'Favor' in the Bible

But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.

and said, “My Lord, if now I have found favor in Your sight, please do not pass Your servant by.

Now behold, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have magnified your lovingkindness, which you have shown me by saving my life; but I cannot escape to the mountains, for the disaster will overtake me and I will die;

I have oxen and donkeys and flocks and male and female servants; and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find favor in your sight.”’”

And he said, “What do you mean by all this company which I have met?” And he said, “To find favor in the sight of my lord.”

Jacob said, “No, please, if now I have found favor in your sight, then take my present from my hand, for I see your face as one sees the face of God, and you have received me favorably.

Esau said, “Please let me leave with you some of the people who are with me.” But he said, “What need is there? Let me find favor in the sight of my lord.”

Shechem also said to her father and to her brothers, “If I find favor in your sight, then I will give whatever you say to me.

So Joseph found favor in his sight and became his personal servant; and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he owned he put in his charge.

But the Lord was with Joseph and extended kindness to him, and gave him favor in the sight of the chief jailer.

So they said, “You have saved our lives! Let us find favor in the sight of my lord, and we will be Pharaoh’s slaves.”

When the time for Israel to die drew near, he called his son Joseph and said to him, “Please, if I have found favor in your sight, place now your hand under my thigh and deal with me in kindness and faithfulness. Please do not bury me in Egypt,

When the days of mourning for him were past, Joseph spoke to the household of Pharaoh, saying, “If now I have found favor in your sight, please speak to Pharaoh, saying,

I will grant this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians; and it shall be that when you go, you will not go empty-handed.

The Lord gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Furthermore, the man Moses himself was greatly esteemed in the land of Egypt, both in the sight of Pharaoh’s servants and in the sight of the people.

and the Lord had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they let them have their request. Thus they plundered the Egyptians.

Then Moses said to the Lord, “See, You say to me, ‘Bring up this people!’ But You Yourself have not let me know whom You will send with me. Moreover, You have said, ‘I have known you by name, and you have also found favor in My sight.’

Now therefore, I pray You, if I have found favor in Your sight, let me know Your ways that I may know You, so that I may find favor in Your sight. Consider too, that this nation is Your people.”

For how then can it be known that I have found favor in Your sight, I and Your people? Is it not by Your going with us, so that we, I and Your people, may be distinguished from all the other people who are upon the face of the earth?”

The Lord said to Moses, “I will also do this thing of which you have spoken; for you have found favor in My sight and I have known you by name.”

He said, “If now I have found favor in Your sight, O Lord, I pray, let the Lord go along in our midst, even though the people are so obstinate, and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us as Your own possession.”

So Moses said to the Lord, “Why have You been so hard on Your servant? And why have I not found favor in Your sight, that You have laid the burden of all this people on me?

So if You are going to deal thus with me, please kill me at once, if I have found favor in Your sight, and do not let me see my wretchedness.”

They said, “If we have found favor in your sight, let this land be given to your servants as a possession; do not take us across the Jordan.”

and when the Lord your God delivers them before you and you defeat them, then you shall utterly destroy them. You shall make no covenant with them and show no favor to them.

“When a man takes a wife and marries her, and it happens that she finds no favor in his eyes because he has found some indecency in her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her hand and sends her out from his house,

a nation of fierce countenance who will have no respect for the old, nor show favor to the young.

And with the choice things of the earth and its fullness,And the favor of Him who dwelt in the bush.Let it come to the head of Joseph,And to the crown of the head of the one distinguished among his brothers.

Of Naphtali he said,“O Naphtali, satisfied with favor,And full of the blessing of the Lord,Take possession of the sea and the south.”

So Gideon said to Him, “If now I have found favor in Your sight, then show me a sign that it is You who speak with me.

And Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, “Please let me go to the field and glean among the ears of grain after one in whose sight I may find favor.” And she said to her, “Go, my daughter.”

Then she fell on her face, bowing to the ground and said to him, “Why have I found favor in your sight that you should take notice of me, since I am a foreigner?”

