Lexical Definition

‎יָטַב‎ yâṭab (yaw-tab') be good ^H:V
a primitive root

be accepted, amend, use aright, benefit, be (make) better, seem best, make cheerful, be comely, [phrase] be content, diligent(-ly), dress, earnestly, find favour, give, be glad, do (be, make) good(-ness), be (make) merry, please ([phrase] well), shew more (kindness), skilfully, [idiom] very small, surely, make sweet, thoroughly, tire, trim, very, be (can, deal, entreat, go, have) well (said, seen).

• to be (causative) make well, literally (sound, beautiful) or figuratively (happy, successful, right)

1) to be good, be pleasing, be well, be glad
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to be glad, be joyful
1a2) to be well placed
1a3) to be well for, be well with, go well with
1a4) to be pleasing, be pleasing to
1b) (Hiphil)
1b1) to make glad, rejoice
1b2) to do good to, deal well with
1b3) to do well, do thoroughly
1b4) to make a thing good or right or beautiful
1b5) to do well, do right

See Greek: ἀκριβῶς · ἐλεέω · ἑτοιμάζω · εὖ · εὖ · καλός · καλῶς · καλῶς · ποιέω · σφόδρα · χαίρω · χράομαι

Brown-Driver-Briggs

Also see: טוֹב

[‎יָטַב‎] verb be good, well, glad, pleasing (Aramaic ‎יְטַב‎ Zinjirli ‎יטב‎ DHM^{Sendsch. 57}) —

Qal (Perfect not in use, see ‎טוֺב‎ verb) Imperfect ‎יִיטַב‎ Gen 12:13 + 34 t., ‎יִטַב‎ 1Sam 24:5* + 3 t.; ‎תִּיטַב‎ Esth 2:4 + 2 t.; ‎תֵּיטְבִי‎ (incorrect for ‎תִּיטְבִי‎ Ges^{«GKC:70»§ 70} R) Nah 3:8 plural ‎יִיטְבוּ‎ Gen 34:18 for Infinitive and Participle see ‎טוֺב‎ —

1. be glad, joyful, ‎לֵב‎ Judg 18:20; Judg 19:6; Judg 19:9; 1Kgs 21:7; Ruth 3:7; Eccl 7:3.

2. be well placed, ‎הֲתֵיטְבִי מִנּאֹ אָמוֺן‎ Nah 3:8 art thou better placed than No of Amon?

3. impersonal with ‎לְ‎, be well for or with, go well with Gen 12:13 (J), Gen 40:14 (E), Deut 4:40; Deut 5:16; Deut 5:26; Deut 6:3; Deut 6:18; Deut 12:25; Deut 12:28; Deut 22:7; 2Kgs 25:24; Ruth 3:1; Jer 7:23; Jer 38:20; Jer 40:9; Jer 42:6.

4. be pleasing ‎בְּעֵינֵי‎ Gen 34:18 (J), Gen 41:37; Gen 45:16 (E), Deut 1:23; Lev 10:19; Lev 10:20; Josh 22:30; Josh 22:33 (P), 1Sam 18:5; 1Sam 24:5*; 2Sam 3:36; 2Sam 18:4; 1Kgs 3:10; Esth 1:21; Esth 2:4 (twice in verse); Esth 2:9 with ‎לְ‎, be pleasing to, Ps 69:32* with ‎לִפְנֵי‎ (late) Neh 2:5; Neh 2:6; Esth 5:14. Hiph`il Perfect ‎הֵיטִיב‎ Gen 12:16; Josh 24:20 ‎הֵיטִב‎ 1Sam 25:31 suffix ‎הֵיטִ֑בְךָ‎ Deut 30:5 ‎הֵיטַבְתָּ‎ Jer 1:12 ‎הֵיטַבְתְּ‎ Ruth 3:10, etc.; ‎וְהִֵ˜טבֹתִ֫י‎ Ezek 36:11 (for ‎הֵיטַבְתִּי‎ as if from ‎טוב‎ Ges^{«GKC:70»§ 70}R); Imperfect ‎יֵיטִיב‎ Num 10:32 + 3 t.; ‎יֵיטִב‎ Prov 15:13 + 2 t.; ‎יְיֵטִיב‎ Job 24:21 (Ges^{«GKC:70»§ 70}R); ‎יֵיטֵיב‎ 1Kgs 1:47 (Ges^{«GKC:70»§ 70}R); ‎וַיִּ֫יטֶב‎ Exod 1:20 suffix ‎וִיטִיבְךָ‎ Eccl 11:9, etc.; Imperative ‎הֵיטִ֫יבָה‎ Ps 51:20* ‎הֵיטִ֫יבִי‎ Isa 23:16, etc.; Infinitive absolute ‎הֵיטֵיב‎ Jer 7:5; Jer 10:5 ‎הֵיטֵב‎ Gen 32:13* + 10 t.; Infinitive construct ‎הֵיטִיב‎ Lev 5:4 + 7 t.; ‎הֵטִיב‎ Jer 32:41 suffix ‎הֵיטִיבִי‎ Jer 32:40, etc.; Participle ‎מֵיטִיב‎ 1Sam 16:17 ‎מֵטִיב‎ Ps 119:68 ‎מֵטִב‎ Ezek 33:32, etc.; —

