Favoured
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The term "favoured" in the biblical context often refers to the special grace, blessing, or approval bestowed by God upon individuals or groups. This concept is woven throughout the Scriptures, illustrating how divine favor impacts the lives of those who receive it.

Old Testament Context

In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word often translated as "favoured" is "ḥēn," which can also mean grace or charm. One of the earliest examples of divine favor is found in the account of Noah. Genesis 6:8 states, "But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD." This favor led to Noah being chosen to build the ark and preserve humanity and animal life through the flood.

Another significant example is Joseph, who, despite being sold into slavery by his brothers, found favor in the eyes of his Egyptian master, Potiphar. Genesis 39:4 notes, "Joseph found favor in his sight and became his personal attendant." This favor continued throughout Joseph's life, ultimately leading to his rise to power in Egypt and the preservation of his family during famine.

Moses also experienced God's favor. In Exodus 33:17, the LORD said to Moses, "I will do this very thing you have asked, for you have found favor in My sight, and I know you by name." This favor was instrumental in Moses' leadership and the deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt.

New Testament Context

In the New Testament, the Greek word "charis" is often used to denote favor, grace, or kindness. The most notable instance of divine favor is found in the Annunciation to Mary. In Luke 1:28, the angel Gabriel greets her with, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you." This favor signifies her selection as the mother of Jesus, the Messiah.

Jesus Himself grew in favor with God and man, as noted in Luke 2:52: "And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man." This favor was evident in His ministry, where He performed miracles, taught with authority, and ultimately fulfilled His redemptive mission.

Theological Implications

The concept of being favored by God carries significant theological implications. It underscores the sovereignty of God in bestowing grace and blessings according to His divine will and purpose. Favor is not earned by human merit but is a gift from God, often linked to His covenant promises and purposes.

In the broader biblical narrative, favor is closely associated with God's plan of salvation. Those who are favored are often called to play pivotal roles in the unfolding of God's redemptive history. This is evident in the lives of biblical figures like Noah, Joseph, Moses, and Mary, who were chosen to fulfill specific purposes in God's plan.

Practical Application

For believers today, the concept of divine favor is a reminder of God's grace and the blessings that come from living in accordance with His will. While favor is not a guarantee of a life free from trials, it assures believers of God's presence, guidance, and ultimate purpose in their lives. As seen in the lives of biblical figures, divine favor often involves responsibility and a call to serve God's greater plan.

In prayer and daily life, Christians seek God's favor, trusting in His wisdom and timing. The pursuit of favor is not about seeking personal gain but aligning oneself with God's will and being open to His leading and blessings.
Greek
5487. charitoo -- to make graceful, endow with grace
... favor highly. From charis; to grace, ie Indue with special honor -- make accepted,
be highly favoured. see GREEK charis. (echaritosen) -- 1 Occurrence. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5487.htm - 7k
Strong's Hebrew
2580. chen -- favor, grace
... From chanan; graciousness, ie Subjective (kindness, favor) or objective (beauty) --
favour, grace(-ious), pleasant, precious, (well-)favoured. ...
/hebrew/2580.htm - 6k

2896. towb -- pleasant, agreeable, good
... kindness, liketh (best), loving, merry, X most, pleasant, + pleaseth, pleasure,
precious, prosperity, ready, sweet, wealth, welfare, (be) well ((-favoured)). ...
/hebrew/2896.htm - 6k

8389. toar -- outline, form
... be drawn, mark out. From ta'ar; outline, ie Figure or appearance -- + beautiful,
X comely, countenance, + fair, X favoured, form, X goodly, X resemble, visage. ...
/hebrew/8389.htm - 6k

1697. dabar -- speech, word
... X commune(-ication), + concern(-ing), + confer, counsel, + dearth, decree, deed,
X disease, due, duty, effect, + eloquent, errand, (evil favoured-)ness, + glory ...
/hebrew/1697.htm - 8k

4758. mareh -- sight, appearance, vision
... often plural the looks), or (mental) a vision -- X apparently, appearance(-reth),
X as soon as beautiful(-ly), countenance, fair, favoured, form, goodly, to ...
/hebrew/4758.htm - 6k

7451. ra' -- bad, evil
... displease(-ure), distress, evil((- favouredness), man, thing), + exceedingly, X
great, grief(-vous), harm, heavy, hurt(-ful), ill (favoured), + mark, mischief ...
/hebrew/7451.htm - 6k

Library

The Saints Courageous in their Flight, and Divinely Favoured.
... Chapter II. 19. The Saints courageous in their flight, and divinely favoured.
These things both prove that their previous flight ...
/.../select works and letters or athanasius/19 the saints courageous in.htm

Angeloi Meta Poimenon Doxazousi.
... And stars o'erhead were shining bright; O favoured shepherds, there shall rise. ... And
lo! their minds are filled with fears; O favoured shepherds, wherefore fear? ...
/.../brownlie/hymns of the apostolic church/angeloi meta poimenon doxazousi.htm

Angeloi Meta Poimenon Doxazousi
... And stars o'erhead were shining bright; O favoured shepherds, there shall rise. ... And
lo! their minds are filled with fears; O favoured shepherds, wherefore fear? ...
/.../brownlie/hymns of the early church/angeloi meta poimenon doxazousi.htm