Then she said, “I have found favor in your sight, my lord, for you have comforted me and indeed have spoken kindly to your maidservant, though I am not like one of your maidservants.”

She said, “Let your maidservant find favor in your sight.” So the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad.

Now the boy Samuel was growing in stature and in favor both with the Lord and with men.

therefore I said, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not asked the favor of the Lord.’ So I forced myself and offered the burnt offering.”

Saul sent to Jesse, saying, “Let David now stand before me, for he has found favor in my sight.”

Yet David vowed again, saying, “Your father knows well that I have found favor in your sight, and he has said, ‘Do not let Jonathan know this, or he will be grieved.’ But truly as the Lord lives and as your soul lives, there is hardly a step between me and death.”

for he said, ‘Please let me go, since our family has a sacrifice in the city, and my brother has commanded me to attend. And now, if I have found favor in your sight, please let me get away that I may see my brothers.’ For this reason he has not come to the king’s table.”

Ask your young men and they will tell you. Therefore let my young men find favor in your eyes, for we have come on a festive day. Please give whatever you find at hand to your servants and to your son David.’”

Then David said to Achish, “If now I have found favor in your sight, let them give me a place in one of the cities in the country, that I may live there; for why should your servant live in the royal city with you?”

Joab fell on his face to the ground, prostrated himself and blessed the king; then Joab said, “Today your servant knows that I have found favor in your sight, O my lord, the king, in that the king has performed the request of his servant.”

The king said to Zadok, “Return the ark of God to the city. If I find favor in the sight of the Lord, then He will bring me back again and show me both it and His habitation.

So the king said to Ziba, “Behold, all that belongs to Mephibosheth is yours.” And Ziba said, “I prostrate myself; let me find favor in your sight, O my lord, the king!”

Now Hadad found great favor before Pharaoh, so that he gave him in marriage the sister of his own wife, the sister of Tahpenes the queen.

Then Jehoahaz entreated the favor of the Lord, and the Lord listened to him; for He saw the oppression of Israel, how the king of Aram oppressed them.

I said to the king, “If it please the king, and if your servant has found favor before you, send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers’ tombs, that I may rebuild it.”

Now the young lady pleased him and found favor with him. So he quickly provided her with her cosmetics and food, gave her seven choice maids from the king’s palace and transferred her and her maids to the best place in the harem.

Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai who had taken her as his daughter, came to go in to the king, she did not request anything except what Hegai, the king’s eunuch who was in charge of the women, advised. And Esther found favor in the eyes of all who saw her.

The king loved Esther more than all the women, and she found favor and kindness with him more than all the virgins, so that he set the royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti.

He also gave him a copy of the text of the edict which had been issued in Susa for their destruction, that he might show Esther and inform her, and to order her to go in to the king to implore his favor and to plead with him for her people.

When the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, she obtained favor in his sight; and the king extended to Esther the golden scepter which was in his hand. So Esther came near and touched the top of the scepter.

if I have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and do what I request, may the king and Haman come to the banquet which I will prepare for them, and tomorrow I will do as the king says.”

Then Queen Esther replied, “If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it pleases the king, let my life be given me as my petition, and my people as my request;

Then she said, “If it pleases the king and if I have found favor before him and the matter seems proper to the king and I am pleasing in his sight, let it be written to revoke the letters devised by Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote to destroy the Jews who are in all the king’s provinces.

For Mordecai the Jew was second only to King Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews and in favor with his many kinsmen, one who sought the good of his people and one who spoke for the welfare of his whole nation.

“You would lie down and none would disturb you,And many would entreat your favor.

“His sons favor the poor,And his hands give back his wealth.

For it is You who blesses the righteous man, O Lord,You surround him with favor as with a shield.

For His anger is but for a moment,His favor is for a lifetime;Weeping may last for the night,But a shout of joy comes in the morning.

O Lord, by Your favor You have made my mountain to stand strong;You hid Your face, I was dismayed.

