H7522 H7522
Favor, goodwill, acceptance, will, desire, delight; the disposition of a superior toward what pleases, especially God's gracious regard.
Ratson is the word for what God wants and what makes God glad. It appears 56 times across the Hebrew Bible, and in nearly every case it describes a disposition that flows downward — from God to people, from a king to his subjects. Deuteronomy 33:16 invokes 'the favor (retson) of him who dwelt in the bush,' and Psalm 5:12 promises that YHWH will surround the righteous 'with favor as with a shield.' But ratson is not only divine benevolence: it also names the human will, as when the brothers in Genesis 49:6 act according to their own retson, or when Ezra urges Israel to do God's retson (Ezra 10:11). A specialized cultic sense emerges in Leviticus, where sacrifices are offered leratson — 'for acceptance' — before the LORD, a technical formula repeated across the priestly legislation. German Wohlgefallen ('pleasure, delight') and French bienveillance ('benevolence') both cluster around the approving-disposition core, while Spanish agrado ('pleasure') and favor map the word's range between subjective delight and interpersonal grace.
4. delight, pleasure — Delight, pleasure, or that which brings satisfaction — 4 occurrences in Proverbs where retson describes what pleases God as a matter of taste and delight rather than relational favor or cultic acceptance. Proverbs 11:1 declares 'a false balance is an abomination to the LORD, but a just weight is his delight (retsono)'; 11:20 contrasts the 'perverse of heart' as abomination with the 'blameless in their way' as his retson; 12:22 and 15:8 follow the same pattern. German Wohlgefallen ('pleasure, delight') and Spanish agrado ('pleasure') both select hedonic-evaluation vocabulary here, distinguishing this from the interpersonal favor of sense 1. The Proverbs usage personalizes divine evaluation: God takes pleasure in integrity the way a connoisseur delights in fine craft. 4×
AR["مَرْضاتُهُ","وَ-مَرْضاتُهُ"]·ben["এবং-তাঁর-অনুগ্রহ","তাঁর-অনুগ্রহ"]·DE["Wohlgefallen","und-Wohlgefallen"]·EN["are-His-delight","but-His-delight","is-His-delight"]·FR["et-son-volonté-lui","son-volonté-lui"]·heb["ו-רצונו","רצונו"]·HI["उसकी-प्रसन्नता","और-प्रसन्नता-है"]·ID["kesenangan-Nya","tetapi-kesenangan-Nya"]·IT["e-favore-suo","favore-suo"]·jav["karsaning","lan-karsaning"]·KO["그-의-기쁨-이다","그러나-그-의-기쁨-은","기뻐하시는-바이니라-그-의"]·PT["agrado-dele","e-agrado-dele","seu-prazer"]·RU["а-благоволение-Его","благоволение-Его"]·ES["agrado-de-él","favor-su","y-agrado-de-él"]·SW["lakini-furaha-yake","ni-furaha-yake"]·TR["hoşnutluğudur-O'nun","hoşnutluğundadır-O'nun","ve-hoşnutluğundadır-O'nun"]·urd["اور-پسند-اُس-کی","پسند-اُس-کی"]
▼ 3 more senses below
Senses
1. favor, goodwill — Favor, goodwill, and gracious regard — the dominant sense at 25 occurrences, describing benevolent disposition from God or a king toward a recipient. Deuteronomy 33:16 and 33:23 use it for divine blessing, and the Psalms repeatedly celebrate YHWH's retson as the source of life and protection: 'in his favor is life' (Ps 30:5), 'by your favor you made my mountain stand strong' (Ps 30:7), 'remember me with the favor you bear toward your people' (Ps 106:4). Proverbs extends the concept to royal courts: 'the king's favor is toward a wise servant' (Prov 14:35). German Wohlgefallen and Gunst ('grace, favor'), French bienveillance, and Spanish favor all select interpersonal-benevolence vocabulary, confirming this as a relational disposition, not merely a feeling. The contrast with to'evah ('abomination') in Proverbs 11:1 and 11:20 sharpens the word's positive charge. 25×