The First Homily. On the Annunciation to the Holy virgin Mary.
... To-day did Gabriel, who stands by God, come to the pure virgin, bearing to her
the glad annunciation, "Hail, thou that art highly favoured! ...
/.../the first homily on the.htm

The Life of Anne Catherine Emmerich
... From childhood she was accustomed to have divine knowledge imparted to her in visions
of all kinds, and was often favoured by visits from the Mother of God and ...
/.../the dolorous passion of our lord jesus christ/the life of anne catherine.htm

The Apocalypse of the Holy Mother of God Concerning the ...
... the archangel Michael descended with the angels of the East and the West and angels
of the South and the North, and they saluted the highly favoured one and ...
/.../unknown/the apocalypse of the virgin/the apocalypse of the holy.htm

Joseph and his Brethren
... And Joseph was comely and well favoured. ... And, behold, there came up out of the river
seven kine, well favoured and fatfleshed; and they fed in the reed-grass. ...
/.../select masterpieces of biblical literature/i joseph and his brethren.htm

Due Measure must be Observed in Liberality, that it May not be ...
... This was the king's first dream. [492] Seven heifers came up out of the river
well-favoured and fat-fleshed, and they fed at the banks of the river. ...
/.../ambrose/works and letters of st ambrose/chapter xvi due measure must.htm

The Feast of the Lord
... He that is least in the kingdom of heaven is more highly favoured than he who is
chief under the Old Testament dispensation. ... What a man! How highly favoured! ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 5 1859/the feast of the lord.htm

The Second Homily. On the Annunciation to the Holy virgin Mary.
... and first of all, the annunciation to the holy mother of God, to wit, the salutation
made to her by the angel, "Hail, thou that art highly favoured!" For first ...
/.../the second homily on the.htm

Thesaurus
Favoured (8 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Favoured (8 Occurrences). Luke 1:28 And the angel
came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly ...
/f/favoured.htm - 8k

Well-favoured (4 Occurrences)
Well-favoured. Wellfavoured, Well-favoured. Well-fed . Multi-Version
Concordance Well-favoured (4 Occurrences). Genesis ...
/w/well-favoured.htm - 7k

Ill-favoured (4 Occurrences)
Ill-favoured. Ill-favored, Ill-favoured. Ill-formed . Multi-Version
Concordance Ill-favoured (4 Occurrences). Genesis ...
/i/ill-favoured.htm - 7k

Grazed (3 Occurrences)
... Grazed (3 Occurrences). Genesis 41:2 And, behold, there came up out of the river
seven kine, well-favoured and fat-fleshed; and they fed in the reed-grass. ...
/g/grazed.htm - 7k

Jehoash (28 Occurrences)
... While the high priest lived, Jehoash favoured the worship of God and observed the
law; but on his death he fell away into evil courses, and the land was ...
/j/jehoash.htm - 32k

Jehoiakim (37 Occurrences)
... On the death of his father his younger brother Jehoahaz (=Shallum, Jeremiah 22:11),
who favoured the Chaldeans against the Egyptians, was made king by the ...
/j/jehoiakim.htm - 33k

Jeroboam (96 Occurrences)
... The conduct of Rehoboam favoured the designs of Jeroboam, and he was
accordingly proclaimed "king of Israel" (1 Kings 12:1-20). ...
/j/jeroboam.htm - 62k

Lifteth (69 Occurrences)
... up his eyes, and seeth the women and the children, and saith, 'What 'are' these
to thee?' And he saith, 'The children with whom God hath favoured thy servant ...
/l/lifteth.htm - 27k

Gabriel (5 Occurrences)
... NIV). Luke 1:28 So Gabriel went into the house and said to her, "Joy be
to you, favoured one! the Lord is with you." (WEY). Daniel ...
/g/gabriel.htm - 9k

Well-fed (2 Occurrences)
Well-fed. Well-favoured, Well-fed. Well-fenced . Multi-Version Concordance ...
(See JPS NAS RSV NIV). Well-favoured, Well-fed. Well-fenced . Reference Bible
/w/well-fed.htm - 6k

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Concordance
Favoured (8 Occurrences)

Luke 1:28
And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.
(KJV WEY DBY YLT)

Genesis 33:5
and he lifteth up his eyes, and seeth the women and the children, and saith, 'What 'are' these to thee?' And he saith, 'The children with whom God hath favoured thy servant.'
(YLT)

Genesis 33:11
receive, I pray thee, my blessing, which is brought to thee, because God hath favoured me, and because I have all 'things';' and he presseth on him, and he receiveth,
(YLT)

Genesis 41:3
And, behold, seven other kine came up after them out of the river, ill-favored and lean-fleshed, and stood by the other kine upon the brink of the river.
(See JPS)

Exodus 33:19
and He saith, 'I cause all My goodness to pass before thy face, and have called concerning the Name of Jehovah before thee, and favoured him whom I favour, and loved him whom I love.'
(YLT)

Deuteronomy 33:24
And of Asher he said, Blessed be Asher with children; Let him be acceptable unto his brethren, And let him dip his foot in oil.
(See JPS)

Lamentations 4:16
The anger of the LORD hath divided them; he will no more regard them: they respected not the persons of the priests, they favoured not the elders.
(KJV DBY YLT)

Daniel 1:4
Children in whom was no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king's palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans.
(KJV)

Subtopics

Favoured

Related Terms

Favoured (8 Occurrences)

Favoureth (1 Occurrence)

Favourable
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