Favor

fa'-ver (chen, ratson, with other Hebrew words; charis): Means generally good will, acceptance, and the benefits flowing from these; in older usage it meant also the countenance, hence, appearance. Alternating in English Versions of the Bible with "grace," it is used chiefly of man, but sometimes also of God (Ge 18:3; 30:27; 39:21; Ex 3:21; 2Sa 15:25, "in the eyes of Yahweh," etc.). It is used perhaps in the sense of "countenance" in Pr 31:30, "Favor is deceitful, and beauty is vain" (the King James Version), where for "favor" the Revised Version (British and American) has "grace"; the reference is to external appearance. "Favored" is used in the sense of "appearance" in the phrase "well-favored" (Ge 29:17; 39:6; 41:2,4).; conversely, "ill-favored" (Ge 41:3,4). For "favor" the Revised Version (British and American) has "have pity on" (Ps 109:12), "good will" (Pr 14:9), "peace" (So 8:10); the English Revised Version "grace" (Ru 2:13), the American Standard Revised Version "kindness" (Es 2:17; Da 1:9), etc. In the American Standard Revised Version "the acceptable year of the Lord" (Isa 61:2) is changed Into "the year of Yahweh's favor"; "Do I now persuade men" (Ga 1:10) into, "Am I now seeking the favor of men," and there are other the Revised Version (British and American) changes.

W. L. Walker

Definition

The term “favor” generally means approval. Someone who favors another person regards that person positively and approves of them.

• Jesus grew up “in favor with” God and men. This means that both God and others approved of his character and behavior.
• The expression “find favor” with someone means that someone is approved of by that person.
• When a king shows favor to someone, it often means that he approves of that person’s request and grants it.
• A “favor” can also be a gesture or action towards or for another person for their benefit.
• The term “favoritism” means an attitude of acting favorably toward some people but not others. It means the inclination to pick one person over another or one thing over another because the person or item is preferred. Generally, favoritism is considered unfair.

Translation Suggestions

• Other ways to translate the term “favor” could include “approval” or “blessing” or “benefit.”
• The “favorable year of Yahweh” could be translated as “the year (or time) when Yahweh will bring great blessing.”
• The term “favoritism” could be translated as “partiality” or “being prejudiced” or “unjust treatment.” This word is related to the word “favorite,” which means to prefer above all others.

Bible References

• 1 Samuel 2:25-26
• 2 Chronicles 19:7
• 2 Corinthians 1:11
• Acts 24:27
• Genesis 41:16
• Genesis 47:25
• Genesis 50:5

Word Data

• Strong’s: H0995, H1156, H1293, H1779, H1921, H2580, H2603, H2896, H5278, H5375, H5414, H5922, H6213, H6437, H6440, H7521, H7522, H7965, G11840, G36850, G43800, G43820, G54850, G54860