'Love' in the Bible

God said, “Take now your son, your only son [of promise], whom you love, Isaac, and go to the region of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.”

and make me a savory and delicious dish [of meat], the kind I love, and bring it to me to eat, so that my soul may bless you [as my firstborn son] before I die.”

So Jacob served [Laban] for seven years for [the right to marry] Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her.

Leah conceived and gave birth to a son and named him Reuben (See, a son!), for she said, “Because the Lord has seen my humiliation and suffering; now my husband will love me [since I have given him a son].”

Now at the time of wheat harvest Reuben [the eldest child] went and found some mandrakes in the field, and brought them to his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, “Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes.”

but showing graciousness and steadfast lovingkindness to thousands [of generations] of those who love Me and keep My commandments.

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

You shall not take revenge nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor (acquaintance, associate, companion) as yourself; I am the Lord.

But the stranger who resides with you shall be to you like someone native-born among you; and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt; I am the Lord your God.

but showing graciousness and lovingkindness to thousands [of generations] of those who love Me and keep My commandments.

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and mind and with all your soul and with all your strength [your entire being].

“The Lord did not love you and choose you because you were greater in number than any of the other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples.

Therefore know [without any doubt] and understand that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God, who is keeping His covenant and His [steadfast] lovingkindness to a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments;

“Then it shall come about, because you listen to these judgments and keep and do them, that the Lord your God will keep with you the covenant and the [steadfast] lovingkindness which He swore to your fathers.

He will love you and bless you and multiply you; He will also bless the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your land, your grain and your new wine and your [olive] oil, the offspring of your cattle and the young of your flock, in the land which He swore to your fathers to give you.

“And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require from you, but to fear [and worship] the Lord your God [with awe-filled reverence and profound respect], to walk [that is, to live each and every day] in all His ways and to love Him, and to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul [your choices, your thoughts, your whole being],

Therefore, show your love for the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.

“Therefore you shall love the Lord your God, and always keep His charge, His statutes, His precepts, and His commandments [it is your obligation to Him].

“It shall come about, if you listen obediently and pay attention to My commandments which I command you today—to love the Lord your God and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul [your choices, your thoughts, your whole being]—

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 [that is, to live each and every day] in all His ways and to hold tightly 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 know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and mind and all your soul [your entire being].

if you keep and carefully observe all these commandments which I am commanding you today, to love the Lord your God, and to walk [that is, to live each and every day] always in His ways—then you shall add three more cities [of refuge] for yourself, besides these three,

“And the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the hearts of your descendants [that is, He will remove the desire to sin from your heart], so that you will love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul, so that you may live [as a recipient of His blessing].

in that I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk [that is, to live each and every day] in His ways and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments (precepts), so that you will live and multiply, and that the Lord your God will bless you in the land which you are entering to possess.

by loving the Lord your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding closely to Him; for He is your life [your good life, your abundant life, your fulfillment] and the length of your days, that you may live in the land which the Lord promised (swore) to give to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”

Only be very careful and diligently observe the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of the Lord has 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 [your very life].”

So be very careful and watchful of yourselves to love the Lord your God.

“So 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 at rest for forty years.

So Samson’s wife wept before him and said, “You only hate me, you do not love me; you have asked my countrymen a riddle, and have not told [the answer] to me.” And he said to her, “Listen, I have not told my father or my mother [either], so [why] 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 mocked me these three times and have not told me where your great strength lies.”

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

Jonathan made David vow again because of his love for him, for Jonathan loved him as himself.

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

He said to Amnon, “Why are you, the king’s son, so depressed morning after morning? Will you not tell me?” And Amnon said to him, “I am in love with Tamar, my [half-] brother Absalom’s sister.”

Then Amnon became extremely hateful toward her, for his hatred toward her was greater than the love which he had for her. And Amnon said to her, “Get up and get out!”

For you love those who hate you and hate those who love you. For you have shown today that commanders and servants are nothing to you; for today I know that if Absalom had lived and all the rest of us had died today, then you would be pleased.

Then Solomon said, “You have shown Your servant David my father great lovingkindness, because he walked before You in faithfulness and righteousness and with uprightness of heart toward You; and You have kept for him this great lovingkindness, in that You have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is today.

from the very nations of whom the Lord said to the Israelites, “You shall not associate with them, nor shall they associate with you, for the result will be that they will turn away your hearts to follow their gods.” Yet Solomon clung to these in love.

I will be his father and he shall be My son; and I will not take My steadfast love and mercy away from him, as I took it from him (King Saul) who was before you.

“O Lord God, do not turn away and reject the face of Your anointed; remember Your lovingkindness and faithfulness to Your servant David.”

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

and has extended His mercy and lovingkindness to me before the king, his advisers, and all the king’s mighty officials. I was strengthened and encouraged, for the hand of the Lord my God was upon me, and I gathered together outstanding men of Israel to go up with me [to Jerusalem].

For we are slaves; yet our God has not abandoned us in our bondage, but has extended lovingkindness to us before the kings of Persia, to revive us to rebuild the house of our God, to repair the site of its ruins and to give us a wall [of protection] in Judah and Jerusalem.