1. make glad, rejoice ‎לֵב‎ Judg 19:22 ‎פנים‎ Prov 15:13 the person Eccl 11:9.

2. do good to, deal well with, a person usually with preposition: with ‎לְ‎, Exod 1:20; Josh 24:20 (both E), Gen 12:16; Num 10:29; Num 10:32 (all J), Judg 17:13; 1Sam 25:31; Ps 49:19*; Ps 125:4 with ‎עִם‎, Gen 32:10*; Gen 32:13* (twice in verse); Num 10:32 (all J), Mic 2:7 with accusative Deut 8:16; Deut 28:63; Deut 30:5; 1Sam 2:32; Jer 18:10; Jer 32:40; Jer 32:41; Zech 8:15; Job 24:21; Ps 51:20* absolute Ezek 36:11 opposed to ‎הֵרַע‎ (in prov. phrase, cannot do good or ill, = cannot do anything at all; test of deity) Zeph 1:12; Isa 41:23; Jer 10:5.

3. do well or thoroughly: ‎הֵטִיבוּ (כל)אשׁר דבּרוּ‎ they have done well (all) that they have spoken Deut 5:25; Deut 18:17 ‎על הרע כפים להיטיב‎ Mic 7:3 their hands are upon the evil to do it well,i.e.diligently, thoroughly, literally make (it) good, with play on ‎הרע‎; especially as auxil. followed by infinitive; ‎דעת‎ ‎׳‎‎היט‎ Prov 15:2 = know well; ‎לראות‎ Jer 1:12 see well; ‎(לְ)נַגֵּן‎ play well, skilfully 1Sam 16:17; Isa 23:16; Ezek 33:32; Ps 33:3 compare participle construct followed by substantive ‎מֵטִבֵי צָ֑עַד‎ Prov 30:29 marching well, in a stately manner, so ‎מֵיטִבֵי לֶכֶת‎ vProv 30:29 infinitive absolute ‎הֵיטֵיב‎ as adverb = thoroughly, with verbs: ‎כתת‎ Deut 9:21, ‎שׁאל‎ Deut 13:15*, ‎דרשׁ‎ Deut 17:4; Deut 19:18, ‎באר‎ Deut 27:8, ‎שׁבּר‎ 2Kgs 11:18.

4. make a thing good, right, beautiful: with accusative of thing: the head 2Kgs 9:30 dress, trim: a lamp Exod 30:7 (P); ‎מַצֵּבוֺת‎ Hos 10:1 ‎גֵּהָה‎ Prov 17:22 a glad heart maketh a good cure; followed by ‎מִן‎ comparative, object ‎שֵׁם‎ 1Kgs 1:47 ( = make it more glorious then); ‎חֶסֶד‎ Ruth 3:10 followed by ‎דֶּרֶךְ‎ = course of life or action Jer 2:33 (in order to win love); amend one's ways and doings Jer 7:3; Jer 18:11; Jer 26:13; Jer 35:15 ‎׳‎‎הֵיטֵיב תֵּיטִיבוּ אתדֿ‎ Jer 7:5.

5. do well, right, ethically, absolute:
a. of men, Gen 4:7 (twice in verse) (J), Lev 5:4 (P), Ps 36:4*; Isa 1:17; Jer 4:22; Jer 13:23.
b. of God, ‎טוֺב מֵטִיב‎ good and doing good Ps 119:68 so infinitive absolute as adverb ‎הַהֵיטֵב חָרָה לך‎ Jonah 4:4; Jonah 4:9 art thou rightly angry ? followed by ‎לי‎ vJonah 4:9. In ‎כִּייֵֿיטִב אֶלאָֿבִי‎ 1Sam 20:13 verb is apparently intransitive, = Qal, if it be pleasing unto my father, but Hiph`il not elsewhere in this sense; point rather ‎יִיטַב‎; on this and on following ‎אֶתֿ‎ see We Dr.

Brown-Driver-Briggs References