'Favor' in the Bible

Noah, however, found favor in the sight of the Lord.

Then he said, “My lord, if I have found favor in your sight, please do not go on past your servant.

Your servant has indeed found favor in your sight, and you have shown me great kindness by saving my life. But I can’t run to the mountains; the disaster will overtake me, and I will die.

But Laban said to him, “If I have found favor in your sight, stay. I have learned by divination that the Lord has blessed me because of you.”

I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, male and female slaves. I have sent this message to inform my lord, in order to seek your favor.’”

So Esau said, “What do you mean by this whole procession I met?”“To find favor with you, my lord,” he answered.

But Jacob said, “No, please! If I have found favor with you, take this gift from my hand. For indeed, I have seen your face, and it is like seeing God’s face, since you have accepted me.

Then Shechem said to Dinah’s father and brothers, “Grant me this favor, and I’ll give you whatever you say.

Joseph found favor in his master’s sight and became his personal attendant. Potiphar also put him in charge of his household and placed all that he owned under his authority.

But the Lord was with Joseph and extended kindness to him. He granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden.

And they said, “You have saved our lives. We have found favor in our lord’s eyes and will be Pharaoh’s slaves.”

When the time drew near for him to die, he called his son Joseph and said to him, “If I have found favor in your eyes, put your hand under my thigh and promise me that you will deal with me in kindness and faithfulness. Do not bury me in Egypt.

When the days of mourning were over, Joseph said to Pharaoh’s household, “If I have found favor with you, please tell Pharaoh that

And I will give these people such favor in the sight of the Egyptians that when you go, you will not go empty-handed.

The Lord gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. And the man Moses was highly regarded in the land of Egypt by Pharaoh’s officials and the people.

And the Lord gave the people such favor in the Egyptians’ sight that they gave them what they requested. In this way they plundered the Egyptians.

Moses said to the Lord, “Look, You have told me, ‘Lead this people up,’ but You have not let me know whom You will send with me. You said, ‘I know you by name, and you have also found favor in My sight.’

Now if I have indeed found favor in Your sight, please teach me Your ways, and I will know You and find favor in Your sight. Now consider that this nation is Your people.”

How will it be known that I and Your people have found favor in Your sight unless You go with us? I and Your people will be distinguished by this from all the other people on the face of the earth.”

The Lord answered Moses, “I will do this very thing you have asked, for you have found favor in My sight, and I know you by name.”

Then he said, “My Lord, if I have indeed found favor in Your sight, my Lord, please go with us. Even though this is a stiff-necked people, forgive our wrongdoing and sin, and accept us as Your own possession.”

may Yahweh look with favor on youand give you peace.

They said, “If we have found favor in your sight, let this land be given to your servants as a possession. Don’t make us cross the Jordan.”

with the choice gifts of the landand everything in it;and with the favor of Himwho appeared in the burning bush.May these rest on the head of Joseph,on the crown of the prince of his brothers.

Then he said to Him, “If I have found favor in Your sight, give me a sign that You are speaking with me.

When their fathers or brothers come to us and protest, we will tell them, ‘Show favor to them, since we did not get enough wives for each of them in the battle. You didn’t actually give the women to them, so you are not guilty of breaking your oath.’”

“May your servant find favor with you,” she replied. Then Hannah went on her way; she ate and no longer looked despondent.

By contrast, the boy Samuel grew in stature and in favor with the Lord and with men.

I thought: The Philistines will now descend on me at Gilgal, and I haven’t sought the Lord’s favor. So I forced myself to offer the burnt offering.”

Ask your young men, and they will tell you. So let my young men find favor with you, for we have come on a feast day. Please give whatever you can afford to your servants and to your son David.’”

Now David said to Achish, “If I have found favor with you, let me be given a place in one of the outlying towns, so I can live there. Why should your servant live in the royal city with you?”

The Philistine commanders, however, were enraged with Achish and told him, “Send that man back and let him return to the place you assigned him. He must not go down with us into battle only to become our adversary during the battle. What better way could he regain his master’s favor than with the heads of our men?

Joab fell with his face to the ground in homage and praised the king. “Today,” Joab said, “your servant knows I have found favor with you, my lord the king, because the king has granted the request of your servant.”

Then the king instructed Zadok, “Return the ark of God to the city. If I find favor in the Lord’s eyes, He will bring me back and allow me to see both it and its dwelling place.

Then the king responded to the man of God, “Plead for the favor of the Lord your God and pray for me so that my hand may be restored to me.” So the man of God pleaded for the favor of the Lord, and the king’s hand was restored to him and became as it had been at first.

Then Jehoahaz sought the Lord’s favor, and the Lord heard him, for He saw the oppression the king of Aram inflicted on Israel.

When he was in distress, he sought the favor of Yahweh his God and earnestly humbled himself before the God of his ancestors.

and who has shown favor to me before the king, his counselors, and all his powerful officers. So I took courage because I was strengthened by Yahweh my God, and I gathered Israelite leaders to return with me.

and answered the king, “If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor with you, send me to Judah and to the city where my ancestors are buried, so that I may rebuild it.”

I also arranged for the donation of wood at the appointed times and for the firstfruits.Remember me, my God, with favor.

The young woman pleased him and gained his favor so that he accelerated the process of the beauty treatments and the special diet that she received. He assigned seven hand-picked female servants to her from the palace and transferred her and her servants to the harem’s best quarters.

The king loved Esther more than all the other women. She won more favor and approval from him than did any of the other young women. He placed the royal crown on her head and made her queen in place of Vashti.

