'Love' in the Bible

He said, “Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you.”

and prepare a savory dish for me such as I love, and bring it to me that I may eat, so that my soul may bless you before I die.”

So Jacob served seven years for Rachel and they seemed to him but a few days because of his love for her.

Leah conceived and bore a son and named him Reuben, for she said, “Because the Lord has seen my affliction; surely now my husband will love me.”

but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.

But if the slave plainly says, ‘I love my master, my wife and my children; I will not go out as a free man,’

You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the Lord.

The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt; I am the Lord your God.

but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.

“The Lord did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any of the peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples,

Know therefore that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God, who keeps His covenant and His lovingkindness to a thousandth generation with those who love Him and keep His commandments;

He will love you and bless you and multiply you; He will also bless the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your ground, your grain and your new wine and your oil, the increase of your herd and the young of your flock, in the land which He swore to your forefathers to give you.

“Now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require from you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and love Him, and to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul,

Yet on your fathers did the Lord set His affection to love them, and He chose their descendants after them, even you above all peoples, as it is this day.

He executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and shows His love for the alien by giving him food and clothing.

So show your love for the alien, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt.

“You shall therefore love the Lord your God, and always keep His charge, His statutes, His ordinances, and His commandments.

“It shall come about, if you listen obediently to my commandments which I am commanding you today, to love the Lord your God and to serve Him with all your heart and all your soul,

For if you are careful to keep all this commandment which I am commanding you to do, to love the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and hold fast to Him,

you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams; for the Lord your God is testing you to find out if you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

if you carefully observe all this commandment which I command you today, to love the Lord your God, and to walk in His ways always—then you shall add three more cities for yourself, besides these three.

“Moreover the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, so that you may live.

in that I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments, that you may live and multiply, and that the Lord your God may bless you in the land where you are entering to possess it.

Only be very careful to observe the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, to love the Lord your God and walk in all His ways and keep His commandments and hold fast to Him and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul.”

So take diligent heed to yourselves to love the Lord your God.

“Thus let all Your enemies perish, O Lord;But let those who love Him be like the rising of the sun in its might.”And the land was undisturbed for forty years.

Samson’s wife wept before him and said, “You only hate me, and you do not love me; you have propounded a riddle to the sons of my people, and have not told it to me.” And he said to her, “Behold, I have not told it to my father or mother; so should I tell you?”

Then she said to him, “How can you say, ‘I love you,’ when your heart is not with me? You have deceived me these three times and have not told me where your great strength is.”

Then Saul commanded his servants, “Speak to David secretly, saying, ‘Behold, the king delights in you, and all his servants love you; now therefore, become the king’s son-in-law.’”

Jonathan made David vow again because of his love for him, because he loved him as he loved his own life.

“I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan;You have been very pleasant to me.Your love to me was more wonderfulThan the love of women.

He said to him, “O son of the king, why are you so depressed morning after morning? Will you not tell me?” Then Amnon said to him, “I am in love with Tamar, the sister of my brother Absalom.”

Then Amnon hated her with a very great hatred; for the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. And Amnon said to her, “Get up, go away!”

by loving those who hate you, and by hating those who love you. For you have shown today that princes and servants are nothing to you; for I know this day that if Absalom were alive and all of us were dead today, then you would be pleased.

from the nations concerning which the Lord had said to the sons of Israel, “You shall not associate with them, nor shall they associate with you, for they will surely turn your heart away after their gods.” Solomon held fast to these in love.

Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him and said to King Jehoshaphat, “Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the Lord and so bring wrath on yourself from the Lord?

I said, “I beseech You, O Lord God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who preserves the covenant and lovingkindness for those who love Him and keep His commandments,

“All my associates abhor me,And those I love have turned against me.

“The ostriches’ wings flap joyouslyWith the pinion and plumage of love,

O sons of men, how long will my honor become a reproach?How long will you love what is worthless and aim at deception? Selah.

But let all who take refuge in You be glad,Let them ever sing for joy;And may You shelter them,That those who love Your name may exult in You.

For the choir director. A Psalm of David the servant of the Lord, who spoke to the Lord the words of this song in the day that the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. And he said,“I love You, O Lord, my strength.”

O Lord, I love the habitation of Your houseAnd the place where Your glory dwells.

O love the Lord, all you His godly ones!The Lord preserves the faithfulAnd fully recompenses the proud doer.

Let all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You;Let those who love Your salvation say continually,“The Lord be magnified!”

