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יָטַב

𐤉𐤈𐤁

yâṭab

H3190 verb

SILEX Entry

Root יטב to be good, to do good, to make good, to treat well

Definition

To be good, pleasant, right, or fitting in quality or action; to act or become beneficial or appropriate. Used of moral, aesthetic, or practical 'goodness'—including being well, pleasing, successful, or proper. In the causative, to make good, improve, or treat well.

Semantic Range

to be good, to become good, to act rightly, to be pleasing, to prosper, to make good, to improve, to treat well, to benefit, to make beautiful or fitting, to please, to be accepted, to succeed, to bring joy, to deal kindly, to act skillfully

Root / Etymology

From the root יטב, meaning 'to be good' or 'do good.' The verb derives directly from this root and fundamentally denotes a state or action characterized by goodness, suitability, or propriety.

Historical & Contextual Notes

יָטַב is commonly used throughout the Hebrew Bible in descriptions of action, state, or circumstance being good or pleasing, either inherently (as in quality) or in effect (as in conduct or treatment). The verb can be stative ('to be good/pleasant') or active-causative ('to do good, make something good'). It often carries moral or evaluative weight, as with being 'right' or 'well-pleasing' in the sight of others or of God. In legal and narrative texts, it can mean to deal favorably or act kindly toward others. In poetry and wisdom literature, it may describe success, happiness, or harmony. Later, during the post-exilic and Second Temple periods, derivatives of this root continued to carry both moral and practical implications. The range of translations in English (such as 'do good,' 'be well,' 'please,' 'prosper') can obscure the consistent emphasis on goodness or suitability at the core of יָטַב. Distinguish from טוֹב (H2896)—the adjective/noun 'good'—which more commonly denotes inherent quality, while יָטַב focuses on the act or process of becoming or making good. The standard translations do not always capture nuances such as fittingness or suitability.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to be (causative) make well, literally (sound, beautiful) or figuratively (happy, successful, right); 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).

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

יטב (y-ṭ-b) — goodness, well-being, beneficial action, making good

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H3191 יְטַב he will be good
H3192 יׇטְבָה Pleasant-Place
H3193 יׇטְבָתָה in Pleasant-Place
H4105 מְהֵיטַבְאֵל God-does-good
H4315 מֵיטָב in the choicest portion of

Word Forms

42 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H3190-42 יִֽיטַב yitav HVqi3ms it may be well he will be good 17
H3190-28 וַ/יִּיטַ֥ב vayitav HC/Vqw3ms and it was good and he became good 15
H3190-08 הֵיטֵ֥ב heytev HVha thoroughly to make good 9
H3190-40 יֵיטִ֧יב yeytiv HVhi3ms does good he will make good 7
H3190-14 לְ/הֵיטִ֗יב leheytiv HR/Vhc to do good to make good 7
H3190-13 הֵיטִ֖יבוּ heytivu HVhp3cp they have done well they made good 6
H3190-36 וְ/יִטַ֥ב veyitav HC/Vqi3ms and let it be good and he will be good 6
H3190-20 תֵּיטִיב֙ teytiv HVhi2ms you do well you will make good 4
H3190-22 תֵּיטִ֣יבוּ teytivu HVhi2mp do good you will make good 2
H3190-03 הַ/הֵיטֵ֖ב haheytev HTi/Vha Is it right to make good 2

Occurrences in Scripture

112 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H3190-20 Genesis 4:7 תֵּיטִיב֙ teytiv HVhi2ms you do well you will make good
H3190-20 Genesis 4:7 תֵיטִ֔יב teytiv-2 HVhi2ms you do well you will make good
H3190-42 Genesis 12:13 יִֽיטַב yitav HVqi3ms it may go well he will be good
H3190-10 Genesis 12:16 הֵיטִ֖יב heytiv HVhp3ms dealt well he made good
H3190-30 Genesis 32:10 וְ/אֵיטִ֥יבָה veeytivah HC/Vhh1cs and I will do good let me make good
H3190-08 Genesis 32:13 הֵיטֵ֥ב heytev HVha surely do good to make good
H3190-02 Genesis 32:13 אֵיטִ֖יב eytiv HVhi1cs I will do good I will make good
H3190-29 Genesis 34:18 וַ/יִּֽיטְב֥וּ vayitevu HC/Vqw3mp pleased and they became good
H3190-42 Genesis 40:14 יִ֣יטַב yitav HVqi3ms it goes well he will be good
H3190-28 Genesis 41:37 וַ/יִּיטַ֥ב vayitav HC/Vqw3ms was good and he became good
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