טוֹב (H2896) — Hebrew Lexicon

טוֹב

𐤈𐤅𐤁

ṭôwb

H2896 adjective

SILEX Entry

Definition

Positive quality, excellence, or value; conforms to an ideal standard or brings benefit. As an adjective, describes that which is pleasant, beneficial, skilled, beautiful, morally right, or desirable. As a noun, denotes a good thing, benefit, or what is desirable, or the state/condition of goodness. As an adverb, indicates acting well or successfully. The semantic range includes both moral and non-moral senses depending on context.

Semantic Range

good (moral or ethical), pleasant, beautiful, beneficial, prosperous, fitting, skilled, well, bountiful, desirable, happiness, welfare, material goods, favor, successful, attractive, joyful, kind, glad, proper, suitable, best, correct, (noun) benefit, advantage, prosperity, the good; (adverb) well, successfully

Root / Etymology

Root is טוב (tet-vav-bet), meaning 'to be good, pleasing, pleasant, beneficial.' The adjective טוֹב (ṭôb) is a direct formation from this root, used to indicate quality, benefit, or positive character. The same consonants are the basis for the verbal and nominal forms, though the root concept focuses on quality or benefit rather than solely moral goodness.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In pre-exilic biblical Hebrew, טוֹב covered a broad semantic range including moral goodness (Gen 1:4 – creation pronounced good), aesthetic quality (pleasant or beautiful, e.g., Gen 2:12), or practical value (beneficial, useful, e.g., Gen 2:9). In some instances, it signals moral rightness or propriety (Mic 6:8), but often the emphasis is on something being desirable or well-suited for a purpose, including prosperity, welfare, or material goods. In wisdom literature and later texts, טוֹב frequently contrasts with רַע (evil, bad) to define choices, actions, or the human condition (e.g., Ecclesiastes). The translation 'good' can sometimes obscure whether the sense is aesthetic, practical, moral, or existential. Over time, the concept of טוֹב in Second Temple Hebrew continued this broad semantic range, and in some texts may assume more abstract overtones, influenced by Greek ethical thought, where 'the good' could indicate an ultimate principle of value. English translations often default to 'good,' but context determines whether a more specific term like 'prosperous,' 'beautiful,' 'well,' or 'beneficial' is preferable. As an adverb, 'well' is sometimes the best rendering. Noun uses ('good thing,' 'the good') appear frequently in Proverbs and wisdom texts. Unlike the English 'good,' טוֹב does not inherently imply perfection or absolute morality, but rather the positive, fitting, or beneficial nature of something or someone.

Translation Consistency

primary "good" 45 occurrences

‘Good’ is the overwhelmingly predominant, natural English equivalent in the SILEX data (491 of 565 occurrences) and captures the broad adjectival, nominal and adverbial senses (moral rightness, pleasantness, benefit, welfare, suitability, success). It is simple, idiomatic, and will provide consistent, readable renderings across the full semantic range of טוֹב.

Alternatives (5 occurrences):

"goodness" (2x) "beautiful of" (1x) "goodness of" (1x) "better" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from טוֹב; good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine, the singular and the plural (good, a good or good thing, a good man or woman; the good, goods or good things, good men or women), also as an adverb (well); beautiful, best, better, bountiful, cheerful, at ease, [idiom] fair (word), (be in) favour, fine, glad, good (deed, -lier, -liest, -ly, -ness, -s), graciously, joyful, kindly, kindness, liketh (best), loving, merry, [idiom] most, pleasant, [phrase] pleaseth, pleasure, precious, prosperity, ready, sweet, wealth, welfare, (be) well(-favoured).