AR["الرِّضَا","بِ-رِضَاكَ","رِضاً","رِضى","رِضى-","رِضىً","رِضًى","رِضَاً","رِضَى","فِي-رِضَاهُ","مِنْ-يَدِكُمْ","وَ-بِ-رِضَايَ","وَبِرِضَاكَ","وَرِضَى"]·ben["-কিন্তু-আমার-সন্তুষ্টিতে","অনুগ্রহ","অনুগ্রহ-","অনুগ্রহে","অনুগ্রহের","এবং-অনুগ্রহ","এবং-তোমার-অনুগ্রহে","গ্রহণের","গ্রহণের-জন্য","তাঁর-অনুগ্রহে","সন্তুষ্টি"]·DE["Gunst","Wohlgefallen","sein-Wohlgefallen","und-Gunst-von","und-Wohlgefallen","und-durch-dein-Wohlgefallen"]·EN["acceptance","and-by-your-favor","and-favor-of","but-in-my-favor","delight-of","favor","is-favor","is-in-his-favor","the-favor-of","what-is-acceptable"]·FR["bienveillance","bon-plaisir","dans-faveur","et-bienveillance","et-dans-faveur","et-faveur-de","faveur","volonté"]·heb["ב-רצונ-ו","ו-ב-רצוני","ו-ב-רצונך","ו-רצון","רצון","רצון־"]·HI["और-अपनी-प्रसन्नता-में","और-कृपा","और-तेरी-प्रसन्नता-में","कृपा","कृपा-उसकी-में-है","कृपा-के","कृपा-से","प्रसन्नता","प्रसन्नता-का","प्रसन्नता-को","प्रसन्नता-से","प्रसन्नताका","स्वीकृतिसे"]·ID["Kesenangan","Perkenanan-","dan-dalam-kebaikan-Mu","dan-perkenanan","dengan-senang-hati","perkenan","perkenanan","tetapi-dalam-kebaikan-Ku","yang-berkenan"]·IT["beneplacito","e-beneplacito","e-favore","e-favore-di","favore"]·jav["ingkang-dipunkarsakaken","karsaning","kasaenaning","kasenengan","kepareng","lan-ing-keparenging-Panjenengan","lan-karsaning","nanging-ing-kasaenaning-Kawula","sih-rahmat","wonten-ing-karsanipun"]·KO["그러나-나의-은혜로","그리고-은혜(접)","기쁨으로","기쁨이니라","당신-의-은혜-로","은총을","은혜-는","은혜-다","은혜-로","은혜-를","은혜-에","은혜-의","은혜의","호의"]·PT["Favor-de","Prazer-de","aceitação","agrado","com-favor","de-favor","e-beneplacência-de","e-em-favor-meu","e-em-teu-favor","em-seu-favor","favor"]·RU["благоволение","благоволение-","благоволением","благоволения","в-благоволении-Его","и-благоволение","и-благоволением-Твоим","и-в-благоволении-Моём","угодное"]·ES["Favor-de","aceptación","de-favor","en-su-favor","favor","pero-en-mi-favor","satisfacción","y-en-favor-de-ti","y-la-voluntad-de"]·SW["furaha-ya","kibali","kinachofaa","kukubalika","kuna-upendeleo","kwa-kibali-chake","lakini-katika-upendeleo-wangu","na-kwa-upendeleo-wako","na-upendeleo-wa","upendeleo","upendeleo-wa","wa-kibali","wa-neema","wa-upendeleo","ya-kukubalika"]·TR["hoşnutluğu","hoşnutluğu-","hoşnutluğudur","kabul","lütfu","lütfunda","lütuf","lütufla","raziliginin","razilik","razilik-icin-","raziluk","ve-lütfu","ve-lütfunla","ve-raziligimda-"]·urd["-اُس-کی-رضا-میں","اور-بِ-تیری-رضا","اور-رضامندی","اور-مرضی-سے","رضا","رضا-سے","رضا-کے","رضا-ہے","رضامندی","رضامندی-کا","مہربانی","پسند","پسندیدگی-سے","پسندیدہ"]
Deut 33:16, Deut 33:23, Ps 5:12, Ps 30:5, Ps 30:7, Ps 51:18, Ps 69:13, Ps 89:17, Ps 106:4, Prov 8:35, Prov 10:32, Prov 11:27 (+13 more)