Let them shout for joy and rejoice, who favor my vindication;And let them say continually, “The Lord be magnified,Who delights in the prosperity of His servant.”

For by their own sword they did not possess the land,And their own arm did not save them,But Your right hand and Your arm and the light of Your presence,For You favored them.

The daughter of Tyre will come with a gift;The rich among the people will seek your favor.

By Your favor do good to Zion;Build the walls of Jerusalem.

For the choir director. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.O Lord, You showed favor to Your land;You restored the captivity of Jacob.

For You are the glory of their strength,And by Your favor our horn is exalted.

Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us;And confirm for us the work of our hands;Yes, confirm the work of our hands.

Remember me, O Lord, in Your favor toward Your people;Visit me with Your salvation,

I sought Your favor with all my heart;Be gracious to me according to Your word.

So you will find favor and good reputeIn the sight of God and man.

“For he who finds me finds lifeAnd obtains favor from the Lord.

He who diligently seeks good seeks favor,But he who seeks evil, evil will come to him.

A good man will obtain favor from the Lord,But He will condemn a man who devises evil.

Good understanding produces favor,But the way of the treacherous is hard.

The king’s favor is toward a servant who acts wisely,But his anger is toward him who acts shamefully.

In the light of a king’s face is life,And his favor is like a cloud with the spring rain.

He who finds a wife finds a good thingAnd obtains favor from the Lord.

Many will seek the favor of a generous man,And every man is a friend to him who gives gifts.

The king’s wrath is like the roaring of a lion,But his favor is like dew on the grass.

The soul of the wicked desires evil;His neighbor finds no favor in his eyes.

A good name is to be more desired than great wealth,Favor is better than silver and gold.

He who rebukes a man will afterward find more favorThan he who flatters with the tongue.

Many seek the ruler’s favor,But justice for man comes from the Lord.

I again saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift and the battle is not to the warriors, and neither is bread to the wise nor wealth to the discerning nor favor to men of ability; for time and chance overtake them all.

Though the wicked is shown favor,He does not learn righteousness;He deals unjustly in the land of uprightness,And does not perceive the majesty of the Lord.

“Foreigners will build up your walls,And their kings will minister to you;For in My wrath I struck you,And in My favor I have had compassion on you.

So I will hurl you out of this land into the land which you have not known, neither you nor your fathers; and there you will serve other gods day and night, for I will grant you no favor.’

Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah put him to death? Did he not fear the Lord and entreat the favor of the Lord, and the Lord changed His mind about the misfortune which He had pronounced against them? But we are committing a great evil against ourselves.”

Now it came about in the thirty-seventh year of the exile of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the twenty-fifth of the month, that Evil-merodach king of Babylon, in the first year of his reign, showed favor to Jehoiachin king of Judah and brought him out of prison.

The presence of the Lord has scattered them,He will not continue to regard them;They did not honor the priests,They did not favor the elders.

Now God granted Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the commander of the officials,

until the Ancient of Days came and judgment was passed in favor of the saints of the Highest One, and the time arrived when the saints took possession of the kingdom.

As it is written in the law of Moses, all this calamity has come on us; yet we have not sought the favor of the Lord our God by turning from our iniquity and giving attention to Your truth.

Yes, he wrestled with the angel and prevailed;He wept and sought His favor.He found Him at BethelAnd there He spoke with us,

Your eyes are too pure to approve evil,And You can not look on wickedness with favor.Why do You look with favorOn those who deal treacherously?Why are You silent when the wicked swallow upThose more righteous than they?

Now the town of Bethel had sent Sharezer and Regemmelech and their men to seek the favor of the Lord,

The inhabitants of one will go to another, saying, “Let us go at once to entreat the favor of the Lord, and to seek the Lord of hosts; I will also go.”

So many peoples and mighty nations will come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem and to entreat the favor of the Lord.’

So I pastured the flock doomed to slaughter, hence the afflicted of the flock. And I took for myself two staffs: the one I called Favor and the other I called Union; so I pastured the flock.