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

טוב (Tov) — to be good, to be pleasing, to be well

Root טוב to be good, to be pleasant, to benefit, to be beautiful

Strong's	Lemma	SIBI-P1
H2869	טָב	good
H2895	טוֹב	you did good
H2897	טוֹב	good
H2898	טוּב	in goodness
H2900	טוֹבִיָּה	to Yahweh-is-good

Word Forms

40 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2	Occurrences
`H2896-20`	ט֔וֹב	tov	`HAamsa`	good	good	good	272
`H2896-06`	הַ/טּ֥וֹב	hatov	`HTd/Aamsa`	the good	the good	the good	50
`H2896-21`	טוֹבָ֔ה	tovah	`HAafsa`	good	good (feminine)	good	49
`H2896-07`	הַ/טּוֹבָ֖ה	hatovah	`HTd/Aafsa`	the good	the good (feminine)	the good (feminine)	40
`H2896-26`	טוֹבִ֑ים	tovim	`HAampa`	good	good ones	good ones	23
`H2896-16`	לְ/טוֹבָה֙	letovah	`HR/Aafsa`	for good	for goodness	for good	15
`H2896-33`	וְ/ט֥וֹב	vetov	`HC/Aamsa`	and good	and good	and good	15
`H2896-15`	לְ/ט֜וֹב	letov	`HR/Aamsa`	for good	for benefit	for good	10
`H2896-30`	וָ/ט֔וֹב	vatov	`HC/Aamsa`	and good	good	and good	8
`H2896-08`	הַ/טּוֹבִ֖ים	hatovim	`HTd/Aampa`	the best	the good ones	the good ones	7
`H2896-23`	טֽוֹבַת	tovat	`HAafsc`	beautiful	goodness of	goodness of	7
`H2896-27`	טֹב֑וֹת	tovot	`HAafpa`	kindly	good things	good things	7
`H2896-01`	בַּ/טּ֣וֹב	batov	`HRd/Aamsa`	where it is good	in the good	in the good	6
`H2896-09`	הַ/טֹּב֑וֹת	hatovot	`HTd/Aafpa`	good	the good things	the good	6
`H2896-10`	כַּ/טּוֹב֙	katov	`HRd/Aamsa`	as good	as good	as good	6
`H2896-17`	מִ/טּ֥וֹב	mitov	`HR/Aamsa`	good	from goodness	from goodness	5
`H2896-11`	כְּ/ט֨וֹב	ketov	`HR/Vqc`	according to the goodness	be good	according to the goodness	4
`H2896-31`	וְ/הַ/טּ֥וֹב	vehatov	`HC/Td/Aamsa`	and the good	and the good	and the good	4
`H2896-37`	וְ/ט֣וֹבֵי	vetovey	`HC/Aampc`	and glad	and good ones of	and glad of	3
`H2896-39`	וְ/טֹבֹ֖ת	vetovot	`HC/Aafpa`	and good	and good ones	and good	3
`H2896-03`	בְּ/ט֑וֹב	betov	`HR/Aamsa`	for good	in goodness	in goodness	2
`H2896-12`	לַ/טּוֹב֙	latov	`HRd/Aamsa`	to the good	to the good	to the good	2
`H2896-34`	וְ/טוֹבָ֖ה	vetovah	`HC/Aafsa`	and pleasing	and good	and it is good	2
`H2896-36`	וְ/טֹבָתָ֑/ם	vetovatam	`HC/Aafsc/Sp3mp`	and-prosperity-of-them	and their goodness	and their good	2
`H2896-38`	וְ/טֹבִ֤ים	vetovim	`HC/Aampa`	and better	and good ones	and good ones	2
`H2896-02`	בַּ/טּוֹבָֽה	batovah	`HRd/Aafsc`	in-the-good	in the goodness	in the goodness	1
`H2896-04`	בְּ/ט֘וֹבַ֤ת	betovat	`HR/Aafsc`	the prosperity of	in the goodness of	in the goodness of	1
`H2896-05`	בְּ/טוֹבָתְ/ךָ֖	betovatekha	`HR/Aafsc/Sp2ms`	in your goodness	in your goodness	in your goodness	1
`H2896-13`	לַ/טּוֹבָֽה	latovah	`HRd/Aafsa`	for the good [work]	for benefit	for good	1
`H2896-14`	לַ/טּוֹבִ֑ים	latovim	`HRd/Aampa`	to the good	to the good ones	to the good ones	1
`H2896-18`	מִ/טּוֹבָ֔ה	mitovah	`HR/Aafsa`		good	good	1
`H2896-19`	שֶׁ/טּ֣וֹב	shetov	`HTr/Aamsa`		good	good	1
`H2896-22`	טוֹבָ֣/ם	tovam	`HAamsc/Sp3mp`	the best of them	their goodness	the best of them	1
`H2896-24`	טוֹבָתֶ֑/ךָ	tovatekha	`HAafsc/Sp2ms`	your bounty	your goodness	your goodness	1
`H2896-25`	ט֝וֹבָתִ֗/י	tovati	`HAafsc/Sp1cs`	my-goodness	my goodness	my goodness	1
`H2896-28`	טוֹבֹתָ֗י/ו	tovotayv	`HAafpc/Sp3ms`	his good deeds	his good things	his good deeds	1
`H2896-29`	טוב	tvv	`HVqp3ms`	good	he was good	it was good	1
`H2896-32`	וְ/לַ/טּ֣וֹב	velatov	`HC/Rd/Aamsa`	and to good	and to the good	and to the good	1
`H2896-35`	וְ/טוֹבַ֣ת	vetovat	`HC/Aafsc`	and good	and goodness of	and good of	1
`H2896-40`	ו/טוֹבִֽים	vtovim	`HC/Aampa`	and good	and good ones	and good ones	1

