To be pleased with ; specifically, to satisfy a debt
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רָצָה (rātsāh) means to be pleased with, accept, favor, delight in, or be satisfied. It can describe God's acceptance or rejection of offerings, God's favor toward people, human approval, satisfaction of an obligation, and the land enjoying missed sabbath rests.
Reader summary
Full entry for רָצָה (H7521) · Open the biblical lexicon
רָצָה (rātsāh) means to be pleased with, accept, favor, delight in, or be satisfied. It can describe God's acceptance or rejection of offerings, God's favor toward people, human approval, satisfaction of an obligation, and the land enjoying missed sabbath rests.
The BSB source-word alignment has 57 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include accept them (4), be accepted (3), Be pleased (2), delight (2), I will accept (2).
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 33:10. Its strongest book concentrations include Psalms (13), Leviticus (11), Job (4), 1 Chronicles (3).
This entry includes 1 verse guide that explain exact original-language forms in context.
רָצָה (rātsāh) means to be pleased with, accept, favor, delight in, or be satisfied. It can describe God's acceptance or rejection of offerings, God's favor toward people, human approval, satisfaction of an obligation, and the land enjoying missed sabbath rests. The verb concerns a favorable response or completed claim in different relational and legal settings; it is not a single technical term for salvation.
Leviticus asks whether offerings will be accepted within a specific sacrificial covenant. Prophets later say God will not accept worship joined to injustice, idolatry, corrupt offerings, or refusal to listen. This does not mean acceptance is earned through flawless performance. The texts expose attempts to use ritual to secure approval while resisting the God and neighbor whom worship should honor. Psalms also portray God favoring the people, receiving willing praise, and taking pleasure in those who fear him and hope in his covenant love.
Isaiah 40:2 uses the verb in announcing that Jerusalem's hard service is completed or satisfied and her iniquity dealt with. Leviticus 26 and 2 Chronicles 36 say the land enjoys or makes up its sabbath rests during desolation. These uses show why pleased does not fit every occurrence. Isaiah 61:2's year of favor uses the related H7522 noun, not H7521, so it may inform a word-family study but must not be presented as a direct occurrence of this verb.
Rātsāh covers acceptance, favor, pleasure, human approval, satisfaction of debt or service, and enjoyment of due rest. Cultic uses are prominent but do not exhaust the verb.
The offerer lays a hand on the burnt offering so that it may be accepted in the rite described.
During desolation the land enjoys the sabbath rest that was denied while Israel lived upon it.
Jerusalem is comforted with the announcement that her service is completed or satisfied and her iniquity dealt with.
God refuses to accept offerings within an oracle demanding justice rather than self-protective worship.
The Lord declares no pleasure in the corrupt priestly service and refuses offerings from their hands.
Elihu describes a restored person praying to God, being accepted favorably, and seeing God's face with joy.
Israel's possession of the land is attributed to God's hand, presence, and favor rather than military strength.
The psalmist says God does not delight in sacrifice as a substitute for the broken and contrite posture named next.
The psalmist asks the Lord to accept willing praise and teach his judgments.
The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him and hope in his covenant love rather than in military strength.
The Lord takes pleasure in his people and adorns the humble with salvation.
The teacher tells the hearer to receive ordinary food and drink with joy because God has already approved the work.
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders ItA compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
Verse-level guides showing how this original-language form works in its specific context, including grammar, verse function, and guarded interpretation.
Hebrew word. Moves from personal pleasure or approval to satisfying obligations; crucially means to accept or pardon.
Moves from personal pleasure or approval to satisfying obligations; crucially means to accept or pardon.
to be pleased with; specifically, to satisfy a debt BDB: be pleased with Usage: (be) accept(-able), accomplish, set affection, approve, consent with, delight (self), enjoy, (be, have a) favour(-able), like, observe, pardon, (be, have, take) please(-ure), reconcile self.
How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Showing 3 selected witnesses from 57 lexical occurrence verses.
רָצָה is a primitive root - no further derivation.
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
Rātsāh addresses acceptance without reducing faith to approval-seeking. Leviticus locates acceptable sacrifice within God's provided covenant order. Amos and Malachi expose worship used to mask injustice or contempt. Psalm 147 redirects confidence from visible strength toward reverence and hope in covenant love. Isaiah 40 announces that a term of hard service is complete, while sabbath texts say even the land receives its due rest.
Pastoral teaching should distinguish conviction from scrupulosity, healthy desire to please God from coercive people-pleasing, and divine acceptance from a leader's personal approval. People with religious trauma should not be made to chase ever-changing standards or buy favor through money, labor, loyalty, silence, or access.
Ps.147.11
H7521 is a verb whose subject and object shape accept, favor, delight, satisfy, or enjoy. It is related to but distinct from H7522, the noun often translated favor, pleasure, will, or acceptable time.
New Testament teaching on acceptable worship, divine pleasure, sacrifice, and favorable time continues related themes. Direct claims must follow the cited Greek terms and quotations, especially where Isaiah uses the H7522 noun rather than H7521.
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