For the choir director; according to the Shoshannim. A Maskil of the sons of Korah. A Song of Love.My heart overflows with a good theme;I address my verses to the King;My tongue is the pen of a ready writer.

You love evil more than good,Falsehood more than speaking what is right. Selah.

You love all words that devour,O deceitful tongue.

The descendants of His servants will inherit it,And those who love His name will dwell in it.

Let all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You;And let those who love Your salvation say continually,“Let God be magnified.”

Hate evil, you who love the Lord,Who preserves the souls of His godly ones;He delivers them from the hand of the wicked.

In return for my love they act as my accusers;But I am in prayer.

Thus they have repaid me evil for goodAnd hatred for my love.

I love the Lord, because He hearsMy voice and my supplications.

I shall delight in Your commandments,Which I love.

And I shall lift up my hands to Your commandments,Which I love;And I will meditate on Your statutes.

Mem.O how I love Your law!It is my meditation all the day.

Samekh.I hate those who are double-minded,But I love Your law.

You have removed all the wicked of the earth like dross;Therefore I love Your testimonies.

Therefore I love Your commandmentsAbove gold, yes, above fine gold.

Turn to me and be gracious to me,After Your manner with those who love Your name.

Consider how I love Your precepts;Revive me, O Lord, according to Your lovingkindness.

I hate and despise falsehood,But I love Your law.

Those who love Your law have great peace,And nothing causes them to stumble.

My soul keeps Your testimonies,And I love them exceedingly.

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:“May they prosper who love you.

The Lord keeps all who love Him,But all the wicked He will destroy.

“How long, O naive ones, will you love being simple-minded?And scoffers delight themselves in scoffingAnd fools hate knowledge?

“Do not forsake her, and she will guard you;Love her, and she will watch over you.

As a loving hind and a graceful doe,Let her breasts satisfy you at all times;Be exhilarated always with her love.

“Come, let us drink our fill of love until morning;Let us delight ourselves with caresses.

“I love those who love me;And those who diligently seek me will find me.

To endow those who love me with wealth,That I may fill their treasuries.

“But he who sins against me injures himself;All those who hate me love death.”

Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you,Reprove a wise man and he will love you.

Hatred stirs up strife,But love covers all transgressions.

The poor is hated even by his neighbor,But those who love the rich are many.

A scoffer does not love one who reproves him,He will not go to the wise.

Better is a dish of vegetables where love isThan a fattened ox served with hatred.

He who conceals a transgression seeks love,But he who repeats a matter separates intimate friends.

Death and life are in the power of the tongue,And those who love it will eat its fruit.

Do not love sleep, or you will become poor;Open your eyes, and you will be satisfied with food.

Better is open rebukeThan love that is concealed.

A time to love and a time to hate;A time for war and a time for peace.

For I have taken all this to my heart and explain it that righteous men, wise men, and their deeds are in the hand of God. Man does not know whether it will be love or hatred; anything awaits him.

Indeed their love, their hate and their zeal have already perished, and they will no longer have a share in all that is done under the sun.

Enjoy life with the woman whom you love all the days of your fleeting life which He has given to you under the sun; for this is your reward in life and in your toil in which you have labored under the sun.

“May he kiss me with the kisses of his mouth!For your love is better than wine.

“Your oils have a pleasing fragrance,Your name is like purified oil;Therefore the maidens love you.

“Draw me after you and let us run together!The king has brought me into his chambers.” “We will rejoice in you and be glad;We will extol your love more than wine.Rightly do they love you.”

“He has brought me to his banquet hall,And his banner over me is love.

“I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem,By the gazelles or by the hinds of the field,That you do not arouse or awaken my loveUntil she pleases.”

“I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem,By the gazelles or by the hinds of the field,That you will not arouse or awaken my loveUntil she pleases.”

“How beautiful is your love, my sister, my bride!How much better is your love than wine,And the fragrance of your oilsThan all kinds of spices!

“How beautiful and how delightful you are,My love, with all your charms!

“Let us rise early and go to the vineyards;Let us see whether the vine has buddedAnd its blossoms have opened,And whether the pomegranates have bloomed.There I will give you my love.

“I want you to swear, O daughters of Jerusalem,Do not arouse or awaken my loveUntil she pleases.”

“Put me like a seal over your heart,Like a seal on your arm.For love is as strong as death,Jealousy is as severe as Sheol;Its flashes are flashes of fire,The very flame of the Lord.

“Many waters cannot quench love,Nor will rivers overflow it;If a man were to give all the riches of his house for love,It would be utterly despised.”