2. will, desire, purpose — Will, desire, or volitional purpose — 16 occurrences where retson names what someone intends or wishes to do. Genesis 49:6 warns against the brothers' self-willed retson that hamstrung oxen; Nehemiah 9:24 and 9:37 describe foreign rulers doing 'according to their will' (kirtsono); Daniel 8:4 and 11:3, 16, 36 portray imperial conquerors acting 'according to his will.' The shift from external-favor to internal-volition is cross-linguistically visible: Spanish voluntad ('will') and conforme a su voluntad ('according to his will') replace the favor/agrado of sense 1, and French similarly shifts from bienveillance to volonte. In 2 Chronicles 15:15 the people seek God 'with all their retson' — desire that approaches wholehearted devotion. 16×
AR["رَغْبَةَ-","رِضَاهُمْ","رِضَاً","كَ-إِرَادَةِ","كَ-إِرَادَتِهِمْ","كَـ-إِرَادَتِهِ","كَ‒إِرَادَتِهِمْ","مَشيئَتَكَ","مَشيئَتَهُ","مَشِيئَتَهُ","مَشِيئَتِكَ","وَفِي-إِرَادَتِهِمَا"]·ben["-অনুসারে-ইচ্ছা","আর-তাদের-ইচ্ছায়","ইচ্ছা-তোমার,","এর-ইচ্ছামতো","তাঁর-ইচ্ছা","তাদের-ইচ্ছা","তাদের-ইচ্ছামত","তাদের-ইচ্ছামতো","তার-ইচ্ছানুসারে","তোমার-ইচ্ছা","বাসনা-","সন্তুষ্টিতে"]·DE["Wohlgefallen","[כרצונו]","[כרצנו]","[רצונם]","dein-Wohlgefallen","sein-Wohlgefallen","und-in-ihrem-Mutwillen"]·EN["His-will","Your-will","according-to-their-will","according-to-will-of","and-in-pleasure-their","as-his-will","as-its-will","as-their-pleasure","as-their-will","desire","desire-of","his-will","their-desire","your-will"]·FR["[כרצון]","[כרצונם]","[רצונו]","[רצונם]","bon-plaisir","et-dans-pleasure-leur","faveur"]·heb["ו-ב-רצנם-ם","כ-רצון","כ-רצונו","כ-רצונם-ם","רצון","רצונ-ך","רצונו","רצונו-ו","רצונך","רצונם-ם"]·HI["अपनी-इच्छा-के-अनुसार","अपनी-इच्छा-से","इच्छा","इच्छा-उनकी","इच्छा-के-अनुसार","इच्छा-तेरी","इच्छा-से","उसकी-इच्छा","और-में-इच्छा-अपनी","जैसा-वे-चाहते-थे","तेरी-इच्छा"]·ID["dan-dalam-kehendak-mereka","dengan-kerelaan","kehendak-Mu","kehendak-Nya","kehendak-mereka","keinginan-","menurut-kehendak-mereka","menurut-keinginan","sekehendaknya","sesuai-kehendak-mereka","sesuai-kehendaknya"]·IT["beneplacito","e-in-pleasure-loro","volontà"]·jav["Karsa-","karsa","karsa-Panjenengan","karsanipun","kepinginanipun","lan-wonten-karsanipun","miturut-karsa-nipun","miturut-karsanipun","miturut-kekajengan","miturut-kekajengan-ipun"]·KO["그-의-뜻-을","그-의-뜻대로","그들의-뜻-대로","그들의-소원","그리고-그들의-뜻대로","그의-뜻대로","그의-뜻을","당신-의-뜻-을","대로-그들의-뜻","소원을","소원을-","주-의-뜻-을","처럼-뜻"]·PT["O-desejo","Sua-vontade","com-benevolência","como-vontade-deles","conforme-desejo-seu","conforme-vontade-de","e-em-sua-vontade","segundo-sua-vontade","sua-vontade","tua-vontade"]·RU["благоволением","волей-их","волю-Его","волю-Твою","желание-","и-по-своеволию-своему","по-желанию","по-желанию-своему"]·ES["Deseo-de","como-voluntad-de-ellos","conforme-a-su-voluntad","deseo","según-voluntad-de","según-voluntad-de-ellos","según-voluntad-de-él","según-voluntad-suya","su-voluntad","tu-voluntad","voluntad-de-ellos","y-en-su-voluntad"]·SW["akamruka-na-radhi-yao","haja","haja-ya","kama-apendavyo","kama-mapenzi-yake","kama-walivyopenda","mapenzi-yake","mapenzi-yako","mapenzi-yao","ya-kila-mtu","yote"]·TR["istedikleri-gibi","istedikleri-gibi-","istegini","istekle","istekleriyle","isteğine-göre","isteğine-göre-","isteğini","isteğini-","ki-arzusuna-göre","ve-keyiflerinde"]·urd["اس-کی-مرضی-کو","اور-خواہش-اپنی-میں","اپنی-مرضی-کے-مطابق","تیری-مرضی","خواہش-","خواہش-سے","مرضی-اُس-کی","مطابق-مرضی"]