Mordecai also gave him a copy of the written decree issued in Susa ordering their destruction, so that Hathach might show it to Esther, explain it to her, and command her to approach the king, implore his favor, and plead with him personally for her people.

Is it good for You to oppress,to reject the work of Your hands,and favor the plans of the wicked?

You will lie down without fear,and many will seek your favor.

God is not partial to princesand does not favor the rich over the poor,for they are all the work of His hands.

Many are saying, “Who can show us anything good?”Look on us with favor, Lord.

For You, Lord, bless the righteous one;You surround him with favor like a shield.

For His anger lasts only a moment,but His favor, a lifetime.Weeping may spend the night,but there is joy in the morning.

Lord, when You showed Your favor,You made me stand like a strong mountain;when You hid Your face, I was terrified.

Lord, I called to You;I sought favor from my Lord:

Show Your favor to Your servant;save me by Your faithful love.

The daughter of Tyre, the wealthy people,will seek your favor with gifts.

For the choir director: with stringed instruments. A psalm. A song.May God be gracious to us and bless us;look on us with favorSelah

But as for me, Lord,my prayer to You is for a time of favor.In Your abundant, faithful love, God,answer me with Your sure salvation.

“Will the Lord reject foreverand never again show favor?

Restore us, God;look on us with favor,and we will be saved.

Restore us, God of Hosts;look on us with favor, and we will be saved.

Restore us, Yahweh, the God of Hosts;look on us with favor, and we will be saved.

For the choir director. A psalm of the sons of Korah.Lord, You showed favor to Your land;You restored Jacob’s prosperity.

For You are their magnificent strength;by Your favor our horn is exalted.

Let the favor of the Lord our God be on us;establish for us the work of our hands—establish the work of our hands!

My eyes favor the faithful of the landso that they may sit down with me.The one who follows the way of integritymay serve me.

You will rise up and have compassion on Zion,for it is time to show favor to her—the appointed time has come.

For Your servants take delight in its stonesand favor its dust.

Remember me, Lord,when You show favor to Your people.Come to me with Your salvation

I have sought Your favor with all my heart;be gracious to me according to Your promise.

Show favor to Your servant,and teach me Your statutes.

Like a servant’s eyes on his master’s hand,like a servant girl’s eyes on her mistress’s hand,so our eyes are on the Lord our Goduntil He shows us favor.

Show us favor, Lord, show us favor,for we’ve had more than enough contempt.

Then you will find favor and high regardin the sight of God and man.

For the one who finds me finds lifeand obtains favor from the Lord,

The one who searches for what is good finds favor,but if someone looks for trouble, it will come to him.

The good person obtains favor from the Lord,but He condemns a man who schemes.

Good sense wins favor,but the way of the treacherous never changes.

When a king’s face lights up, there is life;his favor is like a cloud with spring rain.

A man who finds a wife finds a good thingand obtains favor from the Lord.

Many seek a ruler’s favor,and everyone is a friend of one who gives gifts.

A king’s rage is like the roaring of a lion,but his favor is like dew on the grass.

A good name is to be chosen over great wealth;favor is better than silver and gold.

One who rebukes a person will later find more favorthan one who flatters with his tongue.

Many seek a ruler’s favor,but a man receives justice from the Lord.

Again I saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift, or the battle to the strong, or bread to the wise, or riches to the discerning, or favor to the skillful; rather, time and chance happen to all of them.

But if the wicked man is shown favor,he does not learn righteousness.In a righteous land he acts unjustlyand does not see the majesty of the Lord.

For you people will live on Zion in Jerusalem and will never cry again. He will show favor to you at the sound of your cry; when He hears, He will answer you.

This is what the Lord says:I will answer you in a time of favor,and I will help you in the day of salvation.I will keep you, and I will appoint youto be a covenant for the people,to restore the land,to make them possess the desolate inheritances,

Foreigners will build up your walls,and their kings will serve you.Although I struck you in My wrath,yet I will show mercy to you with My favor.

to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor,and the day of our God’s vengeance;to comfort all who mourn,

Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all the people of Judah put him to death? Did he not fear the Lord and plead for the Lord’s favor, and did not the Lord relent concerning the disaster He had pronounced against them? We are about to bring great harm on ourselves!”

This is what the Lord says:They found favor in the wilderness—the people who survived the sword.When Israel went to find rest,

פ PeThe Lord Himself has scattered them;He regards them no more.The priests are not respected;the elders find no favor.

God had granted Daniel favor and compassion from the chief official,

until the Ancient of Days arrived and a judgment was given in favor of the holy ones of the Most High, for the time had come, and the holy ones took possession of the kingdom.

Therefore, our God, hear the prayer and the petitions of Your servant. Show Your favor to Your desolate sanctuary for the Lord’s sake.

Ships of Kittim will come against him, and being intimidated, he will withdraw. Then he will rage against the holy covenant and take action. On his return, he will favor those who abandon the holy covenant.

Jacob struggled with the Angel and prevailed;he wept and sought His favor.He found him at Bethel,and there He spoke with him.

Now the people of Bethel had sent Sharezer, Regem-melech, and their men to plead for the Lord’s favor

the residents of one city will go to another, saying: Let’s go at once to plead for the Lord’s favor and to seek the Lord of Hosts. I am also going.

Many peoples and strong nations will come to seek the Lord of Hosts in Jerusalem and to plead for the Lord’s favor.”

So I shepherded the flock intended for slaughter, the afflicted of the flock. I took two staffs, calling one Favor and the other Union, and I shepherded the flock.