Occurrences in Scripture

565 occurrences

Filter by SIDANCE:

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2
`H2896-20`	Genesis 1:4	ט֑וֹב	tov	`HAamsa`	was good	good	good
`H2896-20`	Genesis 1:10	טֽוֹב	tov	`HAamsa`	good	good	good
`H2896-20`	Genesis 1:12	טֽוֹב	tov	`HAamsa`	good	good	good
`H2896-20`	Genesis 1:18	טֽוֹב	tov	`HAamsa`	good	good	good
`H2896-20`	Genesis 1:21	טֽוֹב	tov	`HAamsa`	it was good	good	good
`H2896-20`	Genesis 1:25	טֽוֹב	tov	`HAamsa`	it was good	good	good
`H2896-20`	Genesis 1:31	ט֖וֹב	tov	`HAamsa`	good	good	good
`H2896-33`	Genesis 2:9	וְ/ט֣וֹב	vetov	`HC/Aamsa`	and good	and good	and good
`H2896-20`	Genesis 2:9	ט֥וֹב	tov	`HAamsa`	good	good	good
`H2896-20`	Genesis 2:12	ט֑וֹב	tov	`HAamsa`	good	good	good
`H2896-20`	Genesis 2:17	ט֣וֹב	tov	`HAamsa`	of good	good	good
`H2896-20`	Genesis 2:18	ט֛וֹב	tov	`HAamsa`	good	good	good
`H2896-20`	Genesis 3:5	ט֥וֹב	tov	`HAamsa`	good	good	good
`H2896-20`	Genesis 3:6	טוֹב֩	tov	`HAamsa`	good	good	good
`H2896-20`	Genesis 3:22	ט֣וֹב	tov	`HAamsa`	good	good	good
`H2896-27`	Genesis 6:2	טֹבֹ֖ת	tovot	`HAafpa`	were fair/beautiful	good things	good
`H2896-21`	Genesis 15:15	טוֹבָֽה	tovah	`HAafsa`	old age	good (feminine)	good (feminine)
`H2896-06`	Genesis 16:6	הַ/טּ֣וֹב	hatov	`HTd/Aamsa`	what is good	the good	the good
`H2896-30`	Genesis 18:7	וָ/טוֹב֙	vatov	`HC/Aamsa`	and good	good	and good
`H2896-10`	Genesis 19:8	כַּ/טּ֖וֹב	katov	`HRd/Aamsa`	as is good	as good	as good
`H2896-01`	Genesis 20:15	בַּ/טּ֥וֹב	batov	`HRd/Aamsa`	where it is good	in the good	in the good
`H2896-23`	Genesis 24:16	טֹבַ֤ת	tovat	`HAafsc`	was beautiful	goodness of	beautiful of
`H2896-20`	Genesis 24:50	טֽוֹב	tov	`HAamsa`	good	good	good
`H2896-21`	Genesis 25:8	טוֹבָ֖ה	tovah	`HAafsa`	good	good (feminine)	good
`H2896-23`	Genesis 26:7	טוֹבַ֥ת	tovat	`HAafsc`	beautiful	goodness of	goodness of
`H2896-20`	Genesis 26:29	ט֔וֹב	tov	`HAamsa`	good	good	good
