's servants came to bless our lord king David, saying, 'May your God make the name of Solomon better than your name, and make his throne greater than your throne;' and the king bowed himself on the bed.

Yahweh will return his blood on his own head, because he fell on two men more righteous and better than he, and killed them with the sword, and my father David didn't know it: Abner the son of Ner, captain of the army of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, captain of the army of Judah.

But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die, and said, "It is enough. Now, O Yahweh, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers."

Ahab spoke to Naboth, saying, "Give me your vineyard, that I may have it for a garden of herbs, because it is near to my house; and I will give you for it a better vineyard than it. Or, if it seems good to you, I will give you its worth in money."

Aren't Abanah and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Couldn't I wash in them, and be clean?" So he turned and went away in a rage.

but have walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and have made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to play the prostitute, like the house of Ahab did, and also have slain your brothers of your father's house, who were better than yourself:

"If it please the king, let a royal commandment go from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, so that it cannot be altered, that Vashti may never again come before King Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal estate to another who is better than she.

Better is a little that the righteous has, than the abundance of many wicked.

Because your loving kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise you.

It will please Yahweh better than an ox, or a bull that has horns and hoofs.

For a day in your courts is better than a thousand. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.

It is better to take refuge in Yahweh, than to put confidence in man.

It is better to take refuge in Yahweh, than to put confidence in princes.

The law of your mouth is better to me than thousands of pieces of gold and silver. YUD

For her good profit is better than getting silver, and her return is better than fine gold.

For wisdom is better than rubies. All the things that may be desired can't be compared to it.

My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold; my yield than choice silver.

Better is he who is lightly esteemed, and has a servant, than he who honors himself, and lacks bread.

Better is little, with the fear of Yahweh, than great treasure with trouble.

Better is a dinner of herbs, where love is, than a fattened calf with hatred.

Better is a little with righteousness, than great revenues with injustice.

How much better it is to get wisdom than gold! Yes, to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.

It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor, than to divide the plunder with the proud.

One who is slow to anger is better than the mighty; one who rules his spirit, than he who takes a city.

Better is a dry morsel with quietness, than a house full of feasting with strife.

Better is the poor who walks in his integrity than he who is perverse in his lips and is a fool.

That which makes a man to be desired is his kindness. A poor man is better than a liar.

It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop, than to share a house with a contentious woman.

It is better to dwell in a desert land, than with a contentious and fretful woman.

A good name is more desirable than great riches, and loving favor is better than silver and gold.

for it is better that it be said to you, "Come up here," than that you should be put lower in the presence of the prince, whom your eyes have seen.

It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop, than to share a house with a contentious woman.

Better is open rebuke than hidden love.

Don't forsake your friend and your father's friend. Don't go to your brother's house in the day of your disaster: better is a neighbor who is near than a distant brother.

Better is the poor who walks in his integrity, than he who is perverse in his ways, and he is rich.

There is nothing better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and make his soul enjoy good in his labor. This also I saw, that it is from the hand of God.

I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice, and to do good as long as they live.

Therefore I saw that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his works; for that is his portion: for who can bring him to see what will be after him?

Yes, better than them both is him who has not yet been, who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.

Better is a handful, with quietness, than two handfuls with labor and chasing after wind.

Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor.

Better is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who doesn't know how to receive admonition any more.

Guard your steps when you go to God's house; for to draw near to listen is better than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they don't know that they do evil.

It is better that you should not vow, than that you should vow and not pay.

If a man fathers a hundred children, and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul is not filled with good, and moreover he has no burial; I say, that a stillborn child is better than he:

Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire. This also is vanity and a chasing after wind.

A good name is better than fine perfume; and the day of death better than the day of one's birth.

It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men, and the living should take this to heart.

Sorrow is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the face the heart is made good.

It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.

Better is the end of a thing than its beginning. The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

Don't say, "Why were the former days better than these?" For you do not ask wisely about this.

Though a sinner commits crimes a hundred times, and lives long, yet surely I know that it will be better with those who fear God, who are reverent before him.

Then I commended mirth, because a man has no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be joyful: for that will accompany him in his labor all the days of his life which God has given him under the sun.

For to him who is joined with all the living there is hope; for a living dog is better than a dead lion.

Then I said, "Wisdom is better than strength." Nevertheless the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.

The words of the wise heard in quiet are better than the cry of him who rules among fools.

Wisdom is better than weapons of war; but one sinner destroys much good.

Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth; for your love is better than wine.

How beautiful is your love, my sister, my bride! How much better is your love than wine! The fragrance of your perfumes than all kinds of spices!

How is your beloved better than another beloved, you fairest among women? How is your beloved better than another beloved, that you do so adjure us? Beloved

to them I will give in my house and within my walls a memorial and a name better than of sons and of daughters; I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off.

Those who are killed with the sword are better than those who are killed with hunger; For these pine away, stricken through, for want of the fruits of the field.

and I will multiply on you man and animal; and they shall increase and be fruitful; and I will cause you to be inhabited after your former estate, and will do better [to you] than at your beginnings: and you shall know that I am Yahweh.

In every matter of wisdom and understanding, concerning which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters who were in all his realm.

She will follow after her lovers, but she won't overtake them; and she will seek them, but won't find them. Then she will say, 'I will go and return to my first husband; for then was it better with me than now.'

Go to Calneh, and see; and from there go to Hamath the great; then go down to Gath of the Philistines. are they better than these kingdoms? or is their border greater than your border?

Therefore now, Yahweh, take, I beg you, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live."

It happened, when the sun arose, that God prepared a sultry east wind; and the sun beat on Jonah's head, so that he fainted, and requested for himself that he might die, and said, "It is better for me to die than to live."

Are you better than No-Amon, who was situated among the rivers, who had the waters around her; whose rampart was the sea, and her wall was of the sea?