3. acceptance (of offering) — Acceptance of a sacrificial offering before God — 11 occurrences concentrated in the Priestly legislation of Exodus and Leviticus. The technical formula leratson lifne YHWH ('for acceptance before the LORD') first appears at Exodus 28:38 for the priestly diadem and recurs throughout Leviticus: offerings must be 'for your acceptance' (lirtsonekem, Lev 1:3; 19:5; 22:19-21, 29). This is cultic vocabulary with precise ritual force — the retson here is not generalized goodwill but the specific divine acceptance that renders a sacrifice efficacious. German fuer acceptance and Spanish para aceptacion both adopt formal liturgical-register vocabulary. The seven Levitical occurrences form a tight semantic cluster that later Israelite theology broadened into prophetic critiques of empty ritual (cf. Isa 58:5, 'a day of ratson'). 11×
AR["لِ-رِضاً","لِ-رِضًا","لِ-رِضًى","لِ-رِضَاكُمْ","لِرِضَاهُ","لِـ-رِضًى","مَرْضِيَّةً"]·ben["গ্রহণযোগ্য","গ্রহণযোগ্যতার-জন্য","গ্রহণীয়","গ্রহণের-জন্য","তার-গ্রহণযোগ্যতার-জন্য","তোমাদের-গ্রহণযোগ্যতার-জন্য"]·DE["fuer-acceptance","fuer-acceptance-dein","fuer-dein-acceptance","fuer-sein-acceptance","zu-Wohlgefallen"]·EN["for-acceptance","for-acceptance-your","for-his-acceptance","for-your-acceptance"]·FR["bienveillance","pour-acceptance","pour-acceptance-ton","pour-acceptation","pour-son-acceptance","pour-ton-acceptance","à-faveur"]·heb["ל-רצון","ל-רצונו"]·HI["अपनी-प्रसन्नता-के-लिए","के-लिए-प्रसन्नता","तुम्हारी-प्रसन्नता-के-लिए","प्रसन्नता-के-लिए","ले-मनभावन","स्वीकृत-होंगी","स्वीकृति-के-लिए"]·ID["berkenan","menurut-kehendakmu","untuk-berkenan-bagi-kamu","untuk-keridaan-baginya","untuk-kesenangan","untuk-penerimaan","untuk-perkenan","untuk-perkenanan"]·IT["beneplacito","favore","per-acceptance","per-accettazione","per-accettazione-tuo","per-suo-accettazione","per-tuo-accettazione"]·jav["Kanggé-karemenan-sira","dados-kepareng","kangge-karemenan","kangge-karemenan-sira","kangge-karemenan;","kangge-kasenengan","kanggé-kapareng","kanggé-kaparengaken","kanggé-karemenan-sira;","kanggé-kepareng-panjenengan","supados-katampi"]·KO["그-의-기쁨-을-위하여","기콌-이","기쾌에-","너희의-기쁘으로","너희의-의지로","에-기쁘","에-기쁨이","에-만족함"]·PT["Para-vossa-aceitação","para-aceitação","para-agrado","para-seu-favor","para-vossa-aceitação"]·RU["в-благоволение","для-благоволения","для-благоволения-вашего","для-благоволения-его","на-благоволение","по-желанию-вашему"]·ES["Para-vuestro-agrado","me-son-agradables","para-aceptación","para-aceptación-suya","para-agrado","para-vuestro-agrado"]·SW["Kwa-kukubalika-kwenu","kwa-kukubalika","kwa-kukubalika-kwake","kwa-kukubalika-kwenu","kwa-ridhaa-yenu","ya-kukubalika","zinazokubaliwa"]·TR["hoşa-gider","kabul-edilmeniz-için","kabul-icin-","kabul-için","kabul-için-","kabulünüz-için"]·urd["-منظوری-کے-لیے","اپنی-مرضی-سے","تمہاری-قبولیت-کے-لیے","قبول-کے-لیے","قبول-ہوں-گے","قبولیت-کے-لئے","قبولیت-کے-لیے","مقبولیت-کے-لیے"]
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† רָצוֹן n.[m.] goodwill, favour, acceptance, will;—abs. ר׳ Dt 33:23 +; cstr. רְצוֹן ψ 145:19 +; sf. רְצוֹנִי Is 60:10, רְצֹנוֹ Dn 8:4 +, etc.;— 1. goodwill, favour: a. of God, Dt 33:16; Is 60:10 ψ 5:13; 30:6, 8; 51:20; 89:18; 106:4; Pr 8:35; 12:2; 18:22; עֵת ר׳ Is 49:8 ψ 69:14; יוֹם ר׳ Is 58:5; שְׁנַת־ר׳ Is 61:2; ‖ בְּרָכָה Dt 33:23; opp. תּוֹעֵכָה Pr 11:1, 20; 12:22; 15:8. b. of men: in gen. Pr…