`H2896-26`	Genesis 27:9	טֹבִ֑ים	tovim	`HAampa`	good	good ones	good ones
`H2896-20`	Genesis 29:19	ט֚וֹב	tov	`HAamsa`	It is better	good	good
`H2896-20`	Genesis 30:20	טוֹב֒	tov	`HAamsa`	good	good	good
`H2896-17`	Genesis 31:24	מִ/טּ֥וֹב	mitov	`HR/Aamsa`	good	from goodness	from goodness
`H2896-17`	Genesis 31:29	מִ/טּ֥וֹב	mitov	`HR/Aamsa`	good	from goodness	from goodness
`H2896-20`	Genesis 40:16	ט֣וֹב	tov	`HAamsa`	good	good	good
`H2896-39`	Genesis 41:5	וְ/טֹבֽוֹת	vetovot	`HC/Aafpa`	and good	and good ones	and good
`H2896-39`	Genesis 41:22	וְ/טֹבֽוֹת	vetovot	`HC/Aafpa`	and good	and good ones	and good
`H2896-09`	Genesis 41:24	הַ/טֹּב֑וֹת	hatovot	`HTd/Aafpa`	good	the good things	the good things
`H2896-09`	Genesis 41:26	הַ/טֹּבֹ֗ת	hatovot	`HTd/Aafpa`	good	the good things	the good
`H2896-09`	Genesis 41:26	הַ/טֹּבֹ֔ת	hatovot-2	`HTd/Aafpa`	good	the good things	the good
`H2896-09`	Genesis 41:35	הַ/טֹּבֹ֔ת	hatovot	`HTd/Aafpa`	the good	the good things	the good
`H2896-21`	Genesis 44:4	טוֹבָֽה	tovah	`HAafsa`	good	good (feminine)	good
`H2896-20`	Genesis 49:15	ט֔וֹב	tov	`HAamsa`	it was good	good	good
`H2896-16`	Genesis 50:20	לְ/טֹבָ֔ה	letovah	`HR/Aafsa`	for good	for goodness	for good
`H2896-20`	Exodus 2:2	ט֣וֹב	tov	`HAamsa`	good	good	good
`H2896-21`	Exodus 3:8	טוֹבָה֙	tovah	`HAafsa`	good	good (feminine)	good (feminine)
`H2896-20`	Exodus 14:12	ט֥וֹב	tov	`HAamsa`	better	good	better
`H2896-07`	Exodus 18:9	הַ/טּוֹבָ֔ה	hatovah	`HTd/Aafsa`	the goodness	the good (feminine)	the good (feminine)
`H2896-20`	Exodus 18:17	טוֹב֙	tov	`HAamsa`	good	good	good
`H2896-20`	Leviticus 27:10	ט֥וֹב	tov	`HAamsa`	good	good	good
`H2896-03`	Leviticus 27:10	בְּ/ט֑וֹב	betov	`HR/Aamsa`	for good	in goodness	with good
`H2896-20`	Leviticus 27:12	ט֖וֹב	tov	`HAamsa`	good	good	good
`H2896-20`	Leviticus 27:14	ט֖וֹב	tov	`HAamsa`	good	good	good

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