And I said, “Please, O Lord God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps the covenant and lovingkindness for those who love Him and keep His commandments,

“They refused to listen and obey,And did not remember Your wondrous acts which You had performed among them;So they stiffened their necks and [in their rebellion] appointed a leader in order to return them to slavery in Egypt.But You are a God of forgiveness,Gracious and merciful and compassionate,Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness;And You did not abandon them.

“The [flightless] wings of the ostrich wave joyously;With the pinion (shackles, fetters) and plumage of love,

O sons of men, how long will my honor and glory be [turned into] shame?How long will you [my enemies] love worthless (vain, futile) things and seek deception and lies? Selah.

But as for me, I will enter Your house through the abundance of Your steadfast love and tender mercy;At Your holy temple I will bow [obediently] in reverence for You.

But let all who take refuge and put their trust in You rejoice,Let them ever sing for joy;Because You cover and shelter them,Let those who love Your name be joyful and exult in You.

Return, O Lord, rescue my soul;Save me because of Your [unfailing] steadfast love and mercy.

“I love You [fervently and devotedly], O Lord, my strength.”

He gives great triumphs to His king,And shows steadfast love and mercy to His anointed,To David and his descendants forever.

For the king [confidently] trusts in the Lord,And through the lovingkindness (faithfulness, goodness) of the Most High he will never be shaken.

Surely goodness and mercy and unfailing love shall follow me all the days of my life,And I shall dwell forever [throughout all my days] in the house and in the presence of the Lord.

Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions;According to Your lovingkindness remember me,For Your goodness’ sake, O Lord.

All the paths of the Lord are lovingkindness and goodness and truth and faithfulnessTo those who keep His covenant and His testimonies.

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

I will rejoice and be glad in Your steadfast love,Because You have seen my affliction;You have taken note of my life’s distresses,

O love the Lord, all you His godly ones!The Lord preserves the faithful [those with moral and spiritual integrity]And fully repays the [self-righteousness of the] arrogant.

How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God!The children of men take refuge in the shadow of Your wings.

I have not concealed Your righteousness within my heart;I have proclaimed Your faithfulness and Your salvation.I have not concealed Your lovingkindness and Your truth from the great assembly.

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

Rise up! Come be our help,And ransom us for the sake of Your steadfast love.

You have loved righteousness (virtue, morality, justice) and hated wickedness;Therefore God, your God, has anointed YouAbove Your companions with the oil of jubilation.

We have thought of Your lovingkindness, O God,In the midst of Your temple.

Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness;According to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions.

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

You love all words that devour,O deceitful tongue.

My God in His [steadfast] lovingkindness will meet me;God will let me look triumphantly on my enemies [who lie in wait for me].

To You, O [God] my strength, I will sing praises;For God is my stronghold [my refuge, my protector, my high tower], the God who shows me [steadfast] lovingkindness.

Answer me, O Lord, for Your lovingkindness is sweet and good and comforting;According to the greatness of Your compassion, turn to me.

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

May all those who seek You [as life’s first priority] rejoice and be glad in You;May those who love Your salvation say continually,“Let God be magnified!”

Will Your lovingkindness be declared in the graveOr Your faithfulness in Abaddon (the underworld)?

“Because he set his love on Me, therefore I will save him;I will set him [securely] on high, because he knows My name [he confidently trusts and relies on Me, knowing I will never abandon him, no, never].

[Growing in grace] they will still thrive and bear fruit and prosper in old age;They will flourish and be vital and fresh [rich in trust and love and contentment];

You who love the Lord, hate evil;He protects the souls of His godly ones (believers),He rescues them from the hand of the wicked.

In return for my love, they attack me,But I am in prayer.

They have repaid me evil for good,And hatred for my love.

I love the Lord, because He hears [and continues to hear]My voice and my supplications (my pleas, my cries, my specific needs).

For 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.

O may Your lovingkindness and graciousness comfort me,According to Your word (promise) to Your servant.

According to Your steadfast love refresh me and give me life,So that I may keep and obey the testimony of Your mouth.

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

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

You have removed all the wicked of the earth like dross [for they have no value];Therefore I love Your testimonies.

Therefore I love Your commandments more than gold,Yes, more than refined gold.

Turn to me and be gracious to me and show me favor,As is Your way to those who love Your name.

My eyes weep streams of waterBecause people do not keep Your law.

Qoph.I cried with all my heart; answer me, O Lord!I will observe Your statutes.

Hear my voice according to Your [steadfast] lovingkindness;O Lord, renew and refresh me according to Your ordinances.

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

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

Those who love Your law have great peace;Nothing makes them stumble.

My soul keeps Your testimonies [hearing and accepting and obeying them];I love them greatly.

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:“May they prosper who love you [holy city].

My [steadfast] lovingkindness and my fortress,My high tower and my rescuer,My shield and He in whom I take refuge,Who subdues my people under me.

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

“How long, O naive ones [you who are easily misled], will you love being simple-minded and undiscerning?How long will scoffers [who ridicule and deride] delight in scoffing,How long will fools [who obstinately mock truth] hate knowledge?